NYLON NINETEEN
Ahead of her debut album, the rising pop star takes on the NYLON 19.
In this era of interior bedroom-pop and lo-fi confessionals, Slayyyter’s maximalist, stadium-sized creations stick out like a gleaming, shiny thumb. On her recent single “Troubled Paradise,” she lays down a feverish 32-line bridge of pure, sugary indulgence over twinkling bleeps and crashing drums, all while prowling around in a tiger-print catsuit in its faux junglescape music video. Is it over the top? Yes. Is it also the extravagance and glamour that’s missing in music right now? Absolutely.
Not many are doing it like the St. Louis native, who not long ago packed her bags for Los Angeles and is now gearing up to release her debut album, Troubled Paradise, out June 11. Her earliest singles with Charli XCX-adjacent producers like Ayesha Erotica helped her build a devoted cult fan base, drawn in by her forward-thinking but clear Y2K-inspired pop with a capital P. On Troubled Paradise, she aims to push that sound even further, taking what she’s learned from studying Max Martin and Britney Spears to create her own delirious concoction.
In anticipation of her debut album, NYLON caught up with Slayyyter to learn more about the rising star, who dished on everything from the time she almost bought a haunted house, to her recent Fosse dance obsession, and why Britney Spears’ “Everytime” will always make her cry.
01What’s your astrological sign (and do you believe in it)?
I am a Virgo and I believe in it for some things, but then other things I feel like I'm not a typical Virgo. I'm very disorganized, and I know Virgos are known to be super organized, super clean. I'm very detail oriented. I feel like I believe in it a little bit. Maybe not all the way though.
02Do you believe in ghosts, (and have you ever seen one)?
It's funny because I love haunting shows and paranormal shows, but at the same time, I don't really think I believe in them. I found this house for sale that this murder happened in, and the price was inexpensive. I was down to live there, and someone said, "Oh my gosh, there are ghosts, what are you thinking?" I'm like, "I don't think that's true." I feel like it's just a house.
03What’s your go-to drink order? (And if it's boozy, what’s your go-to hangover cure?)
I love to drink. My go-to drink is usually something like a tequila soda or I've been really into mojitos lately, because I feel like it's very refreshing. I love anything with mint in it. My best hangover cure is always just drinking an obscene amount of water the next day. I feel like that always flushes out my system and makes me feel a lot better.
04Who would be the three headliners of the music festival of your dreams?
Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, and Beyoncé. I feel like a pop festival with all of the main pop women would be so fun. It would honestly be crazy though, because who goes first, who goes second?
05What's the weirdest snack that you make?
I love eating hot sauce and pickles, I don't know if that's a really weird one. I'll just take spear pickles and I'll put hot sauce on them. Or I'll eat pickled jalapeños on chips. Anything that's spicy and salty.
06What's a bad habit of yours that you've been meaning to fix?
Ever since the pandemic started, I stopped getting acrylic nails done and I'm the worst nail bitter. I forgot that was a childhood habit I had. I think I just need to get my nails done sometime soon.
07What was the last internet rabbit hole you went down?
Yesterday I was on a kick of watching documentaries about Bob Fosse, that choreographer from old Hollywood. I was watching all these videos and all these dance numbers, all this cabaret stuff. I was really obsessed all day, like, "Oh, this is so inspiring. I want to do visuals like this."
08Describe your worst date in three words.
Straight man's apartment.
09If you could be in any music video, what would it be?
Lady Gaga, “Judas” music video. I learned that choreo when I was younger and I could probably do the whole dance if she needed me to.
10What was your first concert, and what are your memories of it?
Raven-Symoné was performing at a festival in St. Louis. and she was in the parade on a float, and then later did a performance on a stage. [That’s So Raven] was my favorite show when I was younger, so I was super excited. I was really young, a little, little kid. She did full choreo, there were dancers, it was honestly so fun. I was really into all Disney channel stars and music and the Cheetah Girls.
11What was your favorite movie as a kid?
I used to watch a lot of teen movies, but I would honestly say Freaky Friday was probably my favorite movie. I wanted to be in a rock band. I thought Lindsay Lohan was the coolest girl ever. I was like, "This is rock music," listening to the soundtrack.
12What was your teenage AIM screen name? What lyrics would make up your AIM away message today?
I think it was purpleangel34xoxo or something like that. Purple was my favorite color, and I just thought that was the cutest thing. I'm pretty sure my away message was probably Hilary Duff lyrics or something, or even maybe JoJo.
13What's your favorite meme/internet joke and why?
Maybe this is really wrong to say, but I think, obviously before he passed, the Prince Philip thing [where] people would name things and be like, "Prince Philip couldn't handle this." That was pretty funny. I'm probably going to get yelled at for saying that.
14What is your favorite red carpet look of all time worn by someone else?
I would have to say the couples look of Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake in the denim outfits for the VMAs. And the fact that Katy Perry recreated it with Riff Raff, it's just so iconic. It's so funny looking too, because when you look at the photos, she is serving, and I feel like his outfit was a little funkier with the cowboy hat and stuff. I just love the idea of celebrity couples matching each other in such a big way. People don't really do that anymore.
15What is one thing everyone should buy that is under $10?
Probably NYX lip liners. They're $4 and that's my go-to makeup product. I love big juicy doll mouths.
16What is your go-to sad song?
My own song, “Clouds” by Slayyyter. Either that, or “Everytime” by Britney Spears is such a classic, beautiful, sad ballad. Especially the scene in Spring Breakers, where they're dancing to it next to the pianos, the guns. It's such a beautiful cinematic song and it makes me feel like I'm in a movie when I listen to it.
17What reality show would you most like to appear on?
Definitely Bad Girls Club. I think in another life I was meant to be a Bad Girls Club cast member for sure.
18What is your best beauty tip or trick?
There's a weird trend going on TikTok where everyone's obsessed with facial symmetry, but I always feel my favorite thing is accentuating imperfections. I have a really weird left eyebrow where the hair sticks out way more than the right. Whatever you might think is a flaw, sometimes accentuating those things can be really interesting. Everyone doesn't need to be so focused on looking the exact same.
19What is your favorite fast food place, and what’s your order?
Definitely White Castle. It's gross, but it's so good. I usually get two sliders and a diet Coke, maybe the loaded fries. They're pretty damn good.