07 September 2021
Newsdesk
Little Simz joins Matt Wilkinson on Apple Music 1 today to discuss her new album 'Sometimes I Might Be Introvert'. During the interview, she tells Matt about inviting her cousin to appear on the album and share his story, reveals why it was important to her to shoot the music video for 'Point and Kill' in Nigeria, discusses having actress Emma Corrin appear on the record, and more.
Little Simz Tells Apple Music About Inviting Actress Emma Corrin To Appear On The Album....
We'd been writing some stuff with Rosie, who's arranging strings on the record. And then they just started writing these beautiful music pieces, these scores. And it's like, at this point this is beyond an album. You know what I'm saying? This is like we're going into film now, and this feels very visual. And I'm a very visual person. So in making a record, I want people to be able to listen to it and almost see, just paint the picture so well and so vividly for the listener. And Emma [Corrin], obviously, I was just a huge fan of The Crown, her performance specifically. I just thought the way she performed and the way she played Lady Diana was just great, so I reached out to her. Didn't think she was going to do it, but I thought, "If she says no, she says no. It's fine. But if she says yes, I think this could be really cool." And just having her as a feature, I think that's dope. You know what I'm saying? It's not like calling a rapper in or a singer in to come do this, I've got an actress that's really telling this story with me.
Little Simz Tells Apple Music About Shooting The Music Video For 'Point and Kill' In Nigeria With Obongjayar....
Well, 'Point and Kill' is for me, I guess it's just me tapping into my roots, and repping that with him [Obongjayar]. I think I've grown up with afrobeats my whole life. You know what I'm saying? My family are Nigerian and have always been around that music, it was always played to me growing up. And I've always explored that in my music. So when it came to this album, it was like, "Yeah, cool. I know I got eyes on me now, so I can tap back into that space and I can have fun with it. And if we're going to shoot a video, it needs to be in Nigeria." I'd always wanted to go back to Nigeria, even to just do family or to do work. So on this trip, I had the opportunity to do both, which was amazing. I had my family pull up to the video shoot. Seeing my mum's side and her cousins, and cousins I'd never met, and it was just really like it was a proper homecoming.
Little Simz Tells Apple Music About The Title Of Her Song 'Point and Kill'...
'Point and Kill' was a saying in Nigeria. And they usually say it if you want to catch fish, it will be like, yeah, point and kill kind of thing or whatnot...But also in a metaphorical sense like,whatever I want, if I'm a go-getter or if I see it, I want it. And that's what I thought has always been me. You know what I'm saying? I've always had my eye on a prize, and I've gone to get it. So it just was a perfect marriage.
Little Simz Tells Apple Music About Working With Her Cousin On 'Little Q Part 1' And Telling His Story...
So yeah, that's my cousin. When we was younger, we grew up together and whatnot. And then, I guess time, we just grew apart and then got back in touch, and just had some deep heart to heart chats. And he was just telling me a lot about what he had been through in his life, in which I was just like, "Man, this is a lot." And I think it was just how he was telling me, was what struck me. It was very blasé, it was very like, "Yeah. It just is what it is. I got stabbed in my chest, was in a coma." I don't know. Yeah, it was just crazy. And just my feeling was like, this is the story... This is his story, but this is also the story of so many young black men in London that have been through this. That no one really cares. You know what I'm saying? And I just saw an opportunity to share his story, and shed light on that. And just make him feel like he's being heard. And actually that is a big deal that happened to you. And actually thank God you've got another chance to live. And also with that song, I didn't want it to sound like depressing, so I think you hear a lot of hope in the song, especially towards the end.It's very hopeful and joyful. You know what I mean? Yeah, I wanted to end on that touch.
Little Simz Tells Apple Music About Working With Inflo and Recording Where She Grew Up...
It was very, very, very surreal. But I think we both have such a strong connection to home, and love where we're from and rep where we're from. You know what I'm saying? He can walk down any street in North London and people know who he is just from back in, not even as a... You know what I'm saying?Just as people knowing him. And same with me, you know what I'm saying? I walk into anywhere like... I don't know, Sainsbury's on Essex Road, I'm definitely bumping into a few people. Do you know what I mean? So it's very much like we're very much rooted in community and where we're from.
Little Simz Tells Apple Music About The Line "Hoping I'll Fulfill Amy's Purpose" in 'Introvert'....
Obviously grew up listening to Amy Winehouse and being a fan of her music, and just seeing her as the big homie. You know what I'm saying? Amy Winehouse, she's amazing. And at the tender age of 27, when she sadly left us, that at the time felt, not far away, I knew it was young, but I was younger than her, so it still felt like far away. But now I'm here, it's like, "Actually, that's very young." I feel like my life is just, I'm just getting started. So it just put things into perspective that she literally had her whole life ahead of her, her whole career ahead of her. And I know she was someone that was, I didn't know her personally, but from interviews and seeing her whatnot, she really cared about the art.
Little Simz Tells Apple Music That She Originally Didn't Want to Put 'I Love You, I Hate You' On The Album...
I was so against doing the song. I literally just wrote it to shut everyone up. It was like, "Cool, I'll write these verses, but it's not going on the album." So I parked it in my mind, and then as we're running through the songs, "All right, I see how this could be a really important song. So let me actually have a go at writing this." And that's when I was like, "Oh, okay. I've unlocked something. And I see how important this song is. And I see why it needs to be on the album." I think it was just an unsettling feeling of, deep down I feel like I do want to talk about this. It's just fear. That's all it is. And I think that's probably another thing that I've taken away from this album is just how much more fearless I feel like I am. To go into certain spaces and to talk about different things, or even try new things. I got a whole song where I'm just singing. And I know I haven't got the best voice in the world. But you know what? It makes me feel good, and I really enjoy this record and I'm a singer like that, just is what it is. So I think with a song like 'I Love You, I Hate You,' it's just me being fearless and being like, "Well, whatever comes of it, I know I've said my truth.”
Little Simz Tells Apple Music About Playing With Gorillaz At The 02 Arena For An NHS Audience....
I think the moment for me was just more so being...Being on stage with Damon [Albarn] and the band, because he took me on tour after my second album. When I probably, technically speaking, jumped ahead a few steps to do an arena tour at that stage in my career. And Damon I don't know, took that risk with me and was like, "Yeah, she's she can open up for us. You know what I'm saying? She can handle that." And that for me was... And then seeing where I am now, it's like, this man, these people were an integral part of my being here. You know what I mean? So that was very emotional for me, I think as well. And just even the fact that they still had me in mind to come back and do that with them was like, yeah, that's real family. That's love.
