I’m worried sick, frantically Lime-biking across London after my bus got stuck in traffic. I don’t want to keep Shygirl waiting. The genre-blending artist, who recently celebrated the fifth anniversary of her breakout EP ALIAS, has agreed to meet me in the heart of Shoreditch at a brunch spot called Boundary. I had nothing to worry about: She arrived right as I got there, eyebrows bleached, wearing a hot cropped black bomber and skirt, after her publicist gave her a head’s up on my traffic drama. She lives nearby. Classic East London life: We work, live, eat, and party within the same square mile.
To mark ALIAS’ birthday—a thumping project on which she inhabited multiple characters and pulled us out of our cursed 2020 lockdown malaise—she recently released the follow-up project ALIAS is ME, featuring collaborators like JT, Nick Leon, and George Riley. She brought the EP to life with the ALIAS 5th Anniversary Skin Box—yes, an edition of the EP wrapped in silicone fake skin, mirroring the original’s stretched out sci-fi artwork—as well as a link-up with the sex positive party people HOWL to make a lube too. And last month, she took over Paris’ prestigious Centre Pompidou with a performance and exhibition, to welcome us into ALIAS’ inner world.
Shygirl is the kind of artist that can pull off a celebration as wild as that. She’s a natural it-girl who knows how to make music to dance to, sweat to and feel in your soul. So of course, with all this going on, we had to catch up and chat. I went for the pastrami sandwich while she opted for steak. “I just started my period,” she said—totally valid.
Amber Chow: Tell me about Paris.
Shygirl: It was incredible—truly a sensory experience. I love being consumed as a musician. It mirrors a deeper part of me that enjoys being desired. When I was in the process of making ALIAS is ME, I thought about the qualities I want to invite people into. I want them to connect with me, to trust me—almost like entering a shared emotional space. And I amplify that connection not by oversharing, but by offering the bare minimum of information and seeing how deeply they’ll still choose to follow me.
I got to create this with people I’m genuinely close to, and it was so fun to see it take shape together. I would never collaborate with people who don’t share the same vision, because alignment and trust are everything to me. ALIAS is ME is quite literally a continuation of ALIAS and layering it with who I am now. I’m tough on the work I put into the world. I would never release something I couldn’t personally engage with. It has to feel real, and it has to make sense.
For this release, you encased the record in silicone skin.
I thought about how to approach it differently. I wanted to be intuitive with my audience, not just give them a product, but an experience that feels intentional and personal. The skin box is made from silicone, and honestly, it really does resemble that Doctor Who skin character—because deep down, I’m a nerd and I love that reference. There’s something metaphysical about it too: the album cover is me looking directly at the beholder, and in Paris I essentially brought my entire discography to life. As people entered the space, the speakers reacted—almost like the music was greeting them. There’s something meaningful about touch and about objects that carry my identity, becoming extensions of myself. It’s metaphysical in a way.
The whole thing aligns with my sex-positive identity and personal evolution, both musically and emotionally. The silicone choice made sense—it supported the concept and the production process. And honestly, without the lube, the box is literally hard to open.
Your audience is consuming your music, which is essentially you. What’s it like navigating different public perceptions of you?
How I look rarely bothers me—but how others perceive my appearance does. It’s not about looking good, but looking happy. Sometimes you look great but feel awful, and that disconnect shows.
In general, my fans are amazing, but occasionally someone will say, “It’s so great to see someone like you be confident,” and I’m left wondering what they mean by “someone like me.” People ask how I became confident, as if it’s surprising. I’ve been fortunate to grow up with encouragement—from family and friends who truly see me and love me. It’s strange entering a space where people assume you need something extra to belong, as if it’s not obvious that I want to be here.
Growing up, were you musical?
My parents encouraged us to do activities outside the house, but I never studied music. I did tap and ballet, but quit early on after sensing systemic racism in that environment. We didn’t even have a creative department at school, but I still gravitated toward other performers, doing photography and capturing other musicians.
Your partner is an actor. Do you think you’ve absorbed any of his interest in film?
Yes, I love film. I recently watched One Battle After Another, and what struck me was how it amplified caricatures. I think that boldness has faded over the past few decades.
“Creative work is strange because your career is often you.”
shygirl
Would you go into acting?
I’ve explored acting before, and I’m sure I’ll return to it. I just got back from New York, where I worked with Jordan Firstman on his feature—I met him right after he finished making [Sebastian Silva’s super explicit dramedy] Rotting in the Sun. I also have a small role in Charli xcx’s new film which is super cool. Acting is definitely on the cards, but I’m not in a hurry.
Outside of your music, what do you get up to?
Creative work is strange because your career is often you, which makes work-life balance tricky. Right now, I’m trying to spend more time with loved ones. I get so busy that sometimes my family only sees me on Instagram or FaceTime.
I’m also terrible at nesting, so that’s something I’d like to work on – anything to do with the house is a struggle. Between touring and being in and out of London, my place ends up looking like a squat.
The holidays are coming up. Are you a Christmas person?
I am, and I’m a big fan of Christmas TV. In the UK, it feels so nostalgic. Lately, I’ve been really into TV in general; I started watching I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here after getting hooked on The Traitors.
This Christmas, I’ll be in London, then heading to Brazil for New Years, which I’m really looking forward to. I’ll have lots of Christmas decorations to put up when I get back from LA.
