With a couple of impressive features behind her, British singer Pip Millett announces herself in proper today with her debut single, "Make Me Cry." Born and raised in Manchester in the North of England, and currently living in London studying music, Pip's warm, soulful vocals played a starring role on collaborations with Joe Hertz and Feiertag, but "Don't Make Me Cry" is her best work yet.
Pip's personality takes center stage as the simple production, based around handclaps and guitar, leaves space for the lyrics to hit hard. "Fuck you and your lies," goes the song's first line. "It's only when I'm lonely that you seem to make me cry," she sings later. It's a vulnerable song, but empowering all the same, as Pip faces the negativity in her life.
"We all have times of depression and anxiety, and for me I think 'Make Me Cry' was a build up of quite a lot of emotion that I'd held in for years," Pip tells us. "I never really expressed the depth of my sadness to those who I was closest to. I've always been someone who kept my cards close to my chest, which led me to dismiss my own feelings and keep up the front that I was fine."
With influences like Lauryn Hill, Joni Mitchell, and Erykah Badu, a stunning voice, and a brilliant debut single, 2018 is set to be very exciting for Pip Millett. Listen to the premiere of "Make Me Cry" now, and read an interview with her below.
Who are you and what can you share about yourself?
Hey, I'm Pip Millett, born and bred in Manny [Manchester, in the North of England]. I'm 20 years old and currently living and studying Creative Musicianship in London.
How long have you been making music? What inspired you to start?
I started playing bass guitar when I was 14 and later switched to playing electric in order to be able to play and sing together. Originally I was too shy to fully throw myself into music; luckily that faded. Lyrics wise I think I started quite young, but they weren't really songs, they were poems. I recall writing one about paint which I still recite today!
What does "Make Me Cry" mean to you? What do you want listeners to take from it?
"Make Me Cry" was written at quite a dark time for me. I'd say it's probably one of my favorite songs I've ever written. We all have times of depression and anxiety, and for me I think it was a build up of quite a lot of emotion that I'd held in for years. I never really expressed the depth of my sadness to those who I was closest to. I've always been someone who kept my cards close to my chest, which led me to dismiss my own feelings and keep up the front that I was fine.
I'm aware that I'm not the only one who does this sort of thing, so I would love for my listeners to be able to relate to the story I'm telling. I'm a lot better in myself now, but I'm still learning to open up more and reach out for comfort and support when I feel like I need it.
In contrast with much contemporary pop and R&B, "Make Me Cry" has a live, instrumental feel. What do you like about that sound? Who or what inspires your sound and approach?
Yeah, I like more of a classic style. A few of my songs use samples from old soul songs, which I think creates more of a classic sound. I want for my music to be timeless and I think it's easier to achieve that this way. I'm influenced by people such as Lauryn Hill, who uses live instrumentation. More of my favorite musicians include Joni Mitchell, Erykah Badu, and Burt Bacharach, who all have a very different sound, but I think it's good to listen and borrow from different genres.
Do you work with other producers / artists when you're making music? How do your songs come together?
I do work with producers quite a lot, which I enjoy. It's good to vibe off each other and I feel like that way a better song is created in the end. Of course, there are times when it doesn't quite work, but most of the time it's pretty dreamy.
What else have you got planned for the rest of the year? Is there a project on the horizon?
I'm actually sitting on a lot of songs at the moment. It's just about figuring out the right time to release them really. There'll definitely be an EP within the next year, but for now I'll be releasing singles. At least that's the plan at the moment, although it often changes as I record more music.
Anything else you want to add or want people to know about you and your music?
I love halloumi and Manchester is the best.
