Starfreak Exclusive Interview with Lois

Words by Marios Stamos

A songwriter and performer, Lois is a Morecambe-born, Leeds-based artist with a love for all things creative that you just can’t miss. With a debut headline tour of sold-out dates, a BBC Introducing One To Watch ’26 nod, and a slot supporting Sophie Ellis-Bextor this summer, she’s been impossible to ignore. Now, with lead single ‘Small Town Party Girl’, the first taste of her third project, Lois is stepping into an exciting new chapter. We sat down with her to talk small towns, band origins, and what it really means to do it on your own terms.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your music for anyone who’s just discovering you.

Hello, I’m Lois. I’m an artist from the North West of the UK. I make alternative pop music, and I’m a huge 1980s music fan, particularly New Wave. My music is a snapshot of where I am in my life, and I write to make sense of the world. I want to connect with people through my music. Playing live is my favourite thing in the world. I’m a lover of theatrics and big silhouettes. I love to wear huge blazers on stage that I buy from charity shops and customise them for my band and me.

You met your bandmates in college. How did you decide to become a band? What made you choose each other?

I just thought they were all really great people. They made me laugh, and we hung out a lot, and it just so happened that we all also loved the same music and played instruments. I’m so glad I chose the band that I did, because we’ve been playing together for just over five years now, and there’s honestly nothing better than getting to do this with your favourite people in the world.

Your most recent single is called ‘Small Town Party Girl’. I’m from a small town myself, so I know firsthand that they have a way of bringing people together like nowhere else. But small towns also come with their own challenges. How did growing up in that environment shape who you are as an artist, both the good and the bad?

I didn’t always love my hometown. It could be a very quiet and dull place growing up, with nothing really going on, but I guess out of that boredom, it pushed me to be creative and start writing. There are a lot of interesting characters in my small town, and I loved being a witness to a lot of things that went down there, like a fly on the wall, and then I’d go and write about it. Small Town Party Girl being one of those moments. The music festivals there, although they were small, were so fundamental to my journey as an artist and as a songwriter and gave me the confidence to pursue music. I’ve always had a desire for the bright lights, big city, but it’s actually in the small towns where the real-life stuff happens.

How would you say your sound has evolved since you started out?

I think my music will always be changing, just like I am. I like that music can act as a snapshot of a part of my life.

How did it feel when you got the call that you’d been dropped by your label? And did you believe, even then, that you’d still go on to do something like performing on Live At Leeds, Kendal Calling and the Royal Albert Hall?

When I got dropped, I wasn’t surprised. I’d kind of felt it coming for a while. It felt scary and strange, but also really exciting. It made me want to prove to them that they’d lost something they shouldn’t have. Playing places like Kendal Calling and The Royal Albert Hall were things I’d dream of doing then. I knew that I would never stop aiming towards that no matter my circumstances, so when it actually happened, it just made me glad that I’d never stopped.

For a lot of musicians, getting dropped by a label can feel like the end of the road. What advice would you give to artists going through that, especially now that you’re thriving as an independent artist?

I’d say it’s the most beneficial ‘break-up’ you can ever go through. It’s like a crossroads. Do you want to give up here or carry on? I think the answer to that question will define your whole career.

Performing live is clearly where you’re at your best, but have there been songs that are just too taxing to perform, whether on your voice or your psyche?

Playing ‘LOVE YOU BETTER’ and ‘Strange Men’ are always tough ones for me. It takes me to a very specific place, but it’s a necessary one. It can be harder on some days than others, but it’s also really cathartic and healing.

You’ve been very vocal about causes close to your heart, from better live gig fees to raising funds for gender-affirming surgery to your work with Project Phoenix. What drives you to use your platform that way?

I think anyone with a platform has a duty to speak out for those who can’t. It doesn’t feel like an active decision for me; it’s just how it should be! Trans rights are human rights, and Free Palestine!

Yes, absolutely! Couldn’t agree more! On a lighter note, you’ve talked about wanting to get into acting. Is that still something you’re pursuing, and do you have a particular type of role in mind?

I’d love to be in films one day, something weird and dramatic, like me.

Last question, and it’s a big one. Are you a Star or a Freak?

Always a freak, never a star.

Catch Lois supporting Sophie Ellis-Bextor this summer.

Photos by sarahoglesby_creative