Waterhouse’s truth: new album prioritizes raw emotion over hollywood dreams
At 34, Suki Waterhouse is pushing back against the manufactured sheen of celebrity, insisting her upcoming album, Loveland, will be anchored in unfiltered honesty – a stark departure from the polished pop of her previous work.
A soundtrack to life’s complexities
The model, actor, and musician, currently based in Los Angeles, revealed she’s determined to avoid creating a ‘magical, fantastical dream’ record. “I can’t put out a record that doesn’t have truth on it,” she stated emphatically during a Zoom interview. “And I definitely can’t put out something that’s just like, ‘Oh, every day of my life is just this magical, fantastical dream.’”
Waterhouse’s shift reflects a newfound perspective shaped by her two-year-old daughter and the realities of a rapidly evolving personal life. “This one has been everything since then,” she explained, describing the album as a direct expression of her current state. “The process has been somewhat different because I think at the beginning of writing it, I was quite fragile.”
From burberry to the national: a multifaceted career
Her career trajectory – from Tumblr fashion icon to high-fashion model for Burberry and Michael Kors, and even a surprising stint as Daisy Jones & The Six’s Roxie – speaks to a quiet adaptability. But Waterhouse insists her Music is a more personal reflection than any of those public personas. “They think I’m, like, 26,” she joked, highlighting the diverse audiences she’s cultivated.
Loveland, produced in collaboration with Natalie Findlay and Jules Apollinaire of TTRRUUCES, and incorporating new partnerships, including Aaron Dessner of The National, marks a significant creative leap. “I think [‘Seasons’] opened us up to a new sonic palette,” Waterhouse said, referencing a track born from a particularly brutal New York winter and a brief but intense collaboration. “We were in the summer there, and I walked into the studio, and I was like, ‘What if I want to have something that you can sway to, but it’s not full dance?’”
Despite the challenges – including touring with Taylor Swift and navigating the pressures of a demanding schedule – Waterhouse revealed a surprising fondness for the chaos. “When it’s approaching, I yearn for it, and I also am terrified every time,” she admitted. “But on stage, it’s about so much more than just your performance. It’s also where all the people who love it come, make friends, and find something in common.”
Ultimately, Loveland represents a culmination of experiences – from the joy of parenthood to the unpredictable rhythms of a life lived fully, a truth that Waterhouse is ready to share. “Making a record is a discovery to me and myself,” she concluded. “So there are things that surprise me, too.”