Words by Harriet Curzon
Rising singer-songwriter Chloë Wilson is already attracting a buzz. Her husky voice and mellow sound falls somewhere in the space between Kate Bush and Fleetwood Mac. But it isn’t just her genre-defying sound that captivates, it’s her unapologetic approach to creativity and womanhood. Her first single came in the form of ‘Designated Driver’, which she describes as “a bit of a weird one for me. I wrote it quite some time ago. I grew up in Milton Keynes and as soon as everyone turned seventeen, they got their licence because you need to be able to drive to get anywhere. It was kind of a rite of passage sitting in car parks revving our engines and that kind of thing”.
“I’d call myself an introvert-extrovert so when all my friends wanted to go out all the time, I wanted to, but I also didn’t. It was my first real moment of validating that I didn’t have to do what everyone else did. The idea of being the designated driver captured that feeling because I was present but not fully joining in. A lot of my songs come from deep emotional places, but this one was more about a specific moment and experience. It wasn’t inspired by heartbreak or trauma, just growing up”.
When asked if music was always her dream, she responded “it’s super cliché, but yes. No one in my family is really musical, but I’ve just always loved songs, lyrics and music. If someone asked me as a little girl what I wanted to be when I grew up, I’d say a musician. It’s always been my biggest passion. Even if I wasn’t pursuing this professionally, I’d still be writing music. It’s just who I am. I was lucky enough to learn to play the piano when I was younger and that really was my musical foundation. The more I played, the more fascinated I became by how songs are created. Every time I think I’ve learned everything, I discover more, and I love that”.
Wilson is an alumnus of the prestigious BRIT school in Croydon, which has fostered incredible and influential female artists such as Adele and Amy Winehouse. When discussing her experience there, Wilson admitted “it was amazing. Honestly, I was just so grateful to go there. It was such a brilliant opportunity and being surrounded by other musicians really solidified that this is what I want to do”, and noted that “growing up, we always had music playing in the house. Fleetwood Mac, Adele, Leona Lewis… just such a range of amazing artists. I was always enamoured by music. But Stevie Nicks. I’m obsessed with her”.
Her social media biographies refer to her as being “born to be a 70s pop princess”. Discussing this, Wilson stated that it was “everything” about that era that drew her in. “I think I just have a massive infatuation with that time – the aesthetic, the sound. My grandad influenced me a lot, he introduced me to Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and Fleetwood Mac. I became obsessed with that whole era and even the way I dress now, it’s all very seventies in my head”.
When asked for a description of her music for someone who has never heard it before, Wilson summed it up as “feeling like the experience of growing up. But the stuff I have coming out this year, which I’m so excited about, which is more about capturing feelings you can’t put into words. Music has always helped me process feelings and put them into words. Sometimes it’s hard to explain exactly how you feel, so I hope people listen to a song I’ve written and go, that’s exactly how I feel”.
“I always think I have a [writing] process, but then it changes. I can sit at the piano for hours and write nothing… and then suddenly inspiration strikes in the freezer aisle in Aldi! I have like 3,000 voice notes on my phone with random ideas. Some songs start with lyrics, others with chords, it’s always different. Then it all comes together in a tornado of creativity”. Referring to one of her inspirations in particular, Wilson cited Fleetwood Mac as her dream collaboration, “no question. So much of my music is inspired by them- that sound is something I’ve always wanted to create. But also Jungle, I’d love to do vocals on one of their tracks. Everything they do from the music to the visuals is just so cool. They can’t write a bad song”.
As a rising female artist, the music industry can be notoriously tough, even to the point of exploitation. Delving into this, Wilson noted “I can only speak from my experience, but as a young woman in music, I’ve often felt underestimated. But honestly, it just makes me work harder. My value as an artist has nothing to do with my gender, my age, or anything else. Seeing powerful women in music owning their space without apology- that’s so inspiring. The bold, female artists who refuse to shrink themselves, they’re extravagant- and rightfully so, they don’t put themselves in a box, and that inspires me”.
Speaking on touring plans, Wilson mentioned that she has “UK shows coming later this year. I can’t announce anything just yet, but there will be a Manchester date. I have my debut EP coming out this year, I can’t say too much yet, but it feels like my first real release. I’ve poured everything into it, from the songs to the visuals. I’m so proud of it, and I really hope people connect with it. It’ll be later this year, and everything will be announced soon. I know it sounds like I’m keeping my cards close, but I promise it’s worth the wait”.
