You heard it all in part one – get ready for part two! In part one of W’SUP’s exclusive, W’SUP editor Eugenia Kourkoutas and W’SUP Director Natasa Aster-Stater interview Lottie McLeod on her rise to fame, the inspiration behind her latest singles, and her reflections on an incredibly successful 2024.
In this interview, McLeod further discusses her inspirations, the potential for an upcoming 2025 EP and talks about a headlining tour. McLeod also gives tremendous advice to potential upcoming musicians about the importance of social media in not only promoting artistry but creating a space for connection, networking and community to thrive.
Finally, she offers heartfelt advice for Western Sydney University’s Music Club (WUSIC) and encourages students and emerging musicians to “write what you love”, stay true to their artistry and to always remember “there’s no opinion that matters more other than yours”.
Without further ado, here is part two of our interview with Lottie McLeod.
W’SUP: What inspires you to write a song?
McLeod: I write a lot about my own experiences. Usually, I just come up with an idea randomly when I’m out and about – sometimes I have run into the bathroom while in public and, like, pull my voice notes up and just like in the bathroom. I have probably looked like a crazy person [laughs].
W’SUP: Do you feel like, is it a different sort of process if you thought of, like, writing a song about one of your friends or someone else, like from their perspective?
McLeod: That’s actually what I was going to say. So, you know, sometimes my life isn’t always that interesting. So, it’s really fun to somebody else’s shoes and see what they’re seeing. For example, the song ‘Never Gonna See You Again’, it’s actually about the perspective of my best friend about a breakup she went through.
We all had an experience for the making of that song. It was me, my ex-boyfriend, her and her ex-boyfriend. We were in like a little couple-y group sort of thing. We had plans to go to Melbourne to see the Killers, and he broke up with her three weeks before going. Accommodation was all booked, flights were all booked and everything, and she had to travel there with like an empty seat next to her. So that song is in her perspective. She’s a soldier for that. I felt so bad the whole time because I was with my boyfriend but then I was like, ‘here I wrote this song for you’.
W’SUP: You’ve mentioned that people like Phoebe Bridgers have inspired you to make music – who would be your dream artist to collaborate with?
McLeod: The first artist that comes to mind is Alex Page. She’s a bit of a smaller artist at the moment. She opened for Gracie Abrams in the US about two years ago, but I discovered her on my TikTok ‘For You Page’ in 2021, and I’ve just been hooked on her music ever since. There’s so many of my songs that are inspired by her music, and I think she’s an amazing songwriter. Yeah, she’s incredible, so definitely her.
W’SUP: Is there anything special fans can expect from you within the New Year?
McLeod: I’m actually working on an EP at the moment. I’m very keen, I never thought I would be able to put an EP out so early in my career. It’s a huge milestone, but it’s something that I’ve wanted to do since I’ve started. I’m so excited and I’m hopefully going to be going on tour as well.
(Picture of Lottie Mcleod, Taken by @Lottie Mcleod Instagram August 2024)
W’SUP: Are you are you planning to do an all-Australian tour?
McLeod: I’m actually planning on doing a co-headline tour with someone. It’s in talk at the moment. There are no actual plans that are starting or anything but it’s being planned, that’s for sure.
I’m not going to say who it’s with, because I don’t know if I want it out yet, but I love him. He makes great music – I would love to be playing music with this person through Australia. I’m really excited because I’ve never, I’ve never played any of my music outside Brisbane before. So being able to get that across the country would be great.
W’SUP: For newer fans who are wanting to delve into your music, how would you describe your sound and artistry to them?
McLeod: Well, I’d definitely describe it like… you know it’s definitely indie pop, but I’ve had my music described to me also as something you can listen to before you go to bed. Music for when you’re with friends, having a chill dinner or if you’ve just had a breakup, you can listen to it and cry your eyes out. You can listen to it when you’re walking home somewhere – It’s perfect for so many questions. So just it’s very much “listen to, grab your tissues’, or “have a dance” sort of thing. That’s always a tough question for me, because I’m like: how do people see my music?
W’SUP: Do you think it’s important for artists to be on social media these days, like using it to reach out to fans and keep them updated with news about your music?
McLeod: Yes. I think it’s, you know, the most reliable way for people listening to your music. Although saying that, I feel like I haven’t actually got many people listening to my music through social media – I feel like it’s live shows personally for me. But still saying that, I still have, you know, some international people who have found me on TikTok, or just Spotify algorithms- sort of thing.
But yeah, I do think it’s important because people love to engage with that kind of thing. You know, I love to engage with that kind of thing. So yeah, I think it’s not very common these days or enough to take off, you know, just staying on Spotify and their Instagram and selling vinyls and whatnot. But, yeah, I wish we could, you know, reverse time… and keep it so we like everyone has a shot, you know?
It’s a nice thought to feel like we could go back in time and have it that way again… But there is also something special about our community on social media. You know, I feel like I’ve had so many artists that are so supportive of me that I’ve just met through social media, so there are definitely still so many beautiful things about it.
W’SUP: Your EP that you mentioned that will come out next year. I was wondering what the thought process behind it is. Is there a lot of consideration with the track list of the songs?
McLeod: Well, there’s probably not, I’d say, a story that’s not following through the EP, but I would say that I definitely want to put songs in a certain place, so there’s some difference in what you’re listening to – I don’t want all the songs to blend together. I think in my brain how I’m going to put that; I think I’ll do that perfectly so that the songs vary enough that the listener can listen to the EP and not feel like they’re listening to the same song over and over.
W’SUP: At Western, we have our own club called Western Sydney University Music, nicknamed WUSIC! What points could you give to our aspiring musicians and all aspiring artists wanting to make it within the music industry?
McLeod: I feel like I’m not really qualified to, you know, give someone to like really, you know, proof that this is going to work sort of thing. Because I’m still just an aspiring artist and still just giving it a red-hot crack. But I would just, I would literally just say just do it. Like as simple and maybe cliche as it is, nothing’s going to happen if you’re just thinking about it, and, you know, everyone’s giving it a try – So just give it a go. That’s all you can really do, to be honest.
Write what you love, and write what you think it’s true to you, because I know some people can have different opinions and what’s good songwriting and what’s bad songwriting. But it’s not, it’s not if it’s good or bad. It’s just written what you love, there’s no one opinion that matters other than yours.
Lottie’s music is available on all platforms for everyone to enjoy, and you can follow her on social media: @lottiemcleod
If you loved this interview, you’ll love Part 1!
Click here to read more of Lottie’s interview!
