Flowerovlove Talks Her Debut Album 'MINI SKIRT WARRIOR'

Opening for Niall Horan feels like it’s such a full-circle moment for you as you grew up listening to One Direction. I would love to know: what was your immediate reaction when you found out you were joining the UK & Europe leg of the Dinner Party tour?

Lowkey, I’m a nonchalant person, so when my manager sent it to me, I was like, Oh, okay, great. But then it sank in this week as it's coming up. I don't really get excited about things until they are a couple days ahead. That's just me preserving all of my energy and excitement. This upcoming week I've been like, Oh shit, I don't know how I'm going to act when I see this man. This is my actual childhood, genuinely one of the first pieces of music that graced my ears. That is insane. I was nonchalant. Now I'm very excited. We had also been manifesting this for a while. So I was like, I hope it happens. The thought was there it wasn't out of the blue thing. We were seeding, me and my manager were like we're going to make this happen and it happened. I did tell Niall that I wasn't going to act normal when I see him. There'll be videos, I'm sure. Or maybe I'll be nonchalant; let's see what happens next week.

We all know a debut album means a lot to an artist. Growing up, what were you most excited about making or releasing your debut album, and what aspect of it did you not expect?

I think always performing it has been exciting. I have a real story to tell, a real body of work. What I didn't expect is that it's a lot of hard work to do stuff. Being a human being is very high maintenance, and on top of that, so is being an artist. So there is a lot going on all the time. It's like, damn, I just want to make music. People don't know what it takes to make this a job and feel fulfilling and a success. So not just the album, but getting into the music industry.

From your tour imagery with Ashley Setiawan, to your Mary Janes with white knee socks, to your over-the-top stage props and outfits, and even your dedication to being a mini skirt warrior yourself, you've clearly created a brand for yourself that is unapologetically you. Why do you feel having such a distinct, cohesive brand is essential for artists navigating the music landscape today?

I think it's super important because you need to be recognizable. For me, I love a silhouette. People always come up to me and ask me are you floweroflove, I'm like yeah and they're like, "Oh, I recognize you from your hair, or your shoe or socks." That's very important because people need to feel that familiarity, as I know her, this is the world. Also, I want to dress like you and be like, This is a flowerovlove thing. People love themes, and I love themes too. That's why Halloween is so big. People love to dress up. Even though those are two different things.

You bring your songs to life so creatively during your live shows with the visuals and your entrances. Do you ever write a song with the live show in mind, or do the animation and live performance always come after the fact?

Every time I write a song, I think about it live. Every single time. Not too much on this album, but on the next one, which I can confirm is finished. No one knows this, inside scoop. I was thinking about the live moments all the time. She is productive; I was like, before I go on this tour, I need to get this done. I always think about it because you make music to play it live. That's what making music was about before. Making it for your soul and yourself, yes, but playing it live that's the whole point, really. That's when we feel the most joy, not when it comes out on streaming.

You’ve performed at some iconic festivals over the past year, including Coachella and Lollapalooza. If you had the opportunity to curate your own festival lineup, who would be on it?

I would definitely love an ABBA headline; I think that's so important. I would bring back Justin Bieber from 2015, the Purpose album and My World 2.0. He's going to change costumes, and his age will magically change. I really would have a disco festival with Justin Bieber and folk. Earth Wind and Fire, Bee Gees, Donna Summers, and Grace Jones. It's just going to be full of love and light.

Your opening track "Legend Has It" instantly captivated my attention with its breathy vocals, serving as an invitation to step into your world. During the creative process, what inspired you to create such a dreamlike opener for your debut album?

So "Legend Has It" I actually made when I was 15, and it was always like a funny demo me and my brother made. Then I was like, this album, it could start with "In My Victoria’s Secret," or it could start with something that feels '80s and disco, that is going to be like soft launching more music. I like to throw little things in there, whether people notice or not. I was like, I have to have this song, and I wanted my brother to be included in this album. I was like, this would be a great and iconic opener.

You’ve described MINI SKIRT WARRIOR as being about all the “firsts” that come with growing up. Looking back at the album now that it’s out, which song feels most representative of the person you were becoming while making it?

Definitely "Baby"; that was the first time I ever had a feeling of I'm very satisfied with this song. I really love it. In the past, I've had songs where I was like, I don't know if it fully feels like me or if I could change that. But since I wrote "Baby," it was the first time I felt like that. The songs I've written now, I felt like that all the time. But that was the first time I went to bed with butterflies; I woke up with them. I was like, I can’t wait to listen to it again. I can't believe I wrote that. That was the day I was like, I'm the songwriter I've always wanted to be. Because I was able to write a song that felt like this melody bubbling thing in my head, and I was like, just do it. I have never been so confident in my songwriting since that day. So that was just a real breakthrough to me. That's why that song is so special. And it's so sad; I've been trying hard to write sad songs for a while. Writing sad songs is harder than writing a pop banger.

How do you go about ideating and even directing your music videos?

I listen to the songs, close my eyes, and just think about what I would see. That is the main thing. Sometimes I start off by thinking about just the outfits or the aura I want to give off. For "Breaking News," I was like, I feel like the coming-of-age of romcoms is like falling in love in a library. I also have crazy fantasies, so that was one of my, like, I'm gonna fall in love in the library, I'm going to meet someone, we're going to dance, and it's going to be cute. We may or may not break the fourth wall. "In My Victoria’s Secret" was actually a whole different concept, and the rest of that video we freestyled. We were short on time, and it was like, this is the location I want and we just freestyled everything. Those sometimes are the best.