There's something perfectly fitting about interviewing Fiona-Lee while she's still in PJs, eating toast and listening to Martha Wainwright. It's exactly the kind of unvarnished morning scenario you'd expect from an artist whose music strips away the Instagram filters from growing up to reveal something far more interesting underneath.

The East Yorkshire newcomer has spent the past year quietly assembling one of 2025's most anticipated debut EPs, transforming teenage tribulations into guitar-driven gold. Now, with 'Nothing Compares To Nineteen' set to land via Gravity/Capitol Records this March, she's ready to prove that authentic storytelling still hits harder than any algorithm-friendly formula.

"I initially moved into his office basement," she recalls of her first days in London, working with an early manager. "Needless to say, it was a bit dodge, but I managed to get myself out of that situation." It's the kind of origin story that could easily read like a music industry Mad Libs, but Fiona-Lee recounts it with the same unflinching honesty that makes her songwriting feel less like diary entries and more like dispatches from the frontline of growing up.

Her latest single, 'To Make Me Feel Good', arrives fresh from a BBC 6 Music premiere courtesy of Steve Lamacq, bearing production credits from The Maccabees' Hugo White. It's a perfect storm of indie credibility that never overshadows the deeply personal nature of her storytelling. "I wrote 'To Make Me Feel Good' in 2021 when I was struggling a lot with my body image and being happy with myself," she explains. "It's about the idea that you shouldn't need someone else or external validation to feel like you're acceptable and good enough as you are."

This refusal to sugar-coat the messy business of finding yourself runs deep in Fiona-Lee's work. Her journey began in a Yorkshire household that, while not overtly artistic, provided the foundational support for her musical exploration. "I wouldn't say my household was super creative, but my mum's quite artsy and there was always music on in the house," she reflects. "I had piano lessons as a kid but wasn't super into it, then picked up a guitar at 14 and just became obsessed."

That teenage obsession offered more than just musical outlet – it provided sanctuary. "At the time, I think it was mainly used as an escape from how I felt at school, so most lunch times were spent locked away in the music room," she recalls. Those lunchtime escapes have evolved into something far more potent: anthems for anyone who's ever felt like their teenage years were less John Hughes movie and more kitchen sink drama.

The path to creating 'Nothing Compares To Nineteen' has been deliberately measured, with Fiona-Lee refusing to rush the process for the sake of industry timelines. "I'm 24 now, and all the songs were written from ages 20-23," she explains. "Some of them have been through a few versions and developed as I developed as an artist and figured out how I wanted to sound." This commitment to artistic growth led to some tough decisions: "I thought it was finished this time last year, but then I realised I'd already outgrown two of the songs - so I got rid of them and recorded another three that felt more relevant to who I am now."

The EP weaves together narratives of personal growth, loss, and the often turbulent transition into adulthood with the precision of a heart surgeon and the punch of a prizefighter. "The EP title is from the track 'Nothing Compares To Nineteen', which as a statement is saying, all these difficult things you face when you're going from adolescence to adulthood are really hard, but for me, when I was 19, that was when the most impactful and really tragic thing happened, which was losing a friend to suicide," she shares.

Fresh from supporting The Amazons and with an acclaimed show at Eurosonic under her belt, Fiona-Lee's live presence is gathering the kind of momentum that turns whispers into roars. When asked about her ambitions, she responds with characteristic wit: "Straight to the Pyramid Stage! I joke, but if it's one step closer, then I'm happy!" More immediately, she's focused on expanding her horizons. "I'd also LOVE to find myself a live band that I could start gigging with. I've been doing the live solo thing ever since I started playing 10 years ago, so the thought of finding like-minded musicians that could be in my band is REALLY exciting."

Between gigs and recording sessions, she finds creative outlets in unexpected places. "I've recently got into Lino printing and making prints for clothes. I find that really enjoyable, almost therapeutic, plus I love getting something at the end that looks cool!" It's this kind of artistic cross-pollination that keeps her music feeling as fresh as morning toast and as complex as that first cup of proper coffee.

With her second EP already written and plans for studio time on the horizon, Fiona-Lee stands at the kind of pivotal moment that turns promising talents into permanent fixtures. As she navigates her self-described "quarter-life crisis" and continues crafting songs that speak to universal experiences of growth, loss, and self-discovery, she's creating more than just music – she's documenting the complex emotional landscape of young adulthood with the kind of authenticity that can't be faked and the sort of grace that can't be taught.