As she drops her new single ‘Coffee Shop’, the 17-year-old musician and Gucci model opens up about memes, confidence, and the best advice she’s ever received
At just 17 years old, Flowerovlove writes about girlhood from the perspective of the here and now. Despite the difficulties of growing up in the digital age, her sound is defiantly positive, colour and fun. The south London artist, also known as Joyce Cisse, writes her melodic bedroom pop by tapping into her inner child, creating music she would’ve wanted to hear when she was younger. Her song are an invitation to a brighter, more idealistic world.
In 2022, Joyce released her sophomore EP A Mosh Pit in The Clouds, consisting of dreamy, roving guitar and hazy vocals. She details the nervous excitement of youth, whimsical adventures with friends, and the transformative joys of self-expression. Earlier this year, she followed this with “Love You”, a single co-written with her brother Wilfred Cisse, celebrating universal love beyond romance. Part of her allure is her unwavering sense of self-assurance: from her early career built in the seclusion of lockdown, she credits the importance of spending time with yourself and learning to trust your gut. This confidence has attracted the attention of the fashion world, too – with the singer appearing at London and Paris Fashion Week, and modelling for Gucci and Pangaia. As she gears up to release her new single, “Coffee Shop”, Joyce talks to us about growth, her family, and her secret to self-love.
Hi Joyce! What can you tell us about the new single ‘Coffee Shop’?
Flowerovlove: I’m very excited about the song, it’s a very fun song. The song sounds like my personality. When I hear the song, I think of the colour yellow and orange a lot (when I listen to songs, I see colours). When I was writing it, I didn’t really know what it was about, and I just thought it sounded cool. I don’t like coffee, [but] I soon realised it was about these moments [where you just] go and have a fun time. And I literally wrote about that, how I miss those times.
As you’re growing and your career is getting bigger, do you feel these sorts of moments happening less?
Flowerovlove: Yes, I do, and I think I’ve felt like that for a while. This year specifically. I’ve recently been putting a lot more effort into seeing my friends. I want to go out of my way, even if it’s just an hour or something.
Being in the music industry so young, what has your support system looked like?
Flowerovlove: I have good friends who are very supportive, and I also obviously have my brother who is in my team, and he comes with me to everything. It’s like you have a piece of your family with you because I get really homesick all the time – if I’m away for just a weekend and I’m staying at my friend’s house, not even anything to do with work, I get homesick. I’m really attached to my home. But my home is my family, not necessarily a physical place.
Within your music, you spread the message of self-acceptance, what’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt in finding self-love?
Flowerovlove: No one else’s opinion matters; all that matters is what you think and what your gut is telling you and also, whatever you want will happen. Don’t focus on how and when just know that it will happen. Self-belief is the only way for you to go on with your life and be happy.
When did you realise the power of good music?
Flowerovlove: I realised the power of music when “The Best Song Ever” by One Direction came out. It was the power of creative visuals, too – they didn’t just release a song, they released a world. I remember believing that when I was very young!
“I get homesick. I’m really attached to my home. But my home is my family, not necessarily a physical place” – Flowerovlove
What’s the last text you sent?
Flowerovlove: The last text was to my older brother saying he should hurry up and join a Zoom call.
What’s your favourite cornershop snack?
Flowerovlove: Oooh, my favourite corner shop snack… before I went vegan it was definitely a Flake, but now it’s got to be Cheetos or Skips.
What’s the last meme you saved?
Flowerovlove: It’s a very, very cute photo of a meme that I think is super iconic and that I send to people randomly mid-conversation (see below).
Courtesy Flowerovlove
If you could only listen to one musician for the rest of your life, who would it be?
Flowerovlove: Wow – probably Taylor Swift because she’s got a HUGE discography so I would never be bored.
What do you put on your rider?
Flowerovlove: On my rider, I always have to put bread – like just plain bread. I love it toasted or just by itself, because why not.
What’s your weirdest internet obsession?
Flowerovlove: My weirdest internet obsession is probably with The Sidemen – I feel like we’re internet best friends and we know each other. They’re a safe space, my comfort YouTubers.
The worst advice you’ve ever been given?
Flowerovlove: The worst advice I’ve ever been given is probably to follow footsteps. I’ve come to realise that every journey is different and never in one straight line. To get to where you want, you need those rocks and pieces of broken glass in your journey, so when the line does get straighter it feels awesome.
Let your predictive text finish this sentence: I am a musician because I love___ but people don’t know that I am actually___.
Flowerovlove: I am a musician because I love that music can bring the world together, but people don’t know that I am actually mentally a YouTuber 💅🏽
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https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/60236/1/flowerovlove-joyce-cisse-south-london-bedroom-pop-prodigy-coffee-shop
