It’s been a 12 months since Katie Gregson-MacLeod went viral on TikTok with “Complicated,” a devastating piano ballad about unrequited love that poised the 22-year-old for singer-songwriter stardom — and she or he’s nonetheless processing all of it.
“When your life modifications that drastically, that shortly, I don’t assume there’s ever any method of processing it,” MacLeod tells Selection over espresso and croissants at a North London café. “I feel loads of this 12 months has simply been attempting to recenter on the music, attempting to recenter on life. It was wonderful, so thrilling and thrilling and busy — however then it’s essential to come again down. And it may be actually scary coming again down.”
Initially hailing from the Scottish Highlands, MacLeod moved to London in January after signing with Columbia Information late final 12 months and releasing the stripped-back EP “Songs Written for Piano.” Her newest effort, the five-track “Huge Pink” — which launched Friday — sees MacLeod branching out extra with style and manufacturing whereas doubling down on her confessional, diaristic lyricism. The EP paperwork the life cycle of a four-month relationship, from first butterflies to the breakup cellphone name, and MacLeod doesn’t maintain again. The truth is, she obtained the title “Huge Pink” from the Holloway pub the place the couple had their first date, and all of the EP’s visuals have been additionally filmed inside its storied partitions.
“It’s so anecdotal, so particular,” MacLeod says of the venture. “And with regards to selling this EP, I’m actually simply wincing on a regular basis as a result of I do know that he watches my stuff. We’re nonetheless on good phrases, we’re friends, however I’m simply sitting right here like, I overlook that is actual life.”
Under, MacLeod discusses the making of “Huge Pink,” teases her forthcoming debut album and shares her dream lineup for a Boygenius-esque supergroup.
It’s been a couple of 12 months since “Complicated” blew up and adjusted your life. What has that have been like for you?
The world opened as much as me in a method that I by no means might have foreseen for my entire life, not to mention for that second. It’s type of a bizarre one, the place you’re given a lot alternative and a lot freedom on a platter, and also you’re far more debilitated and stagnant in that second as a result of it’s overwhelming. I felt far more safe as a author, far more safe in my ambition, far more positive of myself earlier than anybody was listening. You don’t have anybody to show something to, and you must combat in your individual nook as a result of nobody’s doing it for you, so that you’re like, “Yeah, I consider in myself.” Now I’m like, “OK, everybody else believes in me, can I sustain?” It’s a extremely weird factor that occurs, there’s by no means extra self doubt than when everybody’s telling you you’re nice.
When did you first fall in love with music?
I used to be slightly drama queen after I was wee — most likely nonetheless am — so I used to be simply all the time on stage singing, doing musical theater and the writing was all the time occurring. It was most likely little brief tales and poems after I was actually wee, after which I keep in mind my first couple songs after I was 7 or 8. There’s some movies of me singing and taking part in guitar, singing songs that I’m like, “What have been you speaking about? Who was this music about?” I used to be listening to Adele songs and being like “Oh my god, I’m a divorcee,” and I used to be like 7. It was all the time a part of my life. I didn’t assume I used to be going to do it in an boastful method the place I used to be like, “After all, I’m gonna be an enormous star.” However it was extra of assuming I’m going to comply with that path as a result of I don’t assume there’s the rest I might do and be joyful.
Let’s speak about “Huge Pink.” There’s fairly a powerful narrative within the EP, how did that come about?
I wrote all of the songs primarily based on one relationship that I used to be experiencing at the moment. Fairly embarrassing now, wanting again — as a result of it was like 4 months and I’ve obtained a complete EP popping out about it — however you gotta do what you gotta do and it’s all about content material, as I say within the EP.
It’s fairly susceptible placing all that on the market for the world to listen to — does that ever scare you?
It’s the one method I can do it properly. I’ve by no means had some other intuition. However undoubtedly with this EP, I’ve had moments the place I’m like, “I’d faux it subsequent time.” As a result of I write so anecdotally and particularly, there’s no phrases minced. You understand precisely the place we’re, what’s occurring, who it’s. I like listening to that stuff so I’m OK with that, however on the similar time, it’s actually arduous being on-line and realizing that you just’re being seen by everybody who was concerned. Particularly since I selected to [name the EP after] the pub, and the references within the music are so particular. The primary single was about their ex [“Your Ex”], so I’m simply principally being a cunt on a regular basis [laughs].
I’m in a brand new relationship — tremendous joyful, it’s nice. However like, it’s fucking arduous realizing he’s within the crowd and singing songs which are like, “I wish to be your girlfriend,” which I wrote about another person. I’m like, “That is such a weird job.” Only a few different jobs require somebody to be so particular about your ex on a regular basis, like in entrance of everybody.
You’re about to set off on tour in November, and with a full band for the primary time. How are you prepping for tour life?
I used to play with a band — earlier than “Complicated,” I had a four-piece. It was like indie rock, an EP was going to return out. After which I launched a piano EP. However I like taking part in with a band and I’m excited to get again into it. They’re all from Glasgow, so it’s a Scottish base which I feel is vital for me. I’m used to doing the very stripped, intimate, me chatting, me doing the songs on piano and guitar. I like that, that’s all the time going to exist within the set due to “Complicated.” However the band provides a complete new factor to it, a complete new dimension.
Do you ever see your self going again to these indie-rock roots?
Yeah, for positive. The album goes to be very totally different from “Songs Written for Piano.” I’m a folky lady at coronary heart, so there’s all the time going to be these insular, introspective stripped-back songs. However a little bit of each, you realize?
Who in music do you look as much as by way of how their profession has shaken out?
I’d like to have that type of Lucy Dacus-esque, Phoebe Bridgers-esque path, but in addition, we don’t stay in that point anymore. Social media is like — their careers would look so totally different now. I all the time say that I wish to have that type of path, however I suppose that’s a bit naive to the truth that we’re principally on the mercy of virality. And that’s what you must be now to achieve success. So I discover it arduous to foresee how that’s going to look. I imply like Boygenius, as an illustration, it’s so cool how they’ve these solo careers and it seems like such a creatively fulfilling factor to have that aspect venture.
When you’d requested me earlier than “Complicated,” I’d have mentioned launch a bunch of stuff, gig a ton, most likely work at a bar on the similar time and simply see what occurs. Now I’m like, “Oh fuck, that is genuinely a chance. How do I get there?” However I wish to launch an awesome album and I wish to tour loads. I feel it could be naive to imagine that after “Complicated” it’s simply going to go up. Now it’s like, you’re again down a bit, it’s essential to develop that fanbase. I can’t simply be one music.
When you might dream solid your individual Boygenius supergroup, who could be in it with you?
That is going to be essentially the most random fucking trio — it’s gonna be Laufey, Maisie Peters and I.
I’d pay to see that. And when can followers anticipate your debut album?
I’m at the moment ending the writing course of. I’d find it irresistible to be subsequent 12 months, however I additionally know that it takes longer and I don’t wish to rush it. I’m actually proud of some songs that I’ve already, and it’s going to be an enormous problem. I’ve a really particular concept about how I wish to make it, and the type of place I wish to be in each bodily and likewise spiritually. I’d like to be in a spot with house, possibly the Highlands. As an artist, that’s fucking terrifying, a debut album. It’s horribly terrifying, however so thrilling. And I’m attempting to overlook the strain, however the stakes are excessive.
