PinkPantheress is lying in bed when she calls from Los Angeles. The British artist says she’s good, she’s “just so tired,” and, looking back at her past few weeks, the fatigue makes sense.
It’s early April, a few days after she dropped “Tonight,” the lead single off her second mixtape, Fancy That, out now. “I feel great,” Pink says of the project, a creative effort self-produced along with aksel arvid, Count Baldor, phil, Oscar Scheller and The Dare. “I’m happy to get it out in the world.” The next day, Pink will film the video for “Stateside,” her favorite of the nine-track project. “I’m so excited for people to hear it,” she explains, diving into the music video. “It’s funny because the concept is actually impossible. It’s going to be trickery, but amazing.” When the video finally drops a few weeks later, Pink says online that “the brief was Abercrombie & Kitsch.” Filmed outside a JCPenney and featuring choreographed moments from pining, shirtless hunks, the Emma Berson-directed video is a perfect match for the track as Pink coos about transatlantic romance. “You could be my American hot hot boy,” she sings, winking at Estelle’s hit, “American Boy” over dance-floor distortion and interpolation of tracks by Sugarbabes and Groove Armada.
Pink co-produced “Stateside” with DJ and producer The Dare, who she — at the time — assumed was British. “I went in and I met him and he was from New York I was like, ‘Oh, that’s crazy. I really thought you were gonna be from the UK because of the picture I saw,’ And he was like, ‘No, everyone thinks that.’” The song’s creation was a “collaborative process,” Pink adds. “It was literally both of us doing 50/50.” For his part, The Dare praises Pink’s discernment in leading them to a winner. “Victoria always looks at me through one squinted eye, especially after I say or do something she feels to be of dubious quality,” he tells PAPER. “She did this the first time we met, right after I played her a few beats I had spent the night before toiling over. Upon playing her the 23rd or 24th beat, she said, ‘Delete everything except the drums.’ Then she pulled an electric guitar off the studio wall and sat down and played the opening riff to ‘Stateside.’ The rest is history.”
Twenty-four-year-old Victoria Beverley Walker was born in 2001 in Bath, a city in Somerset, England. She grew up in Kent and was attending University in London studying film when she started blending alt-pop, garage, drum and bass and jungle sounds, littering her concoctions with samples of ‘90s and 2000s tracks on GarageBand. She’d anonymously post her experiments across SoundCloud and TikTok, twisting her singular soundscapes under vulnerable lyrics, and began amassing millions of captive listeners during the pandemic who used tracks like “Break It Off” and “Just For Me” to soundtrack their content.
In October 2021, Pink released her first mixtape To Hell With It to critical acclaim and in 2022 shared her Take Me Home EP. One of its tracks, the hook-heavy, bouncy, pop call-out “Boy’s a Liar” reached No. 2 in the UK, while its remix featuring rapper Ice Spice peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Though she refers to the single as “a good culture move” when asked about what seemed to be an overnight increase in fans, Pink clarifies how that wasn’t exactly the case, nodding to listeners who have been with her since early days online. “I gained a big song overnight, but there’s a big difference,” she says. “It ended up being a really good way to give Ice a platform on a song like that,” she adds. “I’m so happy that it did. It ended up being one of her first major hits, where she had a few others afterwards. Honestly, if I had to say anything, I’m just happy that it helped put her into a spotlight where the mainstream could get to her.”
Since that moment, Pink has continued her global takeover while staying true to her British roots. In November 2023, she released her debut full-length, Heaven Knows, with more polished pop production. Pink followed the release with a heavy tour schedule in 2024, opening for the likes of Olivia Rodrigo and Coldplay. But then in August, she apologized to fans and canceled those dates, sharing that she’d “reached a wall which I am struggling to penetrate through.” Still, Pink spent the next months creating, working with LE SSERAFIM on their track “Crazy,” that year nabbing the distinction of Billboard’s Producer of The Year. This past January, she was also featured on Shygirl’s “True Religion” with Isabella Lovestory. But for all the collabs, proper releases and elevated tracks, Pink’s focus — when ready to share her own music again — was returning to her roots and the raw satisfaction she felt when dropping her first mixtape.
She launched Fancy That with “Tonight” — a track sampling strings and orchestration from Panic! At the Disco’s 2008 release “Do You Know What I’m Seeing?” — as she flirts, “You want sex with me/ Come talk to me” over a hypnotizing, dance-floor beat. The release came with a Bridgerton-themed video (which fellow British pop icon Charli xcx loved). One of the marked differences between this “more mature” Fancy That era and Pink’s previous releases is her comfort level and confidence in front of the camera. Many early interviews honed in on her shyness and reluctance to share her face online — in fact, she didn’t reveal who she was to fans until August 2021, eight months after her songs went viral. But now, so much of what has drawn eyes and ears to Pink are her visuals, including her fashion aesthetic, a 2000s throwback look that has been described as “cool aunt,” “substitute teacher” and what PAPER coolest person Rian Phin has coined as “true-thousands,” referring to it being a more realist depiction of 2000s fashion.
Despite being a child when the outfits, sounds and scenes Pink references were prevalent, she was clearly soaking it all in. As she told PAPER back in 2021, “I wasn’t necessarily at my prime when these things were coming out, but I was still alive and I remember it being a cooler time, to be honest.” She’s clearly in on the bit, leaning into her penchant for wearing a handbags on stage, even tweeting a meme of herself doing a double take after filming “Stateside” with the caption: “Me on shoot day visiting my first jcpenney and realising that I actually rly did look like the in-store manager that day,” adding, “Like you guys really were onto something this whole time.”
During a surprise set in March at Brooklyn’s Lot Radio, Pink used the pop-up to tease a Basement Jaxx-infused track. The electronic duo’s music and ingenuity (Pink has referred to the pair as mentors for her) seeps into much of the album, as she admits, “There are so many Basement Jaxx samples. There’s like, literally one in nearly every song.” Pink blends the pair’s hit “Good Luck” into her track “Romeo,” giving it a rising and falling tension, as the beat bursts at the bridge with the same satisfying propulsion of a 2000s pop song. On slow-building, dance floor heater, “Nice To Know You,” she samples “Spiral” by William Orbit, which features Sugababes and Kenna. The song also sneaks in a sample from Jessica Simpson’s 2001 hit “Irresistible.” “I’m equally as confused as you,” Pink jokes about the track’s inclusion. Mixtape opener “Illegal” sees Pink singing about shame, smoking loud and being paranoid, all with a risky relationship as a backdrop. She joked in a Reddit AMA, that the glitchy tune, which samples “Dark & Long (Dark Train)” by Underworld, was a diss track to weed.
Though Pink’s tried to beat the brisk track allegations that outlined her early career, Fancy That clocks in at just over 20 minutes long. Still, it’s a bop-heavy thrill ride, showcasing a more mature side of the artist, as she sings about drugs and intimate relationships, while sonically merging nostalgia with rave dancefloor inspirations — all to build a sound that’s entirely her own.
You’ve mentioned that this is one of your most cohesive projects. What are some of the moments that led you to creating a mixtape like Fancy That?
I was able to listen to it over and over and over, and I [couldn’t decide] on my favorite piece. I suppose I’ve never had that with a project before. The most important thing was that I could feel like I was able to show a more mature side of me that didn’t feel like I was replicating older music that I’ve already had out. And making a mixtape rather than an album meant that I was able to have a bit more freedom. Being more mature on this project was really fun to step into.
Where do you think that maturity has come from? And do you see that as something that seeps into your lyricism or the way you’re approaching production?
I took a lot of inspiration from older music from the UK. It was very important that I was hearing those genres and knowing that the way that they would have been listened to back in the day would have been at raves or clubs where there was a lot of partying and a lot of “sex, drugs, rock and roll” vibes. I feel like I wanted to pay homage to that through the lyrics.
Your first release from the mixtape, “Tonight,” is doing very well. It’s going crazy on Spotify and TikTok. How has it felt having your fans react to this more mature version of you?
It’s been really fun. I don’t look too much on socials, but I thought people were going to be very like, “Oh my god, ew, no!” But people have actually been really receptive to the whole thing. And I think they’re very pleasantly surprised to hear me do that, to be honest.
Is it because they’ve grown with you, or do you think because they’ve grown with you they’re excited to see and hear this different side?
If I’m ever making any change to my very cohesive, old sound, I try and make sure my fans don’t feel like I’m doing a number on them and suddenly switching up my vibes without paying homage to my usual sound. They’ve respected my growth because they didn’t feel like I was making a song that was completely different to anything they’ve heard before by me. I paid respect to them by giving them a new sound. I’ve also tried to show growth by giving better production.
Where did the idea for the “Tonight” music video come from?
I want to say it’s because I enjoy Bridgerton, but it was actually more so because I was watching older music videos. There was one from Jamiroquai that I loved, called “King for a Day,” and I loved the song, so I wanted to watch the video. And the video was Georgian. I was like, “Fuck, this looks amazing.” I’d always thought I’d love to make a music video that was a more classic pop video, where you have sets and you have a different hairstyle than usual and a dress that looks like something you wouldn’t wear.
Why’d you decide to sample Panic! at the Disco in “Tonight”?
I literally just really loved that song. I’ve always wanted a song that samples Panic! at the Disco, so I just made it work. I was looking for an intro to throw it all together. I think that was the perfect intro because it’s such a deep cut. So for people who are aware of the sample it’s like, “Oh my God, she knows.” I like proving to people that I know stuff. That’s one of my favorite albums.
You worked with The Dare, Oscar Scheller, and a few other producers and collaborators. When it came to Fancy That, did you know those were the people you wanted to work with? Or did it evolve over time?
It’s actually so funny. I thought The Dare was British, and he knows this because I told him in the session. I wasn’t aware that he actually made music. Basically, one of my A&Rs was like, “Oh, there’s this guy that’s in town. You should do a session with him,” and I was trying to look for British producers in LA and New York. I felt like a lot of my soundscape for this project is very UK-based, so I was like, “I need to find someone who can really articulate this the way I wanted them to.” They were like, “Why don’t you do a session with him?” And I didn’t know anything about him really, but I was like, “Oh, maybe he is British and that’s why they set us up.”
So I went in and I met him, and he was from New York. I was like, “Oh, that’s crazy. I really thought you were gonna be from the UK because of the picture I saw.” And he was like, “No, everyone thinks that.” He’s the only producer on this project I haven’t worked with before, but everyone else is pretty regular people. When it comes to producers, I know what I like and I stick to people that I know that I work really well with. Oscar [Scheller], as you said and my best friend, phil [Dill Aitchison], who has produced on all three of my projects. I don’t really branch out and use any big, big names. I mean, I worked with BNYX once and Mura Masa I work with a lot.
You know him so well, you’re like, “I forget that he’s huge.”
Exactly. I mean, in their own right, they’re all doing their own thing. But what I mean is, I don’t necessarily go to the number-one charting hitmaker. I definitely prefer doing it with people I feel very comfortable with. So doing the song with The Dare was really interesting because I wasn’t sure what to expect going in. But funnily enough, we made my favorite song in the project. And it was a very collaborative process where it was literally both of us doing 50/50. It was amazing.
What about “Stateside” made it your favorite?
The fact that we made it completely together was fire. But [also] the fact that I think sonically, it’s the best.
You said making Fancy That “allowed you to talk more about yourself and embrace new levels of intimacy.” What was it about the process that made that possible?
For me, every time I go into the studio I don’t work on more than about 10 or 12 songs at once. I won’t make 15,000 demos and then try and pick from them. I’ll just make a song and know it’s going to be on the project. So every song I made I knew was going to be on the project. There was only one song I wasn’t sure on, so I ended up just making a whole new song to replace it. But I don’t work off of demos. That’s why all my unreleased stuff is on the internet somewhere. There’s really not that many unreleased songs that aren’t out. I’m very intentional.
The samples also feel intentional. I heard there’s a Jessica Simpson one. Can we dig into that?
I’m equally as confused as you. I didn’t produce that song. That was Oscar. He literally did exactly that. He put the sample in. I wasn’t aware it was a Jessica Simpson sample. I wasn’t aware there was a sample at all until he told me. And I was like, “Okay, great,” but it’s very undetectable. You can’t really tell that’s what it is. It’s definitely snuck in. As much as I do think she’s an icon over here, I wouldn’t necessarily call for Jessica Simpson, just because I try and keep my samples in line with what I’m going for. And I’d say that her sample is more Y2K whereas this project isn’t necessarily trying to give that off. It’s more meant to be a classic, regal thing, which is why I use the Panic! song. But I do still think the song sounds sick.
Basement Jaxx are also blended into the album. How did those samples come about?
There are so many Basement Jaxx samples. Literally one in nearly every song. I always feel like I need samples so that I can somehow ingest the song into my own music. Which to some might sound super selfish and bizarre and like, actually stealing vibes. But for me, I see it as: I love the song. If I can craft it into a song of mine and know for my own satisfaction that it’s in there and that I’m using something I love in a way that recycles it with the artist’s respect, then for me it feels amazing to have that be part of my project. It just so happens that I love every single Basement Jaxx song they probably ever put out. I can’t think of one that lacks for me. There were multiple songs I wanted to sample from them and they ended up being across a few songs.
Going back to what you said about wanting to work with UK producers and looking back at the rave scene in the UK — as artists reach wider audiences, they often shift into trying to mirror other people, but you’ve been adamant about keeping your allegiance to the music you grew up with. Why is that desire still at your core?
It’s as easy as wanting to share my love for the music I grew up with and was listening to. I also have a very strong desire to make my own mark in music that feels different to a lot of other people’s. I think for every musician, it’s important to build your own niche without feeling like you’re treading on anyone else’s toes, musically. I want to build my own ecosystem that feels very true to me that doesn’t bleed into other people’s worlds.
Charli XCX tweeted that she loved the video for “Tonight” and then you retweeted that with “omg just shat myself.” Would you ever want to collab with Charli in the future?
I mean, of course. If the opportunity ever comes up, I would love to. I will say it makes me shit myself when I get recognition from any artists that I respect, for sure. It doesn’t matter who, genuinely, I get so excited. When I get recognition from other artists, especially ones that I have looked up to for a long time. Even though I’ve met her, I just love getting praise and hearing praise.
You’ve got some live gigs coming up. In September you have your residency at the O2 Academy in Brixton, but you also had a set in Brooklyn recently. Our social editor, Alaska, went and said it was fab, and I know there was a horse-drawn carriage involved. What has it been like to interact with your fans and share your music live?
It’s been so much fun. My favorite part of this, obviously, is to meet everyone and have that face time with them. So for me, that’s the part. I look forward to it the most, to be honest.
For your new listeners and the fans that have been following you from the beginning, what do you hope they walk away with after they hear Fancy That?
I want them to hear growth. I want them to feel like they found their new favorite artist. I guess those are the two things I really want. I want people to feel like they found their new favorite person and their new outlet.
Photography: Reto Schmid
Styling: Max Weinstein
Makeup: Julian Stoller
Hair: Anoushka
Nails: Juan Alvear
Set design: Milena Gorum
Photo assistant: David Jaffe
Digitech: Kevin Vast
Tailor: Matthew Neff
Styling assistants: Tiwa Neo, Ambrosio Gonzales, Diego Mazzaferro
Makeup assistant: Jake Dupont
Production assistant: Kaiya Lang
Set assistants: Cameron Gonzalez-Williamson, Noelle Denton, Sarah Deaner
Editor-in-chief: Justin Moran
Managing editor: Matt Wille
Executive creative producer: Angelina Cantú
Story: Erica Campbell
Cover design: Jewel Baek
Publisher: Brian Calle