For Yorkshire indie musician and songwriter Fiona-Lee, this debut EP has been a long time in the making. Although ‘Nothing Compares to Nineteen’ marks her first official release, over a decade of honing her craft has led her to this moment.
Having grown up in a home filled with the sounds of Genesis, Pink Floyd, U2, and Led Zeppelin, Fiona caught the songwriting bug at just 10 years old. “I didn’t really play any instruments at that time, but I have notebooks where I’d write songs to share with my friends,” she reminisces. “I started taking piano lessons when I was young, but I wasn’t very into it, so when I turned 14, I began teaching myself guitar.”
‘Pumped Up Kicks’ by Foster The People was the first song Fiona learned to play on her friend Jacob’s guitar, which she references in her poignant single, ‘When I Wake Up I’m Sad’. After joining a music group called School of Rock, she eventually found the courage to perform at one of their open mic nights. “That was the first time I sang in front of anyone; I honestly didn’t think I could sing,” she shares, which is surprising given the strength in her vocal performances. “After I performed, everyone said, ‘Oh, you can really sing!’ and from that point on, I thought, ‘Yeah, this is cool; maybe I can sing!’”
Fiona’s love for music eventually transformed her hobby into a career. As her music taste evolved through discovering exceptional artists like Jeff Buckley, PJ Harvey, Alanis Morrissette, Joni Mitchell, and Fleetwood Mac, she decided to study music production at college during her late teens. Soon after, she made the bold move to London, where her powerful debut single, ‘Mother’, was born. This heartfelt and vulnerable track, written at 20 years old (she’s now 25), reflects her challenging experience with an exploitative former manager.
“When I wrote it, I wasn’t considering anyone else; as the song evolved over the years, it became clear that it addresses dynamics many people encounter,” she states openly. “While my experience was with someone I worked with, I know many interpret the song as relating to romantic relationships. Ultimately, it’s about abuse; it’s about being taken advantage of, wanting to escape a situation, and feeling lost.”
“I believe it’s crucial for young women—or women in general—to realize they can escape those situations. I also think the song’s progression, starting off more vulnerable and becoming heavier towards the end, perfectly embodies that. By the conclusion, I felt truly empowered.”
Yet, ‘Mother’ is not the only raw and emotionally powerful piece on ‘Nothing Compares to Nineteen’. Throughout six uplifting tracks, Fiona candidly addresses her struggles with anxiety, depression, grief, and self-confidence—emotions that many experience but often find difficult to articulate. Although her inspiration and eloquent lyrics often stem from painful memories, the process remains rewarding for her. “Writing the songs and putting them down on paper is definitely cathartic and therapeutic,” she explains. “Transforming unpleasant experiences into something beautiful that people enjoy listening to is a powerful thing.”
“I feel as though all the songs convey their own messages. It’s strange because when I write, I’m not consciously thinking about how it will help or how people will react. I aim to create music that resonates, but I believe the best way to achieve that is to write as honestly as possible. There will be someone out there who understands.”
Given the deep personal investment in her songs, performing them live can sometimes pose a challenge.
“There was one occasion when I performed ‘Mother’; a girl in the audience had worked with the same person I had. We locked eyes, and I thought, ‘Oh my god’... it reminded me how real this situation was, since she’d gone through a similar experience. That was tough.”
“There’s also a song called ‘Lavender’ on the EP dedicated to my mum. After performing it at The Great Escape last year, I literally broke down in tears – I turned around and sobbed. When I faced the audience again, everyone was just staring at me while I was on stage! I joked, ‘Sorry guys, I’m on my period,’ and a bunch of women at the back cheered, which lightened the moment!”
While Fiona’s songs may appear heavy thematically, the stark sonic contrast ensures they’re never a difficult listen. Featuring musicians from Catfish & The Bottlemen, Another Sky, and Sam Fender’s band, along with a Springsteen-inspired saxophone solo in ‘Makes Me Feel Good’, the EP radiates uplifting moments and skilled instrumentation. A key figure in bringing this vision to fruition was producer and member of The Maccabees/86TVs, Hugo White.
“Hugo is fantastic—so kind and gentle.
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For Fiona-Lee, the indie musician and songwriter from Yorkshire, this debut EP has been a long-awaited milestone. You see, her new project, 'Nothing Compares To’...