[MAGAZINE] LOST GIRL [SS23 ISSUE]

Lost Girl is not one to be put in a box as she carves out an eclectic lane of her own, showcasing her multifaceted ability as an artist with a taste for quality. At just 23, her poise and open vulnerability join with her artistic prowess so it’s no surprise she’s garnered such a sincere following. Taking the scene by storm with Garage renditions and R&B vocals, whilst not being afraid to rap a quick 16, Lost Girl has been co-signed by UK legends like Tinie Tempah and Craig David. Having made a name for herself in the scene with UKG influences, Lost Girl is entering her R&B element, releasing a grown and sexy style of music that displays a more vulnerable side. The result is a mature and polished style, embellished with the playful vibe of early releases like ‘Rockabye’. 

Following the release of her single, ‘Trust Issues’ at the end of 2022, she’s been teasing fans with covers of songs by Stormzy and Chris Brown, even receiving acknowledgement from the latter. Not one to shy away from talking about her feelings, the songstress’ latest single displays an intimate and confessional aspect to the experiences of a toxic relationship. With an unapologetically unfiltered style of writing, she’s become an important voice for the younger generation of music lovers. Her first experiences making music were a therapeutic outlet for Lost Girl, allowing her to hone her writing skills as she adjusted to her new experiences in adulthood. Today, she highly values the conversation around mental health, making it as much a passion as her musical output. VIPER sat down with Lost Girl to hear talk about her journey so far and how self-discovery in music transcends the odds. 

Your sound stands out in the UK music scene, was that intentional? Or are you just on a different wave?
I came into the industry making Garage but a lot of the songs I put out, I wrote when I was 17 and I’m 23 now. I love all music, all genres and I think it’s truly important as an artist to be more multifaceted. I never wanted to be put in a box, I always knew that I wasn’t going to stay doing Garage forever. But more recently, I’ve really stepped into myself, my writing, my voice, my singing and I feel like R&B allows me to truly express myself in music. 

Respectfully, you’re very young to be making Garage music; you were born when the genre was active! So what drew you to UKG and bringing that sound into your music when not many people were? 

I grew up listening to Garage! My mum was thumping Garage, along with a lot of other genres. But also around the time I turned 18 and a bit before, when me and my friends would go to parties, we’d run the Garage rhythms before we’d go out and the vibe was always immaculate. So I had this feeling that maybe if I attacked some Garage, I could give people a similar feeling. 

It’s a feel-good, positive genre whereas R&B can be any mood. Does that help when you can merge the two sounds?
Exactly. I like watching people buss a little two step to my music; I want to see people enjoy it, partying and having a good time so it was really important for that. I guess I’m moving into a space now where I want to connect with my supporters in a more personal way. 

‘Trust Issues’ came out in December marking a more slow and sexy sound from you – will we be hearing more of this style?
‘Trust Issues’ was a real wildcard for me, I made it in the studio one night at 3am and I just got all my feelings out. I had been feeling for a while that it was time for me to move into a new genre because I just felt like people didn’t really know I could sing properly. I could always vibe but I wanted to really sing and get my story out, so I’ve always been making R&B but I guess I took a leap of faith like, “okay I’m gonna change my sound.” But I’ve also changed since the last time I really put out music 

prior to that. So I just felt like it was right to kind of bring my supporters along on the journey of me also evolving and music. 

Have you felt that the response has shown that other people are kind of really hearing like your vocal talent now?
Definitely, on TikTok, I really did start going in – in terms of making sure that my voice and my story and my writing was being heard – by attacking other people’s songs, but in my own way, I just felt like it was the right time for me to unleash a part of my story. I’ve always struggled to really get my heart into the music I was making before, even though it’s still me; but this is more me than ever. I’ve had such a beautiful response to ‘Trust Issues’, it’s really given me the confidence that I should always follow my heart and trust and believe in myself. 

There’s a vulnerability that’s good when you’re writing and recording a song but when it comes to releasing it, do you realise how much you’re baring? What’s that feeling like as a writer and a singer? 

Well I called myself “Lost Girl” for a reason, because I always wanted to be super transparent with everyone. I’ve never really been one to shy away from being really, bluntly honest about how I feel. All of our favourite artists, the ones that we love and we stan, we feel like we know them right? Because of the music and the story they put into it, I just want people to feel like that about me. I want people to see that maybe I haven’t completely found myself yet. But in the process of writing and making music, I am finding myself. 

17 to 23 is quite a transitional period for any human, so do you feel that that helps with your fan base who may be younger, even though they’re growing with you? 

I have such a random mix of a fan base, I definitely think it’s important to be a role model and be inspirational to the younger generation. Quite often when I do my shows, I have mothers coming up to me saying their daughter loves me and that the message that I put out on my social media is important for them. That means everything to me but then I also think for people that are slightly older than me, they can relate to me as well, 

SS23 LINK

Photography: RENÉ CONNAGE-DURANT 

Words: LILY MERCER
Styling: DREW STREETE-PORTER 

Styling Assistant: VANESSA LAUREN WILLIAMS 

Hair Styling: PASHCAN’EL MITCHELL 

Make-up: TAHIYAH ALI
BTS Photography: THANKSRUCCI 

Creative Direction: EDDIE CHEABA 

Location: BLANKBOX