Last week, I had the pleasure of sitting down with dark pop artist XYLØ to discuss her new single, “Super Sex Mona Lisa,” and her sophomore album. Watch the full interview with XYLØ here.
After applying the last of my concealer and practicing questions, XYLØ’s sudden appearance took my breath away. Writing about music is awesome, but fashion is my first love. My eyes went directly over her dark academia attire, brightened by her Comme Des Garçons heart pin atop her charcoal cardigan.
The “ride or die” singer was all smiles and ready to dive into a conversation cataloging her career to the present moment. She adjusted her setting to my production’s liking, and we were off to the races.
I discovered XYLØ via one of many Lana Del Rey fangirl tweets. So, instinctively, I checked out her work and fell in love with 2019’s yes & no EP. Leading up to her debut album, I DM’d her words of support. And in June 2022, her management took notice and reached out – the rest is history.
“Super Sex Mona Lisa” Begins XYLØ Sophomore Album Era
Her new single, “Super Sex Mona Lisa,” meets at the intersection between Britney Spears’s clubby “Blackout” and ’80s grunge synth guitars. That interpretation garnered a giggle from the artist.
“I want to go kind of for more of a fun like upbeat vibe [on “Super Sex Mona Lisa”], but still incorporate the dark elements that my previous music has. And Britney Spears was definitely an inspiration. Not initially. But once we started writing that second half of the song and the bridge where sort of the guitars really come in.”
“Super Sex Mona Lisa” is about XYLØ starting an OnlyFans to support her music career and the newfound confidence it has given her. “My body is my art and my words are my curves, but they don’t come for free sir.” Pre-save the new single (out April 28) here.
The Lee Newell production is an instant stand-out in her catalog. But what comes next is tight-lipped and minimal. There are three takeaways from the still-mysterious sophomore album: 1) expect a similar vibe to “SSML,” 2) the project is “colorful,” and 3) it is still a “work in progress.”
What does “colorful” mean, exactly? I didn’t press forward; getting that bit was hard enough.
When we found our rhythm, music wasn’t our sole parameter. We delved into tour life, cocktails, fashion, and even upcoming projects unrelated to music. She described the new single as two alcoholic beverages: an espresso martini in the first half, then Coors Light when the guitar break kicks in.
Outtakes and Shenanigans: Who Is XYLØ?
Something that didn’t make the final edit was when I incorrectly referenced a “home video” lyric. We went into a huge laughing fit over that, eventually having to redo it. The question revolved around her outstanding imaginative lyricism, referencing Westside Lake, Scorcsese, and London Town. When recovered, XYLØ’s musical inspirations embraced imaginative imagery but pioneered their own sonic landscape.
“My all-time favorite is obviously Lana Del Rey, my number-one inspiration off the board. She’s my favorite artist. I love the Smiths, Morrissey. And, I mean, who else? I love Drake. I love Nicki Minaj. I suppose Biggie Smalls was my first favorite rapper. Yeah, those are sort of some of the standards for me.”
She is inspired by her grandfather, too. She twirled her ribbon pigtails when lost in thought and definitely had a moment discussing her family. “He worked so hard as a musician, and kind of started at nothing, and built his way to have this legacy. And that’s a really big inspiration for me. So, yeah, I’m just feeling really lucky to be able to do this.”
Last October, XYLØ was on tour, and I had attended her New York City show. She touched her hair again, giving a contemplative pause – a moment of true gratitude. “My fans inspire me so much,” she says at one point. I remember after her Mercury Lounge performance, she rushed towards the merch stand to greet and thank fans before they left.
Whether it’s getting a VPN to watch the Love Island reunion early or bingeing cult favorites Succession and Friends, I wasn’t talking to XYLØ the artist, but rather the LA native behind the stage name. She’s also the person whose day off looks like ordering take-out from home or journeying with friends. “I love just being a fully lazy piece of sh*t,” she laughs before expressing she may need other hobbies.
Before hopping off the Zoom call, the dubbed “Queen of Dark Pop” had one thing to say to her fans: “I just want to say I love you.”
Watch the full interview with XYLØ to catch other fun details and the latest on her music and sophomore album.
