Biig Piig’s unique blend of genres has always been a distinctive element of her music, weaving in her own story of self-discovery into a vibrant, eclectic Alt-Pop sound. Throughout her discography, it's impossible to not resonate with the personal lyricism tied into the groovy beats that feel equally at home
After such an expansive career, it’s hard to believe that ’11:11’ (Released this month) is her debut album. With her biggest headline tour yet (including a stop at New Century Hall in Manchester on February 21st) currently underway, we spoke with Biig Piig about the journey to '11:11', the fluidity within her music, and what 2025 holds...
Q: How are you feeling about finally touring this debut album?
A:“Crazy, like insane. It's so surreal because I've not been on a headline tour for so long. It feels like the last tour I was on was with Aurora, which was amazing but different. I’m excited to have more leeway to be able to really build a show. It's going to be super immersive, a big party, and I've missed my band. I love them so much, my tour family are my favourite people ever so it'll be really fun, I can't wait!”
Q: 11:11 has a strong theme of growth and progression throughout. How do you feel like you've grown since you started writing the album?
A:“There's been so many moments of growth and understanding and, don't get me wrong, it was chaotic at points and crazy, but it was really gorgeous. I feel like I've come out the other end of it feeling matured and feeling like I understand myself better and the changes of life. I think instead of being upset and disillusioned, I'm more excited that you don't know what's next. It’s exciting to know that relationships can take different forms and that it's never ending. I think that's the whole thing with the album is that I wanted the overarching message to be that you're not alone. Even when you feel like you are, or life is crazy and hectic, you're not alone.
Q: Do you have any particular messages to anyone who feels slightly lost, who resonates with the raw side of you that we see on the album?
A: “Yes, massively. I really hope people can feel the same way, like I remember when I started. When I found music for the first time and I was like, wow I feel seen, and I feel like I can sit and be in this feeling in this track. I would love it if someone felt like that with this music. It would be amazing. But I would say if someone is resonating with it, I think celebrate if you can, celebrate the fact that we can feel what we're feeling, and it does get better if it's hard. You're stronger than you think you are. Just take a minute to have fun and celebrate and really enjoy life because it goes so quickly. I'm talking like I'm 70 years old, but it goes by so fast. I think if we can cherish little moments and really live in them, even the harder stuff. Remember that if you feel like this, I felt like that. Celebrate and have a good time, because that's what the music is meant for.”
Q: How did the location and setting of where you were recording impact the record?
A:“ The album was made between London and Paris, in this gorgeous cabin style studio in a little village in Montmartre. All the equipment was just amazing vintage moogs and different synths and so we really had fun making some of those tracks for Andrew Wells. And then back in London, making tunes with Zach Nahome and Lloyd Macweather, who have been making music with us since school. It was a really nice moment to be like, wow, we've grown up so much. It's been ten years we've known each other. So, it's a gorgeous way to celebrate our friendship too on this record.
I think with Paris, especially the nightlife and the way that people really go in for what they believe in. That was something that I found inspiring working there. I was drinking a lot of wine and meeting a lot of people, it was just a ball. I loved seeing a city through different people's eyes and there was a lot of spontaneous nights. Roaming around the town, singing songs with people and going to after parties and clubs. I feel like the music soundtracked it in a way.
Then London has a different feel because the city moves so fast that the only seconds that you really get to breathe are, for me anyways, in the studio. It's that grittier and darker feel, but in the best way. It's very nostalgic to me and I think we captured that in ‘Ponytail’ and in ‘I Keep Losing Sleep’, I think as well. ‘One Way Ticket’ was made here too, and I think that was very reflective and heavy, but still definitely influenced it a lot.”
Q: Is there a particular song on the album that is your favourite musically?
A: “It changes, I think right now I'm loving playing ‘Brighter Day’. I think just the song itself because it's such a hopeful ending, I love listening back to it. Also ‘9-5’ I love to listen back to because it reminds me of a stage in my relationship where I was just so head over heels and very romantic and excited. It’s nice I think when you relive moments through songs, it can be a gorgeous kind of time capsule.”
Q: And what about any tracks that mean a lot to you personally ?
A: "'Stay Home’ was a gorgeous one for me because it meant that I wanted to bring all my family and my friends in on a track. We all recorded some vocals at the pub, which was messy. To try and get a load of drunk people to sing a chorus is a lot harder than I thought. But it was really, really fun. There's a lot of moments that I cherish making this album.”
Q: With the short films attached to the project, what inspired you to go into that kind of direction with storytelling as well?
A: “I've always been such a visual person. Whenever I've made music, I've always wanted to make a visual world to go alongside it. I think with this project I was like how do I best describe so many different emotions through the music? Some that are very vulnerable, and some that are exploring different relationships. And then I started thinking, I would love to be able to do it where different characters represent different emotions and different relationships throughout the album. I started writing with Claryn Chong and then the last few with Freddie Cattaneo, they’re both amazing.
It was just important to me I think as well, like the different ages. I kind of wanted to speak to a younger self but it would have been crazy for me to have 10 versions of myself. I was just like, how would I do it for someone else's story? And so, I was building that, and it's been so fun to see it come to life. To see the way that they interweave into each other's lives, I really wanted to create a world where that existed.”
Q: You mentioned ‘Brighter Day’, what do you think that represents in terms of the future? Was there any particular reason why it was the final track on the album?
A: “I really wanted to end on a note that felt hopeful, like the next chapter and next morning. It's like a goodbye to a lot of things. I think my musical journey, even sound wise, I'm thinking about exploring a different thing in the next steps and maybe that was a nice way to kind of progress through that.”
Q: Thinking of the future, do you have any dream artists that you would love to collaborate with?
A: “You know what, I'm such a superstitious person. So, I'm like, if I say it, is it never going to happen? But I mean, there's loads. I love Dijon. I love his stuff. I also really would love to work with Kaytranada. I've wanted to work with him for ages. I feel like it'd be really, really fun to do something with him. And then someone like Kneecap would be sick, they're killing it right now.”
Q: Is there anything that you want to see more of in 2025 in terms of music or in general?
A: “I want to see more of artists getting paid right. I would love to see a shift in the way that streaming pays artists. I'm excited to see more of what Ireland has to show. There's so much happening there right now, with so many exciting brands. I would also love to see more collabs that you wouldn't expect, I love a genre-bending collab. And more of artists being authentically themselves and running with it, always.
I think more visual stories as I think it can be forgotten sometimes, especially when there's such a short format for the way that people consume stuff at the minute. But I love escaping into a world. Bad Bunny’s album came out and he also did a short film which was unbelievable. I think there's so much you can tell with short stories in film and the music that soundtracks it.”
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