“WE’VE LOST THE EXPECTATION OF IN PERSON CONNECTION”: RISING POP STAR FLORA FIORA TALKS PERFORMING LIVE AND HER DEBUT EP

INTERVIEW | FLORA FIORA by Martha Munro

Flora Fiora may come from a tiny town in Gloucestershire, but that’s by no means stopped her from making big moves in the music world. After releasing singles over the last four years and being likened to top pop names like Lizzy McAlpine, Florence + The Machine and Taylor Swift, Flora Fiora’s debut EP, In No Particular Order, is out now for the world to hear and adore. Read on to learn more about the EP, get Flora’s take on social media versus live performance, and get some advice from a small town star…

So, your debut EP In No Particular Order: Can you give us a sales pitch for the project? How would you describe it to someone who had never heard Flora Fiora’s music before?

If there are too many things going on in your head and you struggle to sort through them, I like to try and make sense of my own mind through writing and performing my music. This project is basically me just feeling and figuring out whatever’s going on in my head. I release the music in the hope that my songs will help someone to make sense of themselves too. 

The EP’s title is brilliantly witty – how did you come up with it? How do you feel it ties the songs together?

It was actually an accident. Before the production process for the EP started, I made a PowerPoint with all of the songs, their colors, where I’d set them, the vibes and emotions they omitted. I was slowly creating their worlds, so it was easier to see the visual direction of the music as well as the aural direction. I’d named the PowerPoint ‘EP 1’ with the subtitle ‘In no particular order’, purely because I hadn’t decided on the track order yet. When I showed it to my brother, he just asked, “is that the name then?” Before that conversation, I hadn’t even considered it. And then the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.

I think it reflects how overwhelming everything can be when you’re growing up. You’re trying to sort through everything going on in your head at the same time as finding your place and purpose in the world. It’s a truly chaotic existence, but I feel however you choose to deal with it all, it will be ok.

The focus single ‘Kick The Tyres’ is, as its title suggests, full of frustration. What’s something at the moment – in your own life, in music, in the world – that really makes you want to just kick those tyres and rage?

The value of social media compared to the value of live music. It is a daily thought of mine to go back to the 70s fan culture of dying to see your favourite artists live. Back then, the only way to get to know your favorite artists was through their music, through their live performance, and through an interview here and there. In the long run, I’d really like to offset social media as the sole method of people accessing my music and learning my personality as an artist.

I also think it goes both ways. It’s just as important for fans to value the live artist as well as it is for the artist to long for a live audience. I think we’ve lost the expectation of in person connection. It’s not the norm anymore. But it’s coming back, I think. The artists and bands I’m surrounded by now, I think we all want the same thing: Living and breathing rooms and instead of black mirrors.

On a lighter note, what have you learned in this debut EP process? What aspects of the creative process have you enjoyed the most?

With this being my first ‘project’, I’ve learned how much I LOVE a project. Prior to the release of this EP, I’ve only ever released singles, and it’s only ever been me and a couple of people just throwing things at the wall to see if it sticks. The approach to In No Particular Order was completely different. The team I’ve been working with at Right Tracks Music and Autonomy have shown me how to make worlds around my music. I’m learning so much all the time. And I’m forcing myself into new rooms all the time. It’s amazing. 

The music videos?! Growing up, watching artists’ music videos on YouTube was how I listened to my music. I watched 4 Music all the time on TV. To now have the opportunity and resources to write my own music videos and to work with people like Joseph Lewiston and his team?! I am so not chill about it.

I feel very grateful for the people I’m working with, and I’m very proud of the work we’ve done so far on this project. 

Who do you take inspiration from when you’re creating?

I try to let myself think. Most of my lyrics come to me when I’m deeply affected by something. Whether it makes me feel really happy or really sad or anything intense in between, a song normally comes from it. I’ve always used my songwriting as a way of telling things how it is in a way that sounds nice. Writing has actually taught me to be more honest with myself. That’s saved me I think. 

As someone with big dreams who comes from a small town, what would be your best piece of advice for an aspiring musician living in a small community?

Growing up in the middle of nowhere has taught me to talk to everyone. Everywhere you go. Get to know them; let them get to know you. You never know what will come from it. That could be your best friend, your songwriting partner, your manager, a fan. You just never know. Forming meaningful connections with people when you don’t live near many people is a skill in itself that I think can take you far. Those connections may take you even further. I think you’ve got to just keep going. That’s what everyone’s been telling me anyway.

And finally, we’d love to know: What are you listening to right now? Which artists do you have on repeat at the moment?

I go through phases of listening to an artist or band nonstop and then just moving from one to another. Right now, I am deep diving into Wunderhorse. Jacob Slater has a songwriting style that I study constantly. His lyrics just fall right into your ear and stay there. And then you have to listen to the whole song again because you keep getting hung up on the line before. And their performance style?! They just leave it all on the stage. With their shows there really is blood sweat and tears. I want to show that amount of passion and emotion for my music on stage. It’s so cool. They’re so inspiring. Can’t wait to meet them one day (sorry, manifesting this).

Celebrate In No Particular Order by listening to the EP here.