Shygirl has spoken to NME about having a friend, fan and collaborator in Björk, her Mercury Prize nod, and how “falling in love” is shaping her next album. Watch our video interview above.
The London experimentalist was speaking at the launch of the Mercury Prize 2023, where her acclaimed 2022 debut ‘Nymph‘ was shortlisted alongside albums by the likes of Arctic Monkeys, J Hus, RAYE, Jockstrap, Young Fathers, Jessie Ware, Fred Again.. and more.
Asked about how she was feeling to be among the shortlist, she replied: “I’m so torn, because half of me is like, ‘You totally deserve this’ and the other half is like, ‘I’m so grateful!’ That’s why Shygirl is like a juxtaposition in itself. I do feel like you have to back yourself.”
“It’s just great to be in the room with so many other amazing artists. That, I will speak about the most because it makes me look even better. Everyone else on this list is so amazing.”
She added: “I just wanted it to encapsulate who I was. I had learned so much with my other EPs and being in the studio with so many other amazing producers. I had picked up a thing or two and had something I wanted to say totally off my own back. It wasn’t guided by anything other than my own intuition. That was worth following.”
Known for her impressive live show, the artist explained how she’s still growing into her material live.
“It’s really interesting, because I’m still really getting to know it on the road,” she said. “I’m always so surprised by who turns up at the shows and the crowd is so vast. Even the other day, my grandma was on the front row herself. She was definitely loving it.”
Would you call her ‘Shygran’?
“Not shy at all! But it’s just all been so cathartic: to be there on stage, talk about how I feel, let the energy out and then have people shouting ‘Coochie’ straight back at me from the crowd. There are so many things I couldn’t imagine; like playing Glastonbury. I never saw myself where I right now.”
She also reached a new audience by teaming up with Björk on a number of occasions – first on a remix of the Icelandic icon’s ‘Ovule’ with Sega Bodega, and then on a reworked version of her own ‘Woe’.
“It was more nerve-wracking actually when she asked me to book a table for dinner!” Shygirl admitted to NME. “I was like, ‘Where do I take Björk for dinner?’ I ended up taking her somewhere that was completely ludicrous with sword swallowers, so I think it was perfect.”
“Making music together has been a crazy experience. I think I cried when I heard the first demo back from Sega [Bodega] on the first remix we did for her. Then just having her talk me through the lyrics for the other remix we did together was amazing. We’ve actually spoken at length about her experiences in the music industry and how she feels like she relates to me. That’s just been beyond my wildest dreams. I grew up listening to ‘Hunter’ on repeat and imagining I was in a world other than my own.
“I feel like now I’m really in control of the world I’m creating and the people that are engaging with me have hugely validated me.”
Does she think they’ll work together again?
“I hope so! I feel like we’ve got a whole record together brewing. I need to get to Iceland. There’s more there, and I love that with my collaborators. It’s not just one and done. We’re great friends and I really want to see what else we can provoke out of each other.”
By the time the Mercury Prize winner is announced, ‘Nymph’ would have been out for nearly a year – and Shygirl is very much “deep in it” with writing the follow-up.
“I feel very inspired,” she said. “This has definitely given me more juice. I’m taking the sound in a slightly different direction, and that’s what I love: as soon as you’re comfortable, snatch the rug from directly underneath you.
“I can’t wait, and I think I’m going to play some of the new stuff as the shows go on to keep it fresh and keep my fans fed.”
Speaking of the vibe of the album, she revealed: “There’s a lot of guitar. I think you’ll be surprised. Shy does indie! It’s not a joke! I’ve been so eclectic and I want to stick to that. I’m really pushing myself in terms of learning more about the instruments I’m using. That may seem like a no-brainer, but I kind of feel like I’ve walked into the studio off the streets some times and I’ve been learning ever since.”
And lyrically, she’s very much been inspired by “love”.
“It’s a cliche but I’m so in love,” she confessed. “I thought it was going to dead my lyrics because sometimes when you’re too happy you’re like, ‘What do I even say?’ But there seems to be a lot I have to say. I feel like I’m being way more poetic. We’re getting to the real root of songwriting. I’m a big fan of putting my heart into the lyrics and I feel like up until now, I’ve been quite productive to what I’m capable of. I can’t wait to give more of me.
As for now, Shygirl said that she was just humbled to be among so many other talented artists on this year’s Mercury Prize shortlist. Asked who she’d pick to win, she replied: “That’s so hard. I’ve really loved watching RAYE’s journey. Also, Loyle Carner is the nicest person and the sentimentality of his music has really touched me.”
She added: “The shortlist couldn’t be better people. These are people who genuinely live by the music they make and have gone through it to make it. It’s all very genuine.”
The winner of the Mercury Prize will be announced at a live ceremony at London’s Eventim Apollo on September 7.