Foxes Interview

 

When we get to speak to Foxes (A.K.A Louis Rose Allen) she is on her tour bus on her way to Berlin and surprisingly upbeat for someone who has got another five hours of travelling in front of them. With an infectious charisma and stunning ethereal vocals that were showcased on her Neon Gold Records’ debut Youth late last year, Foxes is capturing people’s attention all over the world.

You moved down to London and studied music, why did you stop?

Well I feel like music can’t really be taught. I think it was a bit too much of a classroom for me and I just wanted to run off and create some sounds. It was great fun but it wasn’t really for me. I feel that music school is for if you want to become a teacher. It’s probably different for lots of people but for me I wasn’t really into all of the theory classes. I just don’t feel like you can be taught music, I feel like it’s something you learn yourself. I just wanted to run off and write songs and sing them on stages really.

What were your musical influences when you were growing up compared to now?

Growing up I loved the Spice Girls, Eminem, it was very pop, typical young kid in the 90’s. I loved all sorts of stuff. I was a big fan of 90’s dance music. I really liked Kate Bush, Patti Smith, still do and Björk, Portishead, Massive Attack, stuff like that really. I actually get my inspiration more from film. It’s visually more inspiring for me so I watch a lot of films and soundtracks. I love Leon, more recently I think the Drive soundtracks brilliant. When I was younger I used to watch Leon five times a day and Forest Gump five times day apparently, my mum said I used to sit there and have them on repeat.

How do you describe yourself as a performer?

I think I just get into it. I really enjoy magical stage performances. I like it when the artist can take the listener away for half and hour and make them think they have gone into another world. I’m a big fan of magical moments in performances and the occasional jump about. It’s taken me a while to get good at my craft, stage confidence and performance. I don’t get nervous now, I used to.

Is it true your mum had a dream about foxes the night you decided to call yourself Foxes?

I needed to change my name and someone said ‘how about foxes’. I thought it was really silly and wasn’t a very good name and then the next day I rung my mum and was like ‘mum what do you think about the name foxes?’ She was like ‘I had this dream last night that foxes were running up our street and making these hauntingly beautiful sounds.’ I was thinking foxes don’t make beautiful sounds they sound horrific so I though it was hilarious. She said it reminded her of my music and it was really beautiful and after that I just sort of went with it as I felt like mums always right and she had had this dream, which I thought was quite funny.

What do you love about London as a city?

I love that people come to London to get to the rest of the world. I see it as a stepping-stone to the rest of the world I think. London’s the beginning of big things. I’ve always thought it’s a great place to really push yourself as it’s so big and there are so many people that want to achieve big things there. It’s a great place to be pushing yourself and your career. I love how exciting it is.

It’s been a busy year for you, has it all sunk in yet?

It has been an odd year but because I am in it though I’m not really noticing anything, I just feel like normal as I’m working. I still feel like I am vey much at the beginning of things and it still feels like its trundling along nicely. Probably the weirdest moment so far is Gossip Girl, when I had my music on the end of Gossip Girl because I am obsessed with Gossip Girl. I watch it religiously and then to hear Chuck and Blair confessing their love for each other and then my music coming on I was just like ‘what is happening’. That was weird and I was just like ‘can someone turn me off in the background, I’m trying to watch Gossip Girl here.’

You did a mini tour of the US, how was that?

That was crazy because we were doing headline shows and I just thought no one was going to turn up and we were going to be singing to ourselves but it was packed and people were singing the words. I was really shocked, I felt like someone had paid people to come and sing all the lyrics. It was a really strange feeling but it was amazing and that must have been Gossip Girl so it’s crazy what that stuff can do.

I see you have been rocking a fox Kigu on tour?

I am in it now! I wear it on the tour bus when we are sleeping during the day. It’s so cosy but it’s got this massive stuffed tail that gets in the way and you turn into an animal when you are wearing it. You feel like animals feel having to move this tail around in order to be comfy. It’s really warm and it’s got little ears. I keep getting funny looks though because I wear it out if we are going to get food or stuff and get out the van and I’m like ‘why is everyone looking at me?’ then I realise that I am wearing this massive onesie. Once all my flatmates and me had a Kigu party and we all got one and had this massive house party, we were all running around the house dressed as animals, it was bizarre.

What couldn’t you live with on tour?

My fox’s onesie, warm socks and my headphones.

What’s next for Foxes?

The album is pretty much done, I think next year the album will be out sort of April time I guess but you never know how these things will work out. Now just touring, I’ve got a single coming out really soon. I’ve just been to LA to shoot the music video, which was really fun. Lots of exciting things.

Have you got one song that fans seem to identify most with?

Youth, defiantly that song. When I wrote that song I never thought it was anything special, it was just one of the first songs I wrote. I think that song people tend to know the lyrics and identify with it the most, which is really nice, I don’t know why. I think lyrically people identify with it.

Now that the albums finished to you want to get it out there as soon as possible?

No because I wouldn’t want it out now as no one would buy it so I think it’s quite clever to put out singles first and just build a nice fan base if possible, I already have a lovely fan base which is amazing. I think giving it some time is good, I don’t feel like I have put much out there anyway. I feel like I’ve got so much more to put out which is exciting. I think I am more excited about that than putting a whole album out right now, I think I just want to put the songs out which will be good.

 Published in Agogo Magazine