UFFIE: MYSPACE'S QUEEN IS BACK
An iconic signature of Ed Banger and the Myspace years, Uffie makes a masterful comeback with Sunshine Factory, her second album, twelve years in the making. An opportunity to catch up with a legend and realize, in her company, how much the world, music, the Internet, and she herself have changed.
Before social media and music streaming, there were blogs and MP3 players. In the early 2000s, the places-to-be on the web were forums, blogs, and Myspace — the first platform dedicated to independent artists and music. At the time, you'd come across names like Calvin Harris, Lily Allen, Arctic Monkeys, or Orelsan, freely sharing their demos and mixtapes in search of imminent fame. Unheard of. At the same time in Paris, the club scene was booming. Daft Punk's longtime manager, Pedro Winter, had just founded the Ed Banger label and was determined to honor the legacy of the French Touch years. Driven by the development of the Internet, a new golden age of music was dawning, and it was a young woman who kicked off the festivities… Her name was Uffie.
Released on Myspace in January 2006, her first single was a revolution. A drum sample borrowed from West Coast rap, deep bass, and house music chords: "Pop the Glock" transgressed all rules. At the time, you either did rock or rap, pop or indie… Not for Uffie, who, from her first track, claimed the freedom to be all at once. With insolence, she delivered her sophisticated ego trip: “Cross the beach onto the street / Gotta work hard, no room to cheat / Crunk n’ grime, that’s my bloodline / Feadz is mixin, Uffie’s shoutin”. The lyrics of "Pop the Glock" resonated with this generation of the web and nightlife, which Uffie came to embody.
In 2010, she released her first album: Sex Dreams and Denim Jeans. Alongside Pharrell Williams, Mr. Oizo, Feadz, and SebastiAn, the young woman made the music scene feel outdated by reconciling pop, street culture, and the dancefloor. For the first time, an artist born on the internet outside the major label circuit became the sensation of the moment. Twelve years later, the renewal initiated by Sex Dreams and Denim Jeans has taken place: musical genres are now just a relic, pop has never been so free, and female artists are all bangin’ à la Uffie.
As for her, the young woman took a long, well-deserved break. In 2012, at the end of a long world tour, the 24-year-old it-girl abandoned her career and moved to the desert to raise her two children. It took ten years for her to return to the spotlight with Sunshine Factory, her long-awaited second album. And if Uff took her time, she made sure to come back with a solid proposition. Reclaiming some of the foundational themes of her first album – love, partying, friendship – Sunshine Factory seems to be an enlightened response, enriched by experience and years, to the obsessions of the young girl she once was. More mature, she abandons the ego trip for a more abstract poetry, between wisdom and vulnerability, and signs a triumphant return. In a world where hyperpop and bedroom artists squat the charts, Uffie returns as the pioneer she was: the one through whom (almost) everything began. An opportunity for the Myspace generation to enjoy a good dose of nostalgia and embark with her on new adventures. Also an opportunity to remind those who don't already know what Miss Uff’ is made of…
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Uffie, you're an icon for my generation, but we actually know very little about you. What memories do you have of your childhood?
I was born in the United States but grew up in Hong Kong. We lived on a boat with my family, it was kind of like traveling and homeschooling. Then, at the age of 12, I moved to Paris to study. I spent a lot of time there and always felt at home… But the only real constant in my life has been moving.
What was Paris like in the early 2000s?
Everyone wore neon! Nightlife was omnipresent: there was always something to do and everyone partied every day. You went from the blog to the club, from the music studio to the fashion show… We all lived life to the fullest: it was crazy! And it was the early days of the Internet. At the time, we had Myspace, and that was it. Today, there's so much content, so many platforms, 30-second videos… Everything moves very fast, I feel like someone put the Internet on steroids.
What led you to produce "Pop the Glock"?
It was an accident, really. I always loved writing and being surrounded by other writers, but I never imagined singing. At the time, I was hanging out with the guys from Ed Banger and Feadz asked me to write a track with him. It was supposed to be just an experiment, but we composed "Pop the Glock" and it turns out the track did very well on Myspace. After that, everything happened very quickly.
When I listen to Sex Dreams and Denim Jeans again, I feel like I'm reading an old diary. I'd like to tell that girl that it's going to be okay, that she should just enjoy the ride.
Why did you decide to quit music?
I wanted to be a normal person. I started touring very young and never got to live like a girl my age. Having a manager also prevented me from growing up… When I decided to start my own family, I needed to grow up and stop traveling constantly. I moved to the middle of the desert, in Joshua Tree, where there's absolutely nothing to do. I spent my time cooking, painting, playing with my babies… I studied biology and worked in an animal sanctuary. I still wrote a little, but I didn't compose at all anymore. In fact, I didn't even listen to music anymore. It was a long period of calm and serenity.
What got you back on track?
I eventually realized that normal life wasn't as exciting as I imagined, and I really missed belonging to this community of artists… I started making some trips to Los Angeles where I had met people I enjoyed working with… And little by little, I felt like I was back. I wanted to find a sound that was true to the artist I was, but also allowed me to evolve and offer something different. It was while producing "Cool" that I felt we had found it, and that's the track that inspired the album.
Sex Dreams and Denim Jeans was very much about the sound itself. On Sunshine Factory, your voice and your words are at the center of the listening experience. How did you work on this album?
It was during the pandemic. With my friend [Norwegian producer] Lokoy, we went to isolate ourselves in a fishing village in Portugal. We locked ourselves in a house by the sea, and I wrote all the lyrics in ten days. Then, Toro y Moi joined us and co-produced all the tracks. Having the vocal tracks already recorded forced us to build around them, but I was especially lucky to come across respectful artists who only added what was necessary to serve the essence of the music. Being surrounded by the right people really made a difference.
I WANTED TO FIND A SOUND THAT WAS TRUE TO THE ARTIST I WAS, BUT ALSO ALLOWED ME TO EVOLVE AND OFFER SOMETHING DIFFERENT. IT WAS WHILE PRODUCING "COOL" THAT I FELT WE HAD FOUND IT, AND THAT'S THE TRACK THAT INSPIRED THE ALBUM.
You describe Sunshine Factory as a fictional space where outsiders could gather. What does that word mean to you? Are you an outsider yourself?
From childhood, I was always the new girl at school, the one you didn't eat with in the cafeteria. That kind of followed me all my life. When you choose to live your own way, you're always a little set apart from others. You can turn it into a strength and live happily, but it's a difficult and solitary path. I wanted this album to bring together all those who take that path.
How to live happily as an outsider?
Start by finding the right people. It's not about having a bunch of friends and constantly pleasing everyone. You have to trust your instincts to find people who love you for who you are. I believe having good friends means having few.
You describe the track "Cool" as a reflection on an "excessive lifestyle" and "toxic environments". Can you tell me more about that?
"Cool" is about how we value things. You know, we're easily blinded by beautiful things. When everything is so perfect: beautiful outfits, beautiful vacations… All these things prevent you from realizing the emptiness and coldness around you. You then have no choice but to fill the void…
In your opinion, what's the most beautiful and saddest thing about partying?
Partying brings people together; there's something childish in that complete denial of responsibility. Sharing a dance with a stranger, feeling the world around you… That feeling where anything can happen, it's magical. But you have to know when to leave before all the magic has left the room. When you overdo partying, I think you lose all its benefits.
Has the music industry changed much since you left?
Everything has changed! Streaming has changed everything. We had more time to appreciate music twenty years ago. Today, there's really no reason to record an album unless it's to offer a complete experience to your fans. So many tracks are released every week… It's very difficult to make an album exist under these conditions. On the other hand, I'm hearing more and more artists producing things we'd never heard before. Today, musical genres make no sense anymore, which allows artists to do whatever they please.
Right now, you're touring with Sega Bodega. How is it to be back on stage?
Right now, I'm so tired! (She laughs.) Actually, it's so cool to be back performing. The audience isn't the same, the crowds are inspiring. But I had forgotten how exhausting it is: no matter what time you went to bed, you have to do it all again the next day. What I prefer is sharing these moments with people I love, like Sega. It's a bit like a summer camp, bonds really strengthen on tour.
I heard you're already working on new tracks with Sega Bodega. So, you're back for good?
For good: ready to make up for lost time!
Source: https://www.nylon.fr/uffie-la-reine-de-myspace-est-de-retour/
Credits:
Journalist: Thémis Belkhadra
Photographer: Nicolas Kuttler
Photographer Assistant: Célia Marjolet
Videographer: Lola Bertea
Stylists: Léa Salaün & Enes Rolland
Makeup Artist: Marieke Thibaut
Hairstylist: Tomoko Ohama
Executive Producer: Anath Socroun
Producer: Helen Kim Amiri
Production Assistant: Marine Dubois-Rosuel
Production and Content Coordinator: Mila Rosaria Requier