Suki Waterhouse’s New Album ‘Memoir of a Sparklemuffin’ \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Suki Waterhouse’s second album, Memoir of a Sparklemuffin, reflects her growth as an artist and personal experiences, including pregnancy and her evolving music career. Inspired by a colorful, dancing spider, the album explores themes of love, heartache, and her time in the entertainment industry. Waterhouse discusses how playing Karen Sirko in Daisy Jones and the Six motivated her to fully embrace her musical ambitions.
Suki Waterhouse’s New Album: Quick Looks
- Suki Waterhouse’s sophomore album, Memoir of a Sparklemuffin, is out Friday, influenced by a vibrant, dancing spider.
- The album follows her 2022 debut and her role in Daisy Jones and the Six, focusing on love, heartbreak, and the music industry.
- Waterhouse recorded much of the album while pregnant with her daughter, finding creativity through the process.
- Tracks like “Model, Actress, Whatever” reclaim her labels, bringing a sense of empowerment and fun to the album.
- Playing Karen Sirko in Daisy Jones helped Waterhouse embrace her music career, providing the final push to create this album.
- After performing live, including at Coachella and Taylor Swift’s concert, she feels inspired to create upbeat, dynamic tracks.
Deep Look:
Suki Waterhouse’s journey through music continues to evolve, and her second album, Memoir of a Sparklemuffin, is a reflection of that growth. The British singer-songwriter, model, and actress was inspired by a late-night discovery of the Sparklemuffin spider, a colorful and dancing creature that Waterhouse felt represented a certain wildness and charm. “He’s wildly colored. He’s cute,” Waterhouse said. “Best of all: He dances.” This unique spider became not only a mascot but a symbolic foil for Waterhouse’s personal and creative journey, culminating in the release of her latest album.
Memoir of a Sparklemuffin, which follows Waterhouse’s 2022 debut I Can’t Let Go, arrives as the 32-year-old reflects on her decade in the entertainment industry and the recent birth of her daughter with actor Robert Pattinson. Composed of 18 tracks, the album explores themes of heartache, the pursuit of deep love, and the challenges and growth that come with a career that began in the fashion industry before transitioning to music. Waterhouse, who also starred as keyboardist Karen Sirko in the Amazon Prime series Daisy Jones and the Six, drew on that role to fuel her ambition as a musician.
Many of the songs on Memoir of a Sparklemuffin were written and recorded while Waterhouse was pregnant, and she credits that experience with providing a sense of focus and drive. “I think the physical limitations were something that shaped the album in a really good way,” Waterhouse explained. “It was sort of amazing to not be able to leave the house for a couple of months. I really got to focus in a way that I don’t know if sometimes you are able to when the world keeps moving.”
Recording at home in Los Angeles, surrounded by a network of talented collaborators, allowed Waterhouse to maintain a creative atmosphere while preparing for motherhood. The impending arrival of her baby added an extra layer of urgency to finish the album. “It wasn’t just the deadline of ‘finish the record.’ It was, ‘We must finish the record. There will be a baby here if we don’t,’” she said, reflecting on the combination of excitement and pressure that fueled her creativity.
One standout track, “Model, Actress, Whatever,” represents a reclaiming of labels that have followed Waterhouse throughout her career. “I wrote that song kind of self-deprecatingly, but I also felt like I would want to be in my car singing that,” Waterhouse said. “It’s dramatic, it’s glamorous.” Initially hesitant to release the track as a single, she eventually realized that it was empowering to reclaim those labels and have fun with them. The accompanying music video embraces this playful defiance, and Waterhouse feels proud of the track’s message and humor. “I hope everyone watches it because it’s just like a giggle,” she added.
Her role as Karen Sirko in Daisy Jones and the Six was pivotal in pushing Waterhouse to embrace her own music career fully. “She was cool and calm and collected and knew exactly what she wanted to do,” Waterhouse said of the character. Playing Sirko, a confident musician determined to live the touring lifestyle, gave Waterhouse the nudge she needed to take her own music seriously. “There’s a reason why I was drawn to the part,” she noted, explaining how being immersed in a fictional band setting helped her step into the role of a musician in real life. After Daisy Jones, she felt ready to take the leap and focus on the album she’d been wanting to create for years.
Waterhouse’s live performances over the past year, including a show at Coachella and an opening act for Taylor Swift, have also influenced her approach to songwriting. Seeing how fans respond to her music on stage has inspired her to expand her sound. “When I did Taylor’s show the other day, I went straight into the studio afterward,” she said, feeling energized by the experience. Although she intended to write an upbeat stadium anthem, she instead came up with a ballad, but the creative spark from performing live stayed with her. Tracks like “My Fun,” which she describes as the first truly upbeat song she’s felt proud of, represent a shift in her music. “I was like, ‘OK, I can write an upbeat song and not be cringed out by it,’” she said, looking forward to performing it on tour.
With Memoir of a Sparklemuffin set to release, Waterhouse is most excited about the opportunity to share her new music with fans. “There’s nothing better than having a bunch of new songs that you love so much and you feel like you’re putting together a show that’s a whole level up, that you couldn’t have even dreamed of a year ago,” she said.
The album showcases Waterhouse’s evolution not only as a musician but also as a person navigating love, life, and the pressures of a multifaceted career. With her distinctive blend of glamour and introspection, Memoir of a Sparklemuffin marks a bold new chapter in her musical journey.
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