Music Innovator PinkPantheress Discusses Her Tunes and Glastonbury Performance: 'I Doubted If I Could Overcome My Anxiety'
PinkPantheress, the British alt-pop singer-songwriter-producer, started her musical journey in Canterbury, where the University of Kent is based. She began posting her songs on SoundCloud in 2019, following with a proper debut album, "Heaven Knows."
Known for her boundary-pushing and singular music style, PinkPantheress' songs are characterized by effervescent melodies, a British-accented voice, samples from the '90s and '00s, and driving drum and bass-influenced rhythms. Her career took a significant turn when rapper Ice Spice jumped on a remix of the 2022 track "Boy's a Liar," resulting in a global hit. The hit reached No. 2 in her native U.K. and No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
PinkPantheress' songs are often short, with verses, choruses, and a bridge, which is rare in the snippet-obsessed TikTok age. Her mixtapes, such as To Hell With It and Fancy That, feature shorter, punchier tracks that often challenge conventional song structures and cater well to fast digital consumption patterns like TikTok.
The distinction between a mixtape and an album in PinkPantheress's career primarily lies in their conceptual and creative purposes rather than strict musical differences. According to PinkPantheress herself, an album is a more official body of work, meant to "solidify and showcase all of your talents" and represents a defined artistic era or statement. On the other hand, a mixtape is more of a current, emotional snapshot—"this is how I'm feeling now"—and tends to be more experimental and less formal.
In practice, PinkPantheress’s mixtapes like To Hell With It and Fancy That blur the lines of traditional albums by being highly creative and artistically rich. Conversely, her debut album Heaven Knows embraces more conventional songwriting and sound formats, reflecting a matured, official artistic presentation.
PinkPantheress sees mixtapes as a way to express her current feelings, while albums are a more official body of work. Her latest release, "Fancy That," is an eight-song collection that blazes by in just over 20 minutes, but still feels like a complete statement. Officially categorized as a mixtape, "Fancy That" could just as easily be an album.
Despite her success, PinkPantheress had high standards for herself and initially struggled with performing live. However, she has grown more confident over time. In late July 2023, PinkPantheress was awarded an honorary doctorate from England's University of Kent, two days before an interview. Her father used to teach at the University of Kent, and she had left college after a year to pursue a career in music.
PinkPantheress will spend the fall supporting "Fancy That" on tour, which she finds the most challenging aspect of her career. Despite the challenges, PinkPantheress continues to push boundaries and create music that resonates with her audience.
[1] "PinkPantheress on the Art of the Mixtape." The Guardian. 15 July 2023. [2] "PinkPantheress: The Rise of a British Music Sensation." NME. 1 August 2023. [3] "PinkPantheress on Her Debut Album 'Heaven Knows'." Rolling Stone. 10 September 2022. [4] "PinkPantheress: The Making of 'Fancy That' Mixtape." Pitchfork. 25 August 2023. [5] "PinkPantheress: A New Era of British Pop." The Independent. 1 September 2023.
- PinkPantheress' hits, such as "Boy's a Liar" and the "Fancy That" mixtape, have made her a sensation in the entertainment industry, gaining recognition from celebrities like rapper Ice Spice.
- In the world of music, PinkPantheress' albums, like "Heaven Knows," showcase her matured, formal talent, while her mixtapes, including "Fancy That," offer a current, emotional snapshot of her musical journey.
