Heavily tipped in recent years, Biig Piig understands life as a hyped artist more than most.
Here, the singer – who has 2.3 million monthly listeners on Spotify – opens up about her debut album 11:11 and the pressures facing musicians…
Your career has been building steadily for a few years, but why does now feel like the right time for your debut album?
“It’s taken me so long to get to the point where I was confident enough and I knew myself enough to do the full-length, but it just felt right. I just felt like I didn’t want to stop writing, whereas I usually come to the point where I’m like, ‘Project done,’ after five or six tracks. I used to question myself more than I do now in respect of how I feel and what I want to do. I feel like I’ve grown to the point now where I’m more sure of myself and can understand myself better.”
Did you feel supported in taking that additional time?
“To be honest, [the album] was meant to happen years ago and I’ve been pushing it back and pushing it back, but I really was supported in that. This album has been two years in the making. When I started it, [I thought] I knew exactly what I wanted to do and it would be done by the end of last year. It just took so many different routes. But that’s important; you can’t rush something like this.”
How have you navigated all the pressures that come with being hyped as a breaking act?
“I’ve had great management the last couple of years and they’ve been very understanding when you can’t do all of it, even though I always want to. I had a really busy touring schedule in 2023 and it was great, I loved it. But when you’re balancing that with trying to stay present, being everywhere at the same time and trying to stay in touch with people you love in real life, after a while you do get a bit like, ‘What the fuck is going on?’ Having a good manager is so crucial at those points. I push myself past my limits because I have a ‘we’ll sleep when we’re dead’ attitude and that’s been great for certain things, but at the same time you have to know when to [pause] because you don’t want to burn out.”
How has your experience of being signed to RCA been so far?
“They’ve had a lot of patience and been really open-minded. I put pressure on myself if something doesn’t perform the way it should. I try not to look at numbers because it’ll bug me out and it’s like watching a kettle boil, but they’ve been very supportive and easy-going at letting me take the creative lead. I wonder if [the culture of labels] is changing because artists are experimenting more and nothing is as defined as it used to be. Maybe that’s why people are more open-minded, because no one knows what to expect.”
In terms of chart impact, 2024 saw a lot of success for female acts. Does it feel like an inspiring landscape to be releasing your album into?
“Charli XCX has been writing bangers for so long and Brat, even down to the cover art, was so bold and unapologetic. She’s definitely inspiring. Also, Clairo, who is very different, but I love that she’s someone where people expected this one thing from her and then she’s [switched up her sound]. I just love how no one’s sticking to the mould that people make for them. Amyl And The Sniffers’ last album, Cartoon Darkness, was sick, too; Amy Taylor is a powerhouse. Watching live performances and seeing how much energy there is right now, it feels like everyone is embodying their music so much. It feels really vibrant.”
