Introducing Interview: Pip Blom

Set to release her debut EP later this month, 20-year-old singer-songwriter Pip Blom has shared ‘Taxi Driver’ – an uptempo wall of exciting indie sound. Though her name may be cute, the Amsterdam-based Pip Blom is unapologetically cool, ‘Taxi Driver’ pairing her bubblegum vocals with slick, lo-fi melodies and an infectious fuzzy rawness.

Ahead of the EP’s release, we caught up with Pip to talk influences, the music industry and the ‘new’ NME…

When did you first decide to start making music?
I started writing my own songs when I was sixteen. My parents were in a band when they were younger and they always told us stories about gigs and going on tour. I thought, “this sounds so cool, I want this too“. So, I started and immediately knew that I loved making songs.

What were your earliest influences?
The Arctic Monkeys – I used to listen to their first album all the time and wanted to be the female equivalent. The idea was cool but it didn’t take very long for me to realize that I just didn’t have what it takes to be an Arctic Monkey! Another early influence is Lily Allen. I saw her play when I was ten years old and I thought she looked so cool and I really loved her songs.

What do you think about the music industry for young artists right now?
I love that the music industry is relatively easy to access nowadays. I mean, with a very small budget you’re able to buy a microphone and record your songs. Everyone can put their songs on Spotify and Soundcloud and you don’t necessarily have to have a label for people to hear your songs. But of course, this has a downside as well. There is so much music that it’s very hard to stand out in the crowd. Labels are signing artists way later in the process, they don’t really take risks like they used to. So as you can see: I’ve got mixed feelings.

Your EP Are We There Yet? is out at the end of September – for those who haven’t hear your sound, how would you describe this EP?
I find it very hard to describe music or sound. But if I have to I would say it’s Lo-Fi Indie Pop.

What bands and artists are you listening to right now?
I’m not listening to loads of new bands lately but on repeat are The Strokes, Gorillaz, LCD Soundsystem and Apneu (a Dutch band).

What is the music scene like in Amsterdam?
Amsterdam is a relatively small city. If you hop on your bike you can be at any venue within 20 minutes – I love it. I would say it’s the best city in the Netherlands to live in if you’re a musician. There are lots of places where you can play and there are lots of musicians living here. So all in all I would say it’s a good music scene.

Do you plan to release anything after this EP?
Yes! I want to release a 3rd EP in the spring and my debut album in November 2017. It would be great of course if I can find a cool label who wants to release it. But if that’s not the case, I’m going to release it myself.

Where do you go to listen to new music?
I used to love reading the NME but that changed a lot. It’s a shame because it was a great magazine for finding things I like. Luckily I’ve got a few friends who send me music, and I follow people on Twitter with the same taste in music as me. If they are enthusiastic about something I always make sure to check it out.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned so far since starting to make music and play in a band?
Stay true to yourself and make the music that you like and don’t think about an audience. If you’re lucky enough to get successful, it’s very important that you like the songs you have to play. And of course, don’t forget why you started making music, because it’s fun. Try to never lose the fun!

Huge thanks to Pip for answering our questions!

Are We There Yet?, the debut EP from Pip Blom, is out 28 September via Toaster Records.