Our newest Spotlight – LØLØ. We got the chance to sit down with this talented artist to talk about her music and newest release of Hate U which is out now! This was certainly one of our favorite interviews of late as we were able to dig up some of great questions for LØLØ. Check out what we talked about below.
Hi LØLØ! Hope you are handling 2020 as well as can be expected! Congrats on you latest single “Hate U”!
You are relatively new on the scene, your big break out hit being only in 2018. So, tell us a bit of your backstory, I know you are based out of Toronto now, but where were you born and what is your family like?
Hey guys!! I was born and grew up in the city in Toronto. I live with my parents, my younger sister and my younger brother. Although my parents have zero musical skills (sorry guys haha) the 3 of us kids grew up doing a lot of music. I started out in musical theatre and my dream used to be to be on broadway!
When my sister took up guitar lessons, I decided to copy her and do the same. It was my guitar teacher who convinced me I should try to write a song— an idea I was NOT down for at the time. I always kept a diary growing up but I was very self conscious about people knowing my thoughts + feelings, to the point where I used to rip up the pages so no one could ever see them. He persisted and pressured me into trying it though, so I eventually gave in…and I ended up loving it. That was the moment i knew I had to be an artist/songwriter.
I know you started writing music in high school, but what were some of those earliest influences that you can think of? It can be authors, musicians, whatever you consider artists that shaped you? (other than “I’m just a kid” by Simple Plan)
HAHA I love that you know how much I love that song. I grew up listening to mostly pop + punk. I used to religiously ‘practice’ in my basement to Green Day and Hilary Duff (I guess that kinda explains how Hate U eventually came to be lol). In terms of songwriting, I’d say that Taylor Swift and Gavin DeGraw were my two biggest influences when I was starting out. They’re both amazing storytellers when it comes to their lyrics— plus Taylor Swift gave me the confidence to talk about whoever I wanted and that I could even drop a name if I wanted to.
Your lyrics are incredibly deep and personal, is it daunting to put yourself out there like that?
Omg YES, honestly it is SO SCARY sometimes…It used to be extremely daunting, but I definitely got more used to it. I remember at first I was like…is this OK? Are people going to make fun of me? But then I got to a point where I didn’t care anymore— because I started getting lots of feedback that my lyrics were relatable and were helping people get through hard times in their lives. And that’s what makes it all worth it (even though, it’s still scary sometimes).
What was the best piece of advice someone gave to you when you first started out?
“Not everyone’s going to like you”. I think it’s important to realize that. Music is so weird like that— everyone has different styles. 1 person can love my song and I’m sure someone else could absolutely hate it, but instead of trying to please everyone I think it’s better to just make music that YOU love and in the end, you’ll find people that love it too.
What words of encouragement would you give to young female performers that you wish someone had given to you?
I would say just do your thing and try not to care about other’s opinions on you or your music! Kinda related to the question before, but it’s so true. I used to care SOOO much about what other people would think of my music— I’d try to write a song that I think could make it on the radio instead of trying to write a song that I wanted to write. And it wasn’t until I stopped obsessing over being on the radio, that I actually ended up on the radio haha. JUST DO YOU!!
2019 hits and you release the track “Yours”. To say it becomes an overnight hit is an understatement. Currently it has over 1,000,000 plays on Spotify. is out of this world amazing. It has all the elements of contemporary pop, and if I may be so bold sounds reminded me a lot of new Taylor Swift. What was your creative process behind a hit like that?
Firstly, thank you for comparing me to the queen. Secondly— that song had quite the journey. I wrote it the day after my ex dumped me on April Fools (No, it was not a joke!) on my bed, very distraught. So it started out as a super slow and sad song. The song had many different versions before it got to where it is today. Slowly, as I started getting over my ex and caring less, my producers and I changed the production into a “not giving a F**K*” fun kind of vibe.
What was it like to finally have that “I made it” feeling and moment?
I mean, even though I’ve had those feelings before, I feel like I’m always chasing the next thing and always trying to do better. But I have had a couple of those moments for sure and they were honestly awesome. Some highlights were performing at Yonge and Dundas Square in front of a big crowd, when I was the IheartRadio Future Star and my song was spinning on my favourite stations 3-4 times a day, and most recently hearing “Hate U” on Sirius XM Hits 1 was PRETTY INSANE. Mostly I just am super shocked and confused and the whole time i’m like…is this happening? what? why? how? It’s all very surreal!
You are incredibly active on your socials; do you feel that being a younger performer social media has allowed you to connect with fans in a way that is unique compared to previous generations?
Yeah for sure!! I think it’s awesome that I can chat with my fans all the time and get to know them. It’s really fun and I can’t imagine not being able to. When people reach out and let me know they love my music, I love stalking them on instagram and liking their pictures and seeing what kind of person they are haha. It’s very enjoyable.
Speaking of, you have been quite supportive of the Black Lives Matter human rights advocacy as well as being supportive of the LQBTQ+ community; what are some words of encouragement you would give to folks that are feeling overwhelmed with the world today?
It’s been quite an overwhelming time for sure. I do feel like we are all learning so much more than ever before though, and it seems to me like everyone is coming together for the most part to fight for the changes that we believe need to happen. The fact that people are actually talking about it definitely makes me very optimistic that we will see more and more change every day 🙂 It’s 2020 and WE DO NOT TOLERATE A**HOLES ANYMORE.
Other than Netflix, I know you are a big fan of Better Call Saul, what are some forms of selfcare that are helping you through these troubling times?
Something that’s keeping me sane is my mom and I go on long power walks. The sun and fresh air on my face really helps…highly suggest!
How does it feel knowing now that your fans are covering your songs, something you yourself was doing not too long ago?
Ummmm it’s insane. I think THAT is single handedly the coolest. thing. ever.
Speaking of covers- I’m a huge fan of your cover of Bruce Springsteen’s hit “Dancing In the Dark”. What is your personal connection to that track?
I don’t know if I’ve ever told this story in an interview— so great question! My old job was that I used to dance at Sweet 16s and Bar and Bat Mitzvahs lol. I was sort of like a cheerleader, handing out prizes, etc. Dancing In The Dark was my boss’s favourite song, so he’d always play it at every event. I heard it so many times a week and I loved dancing to it and singing every word. So when it came time to choose a cover to do, I immediately thought of that song.
You have done several online festivals and shows this year, Arizona’s House Partea and the Homebody Music Festival most recently, was there a difficulty transitioning from live performances in front of crowds to performing at home in front of your computer?
YES. You’d think the livestream would be less stressful and scary right? Nope. When I get on a stage, I immediately feel the energy of the audience. It’s awesome. I can SEE their faces reacting to my performance…but on a livestream, you can’t see anyone. You don’t know if they’re loving you or if they’re shit talking you behind that screen. The first livestream I ever did my wifi happened to die out at that exact moment haha…I don’t love relying on technology. I’ve definitely been getting more used to them the more I do them, but let’s just say I’m very excited to get my butt back on a real stage 🙂
Your new single “Hate U” just dropped August 7th, and I have listened to it a few times now, it is super catchy. What was your favorite part of writing and creating the track?
THANK YOU!! The writing/creating process was really fun! The best part was definitely just the fact that I got to make it with my best friends, which doesn’t always get to happen, so the whole process was filled with a lot of laughter. Also we wrote it on Geoff’s birthday so we got to eat birthday cake during the session..could I ask for anything more??
Can fans expect an EP soon as well
Yes they can!! I have an EP coming out called Permanent Damage, and I really feel like it’s the best thing I’ve ever made 🙂 It will be out before 2021 for sure.
Now with things slowly reopening, what are some of your local bars/restaurants/go-to places are you excited to get back to? Any shoutouts you want to give?
My favourite restaurant is for sure Dimmi!! It’s the best Italian in the city IMO and family run and they’re all so nice…everyone go!! I’ve already been there 3 times since the reopening haha.
Bonus question: For those of us that follow you on Twitter, have you come out of the pandemic knowing how to apply eyeliner?
HAHAHAH. The answer is unfortunately NO. Maybe I’m being hard on myself …I’ll give it a half yes. Can I physically draw a line above my eye? Yes. Is the line straight? No. Is the line even? No. Can I draw a wing? No. I’ve still got a long way to go.
Spotlight – LØLØ is a wrap. Big thanks to LØLØ for taking the time to chat with us and answer questions.
Check out Hate U out now!
Keep up with everything LØLØ here
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