If you're unfamiliar with the Canadian dream-pop princess that is Lowell, do yourself a favor and familiarize yourself by first watching the music video for her single "Cloud 69," and then blasting her other single "The Bells" like, right now. Both songs live on Lowell's debut EP I Killed Sara V.--a five-track fantasy that's like a teenage girl's diary come to life. More recently, however, the songstress has been brewing up her debut full-length album dubbed We Loved Her Dearly--which I can only imagine being filled with even more catchy, angsty, trance-like pop melodies as foreshadowed on IKSV. Lucky for us, we got an office visit from Lowell and got to pick her brain on all things beauty-related. And as it turns out, she loves Britney Spears just as much as we do. Read her interview below and don't forget to pick up We Loved Her Dearly, out September 16th!
Introduce yourself!
Lowell from Canada via England via America via Canada.
How would you describe your music?
It’s hard to describe, as it’s constantly changing. At the moment, as in what I am currently releasing on I Killed Sara V. and We Loved Her Dearly, it’s often pop. Catchy melodies, sex, and bubble gum. I've done things more left and more right of that, but what I've chosen to come out with right now, is mostly that. It’s been described as "pop with a purpose"--you could say that, as the bubble gum moments are often juxtaposed with something more meaningful than strawberry Hubba Bubba.
What are you coming out with next/what are some of your musical inspirations?
I have a record to be released in September called We Loved Her Dearly. My musical influences at the time of making the record came from all directions. I had listened to a lot of Handsome Furs in the past; Animal Collective, some LCD Soundsytem, Sufjan Stevens, Devendra Banhart, Radiohead, Braids…I could go on. They were mostly bands that my brother had pointed out to me while I was isolated in England listening to and writing uber pop. I guess the two genres jumbled together and birthed We Loved Her Dearly. The biggest influence to me, however, came from my experiences. My environment was changing my vocabulary, the way I thought about things, and living in a sort of urban environment really turned me on to mysogenistic lyrics and 808s.
Who are some of your ultimate beauty icons in music?
Mick Jagger, David Bowie and Prince! [Laughs] I don't know. Musicians shouldn't have to be models.
If you could form the ultimate fantasy girl band with musicians living or dead, who would be in the band?
Debbie Harry, Kathleen Hanna, Britney Spears, M.I.A. and Lana Del Rey. And me.
What posters did you have on your wall growing up?
I had a Britney [Spears] poster of course (or maybe two), Spice Girls obviously, N'Sync probably, I know I had a Backstreet Boys poster--which on the back had Westlife, which I think I later flipped over to reveal after Black and Blue sucked. Did I mention I'm a '90s bitch?
What do you usually keep in your makeup bag?
I have a badass metal box for a makeup case which looks like it might hurt somebody. It has lipsticks of many shades, which I use as eyeshadow really…and lil’ diamonds for my face.
What are your favorite beauty products?
Stuff you can find at Dollarama, especially those little studs you can stick on to ANYTHING. Scrunchies also.
What is your signature scent?
Road sweat.