Mature Mimi Webb has arrived

Mimi Webb is the epitome of a twenty-first-century pop star. Her debut single “Before I Go” went viral on TikTok, a source of fame many artists are now increasingly familiar with, after influencer Charli Demilio used it in a video. In the same viral vein, Webb hosts her own podcast Studio Tea and can add the royal grandchildren to her growing fanbase (“My kids are obsessed with you,” Prince William told her after she performed at the Queen’s Jubilee).

Like many artists who have come before her, Webb has grown up in the limelight. Her second album Confessions attacks that vulnerability directly, she tells me over Zoom sporting sunglasses and a Starface pimple patch. The album is an introspective ode to her mid-twenties, discussing past heartbreak but also knottier subjects, such as her parents separation.

The album, which also saw Webb collaborate with industry stalwart Megan Trainor (“She has a big sister kind of energy”, Mimi gushes), has been out for a month. So far, her fans have praised it as the mature version of Mimi Webb, which the artist herself agrees with.

The first day of your tour starts tomorrow. Do you still get nervous?

Definitely. I haven’t done my own headline show for so long. I’m really nervous. But I think once I’m up there, it kind of just goes away. 

Your new album has been out for almost a month now. How has the reception been?

I’ve much preferred the whole rollout of this album than my first [Amelia, 2023]. It feels like I’m breaking through that fourth wall and diving in deeper than I ever have before. To be honest, I think that’s what I always long for — I want to connect. I’ve lived a lot more life, and there’s no surface level. Every single song is a real story and a real situation. You grow, not just as an artist, but as a person. My fans say, Oh, my God, you’ve just matured so much. The evolution of Mimi Webb, I guess you can say. 

Do you have to weigh up how much you’re willing to share in your songwriting?

There are definitely worries at times. When it comes to the ex-boyfriend stuff, I don’t care, because that stuff is throw-away. But when it comes to writing a song about my parents’ separation, that was tough, because it’s not just about me, it’s their story to tell, too. As a family, we all felt very strongly about releasing the song, and it was a moment for us all to feel a bit of that vulnerability. 

I imagine that having a more diaristic approach to songwriting can be very therapeutic. 

I do have some crazy things that happen to me. Sometimes I go into the studio, and people are like, Mimi, that is crazy. And I’m like, Let’s write about it. A lot of my friends say my life is like Bridget Jones. They’re just like, Oh my God, what was she doing?

What song from Confessions was the most revealing to write?

I think the song “Confession”, because that was really just about me and my growth and where I’m at in my life. All of my other songs are about me and someone else, or a completely different story — it’s always a little bit more fabricated. “Confessions” felt more solid to me, who I am and how I feel.

Did the personal nature of “Confessions” make it easier or harder to write?

It’s really hard when you have this pop star life. Everyone thinks everything looks perfect, but then behind closed doors, you’re the fixer and always putting out fires. That was hard for me, because it made me realise that I really do live in two different worlds. Even before I get on stage, I can sometimes be on the phone and putting out fires, and even my band will be like, Mimi, stop. But then you go on stage and you switch and you’ll turn it on. It’s showbiz. There’s real life, and then there’s the show.

How do you separate yourself from that showbiz mindset?

It’s kind of, like, redirecting focus. I meditate. I also have this live once mentality — let’s just go out there and give it all. Even if we’re not one hundred percent prepared, or I might not be in the best place, we’re just gonna do it and it’s gonna be amazing, no matter what.

Were there any songs that didn’t make the cut?

There are quite a few. We’re just discussing what we’re going to do next, because there is so much music. I could write another album with how much music there is. I definitely want to use them — they’re too good to be sitting on the shelf. 

Do you see yourself experimenting further with genres?

There are a lot of R&B influences in Confessions. I’ve also played a little bit with the country thing, too. But I always say to myself, I’m not just one thing. I’m made of a lot of different things. I think that’s what I love about music. And it’s becoming more of a popular thing to play about with those different elements.

Who were your main influences for Confessions?

I really fell in love with SZA in the last year and a half. I always loved her music. The recent album — I think I just lost my mind. I was like, This is sick. 

You have your UK tour coming up. Have you had any good tips for surviving it?

Keep taking your vitamins, sleep as much as you can, but also work out. Having a lie-in sometimes does mess me up, so I try and get as early of a night as I can after stage. It’s just figuring out your routine as quick as you can, but also not pressuring yourself and enjoying it.

Are there any experiences that feel very monumental and special for you in your career so far?

The Queen’s Jubilee [2022]. That’s not something everyone gets to do. It was super selective and all the royal family selected the artists who they wanted on that stage. Prince William selected me. They told me at the after-party: Our kids are obsessed with your music.