PinkPantheress is speaking out about what it feels like to be unseen in a space she’s helping to shape. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the 24-year-old artist reflected on the challenges she faces as a Black woman making electronic music and why she believes her contributions are often dismissed.
“People are less willing to listen to electronic music that is made by a Black woman,” she said. “That’s just fact. There’s some considerations I would like to get as an artist which I might not be getting right now, since maybe it’s harder to put me into a genre.”
PinkPantheress released her Fancy That mixtape in May. It reached No. 4 on the Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart. Despite the success, she still feels her presence is often misunderstood or ignored. She explained that even with her success, people don’t always take the time to understand her message or her identity as an artist.
“I’m in a very privileged position musically,” she said. “But I can feel a little bit like I’m hitting all these markers and it still feels like I’m getting overlooked, simply because there’s a lot of people that don’t necessarily understand what I represent, nor do they want to take a look because I think it just doesn’t make sense for them.”
She said she refuses to conform to outdated ideas of what a pop star should be. Her goal is to stay true to her vision and prove that authenticity matters. “All I aim to do is stay authentic and consistent,” she added. “And occasionally, what I enjoy doing is saying, ‘Well actually, I’m gonna prove you wrong, and I’m gonna do this, you are gonna like it.’”
Earlier this month, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Kent for her impact on digital-era music.
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