Interview: Flo Gallop Admits She Just "Can't Be Friends" in Revealing New Single
The new single from the London pop artist comes to terms with the reality of a doomed romance.
London musician Flo Gallop, known for her bubbly energy and lyrical magic, is back with a new single.
"Can't Be Friends" exemplifies Gallop's charm and familiar warmth. Here, she sings about about the devilish pull to someone you should stay away from, and finding it difficult to do so. As Gallop details in "Can't Be Friends," it's easy to overlook the consequences of going down such rocky paths.
"Can't Be Friends" is driven by a trap-influenced beat with an infectious pop instrumentation. Following Gallop's debut single from earlier this year "21," "Can't Be Friends" shows the singer's more heartfelt side.
Popdust chatted with Gallop about "Can't Be Friends" and what's next in store for the budding artist.
"Can't Be Friends" is about falling for the wrong person and overlooking the consequences. Tell us a bit more about the meaning behind the tune?
There's always that one person; they message you at midnight with the classic 'u up?' text. You know you shouldn't reply, but every time, you do. You get the horrible kind of butterflies, and it's such a bizarre feeling, but we have all been there. It's the infatuation that pulls you in each time. The song was written when I was in that headspace of just not being able to cut someone out who was no good for me. It's also about making the excuse of "being friends," when you know that's just never gonna happen with that particular person, but you use [being friends] as your defense to keep seeing them.
Did you have a specific goal when it came to the overall sound of it?
I knew I loved the guitar riff it was written with and wanted to mainly base the song around that. The track was produced by Tom Fuller, and he is so cool, he always captures the vibe of what you're after. There's a couple of parts I feel you can really hear the emotion in my voice, and things like me breathing out a sigh. I like that because I feel like you hear the anxiety of it.
The lyrics are totally relatable. What do you want people to get out of the single when they listen?
Thank you! I guess I want listeners to just to be like, "yep, that's me, I've been there." But then, it's all part of the fun of living! The song is sad, but realistically, you know you'll probably end up doing something like that again. We're all after the thrill of life and getting our hearts racing. I reckon this is the song I would play when I was on the way to meet that person.
What were some of your biggest musical influences around the time of writing this? Do you think this impacted your creative decisions?
I can't pinpoint any song in particular, but I remember [listening to] a lot of Oasis, The 1975, Bastille, and Tom Odell. I bloody love songs that have brutally honest lyrics of hurt and anger, but are still a banging tune.
If you could pick one lyric from the song as your favorite, what would it be and why?
"You always blurred the lines." It just makes so much sense to me of the situation, just an unclear answer of what is going on and what to do.
What's up next for Flo Gallop this year?
Lots more music, fun on socials, and more honest lyrics coming your way! I would love to get to play some festivals this year. Honestly, I have waited so long, and it's killing me I'm not out there gigging right now.