We had a chat with rising UK artist BLONDETING following the release of her excellent and expansive fourth single ‘STARS’
While dance and drum & bass, particularly on the production side, have hardly been known for being blessed with a lot of huge female names, artist’s like BLONDETING are looking to change that, with the artist’s engrossing songwriting and infectious stutter beats doing a great job of singling her out as an expansive and fiercely exciting rising talent who’s immersive appeal is capable of breaking through barriers and making waves throughout the scene.
The latest single from the artist is ‘STARS’, an engrossing and relatable single about the comedown that follows a night out, finding yourself on your own and crashing back down to reality following the euphoria that came before. The moody and enticing nature of the artist’s sound and her characteristically slick production bring this narrative to life in visceral and intoxicating fashion, understated and cool but with a rawness and charm that feels gripping. With just four releases to her name, the artist has already left an indelible mark on the modern dance music scene in the UK, and we had a chat with BLONETING to find out some more about her, her journey, and her plans for the future.
Who TF is BLONDETING?
Hi I’m BLONDETING, I am a singer and producer from South East London. I make DnB and dance music inspired by my life growing up in London.
How long have you been making music?
I’ve been making music for over 10 years so becoming BLONDETING has been a journey. My family is musical too, my Mum is an opera singer and my Dad frequently gigs with his band.
I started making music with my sister and friends in a band in primary school after attending my local music school in Lewisham, this is where I had my first experience performing on stage. I then went on to study at The Brit school, and since then have been developing my sound and production skills.
I began releasing music seriously in 2021, and in December 2023 I released ‘WONDERING’, which (across Soundcloud and Spotify alone) achieved over 250,000 streams in the first 4 months of its release!
Why do you make music?
I make music because it helps me release my emotions by writing about things that are happening to me in my life. Writing lyrics helps me get all my feelings out about different situations, whether it’s friendships, relationships or dramas that are going on in my life. I also have always been a fan of a range of music, so I love fusing genres. Production wise, I love creating music with intricate and engaging sounds and rhythms. I have always loved music with a story so I love it when people tell me that they can relate to my words.
What are your biggest influences?
Hybrid minds, Fred Again’s music and Chase and Status are some of the best artists on the dance music scene right now. I am influenced by their production and although I currently make liquid DnB, I would love to make a track like ‘Baddadan’.
I love the voices of Greentea Peng, Doja at and Raye and they inspire me lyrically.
What would you say has been your best moment so far?
I used to organise shows where I would get local up and coming artists to perform. I did this to uplift our local scene and give new artists a platform to perform, and performing at this was definitely one of my proudest moments. I think it’s important to support and share music locally and I would love to organise a female led drum and bass night in the future – rather than just being listened to as a topline vocal, women are making some incredible DnB music and some (like me!) are producing it themselves too!
How would you describe your sound to somebody unfamiliar with it?
I would describe the BLONDETING sound as ethereal, music which is perfect for a late-night drive. It’s music that you can party to on the weekend, but you can also chill out to it at the after party.
What’s your dream “I’ve made it” moment?
My dream would be to walk on stage at a festival like Boomtown, Reading or Glastonbury with people screaming for some BLONDETING music. I am at my best when I am performing Live. Live performances from me are high-energy, engaging and emotionally honest. Audiences will hear catchy beats, synth sounds and my thoughtful lyrics.
We love your new single ‘STARS’, what more can you tell us about it?
I wrote the chorus to ‘STARS’ years ago with my sister in Scotland for an acoustic guitar track with a completely different vibe. I came across them again when producing this track and thought that these lyrics perfectly fit the ethereal, cinematic vibe I had created.
For me, ‘STARS’ represents the feeling of being alone even though you aren’t – you could even be surrounded by people! It’s that distorted part after your night, when you’re not sure exactly where you are or who you’re with. It’s not a sad feeling though – because you’re with yourself at that moment… it can even be euphoric. I tried to capture that feeling with this song.
What else do you have planned for the near future?
My next release ‘Disco Tears’ will be out soon and you can hear a sneak preview on my Tiktok. I also did an exclusive performance for BBC Radio 4’s Loose Ends which you can catch on their website! This one is such a banger and has a similar vibe to my song ‘WONDERING’,I can’t wait for everyone to hear it
And finally, who is your biggest fan right now?
I was so lucky to meet Jonny Lee Miller, who played Sick Boy in Trainspotting, who when speaking about my music said that it was ‘a bit of me’. I will never forget that moment.
