Introducing Stan Pratt… Your Next Maximalist Pop Obsession
If you’re a fan of Chappell Roan, MARINA and New Order, Stan Pratt is an artist you need to watch. Hailing from London, the self-proclaimed “Pop Girlie Boy” grew up in a musically inclined family, with his father being a touring bassist and a variety of music genres constantly filling the halls of his home. However, it wasn’t until Stan was introduced to GarageBand at the age of nine that he officially entered the music realm as an artist. From that day forward, Stan began honing his craft, such as learning how to use Logic to further develop his production skills and creating tracks inspired by the “dance music that dominated the early 2010s charts”
In 2020, the young creative – who has a degree in Neuroscience – made his music debut as one half of the pop duo Outline – which he formed with his best friend Macy. After sharing various singles and two EPs – including their hit record Grape Vapour – as a member of Outline, Stan shifted his focus to a solo career, releasing his high octane track ‘Je Ne Sais Quoi’ in June. With his solo era in full swing, Stan has continued to treat fans to maximalist pop songs that are backed by vivid songwriting and immersive soundscapes. On 1 October, he announced the release date for his debut EP, Introspectator and shared a new single titled ‘Cry Me Rivers,’ which is described as an “anti-romantic ballad.” In light of his exciting announcement, SPINDLE sat down with Stan to get the inside scoop on his incredible track, music journey, and so much more. Read our full interview below.
Heya Stan! Thanks for chatting with SPINDLE! How’s it going? Can you believe we’re already in October?
Hi there, thanks so much for having me! I know it actually feels surreal, I’ve only just finished mourning the end of summer and now it feels like the new year is fast approaching.
Congratulations on the release of your third single, ‘Cry Me Rivers.’ It’s absolutely fantastic! One thing that’s particularly great about this track is how the lyrics and production play off each other. You tell a story of someone who’s unapologetically emotionally detached from people. However, the song’s sound exudes such a cinematic and romantic energy. Was that intentional? Can you take us through your creative process for this track?
Thank you so much for saying that! The way the songwriting & production completely contrasts the lyrical content is kind of what makes the song what it is. I first wrote the melody & chords in my university room last year with the original intention of it being a slow, melancholic song. However, as I’d been using writing as a way of understanding and making up fictional scenarios, I thought it would be fun to completely flip the script and go down a different route. I was studying neuroscience at the time and had become completely fascinated by narcissists and psychopaths, and so thought I’d try and write it from the perspective of someone with no empathy whatsoever. It was a really fun process, as I feel like it allowed me to play with humour an irony in a way I hadn’t previously done in my songs. I like the idea that to a lot of people who might come across it will listen to it and think it’s a really beautiful song, when in reality they’re listening to someone completely disregard another person’s feelings.
What message do you want listeners to take away after listening to ‘Cry Me Rivers’
I want to use it as an example for the kind of music I write, not your day-to-day love song, but a fresh take on something that isn’t often explored in pop music. That’s a niche I’m trying to establish and hopefully one people will find interesting & exciting.
Will we be getting a music video for ‘Cry Me Rivers’? There’s so much you could do with his song in video form!
I made a visualiser for it using some amazing content I’d shot with Christian Sayers, and that is currently up on my YouTube! I’m really loving making these one-shot visualisers for the time being as a kind of introductory view of the world I’m trying to create with my music. I haven’t filmed a proper music video for this one, but I never like to say never as I’m always open to revisiting ideas & concepts! However, I am currently working on something really cool for some unreleased music but for now that’s all I’ll say.
You recently announced your debut EP, Introspectator. How did you arrive at ‘Introspectator’ as the title?
This was a tough decision to make as I wanted the EP title to fully reflect what I’m trying to communicate with my music, and also tie together all 5 tracks on the record. I finally landed on ‘Introspectator’ from combining the words ‘introspection’ & ‘spectator’. As I’ve previously mentioned, I love to write from different perspectives and always aim to give each song its own distinct narrative identity. On this EP, I feel like I’m observing people & their characteristics, relationships, beliefs from a distance (‘spectating’), while channelling my own thoughts & emotions (‘introspection’) to blur the line between observation & personal experience. I also feel like the made-up word has this dramatic, retro-futuristic feel to it, which very much aligns with the sound of the songs, as well as the visuals I create for them.
What has it been like to create your first official solo body of work? What have been some of the highs? Did you encounter any challenges while working on this EP? How did you overcome them?
It has been extremely gratifying as it’s been around 2 years in the making. I wrote the majority of the tracks back in 2023, back when I was trying to figure out who I wanted to be as a solo artist. Those songs really helped give me discover my sound, and so coming back to them this year and developing them to their fullest potential has been a really rewarding experience. One of the biggest challenges was overcoming my hesitation to release some of my music. I used to hold back due to my fear of one of my favourite songs not being well received. In this instance, my song ‘Erotomania’ was not part of the original tracklist, as I believed in it so much, I wanted to “save” it for later in my career. However, I now realise that mindset was irrational, and I just want to release whatever feels right in the moment.
I know you’ve already treated us to the three incredible tracks from the EP – Cry Me Rivers, Dopamine Beast, and Je Ne Sais Quoi. Can you share any details about the project’s two remaining tracks? How would you describe them in five words or less?
Sure thing! Like the other 3 songs, I feel like ‘Mercenary’ & ‘Erotomania’ stand completely on their own. ‘Mercenary’ is a synthwave-inspired anthem that reflects on the inherent selfishness of human nature, and how that ego & greed fuels the futility of war. 5 words to describe it are existential, defiant, cinematic, reflective, and human.
On the other hand, ‘Erotomania’ is a modern pop song that came from listening to a lot of disco music at the time. It explores the meaning of the word, told from the perspective of someone who takes parasocial attachment to new extremes. The story follows them being delusionally convinced they’re having secret rendezvous with a celebrity. 5 words I’d use for this one are obsessive, magnetic, seductive, groovy, and playful.
I want to take a pause from your recent releases and take it back to the beginning. When did you first realise that music was something you wanted to pursue? Do you come from a musical family?
When I was a kid, I was obsessed with drawing and making movies, and always thought I wanted to pursue something in art or film. However, when I was 9, I started playing with GarageBand, making songs inspired by dance music that dominated the early 2010s charts. I eventually switched to Logic and started to develop my production skills, which naturally progressed alongside my songwriting. It’s ironic because I come from a very musical family (my dad’s a bassist who’s toured & played for most of his life) but as a child I thought I was being “rebellious” by not listening to some of the music my parents tried to introduce me to. As I got older, however, I realised how much the early exposure shaped my ear and understanding of music.
Your sound blends a plethora of genres, including 80s synthpop, Alternative Rock, Progressive Rock and electronic. Which artists or albums would you say had a significant influence on your artistry?
I think hearing ‘Family Jewels’ by Marina & The Diamonds for the first time was a turning point for me. At the time I was obsessed with pop music, and that album really took me by surprise. It was still pop, but it also provided something so alternative & cutting-edge. It really made me fall in love with the darker, more experimental side of pop, and pushed me to develop a more eclectic taste in music. ‘Dawn’ by Yebba was also pivotal for me as I think it’s some of the most incredible songwriting I’ve ever heard. The progressions and arrangements were so complex yet so effortless, and that is something I hope to master as I continue to grow as an artist. Over the past 2 years I also got a lot more into 80s music. Artists like Bronski Beat, Kate Bush, Giorgio Moroder, as well as modern synthwave artists like Kavinsky, have helped shape the sonic palette and production style of my music today. I could honestly go on and on, but I’ll just give you these examples for now haha!
You first entered the music scene in 2020 as one half of the music group Outline, which you started with your best friend, Macy. How has your time with Outline prepared you for your solo journey? How have you evolved musically?
‘Outline’ helped me in more ways than I can even describe. For one, having my best friend by my side really helped me build confidence, especially when it came to performing live. Starting at 15, we were honestly like wooden planks on stage. It’s crazy looking back & seeing the evolution of our performance styles over the 6 years. I think having that unconditional love & support gave me the space to find my footing as a performer.
Mason is also one of the most incredible songwriters I’ve ever known, which had a huge influence on my songwriting. The way she approached melodies & lyrics unlocked something in my brain and helped me understanding songwriting on a deeper level. I also found lyric-writing difficult, which came naturally to her, so transitioning to writing songs alone was definitely a challenge. However, I’ve grown so much in that area, and now it’s one of my favourite parts of the creative process.
You’ve brought down the house with live performances at Brighton’s Alternative Escape, London’s Paper Dress Vintage, The Troubadour, and St Moritz Club. What’s your favourite part about performing live? Do you have any special rituals that help you get into the zone?
My favourite part about performing live is honestly how free it makes me feel. As a person I can lack confidence in a lot of areas but, as corny as it sounds, when I’m on stage that all goes away. I truly transform into a different version of myself. I don’t really have any specific pre-show rituals other than trying to channel nerves into excitement 5 minutes before I go on. I genuinely just love the electricity shared between the audience and the performer during live shows. I always want to make sure people have as much fun as I do when I see my favourite artists perform.
So you have three fantastic singles out and a new EP set for release on 13 November. What else can fans expect from Stan Pratt in the coming months?
I am currently planning an EP release show on the 29th November, so everyone should mark their calendars! There’s still a lot of planning to do, but it’s going to be a super special night with some special surprises! I’ve got a few other things I’m working on that I’d like to keep hush-hush for now, but I always keep everyone posted through my mailing list & socials if you want to stay up to date! And of course, I’m always writing & working on new music – I can’t wait for everyone to hear what’s coming next!
Lastly, what are five goals you want to achieve as a solo artist? Are there any dream collaborations you’d like to check off?
Firstly, although it sounds cliché, playing the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury is a hugedream of mine. I first played Glastonbury in 2024, and there truly is nowhere quite like it. The energy, the scale, and connection is incredible. I’ve also always always always wanted to tour. Being able to travel the world and perform my songs in different cities is something I’ve always dreamed of. Alongside that, another big ambition of mine is reaching a point where I see someone in the audience screaming every single word to every song. That’s a real connection that you rarely find elsewhere, and I think it would be magical to experience.
Though I find collaboration intimidating, I obviously have my select artists I’d die if I got to work with. Hemlocke Springs, Daft Punk, Magdalena Bay, AURORA & Declan Mckenna just to name a few! And while this may be a bit of a cheat answer, one of my overarching goals is to simply keep getting better at what I do. Become a better songwriter, producer, singer, performer & instrumentalist. I think the creative process is so rewarding and honing my skills makes the journey even more exciting.
Stan Pratt’s debut EP Introspectator is out on November 13th.
Check the visualiser for his latest single ‘Cry Me Rivers’ here or below.
