British singer Arlo Parks's new album was inspired by her time on the dancefloor of various clubs in Los Angeles and New York.
© Alistair McVeigh
Music

How Arlo Parks danced her way back from burnout

After stepping back from the spotlight, British singer Arlo Parks found inspiration in unexpected places. She explains how that journey shaped an album unlike anything she's made before.
By Marcel Anders
4 min readPublished on

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Sometimes life really does change overnight. Arlo Parks was just 22 years old when she won Best New Artist at the BRIT Awards and became the voice of a generation in Europe. While her friends were celebrating in London, she was already touring the world.
The London-based singer, whose real name is Anaïs Marinho, started writing songs at the age of 14 and had a record deal before she even finished high school. Today, Parks is 25, her tracks have been streamed hundreds of millions of times, and in 2021 she won the Mercury Prize, Britain's most prestigious album award, for her debut album, 'Collapsed in Sunbeams'.

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Parks is living her childhood dream, but it has come at a price. In May 2022, she moved to Los Angeles, but just four months later, she cancelled several dates on her US tour due to burnout from 18 months of nonstop touring. Since then, she's slowed down, put down roots, and made up for the nightlife she missed out on in her younger years.
The result is her third album, 'Ambiguous Desire'. Dreamy but danceable at the same time, it was inspired by time on the dance floor and is as personal as ever. "In those spaces, my walls fall away," Parks says. "And I think I was able to bring that energy into the studio."

Are you enjoying living in Los Angeles?

Arlo Parks: I like the sun, the pace, the nature, and that I can box here every day. I've always been athletic. I played field hockey at a high level and for a long time thought that would be my life. Besides boxing, I run regularly and lift weights; exercise keeps me grounded.

Your new album is inspired by American nightlife. What brought about this change in musical direction?

It was the end of a period of endless touring where I barely had time to live. I asked myself: 'What does it mean to truly live? To arrive, to be spontaneous, to have fun?' This attitude has carried over into the music.

You've also spent a lot of time in New York. What did you enjoy about the city?

It has an incredible club culture and a unique music history. I immersed myself in the history of nightclubs like Paradise Garage, The Loft, and Studio 54, and also explored the places that still exist today.

Quotation
Each of my three albums had a different process; there was never any certainty from beginning to end
Arlo Parks

Was that an attempt to make up for the nightlife you missed during your teenage years?

Absolutely. Many people have time to immerse themselves in that world during college. But I was already touring when I was 17. So it was the first time I could really let loose. I think everyone needs that at least once in their life: just to dance for a few months.

Do you even have to go to a club for that?

Not necessarily. Sometimes at my house, we move the furniture aside, put on Janet Jackson, and dance around the living room. Dancing and movement are possible for everyone, everywhere.

What makes dancing so transformative?

It takes you out of your head and into your body in a way that's otherwise almost impossible. You act purely on instinct, you feel yourself, and you're part of something bigger. In those moments, my heart is very close to the surface. That's exactly the feeling I wanted to convey with my new album: to be able to lose yourself in it and, at the same time, find yourself.

Do you have self-doubt when you change your sound?

Always. It's part of the process when you challenge yourself. You feel like the ground beneath your feet isn't quite so solid. But that also means you're moving and growing. Each of my three albums had a different process; there was never any certainty from beginning to end.

How important is it for you to reflect your queerness in your music?

For me, it's less about being a voice and more about talking about the people I love, about community, and about what I represent. I'm queer, and that's reflected in my songs. I feel lucky to live in a time when more and more artists are openly embracing their queerness. Some people have always been afraid of being different. I try to spread openness to the world.

Get to know Arlo Parks

  • Age: 25
  • Born: London
  • Living in: Los Angeles
  • Biggest hit to date: Eugene
  • Last album: Ambiguous Desire
  • Passion outside of music: Writing poems
  • When she's most creative: At night
  • Celebrity fans: Billie Eilish and Michelle Obama
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