Electro-pop songstress Little Boots a.k.a. Victoria Hesketh is a divine breath of nostalgia as she takes us back to the ‘70s with her disco-infused track ‘Landline’. Released via her independent imprint Repeat Records, the singer has shared that this is her first big producing project. ‘Landline’ is set to feature on her forthcoming self-produced album slated for release this year. Receiving accolades since 2008 with non-stop chart-topping hits, the singer has always been absorbed by legendary songwriters and producers that dominated the disco era with their heartfelt lyrics and undeniable grooves. Little Boots aims to honour these talents with her current sound, not feeling the need to keep up with the current commercial sounds of today. She hopes through doing this to have more artists shining under their own unique lens. ‘Landline’ is a synth glazed, feel-good song that will have baby boomers and Gen-Z’s obsessed.
We had the privilege of chatting with Victoria about the music industry in this exclusive Q&A with her.
Hi Little Boots, thank you for allowing us the time to talk with you about your song ‘Landline’. What has been the highlight of this release so far?
The video was a real highlight for me, we had an amazing location house in Margate that had a super stylish ‘70s vibe, and we had a lot of fun with all of the looks and outfits. It was so nice to be able to work with a creative team properly again.
‘Landline’ will feature on your self-produced upcoming album. Can you please describe the production process?
It’s the first time I’ve completely stepped up as a producer so there was a lot of learning as I went along and trial and error. Fortunately, there was plenty of time for that in lockdown! I would usually come up with a rough idea on piano then build it up with beats and synths. I have a long-time collaborator my drummer and MD Ben Chetwood who is a fantastic producer, so he would often help me at the end to refine the beats and fills -finishing touches.
You began your musical journey from a tender age, were there any other career avenues you would have ventured into if you never pursued music production?
I never really pursued music production, as I said this is the first record I’ve really produced myself although I’ve always dabbled. Music was always my passion but I did make sure I had backup plans as I knew how tough the industry was. I did Cultural Studies at university and worked in TV production for a while before my first record deal.
After the auctioning ‘Landline’ via the NFT market, what are your thoughts on promoting your music via this platform?
I had a real rollercoaster as I was a victim of a nasty scam on my first NFT auction and sadly ended up losing most of the profits, although some amazing people helped me recover as much as possible. But it really illustrated how volatile the space is as it’s such early days. I did not put myself off though, I do think the music industry is still in need of a major shakeup. Currently, the streaming market is booming but it’s really the DSP companies, big record labels, and the top 10% of artists making all the profit. So web3 and NFTs have the potential to revolutionize ownership in the digital space and give this back to artists. The transparency of blockchain could also be a game-changer for the payment of music rights. But it is all very early days still.
Does the theme of teenage friendships in your latest track set the tone for the upcoming album’s atmosphere?
I’d say there is definitely a mood of nostalgia, but looking back as well as looking forwards. There are themes of growing up and looking to what’s next whilst fondly looking back at the past.
You previously mentioned that this track has a “sunny disco feel,..”. It sounds like the ‘70s were a key influence on your last two singles in terms of texture. Was this always the intention?
I really wanted to focus on classic songwriting and block out any pressures from writing for current trends or to try and get on certain Spotify playlists. So I found myself going back to a lot of ‘70s artists, for this will always be an era of great songwriting – Elton John, Carole King, The Bee Gees, and of course Abba.
What sub-genre do you think needs more appreciation?
Japanese Disco from the ‘80s is quite fun.
Are there new artists that are on your radar?
I’ve been collaborating with some great dance artists which is a real breath of fresh air, especially some fantastic female producers/ DJs coming through. I did a track in 2020 with LP Giobbi and have a new one that just came out with J Worra, both brilliant producers, so I’m excited to watch them grow.
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