Calmness is the key to Pip’s music; a blissful fusion of R&B and soul that’s always full of feeling. Her love affair with music began during those quiet school days when she received guitar lessons as a present from her mum. Initially picking up the bass, where she learned to play wild rock songs by artists like The White Stripes and Slipknot, Pip eventually moved her way up to six strings. “It made me come out of myself a little,” she says of her early lessons. “It was a massive boost to me.”
Born in Manchester, Pip moved out of the city and into the countryside as a child following her parents split. She jokes that she and her siblings were “the only brown people in the town” but they always felt welcome in the area.
A move to London to study music was Pip’s first indication that stepping into the limelight, while still refusing to conform, might be what she’d been after all along. “I knew I wanted to sing from a young age,” she says, though it’s always been writing that helped her the most. In many ways it feels that the precise nature of her words take precedence over her low-key vocals.
Though her releases to date can be counted on a couple of hands, Pip has shown that she’s not here to make up the numbers. Take the delicate and melodic “Make Me Cry,” for example, or “Talk About It,” a raw moment of yearning set to a deceptively upbeat rhythm. “My first song, the one that’s done the best, is about being depressed,” she says of ‘Make Me Cry.’ “It’s a break-up song but I’m breaking up with depression.”
Feelings of solitude also creep into “Drunk & Alone,” a tender late-night jam written about the trials of a long-distance relationship. “It can feel sad and lonely,” she says of missing someone hundreds of miles away. “Part of that’s in my head but that anxiety is part of a relationship sometimes. I’d go on a night out and come home alone and hate it. I’ve never felt more lonely.”
These early releases have earned Pip many fans, including contemporaries like Jorja Smith. Smith has helped boost Pip’s music on multiple occasions, using her music on Instagram and shouting her out in interviews. “It’s really nice,” Pip says. “We’ve chatted via DM and I appreciate the support.”
In terms of musical influences, however, Pip looks to the past for inspiration. She cites Bob Marley and Joni Mitchell as teachers in the art of storytelling and says she “Can’t remember” a time Lauryn Hill’s music wasn’t in her life. All of these artists were regular fixtures in the car on long rides with her mum back in the day. “I’d always go on car journeys just to listen to some music,” she laughs.
Having moved on from her quiet life and become the artist she always was, Pip is determined to keep making music she insists will always be “chilled but emotional.” Whatever comes next, a generation caught in its feelings might just have a new soundtrack.
On Your Mind
PIP MILLETT Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Then I would (Your mind)
If I could see what's on your mind
(Your mind)
He's straight talking
I'm not walking home without a light on
Thought that the stars could make me love him
I, I tread a little deeper
(I tread a little deeper)
A little deeper (Deeper)
Than I should do, but what would you do?
(You do?)
If I could see what's on your mind
Then I would (Your mind)
If I could see what's on your mind
(Your mind)
I'll keep walking
Holding onto what I do know
Have it sorted, all in good time
I, I'm a believer (I'm a believer)
Believer (Believer)
Life was something sweeter for me
To call my own
If I could see what's on your mind
Then I would
If I could see what's on your mind
(Your mind)
If I could see what's on your mind
Then I would
Then I would (Then I would, then I would)
The lyrics of PIP MILLETT's song "On Your Mind" delve into the complexity of a relationship where one person is trying to understand the thoughts and emotions of the other. The singer expresses a desire to be able to see what is on their partner's mind, suggesting a longing for deeper connection and understanding.
The opening lines, "If I could see what's on your mind / Then I would," emphasize the yearning for insight into the other person's thoughts. This desire is repeated throughout the song, underscoring the singer's curiosity and wish for transparency.
The next lines, "He's straight talking / I'm not walking home without a light on," point to a difference in communication styles between the two individuals. The singer recognizes that their partner is straightforward and honest, while they themselves are more cautious and require reassurance in order to feel secure. There is a sense of vulnerability in the line "Thought that the stars could make me love him / But I'm above him, too," suggesting that the singer hoped for a romantic connection based on grand gestures but ultimately feels emotionally disconnected from their partner.
The following lines, "I tread a little deeper / A little deeper / Than I should do, but what would you do?" reveal that the singer is willing to explore the relationship beyond what may be considered logical or safe. They question whether their partner would do the same in similar circumstances, implying a desire for reciprocity in their emotional investment.
The chorus is a repetition of the longing to see what is on the partner's mind, expressing a frustration at the lack of understanding or insight into their thoughts and feelings. The lines "I'll keep walking / Holding onto what I do know / Have it sorted, all in good time" convey a determination to continue on their own path and rely on the knowledge they have in order to find clarity and resolution.
The bridge of the song, "I'm a believer / Believer / Life was something sweeter for me / To call my own," suggests that the singer is still holding onto hope and optimism despite the challenges in the relationship. They believe that life can offer something better, specifically something that they can possess and truly call their own.
Line by Line Meaning
If I could see what's on your mind
If I had the ability to know your thoughts and feelings
Then I would (Your mind)
I would understand you better
He's straight talking
He is honest and direct in his communication
I'm not walking home without a light on
I refuse to leave or end a situation without clarification or understanding
Thought that the stars could make me love him
I believed that superficial qualities or romantic gestures could make me fall in love with him
But I'm above him, too
However, I consider myself superior or of higher value than him
I, I tread a little deeper
I go further or investigate more deeply into something
(I tread a little deeper)
(I explore even more intensely)
A little deeper (Deeper)
Even more profoundly or intensely
Than I should do, but what would you do?
Than I probably should, but I wonder how you would behave in the same situation
(You do?)
(I'm curious about your actions or thoughts)
I'll keep walking
I will continue moving forward
Holding onto what I do know
Remaining steadfast in what I am certain about
Have it sorted, all in good time
Believing that everything will be resolved or figured out eventually
I, I'm a believer (I'm a believer)
I have faith or confidence in something
Believer (Believer)
Someone who holds strong convictions or beliefs
Life was something sweeter for me
Life used to be more enjoyable or pleasant for me
To call my own
To have as my personal possession or experience
Then I would
In that case, I would
Then I would (Then I would, then I would)
I would truly understand and empathize with you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GEORGIA KATE MILLETT WILLACY, LUKE GUY NYEKE, GEORGIA WILLACY, LUKE NYEKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind