Published in Sunday People, New Sunday Times
30 August 2009
Rising Pixie
Fresh-faced Pixie Lott from Essex pooh-poohs comparisons to Lady Gaga and Duffy by showing she is a force to be reckoned with, discovers MAX KOH
BRITAIN has surely seen a flurry of rising female artistes — Amy Winehouse, Duffy, Estelle and Adele, to name a few in these past few years alone.
And now comes Pixie Lott, 18, who has been compared with the likes of trendsetter Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. But the rising star recently impressed the crowd at the MTV World Stage in Sunway Lagoon with her brand of soul-tinged pop.
“It is a real honour to be compared to the likes of Lady Gaga and Duffy. But I think I do offer something different,” says a slightly tired Pixie the day after her show.
“I suppose that because I am new, I am being compared to more established artistes in order to gauge who I really am,” she adds.
Her first single, Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh), has sky-rocketed to the top of the iTunes and UK Singles chart, and her debut album, Turn It Up, is due out on Sept 15.
So, who is Pixie Lott?
“That has been one of the hardest questions to answer. The best people to ask are my friends. I'm afraid I'll come across as cocky If I answer them myself,” she says with a laugh.
But Pixie then begins to throw out adjectives that she thinks will best describe herself, such as “ambitious, spontaneous, fun, and positive”.
“I am a person who will dare to do anything, especially when dared to.”
She recalls the times when she would sneak out of her house for parties without her parents’ knowledge.
Her nightly escapades were eventually found out when her mum saw pictures of her at parties posted by friends on Facebook.
“I made sure I was careful and didn’t take any pictures or anything like that. Can you believe that my mum has a Facebook account?”
Pixie was born Victoria Lott, and got her nickname because her mother thought she was a “tiny, cute baby”, like a fairy.
She started singing in church and went on to study at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts. Pixie has appeared in the West End production Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and BBC One’s Celebrate The Sound Of Music as a student.
At 15, she turned up for an audition after reading the advertisment in The Stage. She found a manager.
After recording a few tracks, she then caught the attention of Grammy-winning producer and songwriter L.A. Reid who flew in to London to hear her sing.
“I was going to sing the song he liked on the CD but it wouldn’t work,” recalls Pixie.
“Instead, he asked me to sing the song I auditioned for my manager — Mariah’s Carey Hero.”
Pixie was then signed to Reid’s Island Def Jam Music Group, but after a change of managers and a bidding war, she signed to Mercury Records in Britain and Interscope Records in the US.
Pixie got to work with some of the finest songwriters and producers including American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi, RedOne (man responsible for Lady Gaga’s string of hits), Greg Kurstin (Lily’s Allen songwriting partner), and Toby Gad (who worked on Beyonce’s If I Were A Boy and Fergie’s Big Girls Don’t Cry).
Before Turn It Up is out, Pixie is already kicking up enough publicity with her YouTube channel where she showcases her vocal prowess on covers by Kings of Leon (Someone Like Me) and One Republic (Apologise).
Recently, she has also been hailed by Britain’s Sunday Times as one of the “best and most naturally gifted female singers this country has produced in years.”
“It amazes me each time I hear something like that. I count myself really blessed and fortunate to have things like that said about me,” says Pixie.
The concert here marks the end of her Asian promotional tour and she beams as she talks about home and her friends.
“Oh yes, I do miss my friends like crazy, and my bed, and my room. My friends have never stopped texting me but it’s really hard to keep track when you’re on the road,” says Pixie who skipped the after-party to spend time with her family and friends, including one who happens to be here in Malaysia.
But her eyes are still fixed on her prize. “I love doing this, as I want to inspire people as how my idols such as Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston have inspired others. My goal is to keep building myself up and make a long-lasting career.
“Just the other day, I was at a Take That concert where 80,000 fans came to see the show.
“I think that would be my goal for now.”
30 August 2009
Rising Pixie
Fresh-faced Pixie Lott from Essex pooh-poohs comparisons to Lady Gaga and Duffy by showing she is a force to be reckoned with, discovers MAX KOH
BRITAIN has surely seen a flurry of rising female artistes — Amy Winehouse, Duffy, Estelle and Adele, to name a few in these past few years alone.
And now comes Pixie Lott, 18, who has been compared with the likes of trendsetter Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. But the rising star recently impressed the crowd at the MTV World Stage in Sunway Lagoon with her brand of soul-tinged pop.
“It is a real honour to be compared to the likes of Lady Gaga and Duffy. But I think I do offer something different,” says a slightly tired Pixie the day after her show.
“I suppose that because I am new, I am being compared to more established artistes in order to gauge who I really am,” she adds.
Her first single, Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh), has sky-rocketed to the top of the iTunes and UK Singles chart, and her debut album, Turn It Up, is due out on Sept 15.
So, who is Pixie Lott?
“That has been one of the hardest questions to answer. The best people to ask are my friends. I'm afraid I'll come across as cocky If I answer them myself,” she says with a laugh.
But Pixie then begins to throw out adjectives that she thinks will best describe herself, such as “ambitious, spontaneous, fun, and positive”.
“I am a person who will dare to do anything, especially when dared to.”
She recalls the times when she would sneak out of her house for parties without her parents’ knowledge.
Her nightly escapades were eventually found out when her mum saw pictures of her at parties posted by friends on Facebook.
“I made sure I was careful and didn’t take any pictures or anything like that. Can you believe that my mum has a Facebook account?”
Pixie was born Victoria Lott, and got her nickname because her mother thought she was a “tiny, cute baby”, like a fairy.
She started singing in church and went on to study at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts. Pixie has appeared in the West End production Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and BBC One’s Celebrate The Sound Of Music as a student.
At 15, she turned up for an audition after reading the advertisment in The Stage. She found a manager.
After recording a few tracks, she then caught the attention of Grammy-winning producer and songwriter L.A. Reid who flew in to London to hear her sing.
“I was going to sing the song he liked on the CD but it wouldn’t work,” recalls Pixie.
“Instead, he asked me to sing the song I auditioned for my manager — Mariah’s Carey Hero.”
Pixie was then signed to Reid’s Island Def Jam Music Group, but after a change of managers and a bidding war, she signed to Mercury Records in Britain and Interscope Records in the US.
Pixie got to work with some of the finest songwriters and producers including American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi, RedOne (man responsible for Lady Gaga’s string of hits), Greg Kurstin (Lily’s Allen songwriting partner), and Toby Gad (who worked on Beyonce’s If I Were A Boy and Fergie’s Big Girls Don’t Cry).
Before Turn It Up is out, Pixie is already kicking up enough publicity with her YouTube channel where she showcases her vocal prowess on covers by Kings of Leon (Someone Like Me) and One Republic (Apologise).
Recently, she has also been hailed by Britain’s Sunday Times as one of the “best and most naturally gifted female singers this country has produced in years.”
“It amazes me each time I hear something like that. I count myself really blessed and fortunate to have things like that said about me,” says Pixie.
The concert here marks the end of her Asian promotional tour and she beams as she talks about home and her friends.
“Oh yes, I do miss my friends like crazy, and my bed, and my room. My friends have never stopped texting me but it’s really hard to keep track when you’re on the road,” says Pixie who skipped the after-party to spend time with her family and friends, including one who happens to be here in Malaysia.
But her eyes are still fixed on her prize. “I love doing this, as I want to inspire people as how my idols such as Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston have inspired others. My goal is to keep building myself up and make a long-lasting career.
“Just the other day, I was at a Take That concert where 80,000 fans came to see the show.
“I think that would be my goal for now.”
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