We recently had the opportunity to sit down with pop artist Daisy Guttridge to discuss her recent single, “i found u,” upcoming single “Skin,” and her journey as an artist. Check out our conversation below, and be sure to catch Daisy on her first-ever North American tour.
How did you first get started as a musician?
Living and growing up in the UK, I was always into singing. Driving with my mum, we listened to The Carpenters and as an eight-year-old, my vocabulary came from a Karen Carpenter song. I was working in plays and taught myself how to play the guitar. At 17, I came to LA for some try-out sessions and that led to a publishing deal and an opportunity to move there. And I haven’t looked back.
Who are your influences as an artist?
The Carpenters were my first influence. Around age 15 or 16, I went to an Ellie Goulding concert with my friends, and I liked every single song. I found our voices were very similar—an individual tone—which was inspiring. I also take inspiration from The Weeknd and other non-traditional pop artists. I like those who work on redesigning what pop music should sound like and includes different elements.
How did you make creative choices when it came to video production on “i found u” and “Skin”?
I edited the video for ‘i found u’ myself. I wanted it not to be a video, but as a shorter song to be an intro to me. As in, you found me. We played it acoustically in the studio and I made the cover art too.
“Skin” was a set artistic decision. We wanted to bring a playful vibe to this video and were inspired by Italian fashion. We made the video at the same time as the song, and it was really fun to make my first proper music video. Teasers are coming soon!
What was the process writing and editing “i found u”? What was your source of inspiration?
In this song, I wanted to capture youthful energy and the feeling of falling in love for the first time while having fun. I wanted to explore what that means when you are young and what it means to find your person without overthinking it—the beauty and the fear of that. That sets the tone for the entire EP that I’m working on—the highs. Basically, I want to evoke the feeling of enjoying the highs when they happen.
What was the inspiration for “Skin”?
“Skin” is a continuation of the ideas of youthful energy and falling in love. It’s a love song. Marc E. Bassy was a fan for a long time and fell in love with the track and jumped onto the track. He has an R&B, soulful tone to his voice so it’s great to combine that with the pop elements.
You talk about redefining pop. What does that mean for you as an artist?
I love BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge performances because you hear everything from an artist in a particular genre and then they cover something in a totally different way, and it shocks you. I think you shouldn’t be pigeon-holed as an artist. A pop artist can be anything and should be able to be themselves. I’m part of the LGBTQ community and a woman. Those are what I am, but not what I want to be labeled. I want to leave labels behind. Anyone can make pop music. When I was growing up there wasn’t a major pop artist who was gay, especially a woman. I want to be who I wanted to see when I was young, but also not be defined by that. Furthermore, I believe pop music can be universal. I refrain from using he/she pronouns in my songs because I want the music to be relatable to everyone.
What can we look forward to from you this year?
“Skin” is coming out on February 25th and we expect the EP to come out later this year. I’m on tour right now—ten shows out of 48—as the opener for Hippie Sabotage. On the tour I am performing all new music and it’s amazing to have a test audience live and see their reactions, including singing along. I think that’s a testament to the music—that in a minute, everyone’s singing it back to me. With “Skin,” there’s a chant at the end, which allows me to interact directly with the audience.
Do you have any advice for young artists?
It’s a difficult time for artists. There’s pressure to put out content constantly across the board. You have to realize quantity is not quality. Be patient with yourself and don’t rush the process. Be sure you’re making the kind of music you like. If you connect to it and enjoy it, then that will come through and other people will connect with it too.
What’s it been like creating during the pandemic?
The COVID-19 lockdown meant that I was working all the time and as a result, I produced some of the best music I’ve ever made. I was able to create more music, more visuals, and more collaborations.
What do you think is the importance of music and art in the pandemic?
No one knows how to go back to where we were; normal is gone. Art is helpful because people need to be cheered up and motivated. The fact that we can go out and do shows again brings hope. Everyone’s ready to feel good at a time when everyone is telling people how bad everything is. This moment has proven the importance of art—when hope is gone you realize how important art is.
Photo by @Visualsbymike
Follow Daisy Guttridge on Instagram and Spotify to stay up to date with her upcoming music.
Saint Audio 