Every time I move or every time I end a relationship or every time I have a major life change, I get this sombre feeling about leaving things behind. The story of the song is reflecting on somebody you used to be with and talking about your connection to that time when you knew each other. āIām obsessed with Fountains of Wayne and this song is just so beautiful. It's like, 'How can we make the listener feel like they're hearing something totally fresh, but pack it with enough comfort food for their ears and things they recognise, you know? And all these songs are them." "I'm always impressed with the songwriting. Speaking about how she narrowed down her Nine Songs choices, she's clear that "it's the songwriting for me," that's what draws her into a specific song, or an artist and that's what ties all of her choices together ā whether it's the depth or relatability or the ability for the words to evolve into something abstract or simply be fun, Trixie loves lyrics. So instead of my album being usually like seven or eight songs, this time, it's double that." I wrote a lot of music because I was home for so long. The music is really bubbly and fun and fuzzy, but it's acoustic guitar-driven, warm and honest, kind of funny. "There's going be new singles coming out while I'm on the road on tour," she reveals, "and they're going to be integrated into the show as they come out." Part of a new double album project split between Blonde and Pink sides, Mattel says the forthcoming record "feels really core Trixie, it's hard to really describe. Her latest single "C'mon Loretta" is the first of a string of new releases which are all locked, loaded, and ready to go. 1 even features masked cowboy casanova Orville Peck on standout single "Jackson".
2020's Barbara, a double-disc affair, features the punchy country-pop anthem "Malibu" and her 2021 EP Full Coverage Vol.
Since 2017, she's released three albums including her debuts Two Birds and One Stone which act as companions for each other.
If you're not aware of Mattel's songwriting prowess and musical career, then let me get you up to speed. "It's crazy," she tells me "after two years of not touring I'm going from the Trixie/Katya American tour and then four days later into the UK solo tour, so it's going to be a little aggressive, but it's going to be good." At the heart of the show is stand up, which Mattel has definitely missed, but there is of course going to be some music thrown in for good measure. Fresh off a plane, navigating her way out of the airport following one of the final shows of her joint tour with Drag Race alumna Katya, it's no wonder comments on her Instagram ask "When do you sleep?" on posts about new music, touring, book announcements and palette reveals. As she heads out across the UK for her long-awaited rescheduled tour, we chat about the music which has been with her through her own musical journey and ascent to stardom.