An Interview with UK Country Pop Singer Dixie Darling

With her pure voice, heartfelt lyrics, and catchy melody writing, Dixie Darling’s music has a lasting effect on her listeners. Her love for country music began when she was a teenager and has inspired her to never hold back when telling stories through her songs. Growing up, Dixie Darling was inspired by powerful female musicians like Deana Carter, Sheryl Crow, Dido, and Taylor Swift. These artists inspired Dixie Darling to teach herself guitar and start writing her own songs. Dixie Darling released her debut single, “Every Time You Come Round,” on the 19th of November.

With her single, “Every Time You Come Round,” out now, we took some time to hear more from Dixie Darling. Read below to learn more about Dixie Darling, the story behind her debut single, and what’s to come.

Hi Dixie Darling! Let’s start with how did you get your artist name?

Dixie is my real first name, so I am lucky that I already have a name that is quite unique and stands out. I chose “Dixie Darling” as my artist name because I think it has a nice memorable ring to it and that it fits my style of music appropriately.

What city are you from and where are you based now?

I grew up in Portsmouth, and then I moved to Brighton in 2019 to study music. I’m really grateful to have always lived in cities that are by the sea because I find walks along the seafront are really relaxing and a great way to inspire creativity.

At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a career in music? How did you get started?

I was around 14 or 15 when I realised that singing and writing songs were something that I wanted to take seriously in my life. I taught myself how to play guitar and enjoyed playing covers of songs. I soon realised that I could sing, and I started writing my own songs about the things that I was experiencing at the time. I found it really therapeutic. I fell in love with the experience of writing songs and performing them.

Has your upbringing played a role in shaping who you are and defining your sound today? If so, how?

I grew up with very supportive parents who have always encouraged me to do what I love instead of putting pressure on me. This has allowed me to discover what I truly love and the path that I want to take in my life. I am so lucky to have that continuous support from them.

How would you describe your sound to readers who may not be familiar with you?

I write Country inspired songs that tell stories about my life and about other people’s experiences too. My writing is honest, and I have been told that my voice has a soft, emotional, and unique quality to it. I also love Pop music, so I like to incorporate catchy melody writing into my songs.

Do you have any hobbies outside of music? What do you do to stay creative?

I love spending time with the people in my life who mean a lot to me. I love grabbing a coffee and having a good catch up. There’s a lot of cute cafes in Brighton to do this. As well as this, I love going for long walks because this really helps me when my creativity isn’t flowing very well. I also love to read and watch a good Netflix show as a way to unwind.

Who are some of your main musical influences?

I remember listening to singer-songwriters like Dido and James Blunt when I was very young because my dad had some of their CD’s in the car. I loved their songs. When I was in my early teens, I started listening to Taylor Swift’s songs. I particularly loved the “Red” album. I find the way that Taylor Swift’s lyrics tell stories very appealing, and I love that she’s not afraid to tell her side. Around this time, I began listening to more strong female Country artists like Deana Carter, Sheryl Crow, and Dixie Chicks. They have definitely inspired the way I write my songs. Over the Covid period, I have listened to a lot of great music by female Country artists like Kacey Musgraves and Carly Pearce.

Who is your dream music collaboration?

Taylor Swift! That would be incredible. I think that I would be very starstruck the whole time.

What are some of your future music career goals?

I’d love to build a strong connection with my listeners through my music and for people to relate to the songs that I release. Playing bigger shows would be an amazing experience because I love talking to an audience about my songs and putting my heart into the performance. I’d love to headline my own show one day and be able to create an experience that everybody is enjoying. I would also love to visit Nashville and have the opportunity to write with some of the many amazing songwriters who work there.

Now onto your release, “Every Time You Come Round.” What inspired this song?

The song was inspired by the feeling that you get when you really like somebody, but you are unsure whether you should pursue things further. There is that fear that things could go wrong.

What is “Every Time You Come Round” about in your own words?

It’s about how falling for somebody doesn’t make you any less of a strong person; we are all human, and we can’t control who we are drawn to. It’s also about how frustrating it can be when you are unsure about whether to take things further with that person, even though you really like them, because maybe it went wrong in the past or you’re scared of getting hurt.

What is your favorite lyric in “Every Time You Come Round” and why?

I think my favourite lyric is the first line of the chorus: “I’m strong, but I’m weak for you.” This is because it acts as a reminder to me, and to other people who are listening that might be in a similar situation, that we should remember our inner strength and make choices in our lives that suit us best.

What message do you hope fans take away from your music and from “Every Time You Come Round?”

I hope that people enjoy the song, first of all, and I also hope that people feel like the song is there for them in a way. For example, if somebody is having a bad day, I hope that this song and the music that I release in the future can help them to feel better about it, and help them know that they aren’t on their own when they’re feeling that way. It’s good to have feelings, at the end of the day, and to be honest with yourself and with other people about how you feel.

What’s one of your proudest moments of your music career so far?

I think my proudest moments are when somebody says to me after one of my performances that they resonated with an original song of mine. That means so much to me because even though I write songs to make myself feel better about situations in my life, I also write songs because I am hoping that it can help someone to feel better too.

What would you say are the greatest lessons you’ve learned so far?

To stick to my heart when it comes to the type of music that I want to write and release. I really value getting constructive criticism about my songs, and I love co-writing with other people because I think this makes you a much better writer. But when it comes to the music that I want to release, I want it to represent me as an artist truthfully.

What’s next for you? Are you working on any upcoming projects that we should be on the lookout for?

I’m going to be releasing my next single in January, which I’m really excited about. I’m also really looking forward to releasing my first EP in the spring. I’m going to be playing some of my original songs at The Freemasons Tavern in Hove on January 7th with my band. I’m super excited to be releasing more music in 2022 and continuing my musical journey.

Where can we follow you on social media?

Links to social media pages and new single — https://linktr.ee/dixiedarling