INTERVIEW W/ Fiona-Lee: "I love turning difficult experiences into something uplifting"!

Fiona-Lee is a pioneering force in the indie music scene at the moment, as she expertly translates her personal struggles into songs that evoke a strong emotional response from her fans. With reclaiming power and validating experiences at the forefront of her lyricism, her fiercely independent spirit is nothing short of inspirational. 

With her sophomore EP ‘Every Woman’ set for release on April 14th, we caught up with Fiona to chat about how her own experiences shaped the project, as well as about her upcoming debut headline tour. 

Photo credit: Tatiana Pozuelo / @cornolios

Q. Your new EP ‘Every Woman’ comes out on the 14th of April. What was your starting point for this project and how did your ideas take shape?

A. “I didn't write all of the songs thinking that they were all going to be one EP. I released the first EP and then just looked at all the songs that I had and it felt like these were the ones that still really represented how I was feeling at the time and how I still feel. It felt like they all worked really well together, but they were all written quite far apart. They were all recorded at the same time and I think doing that really helped make them connect together more, giving them the same production style”.

Q. You released the title track back in February and it tackles some difficult and sensitive themes around sexual assault. During the song writing process, did you think about the listener and how they might connect to those messages?

A. “When I was writing it, it was mostly about me getting it down on paper and I think songwriting is such a good way of validating your own experiences. I wrote ‘Every Woman’ after having been at my friend's house and we were sharing our experiences, and it hit me that literally every female friend that I speak to has had a similar experience. I think when I wrote it, it just clicked that this is such a huge problem and that the songs could give people the same energy and make them feel validated”.

Q. ‘Imposter’ and ‘Victim’ from the EP have also already been released. How do these songs contribute to the wider story you’re telling and to the EP as a whole? 

A. “They're both songs that have come from personal struggles that have left me to really spiral internally, and I think there's an element in both of me standing up for myself. ‘Victim’ is me standing up for myself to someone else and then ‘Imposter’ is more of that internal battle with imposter syndrome. I think especially as women it connects as a whole because we're not necessarily taught to do that as much and we question our own judgement, so I think women can relate quite strongly and these songs are that moment of validating your own experiences”. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RDr8IWDuYtlrc&v=r8IWDuYtlrc

Q. ‘Every Woman’ follows your 2025 EP ‘Nothing Compares To Nineteen’. How do you think that your songwriting and overall perspective has evolved since your debut?

A. “I think my songwriting is pretty similar other than the fact I’m tackling themes that are a bit more universally related to. I think the themes are just as heavy as the first EP, but I do think it feels more mature this time with the style of the production. Going back to what inspired me to do music in the first place, there were lots of folk influences, and it’s nice to have gone back to that in this EP because there's quite a lot of acoustics in there”.

Q. You’re heading out on your first ever UK headline tour alongside the release of the EP. How different does it feel to be preparing for this kind of tour for the first time?

A. “It's very exciting because it's my first headline tour, and playing shows with the band is such a different experience to playing by myself. I think it just feels really exciting to be able to play the songs as they were meant to be heard with the full band”.

Q. Which song from the EP are you most excited to play on the tour?

A. “I really love playing ‘Imposter’. I just love singing the melody of it and the journey within that song and how it builds. When it's played live, it feels so uplifting and empowering”.

Q. While you've been rehearsing for the tour, do you think that the way you  connect with the songs changes when you think about performing them live to an audience?

A. “Yeah I think so. It reminds you of what you’ve experienced and what these songs are about. It could feel quite emotional, but I love turning these difficult experiences into something positive and uplifting. That feels really special”.

Q. When your fans finally hear ‘Every Woman’ in full this April, what do you hope they take away from it emotionally? 

A. “I'm sure there will be people that can relate to the songs, and I hope it helps them feel validated and empowered. I hope it helps them feel like they don't have to be silent about these things they’ve experienced and that they do have a voice”.