Little Boot’s Pop Sensibilities with an Electro Twist

 

Already a music darling in the U.K., and winning rave reviews with her U.K. import in the U.S., Little Boots is releasing her record officially here in the states on March 2.

Before she embarked on a North America tour with stops both in Los Angeles at The El Rey Theatre on March 10 and in San Diego at The Casbah on March 13, she spoke with The Rage Monthly from her home in the U.K.

 

Here are just a few of her thoughts on her music career, her songwriting process and how musical expression has always been a constant in her life.

 

Little Boots: Music is something I’ve always done and always wanted to do. My mum’s got cassettes of me singing when I was 2.

 

I started playing piano when I was 5 years old. It wasn’t like I woke up one day and decided that’s what I wanted to do. I remember doing it since I remember walking or breathing (laughter).

 

 On discovering her own distinctive sound:

It really was a discovery, like you say. Before this I had been in a band and did quite a lot of different things, so I felt sort of like a blank page when I started doing the album. I felt really like an empty space and trying to write really good songs. Once you have the song or the bones of it, just seeing where I wanted to go with it.

 

The songs almost dictate what they should sound like to me—a dance sort of sound sometimes, keyboards as that’s what I play and that’s what I write on. It’s just quite organic really.

 

Definitely YouTube was a big help. It was a big part. Definitely. It’s kind of crazy how the world is changing. It’s actually much better now for an artist. You have more control over things. Before YouTube, it would have been quite impossible for a new artist to make a music video and reach so many people.

 

Bands now can make records and tour without having a label, which I think is pretty amazing. This may be the future.

 

It’s the name of the secret track, which is the piano track. “Hands” is the first song I wrote after I left my old band. The song is more about believing in yourself and in your hands, what you can do and what you can make with them. It’s just saying believe what you can make and believe in yourself.

 

They’re all parts of me. They’re all made up of my feelings and people that I’ve observed around me and maybe an imaginary person. So, there’s kind of like three people in every song. But maybe, the later tracks like “No Brakes” and “Hearts Collide,” they were quite literal because I just met somebody after a long time of not meeting anybody…they were kind of like “Whoa. This thing happened!” Those two are quite literal I guess.

 

It was just a case of asking! It seems crazy that I’ve been a fan of his for so long. It was just literally dreaming your ideal person and then asking him and he said, “yes.” I was talking to various people about that song and it just felt like a duet.

 

I didn’t think it would be possible! His voice stills sounds just brilliant! It’s so reminiscent of an era. When I hear his voice, I get tingles. It’s so distinctive.

 

They were just great. They didn’t do that whole thing where big bands pay no attention to a new performer…they came over and said “Hi” and introduced themselves. They watched the whole gig and I could see them. I asked them if they enjoyed it and they did. It was really refreshing to meet people like that who love new music and enjoy watching a new performer. I was pretty touched.

 

Yeaaah…I can’t wait. We kind of have a big tour. I’m doing the West Coast in March and then I play the Coachella Festival in April and then the East Coast and Canada. It’s going to be so much fun. You just have a great experience seeing all the places you see in films and really don’t think are quite real.

 

I’ve never been to San Diego. I’m really looking forward to getting the music out there. It’s not like I’m approaching this with “let’s break America” stigma.

 

I think a lot of British bands get that and it can kind of drive you crazy. I just want to come out and have some fun and meet the fans out there. I’m really excited about writing my second record as well. It’s been quite a while. So I’m juggling coming to America with writing for the next album.