In one version of the pop-star story, a hot teen ingénue gets plucked from obscurity, sculpted by industry hitmakers, and marketed to the masses by a major label. That is not Fabiana Palladino’s story. For most of her career, the British singer and producer has worked as a session musician for other artists (Jessie Ware, Sbtrkt) — following the path of her father, the Grammy-winning bassist Pino Palladino. In 2017, she released her debut single, “Mystery,” under the label of the legendary and elusive singer Jai Paul, but quickly returned to private life. Eventually, she decided it was time to commit. “I just had this feeling that it was now or never,” she tells me. She finally released her debut solo album, Fabiana Palladino, earlier this year, at the age of 36.
Fabiana Palladino is a bold, sumptuous R&B-pop record made under relatively modest working conditions and plenty of procrastination-induced stress. Palladino toiled over every detail in her parents’ attic, inspired by classic records like Janet Jackson’s Control and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis productions. “Those were made in studios with crazy budgets and loads of engineers, and I didn’t really have any of that,” she says. The album has become a critics’ favorite; in my opinion, it’s one of the best pop records of the year. Now touring as a solo artist for the first time, Palladino has been workshopping her performance style and her public persona. “I feel like there’s this part of being a female artist where people want to see pictures of you looking great,” she says with a laugh. Discerning Lorde fans may have also noticed Palladino in the studio with the New Zealand artist — they’ve been working together for the Lorde’s upcoming fourth album.
This is your first tour as a solo artist. How are you conceptualizing your live show?
I definitely have to get into a bit of a persona. That’s the same one as the album, which is a more mysterious, solitary figure that is a part of me but elevated. It’s not a natural thing for me to get on the stage at all.
How do you get into character?
I have to spend a good hour on my own makeup. The visuals of the album are a mix of masculine and feminine, and it’s playing with that and enhancing certain sides of myself. I might wear a really strong power suit, but the makeup is more feminine. A lot of the visuals are based on noir, those mysterious Greta Garbo kind of women. I had this singing teacher who said that Judy Garland would have to literally beat her chest before she gets onstage. Mick Jagger runs around like a sports hall, then onto the stage. I don’t do that, but I kind of jump up and down and look completely mad.
What’s your pre-show pump-up ritual?
My bandmate loves this remix by a bashment artist named Buccaneer. He’s done a version of “Sail Away,” by Enya, called “Fade Away” and it’s the most obscure thing ever. But we play it as loud as we can on our crappy speaker and have a shot of tequila.
How do you like to experiment with your makeup?
I’m a makeup nerd. I’m one of those people watching tutorials and following all the artists. I love Pat McGrath. I love Isamaya Ffrench. I love Val Garland, who did Lady Gaga’s Born This Way aesthetic. She’s been around for 17 years. I bought a Pat McGrath palette recently, which is such an investment.
I love a big, blown-out eye. I also love it when artists like St. Vincent make her lipstick fall down her face and she doesn’t care what it looks like by the end. It’s a bit more human. I would love to be able to block out my eyebrow, and play with that 1930s/’40s thin-brow thing.
Do you scout for your own stage clothes? What are your favorite brands?
When I was in my early teens, Diesel was supercool. Then, obviously, it went down, and I feel like it’s come back a bit. But it works for me onstage, because it’s bold enough to be stagewear but it still feels like me. If I could, I’d love to wear really tailored, incredible suits, but that’s hard to find on my current budget.
You’ve mentioned in an interview that you’d met a record executive who casually mentioned he’d never signed someone over 25, which is kind of freaky. When you imagine the arc of your career, who are your role models? Who do you look to?
I’m a huge Robyn fan, and she’s ageless. I love that she’s never gonna change who she is. She was really supportive of my songs, which is incredible. Caroline Polachek — people who’ve gone through a whole other career, then pivoted. Kylie Minogue has been around for a long time. I watched her documentary a couple years ago, and the fact she was having that resurgence when she was in her 50s is incredible.
On the subject of pop stars, it seems like you’ve been working with a big one lately. How did you and Lorde meet?
I went to see her two years ago for the Solar Power tour at the Roundhouse with a friend who’s friends with someone in her band. It was really last minute. I was telling everyone how great a show it was. Then around that time, her management got in touch and were like, “Ella is interested in meeting.” I was like, “Has she got the right person?” That’s crazy. We met eventually in New York. We collaborated a little bit — it’s one of those things I can’t say too much about, but I love her.
Was there anything surprising about the collaboration process for you? Did it unlock anything new?
I’ve learned a massive amount from her in all ways: just the attention to detail throughout and commitment to her vision. She’s an incredible lyricist. I put out a new single called “Drunk” recently, and when I wrote that song I was thinking of her, the way she pushes herself to make things better, more concise.
Who are your favorite contemporary artists you’ve been exposed to recently?
I love Yves Jarvis. Someone on Instagram who I don’t know just sent me his songs. It’s really interesting songwriting. There were these three songs online that have been taken down because I think he’s about to release them on an album. There are people in London who I absolutely love: Jovial, Laura Groves, both British artists.
I know you watch a lot of TV. What are your current TV obsessions?
Oh my gosh. Well, there’s a show on the BBC called Sherwood. It’s quite a specific thing — it’s set in Nottingham, and it has to do with the miners strikes and stuff like that. I just started watching this silly little Australian show Colin From Accounts. It’s a rom-com about two people who accidentally run over a dog then fall in love. I liked the thing with Adam Brody as the hot rabbi. I’ll watch, like, Love Is Blind — I’ll feel ill after watching each episode, it’s so bad.
Where do you get your culture recommendations from?
Just chitchatting with friends, some TikTok nuggets.
What are you getting on your TikTok feed? Is there a niche corner of the app you love?
Oh my God. I’m seeing these videos of priests, I guess Catholic priests, swinging a bowl of incense on a giant chain, swinging it through the air. But with a 50 Cent song in the background, or whatever. I was like, Why me? Why did the algorithm target me with that? I get a lot of cats and people telling their stories of bad dates. That’s my shit.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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