Sky Ferreira 'One'
Popstrel-du-jour Sky Ferreira is in town to promote her ice-cool debut single ‘One‘ (out August 23rd). WAPS was lucky enough to bag a quick chat before she was whisked away again – and here’s what we learned…
We Are Pop Slags: All the songs we’ve heard from you so far have very distinct sounds; there’s some rock, 80s dance, pop, electro, even some hip hop (‘Happy Dre’). What direction does the album take?
Sky Ferreira: Originally when I was writing the album I wanted it to be a ‘12 songs, 12 different genres’ type-of-thing, but that wasn’t gonna work! That’s probably why there are so many different sounds on there. But lyrically, I think it’s pretty together. There’s a lot of dance stuff, a lot of stuff produced by Bloodshy & Avant, Greg Kurstin and Dallas Austin.
WAPS: Some very impressive names there. You mentioned how the lyrics fit together; is there an overriding theme to the album?
SF: Well I wrote this album over the past 4 years, pretty much, so it’s kind of what I’ve observed of people and what I was going through in general. It’s like, high school, my main teenage years.
WAPS: Is there a title yet?
SF: Not officially, no. It’s still up in the air.
WAPS: So your music takes from quite a varied list of genres. Who are your biggest influences?
SF: Well, for pop – Prince, Madonna, Michael Jackson and (Prince-masterminded girl group) Vanity 6. In the rock ‘section’, I guess David Bowie, Marc Bolan, T Rex…um, [the record] doesn’t necessarily reflect it but I’m influenced by The Misfits, even Nancy Sinatra, The Runaways…
WAPS: And which of your contemporaries do you like?
SF: Oh I still have a top spot for the more top 40 kind of stuff – Britney Spears, Lady GaGa, Christina Aguilera, all that of course. That’s what I was raised on as well. I like Pink and Gorillaz too. And MGMT.
WAPS: Who would be your dream collaboration?
SF: Alive or dead?
WAPS: It’s your dream…
SF: Then it would be between Marc Bolan and David Bowie. They’re the first people to really inspire me, writing-wise. Their songs were the first to have real sentimental meaning to me.
WAPS: Moving away from the music for a moment – you’ve done quite a few high-fashion photoshoots, and your ‘One’ video was shot by Rankin – what was that like?
SF: It was really cool. I really like Rankin and his work, and I just like taking photos!
WAPS: Is it a conscious decision to weave fashion into your image?
SF: I feel like it’s pretty crucial now. I feel like it definitely helps someone identify with a singer, or musician, actress, artist, anything.
WAPS: Will you be shopping in London?
SF: I wish I could but I don’t think I’ll have any time this time round!
WAPS: Those swines giving you too many interviews!
SF: I know! Haha.
WAPS: How does it feel to be called the next big thing? Is it exciting or do you feel pressured?
SF: All of the above. I’m really excited about it but I don’t wanna let anyone down either. But you can’t please everyone y’know? You have to eventually let someone down in this situation. But [ultimately] I have to release something that pleases me and that I’m satisfied with.
WAPS: You’ve been working with Ryan Tedder, who’s known for his big power ballads. Did he take you down that route?
SF: I do love ballads but a lot of people don’t want to hear a record full of them right now. But Ryan actually did my next single and it’s an up-tempo track called ‘Obsession’.
WAPS: How would you feel about potentially being considered as a role model?
SF: THAT would be pressure! I mean I don’t want to corrupt anyone’s kids but I have to live my life too, y’know? I’m not sure there’s really such a thing as a bad role model to be honest. Obviously I’d much rather influence people musically than lifestyle-wise.
WAPS: We also know you’ve done some acting. Tell us about that.
SF: I’ve been acting pretty much as long as I’ve been singing, but with singing it just moved faster. I did some independent film work but I had to kind of slow down on that. I couldn’t go all out for acting because I had to finish my record. But now it’s done I can maybe go back to it if I want.
WAPS: We hear you’re a big musicals fan. Will you be seeing any in London?
SF: Nope, no time. I know it’s corny but I love anything with Sarah Brightman in. (laughs)
WAPS: So what do the next few weeks hold?
SF: Well ‘One’ is out to buy really soon, and there’s going to be another single in about two months, and the album’s out really soon as well though I don’t know the exact date for that yet.
WAPS: Well we wish you all the best with everything Sky, and look forward to the next single!
SF: Thanks!
Let’s have another look at Sky Ferreira’s debut single ‘One’.
