Låpsley: Förändringens Vinder

“I always behave as if it’s my final moment,” chuckles Låpsley, whose real name is Holly Lapsley Fletcher, as she sits in a Clapton cafe booth, cradling a flat white. Beneath the table, the sound of small paws is followed by a faint howl. The noisemaker is her ten-week-old Shepherd puppy, Chilli, who is squirming around her feet. “There have been numerous occasions when I’ve felt pushed out by the industry,” she says, lifting the dog with sky-blue eyes onto her lap. “But I don’t create music primarily for others, I do it for myself.” By this point, Låpsley, renowned for her significant electro-pop hits like ‘Operator’, ‘Woman’, and ‘Better Times’, is quite acquainted with the ever-changing music scene. After signing to a label while still in her A-levels in 2014, she has released three albums (‘Long Way Home’, ‘Through Water’, and ‘Cautionary Tales of Youth’) and has been dropped by two labels along the way. The Merseyside-born artist is well aware of the dangers that accompany the music industry’s perks - yet that has not deterred her thus far. “It’s not solely personal; there are external factors at play, I didn’t adopt a victim mentality,” she states resolutely, just before the release of her new album, ‘I'M A HURRICANE, I'M A WOMAN IN LOVE’. The 11-track album, independently released through her own label, ‘Her Own Recordings’, tells an alternative pop story about modern love, complex desires, and feminist realism, influenced by a wide range of musical styles - think Vampire Weekend, MUNA, and Bruce Springsteen among others. "There’s been a lot of pain and joy linked to my commitment to love,” she explains regarding the album’s title. “There’s a common perception of female love being either extremely sweet or toxic - but there are many shades in between.” In Låpsley’s case, these shades refer to the ‘Lilac Hues’ of her polyamorous experience: a love triangle involving the album’s producer, Greg Abrahams, and her current fiancé. The intricacies of this love are woven throughout the album, capturing moments from the relationship’s beginning to its conclusion. Låpsley met Greg in South Africa, where they collaborated and formed a strong platonic connection. Two years later, their relationship became more intimate, but due to the distance, they opted to keep it open. Upon returning to the UK, Låpsley began dating and met her current fiancé. “I don’t want to date anyone else but you two,” she explains, addressing the men who were both in the midst of divorcing at the time. “Everyone was content with the arrangement, and things began progressing with both individuals.” This bond with her new partner is charmingly captured in the gentle track ‘Featherweight Champion of the World’, where she narrates the first time her fiancé professed his love. “I was already in a relationship with Greg, and I thought it might take away from what I had - but instead, another dimension appeared,” she smiles. Although all parties involved were pleased and in agreement, external observers were less supportive. “‘We’re happy for you, but this isn’t the easiest path’,” she remembers their reactions, which echoed those she received while dating women. “I understand it comes from a place of love and concern for my well-being - but there’s an undertone that feels inappropriate,” she adds. “The reality is tough, but it’s tough for most of my heterosexual friends as well - they’re all experiencing divorces and infidelity!” Despite her positive experience, the love triangle ended for more practical reasons; Låpsley aspires to become a mother. “I’ve always wanted children, regardless of whom I have them with or their gender,” she reveals. In fact, she is so committed to having kids that she wants to assist others in doing the same, which led her to undergo the process of donating eggs last year. “The kind of woman who seeks egg donation is usually at their last resort,” she explains. “They yearn to be mothers, and this is their final piece needed. Once I grasped that, I thought, ‘I want to donate my eggs!’” The singer has contributed 26 of her eggs, which also involved thorough medical checks to confirm her own fertility. “If I face infertility issues or need chemotherapy, knowing another woman like me has donated her eggs is comforting for those women,” she asserts. She was also candid about her desire for children with her partners. While Greg already had a child in South Africa whom he wasn’t willing to leave, her new partner also wanted a family. “Well, I think that decision is made,” Låpsley recalls