Pop
Pixie Lott backs old and new music at gigs after Becky Hill booed over new tunes at TRNSMT Festival
Pixie Lott has defended artists playing new music at gigs after Becky Hill was booed over using her surprise 30-minute set at TRNSMT Festival on June 19 to debut fresh material.
When fans buy a concert ticket, what are they really hoping to hear? The songs that soundtracked their lives, or new material their favourite artist is desperate to get ears on? That question has been thrown into the spotlight after Becky Hill, 32, was booed during her surprise 30-minute set at TRNSMT Festival in Glasgow, Scotland, on June 19, where she told the crowd she was going to “play you nothing but brand new music”.
Becky Hill was booed at the TRNSMT Festival for using her 30-minute surprise set to play new music
The reaction sparked a wider debate about the relationship between artists and audiences, with Becky explaining in a video posted on Instagram five days later that she is “not a jukebox” and that, while she understands fans want to hear the songs they love, artists also need to introduce new music.
For Pixie Lott, 35, one of British pop’s most recognisable voices, the answer lies somewhere in the middle.
Since exploding onto the scene in 2009 with debut single Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh), Pixie has built a catalogue filled with songs that have become part of people’s personal soundtracks. Her debut album, Turn It Up, delivered a run of huge hits including Boys and Girls, Cry Me Out and the title track, while later singles such as All About Tonight, Bright Lights, featuring Tinchy Stryder, 39, and What Do You Take Me For? cemented her place among the defining British pop stars of her generation.
With a career spanning more than 15 years, Pixie understands the emotional connection fans have with music. She exclusively explained to ContactMusic.com: “I think because people want to hear the songs that they know because they might have created their own memories with them, or they make them think of a certain time in their life and feel nostalgic. They might think, 'I loved this when I was at school,' or, 'I loved this when I started my new job.'"
But while those classic songs remain an essential part of any live show, Pixie believes artists must also look forward. As the Brit Award nominee continues to drop new music, including her recently released summer anthem, Dance Like No One's Watching, the star recognises the excitement that comes with sharing fresh material with audiences. She said: “As an artist, though, you get excited to play all the new stuff too. I do like to hear new stuff from artists I like as well, so I think the mix is good."
For Pixie, a great concert is about creating memories in the moment while respecting the memories that came before: “That’s why doing a mix is important."
From the teenage soul-pop sensation who dominated the charts to the established artist embracing her next era, Pixie knows the power of nostalgia, but also the importance of giving fans something new to support.
Which is why, for the first time, she and her pal collaborators, Jacob Attwell and Bryn Christopher, enlisted their help for her new feelgood summer track, Dance Like No One's Watching.
Pixie said: "I put on my Instagram Story a poll asking what people would like to hear next because the last thing I did was very heartfelt and acoustic. Everyone voted for the party song, so I had to give them what they wanted. We actually had two titles: Dance Like No One's Watching or Dance Like They're All Watching, which was a little twist on the phrase. I did the same thing and asked everyone to vote for their favourite, and Dance Like No One's Watching won the poll.
"So they decided the style of the song and the title of the song. I want to make everyone feel a part of it, and they completely did decide what the direction was going to be. If it wasn't for this tune, it could have been completely different. It could have been a ballad or mid-tempo. There are so many different demos I've got waiting to be released, and it completely dictated what this summer’s going to be. I think it was a great decision because it's been very, very fun so far.
"Social media has so many pros and cons, and I want to use it for all the good things, which is connecting and talking to the people who have supported me. Letting them help decide the next single has been really fun and something I've never done before. It wouldn't have been possible back in the day before Instagram polls and things like that, but now we have all these tools. I think it's so fun to use them."
Joining Pixie's fans embracing Dance Like No One's Watching and the other new tunes are her and 38-year-old husband, model-and-entrepreneur Oliver Cheshire's son, Albert/Bertie and second child, whose identity is not known.
Pixie Lott and her husband, Oliver Cheshire
She shared: "They love it! As soon as it comes on, they're dancing and clapping, which is always a good sign. It means they like that one. I love making music that hopefully makes people feel something, whether it's something heartfelt that helps them find solace in listening to it, or something that makes them feel really good and want to dance and make memories with their friends on a night out, at a festival, or while getting ready.
"This one's more in that lane, like my previous songs such as All About Tonight. It's more in that world, which I still have so much fun performing as my finale song in my set. This one now comes before that when I'm performing."
Pixie's joy in singing on stage applies to dancing, which millions of viewers saw her do on the BBC Latin and Ballroom dance show, Strictly Come Dancing in 2014, in which she and her professional dance partner, Trent Whiddon, 39, finished sixth.
Pixie Lott and Trent Whiddon on Strictly Come Dancing in November 2014
She said: "I love it. I don't do it as much. When I was doing Strictly, I was dancing all the time, and back at school. I do it for music videos, but on a day-to-day basis I'm doing it all the time with my kids, my friends, or when I'm out and about. It's just a natural thing that's good for you, I think. Especially on stage, I'm literally bouncing about and jumping around the whole time, especially for songs like [Dance Like No One's Watching]. I'm literally going for gold."
As well as being a mom, Pixie feels "so lucky" to have a strong fanbase that have supported her over the last 17 years, and she credits them for her illustrious career.
She said: "I've had so many amazing moments over the years, and it's been a long time. It was 2009 when I first released music, and I'll always remember that because when my first song came out, it was such a special time. Feeling everything for the first time, and when it went to number one, hearing that for the first time is something you'll always remember. I was 18, telling my family, my mum and my friends, and that's something I'll never forget.
"Travelling around, meeting so many amazing people. I love playing the big shows. I love the intimate ones too, but the biggest one was in Madrid, and there was half a million people there. I remember that being such an electric atmosphere. But there have been so many highlights."
Dance Like No One’s Watching is out now, and can be listened here.
