With her debut 'Million Dollar Baby', Pixey proves that the best things in pop come to those who wait - and work hard.
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With her debut 'Million Dollar Baby', Pixey proves that the best things in pop come to those who wait - and work hard.
Words: Steven Loftin.
Photos: Marieke Macklon.
Chock-full of her trademark escapism and pop-sheen, Pixey's opening full-length gambit has been a long time in the making, the culmination of all the Liverpool-based singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer's hard work since 2016. Across three EPs, 2022's mini-album 'Dreams, Pains & Paper Planes', and a smattering of singles, she has established herself nifty in the crafting of bangers, and 'Million Dollar Baby' is a labour of love that's ready to shine.
Packed with heart and soul – without sacrificing any of that coveted boppage – it's a more decidedly pop-focused foray, away from the songwriter sound of old. But, musing upon her debut currently leaves the multi-hyphenate conflicted. "I have mixed feelings about it," she laughs, head in her hands. "It's not that I'm not excited because I am, but… it's an odd feeling when you've been working on something for so long, and you have such hype in your head about it. It's a totally different experience."
Confused feelings aside, 'Million Dollar Baby' is a wealth of accrued knowledge paying dividends. There's no doubt Pixey can write a banger; her deft abilities growing over time is something she's thankful for, with a slow-burn journey that never felt like dying embers and instead more like a bonfire ready to roar to life. "With this album, the main thing I want to come across is my love for production and creating sonic landscapes and expressing sentiment through sound," she explains. "That is what my goal has been with this. So if it does have its moment, that would be amazing, and I feel like it is a bit overdue."
"When you get exposure, you get a lot of people who can be super mean on the internet"
— pixey
Over the last few years, Pixey's journey has been one of graft and gritted teeth. By producing a long line of undeniably addictive bops, her keen ear has only strengthened as she's been graced with the time to hone in on her production elements - an integral part of the journey. Mentioning that it's given her a "solid head on my shoulders", she recognises that having time "was the best thing that could have happened to me because what I care about is being a well-rounded artist who's skilled at different things, like now I know how to programme my live sets, and how to produce, and I'm getting into mixing. I feel like these are aspects of artistry that sometimes you don't have the time to develop if that [success] happens too soon."
Pixey is indeed an all-rounder. Readily able to construct and control every facet of her artistry, there's an undeniable earnestness to her. "Although it is frustrating because it feels like you plateau at a level for a while," she continues, "it's given me the time to understand who I am as an artist and not take everything for granted and to realise how lucky and privileged I am to be in the position that I am to even be making and producing music. I see it a little less glamorously. I love the craft. I don't think I would have loved the craft as much as I do if it happened any differently."
It's given her time to find her feet, particularly regarding online opinions. "When you get exposure, you get a lot of people who can be super mean on the internet," she says. "And it takes someone with really thick skin to get through that while still becoming an artist. With [2023's 'Daisy Chain' featuring Tayo], I had my first hate comments on it, and I went and curled up in bed; I was so sad!" she laughs brightly today. "I am a very sensitive soul. So if I get a bad comment, I'll feel a bit shit about it and then bounce back!"
