ZL: First of all, let me just say this feels incredibly surreal to me right now, because I know how rare it is, especially these days, for you to do an interview, that’s never really been your jam, right? So this is exciting, to say the least.
V: You know… when you’ve been doing this for as long as I have, darling, you get exhausted of the same questions, the same answers, you’d think of any way out of that situation too.
(laughs) But you know what? 2020 is a crazy year and here I am, it may not be face to face, but it’s great to be talking to another person. I think this year has really taught us the value of human connection.
ZL: It really has, and I’ll do my best to make this the least painful interview possible.
(laughs) I think your comeback has really brightened this year for so many people, so many of your fans, and it was
so unexpected and that’s what was so brilliant about it. Was it your intention to pop out of nowhere without any sort of building hype leading up to it?
V: Absolutely. I’m quite a traditional pop star in the sense that I live for the theatrics, the show, the shock factor, the entertainment, I think that’s a real dying art and modern pop is all about... stripping it back and being more real, but ugh, I just can’t stand it! I wanted the comeback to be powerful, sudden, but also to mean something, and I think the song me and my team chose to lead with really gave a great introduction into this world of
Raver Princess Warrior.
ZL: What’s so fantastic about that song you mention, “Shock to the System”, it’s so unashamedly you in itself, the brashness of it, the hard-hitting electro-pop sound, but lyrically it’s a brand new chapter. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you in such a way before, and I think it remains one of the most vulnerable tracks on the record. Was that part of the reason you went for that as the lead single?
V: Absolutely. As I said, I wanted the comeback track to mean something, and every song on the record is personal and I have a connection to each one in some way, whether they’re more tragic or more carefree, they’re all made with love. I think “Shock to the System” was the perfect way to deepen my relationship with my fans and say to them, here I am, opening myself to you, more than I ever have after all these years, because I want you to know me and I trust you.
ZL: Did it then disappoint you that the song didn’t become a chart topper for you or is it just one of those things now where you’ve been doing this for so long, it’s no longer of importance?
V: I’m competitive, Zane, it’s in my blood to be competitive, I think a small part of me will always care about how my music is received. To think I had been working on this new music for so long, and people weren’t really feeling that song too much, the thought hurt. I think I would have felt a greater sting if I had been beaten by something with less class or artistry, but Ryan had the better song that week and it was beautiful, meaningful and fully deserving. I’m okay with the result.
ZL: It didn’t stop you from giving an amazing comeback performance on SNL, you really gave that performance your all. Were you nervous to be performing live on TV after so many years away?
V: Honestly, darling... it’s second nature to me at this point, it’s like tying my shoes, brushing my teeth, I didn’t feel rusty at all, I was determined and eager to get on that stage and give my fans the performance they were waiting for. I’m hard on myself, I always watch back and see where I could have been better, what moves could have been cleaner, how the staging could have been improved... but overall, it was a triumph and I’m just so grateful to still be here, performing. There was a time I thought I’d never do it again.
ZL: You address those times in your new album, there’s a line that really stuck out to me on the album’s title track, “Fought to get back on the stage / A battleground where I belong.” Do you think partially, the reason you didn’t want to get back on the stage, is the very reason why you’re here, the industry and everything that comes with it?
V: I think there were many factors, both personally and professionally, so yes, that did play a part in it. I had been putting album after album out without many major breaks year after year, worldwide tour after worldwide tour, I think I was just tired of feeling like a workhorse, always pushed and pushed and being told by my manager that I’d be replaced if I disappeared for too long, so it was always... what's the next record gonna be like? When does recording start? When can we squeeze in the next tour? I fired my team and disappeared. I said fuck this, I’m not doing this any more, you can’t tell me what to do now. Taking these years to heal has been the most liberating thing I’ve ever done.
ZL: That’s a really bold move, because the pop industry does move fast, but I think you knew deep down that you’ve left your mark by now, you can take that time away for yourself.
V: My goal was to always go down in history, I was always in this for the long run and like you said, I did think I was at a stage where I could finally take some time away for myself. I thought, you know what? If I can’t take a break by now, then I’m doing something wrong and I deserve to fade away, and if people give a damn when I come back, then I must have been doing something right.
ZL: So from the sounds of it, there was a lot riding on this comeback, not just financially speaking, but more as a personal ambition to prove something to yourself, right?
V: Yes, exactly. I think I’m going to see the real answer to that when the album’s success starts to become clearer, because right now, the industry has changed so much and singles aren’t always a great indication of who’s going to stream or buy a full album. I’m excited though, so far I’m confident that the quality of this record will lead to great things, I really am so proud of every track on there.
ZL: Let’s dive into this long-awaited comeback album then, thirteen albums in and here we are, a real crying on the dancefloor European dance/house/electronic explosion of emotion. What inspired the sounds of this album and what made you want to create such an uptempo dance record?
V: I just live and breathe electronic music, how versatile it can sound, how melodic it can be, how a computer can generate a sound that either evokes such sadness, or pure euphoria, it’s genius, really. My music has always been deeply rooted in this genre, and I wanted to dive into it, deeper than ever before, and just bring back a huge dose of nostalgia. This year, more than ever, we need music that’s going to make us feel, make us dance and make us appreciate the things we loved back when things were more normal, and I can only hope the sounds of this record act as a sort of time machine, to transport everyone to a time where they remember dancing to a record of mine at the club.
ZL: It’s such an interesting record, how joyous so many songs sound if you drown out the lyrics, but when you just read them on paper, it’s quite frankly depressing, it’s dark, it’s raw, it’s so real and vulnerable. You really took it there on this record and explored a lyrical style that’s a lot more upfront and blunt, and just real about your thoughts and feelings. Were you ever worried that a year like this just wasn’t ready for such an album?
V: I thought that, over and over, so many times, I had the biggest war with myself and I think I drove my label crazy because they really wanted to get this record out already, they were so excited about it, and I just kept trying to find reasons to delay it. In the end, I thought... no. I can’t go back on this, I’ve made the record now; clearly it was my calling to put these lyrics on record, it’s time to tell my story, because there’s always going to be a reason why I shouldn’t, but even more reasons why I should.
ZL: I think shorter albums can pack just as big a punch as longer ones, they get the message across and keep it short and sweet, and I think
Raver Princess Warrior really does that. Was it your intention to do exactly this within just ten tracks?
V: It wasn’t a conscious decision to finish exactly on ten tracks, but sometimes... when you know, you know. I kept making tracks and then I had an urge to make another, then another, the album came about very organically like that, and when I had finally reached ten songs, that urge was no longer there, the album felt complete. I don’t believe art should ever be forced, I always just listen to myself, how I’m feeling, what I naturally lean towards and if I don’t feel it, I don’t do it.
ZL: You said your sound has always been rooted in electronic music, and critics have sometimes been on your case about that, saying your vocals deserve to be highlighted more, on music that will really let them shine with less distortion and distractions. Do you ever see yourself making an album that ventures into new sonic territories for you?
V: I love so many different types of music, and I’ve probably explored just about every sub-genre of electronic music at this point over the years. I definitely think whatever I do next, it’ll be very different to this album, just because I think reinvention is so important when you’ve been doing this as long as I have. I don’t know when more music will come after this one, I definitely want to just enjoy this release first rather than abandon it the moment it’s out.
ZL: That sounds like of the few things left that you want to do in your long career, are there any others that we haven’t mentioned? I think that’s a good note to end on, what’s next for an artist like Vanity, one of the longest running in the industry right now?
V: To be honest, I achieved every single thing I wanted in a few short years, more than I had ever imagined for, really. I think at this point in my career, it’s just more about returning my love and appreciation to my fans, showing them more of me, establishing a greater connection and I think on a personal level, finding out more about what exactly I can achieve as an artist outside of sales and charts, not just in the realm of electronic and pop music, but beyond that, that’s what I’m interested in finding out. I suppose it’s more about proving things to myself, rather than to the world.
Vanity's thirteenth studio album Raver Princess Warrior is out now.
