Born in Dagenham to Irish immigrant parents, Fi McCluskey has cultivated a distinctive, genre-defying sound rooted in raw, heartfelt storytelling. In her electrifying new track, “Die Young,” Fi boldly addresses the stark realities of post-natal depression. The song begins with a pulsating, bass-heavy instrumental and unfolds into a thought-provoking, socially conscious narrative, elevated by McCluskey’s expansive, distorted vocal range, brutally honest lyricism, and the dynamic production of acclaimed producer Johan Hugo.

Speaking on the creative inspirations and themes behind the track, Fi explains, “‘Die Young’ is straight from the heart. It’s one of those tracks that flew out from the depths of my soul.”

“After visiting a friend of mine who had recently had a child, it was clear that she was suffering from severe postnatal depression. The lack of support or even recognition for what she was going through, not only from her partner, but from society as a whole, resulted in her feeling isolated, scared and as though she had nowhere to turn.”

“This galvanised me to turn these conversations into a song. ‘Die Young’ rolls and builds, speaking straight from my heart to the listener. It’s sung in a conversational style to evoke an encouraging and reassuring tone – a mantra and affirmation to let women know, ‘You are not alone.’”

Listen to the track…

The track is accompanied by a visually striking, monochrome-filtered music video, masterfully directed by David Hughes. The vivid, high-contrast visuals provide fans with a compelling glimpse into Fi McCluskey’s artistic vision.

Watch the video…

We caught up with Fi to discuss her collaboration with producer Johan Hugo and director David Hughes on the powerful track and its striking visuals, as well as the expanding space for socially conscious music in today’s landscape.

Read the interview…

Congratulations on the release of “Die Young”. What was the creative process behind writing the track?

Working with Johan Hugo was a joy! I knew I wanted a heavy, repetitive, hypnotic bass line, taking inspiration from bands like Massive Attack. The track has a conversational style with encouraging repetitive phrasing. It was just one of those tracks that flew out of the soul! It had been brewing for some time and needed to get out…

What messages do you hope fans will take away from the track?

Today our societies are structured around hyper-individualism. Sod that! This way of organising ourselves hasn’t brought us happiness. I hope this track makes people think about how we need to show empathy and offer solidarity to new mothers and to pregnant women.

Let’s rewire dated ideologies attached to having children. Check in with new mothers. I have found the simple art of conversation and just letting people know “we have your back” and are here for them at this vulnerable time helps immensely. Having been the main source of support for several loved ones going through this, empathy goes such a long way. Post-natal depression is extremely common, we need to address that. Destigmatising this and educating ourselves is a great start.

How did you and David Hughes develop the concept for the visuals?

With dated ideologies in mind, we wanted to spin them on their heads, show otherwise innocent images in a different context. With that in mind, and using my body as a canvas, we spoke about child-like, naive drawings, layered with warrior-type painted phrases and words.

James experimented with various materials to achieve the final result. The way in which they’re etched on my body in radically different textures and tones is designed to change the viewers perception. Working with the director, David Hughes, and the artist, James Davidson together created the end result which I am incredibly proud of.

From an artistic perspective, what other cultural ideas and stigmas would you like to address in future work?

Unfortunately, we are not short of stigmas. One that is undoubtable and completely ludicrous is the narrative leading to a misinformed perception, put out by mainstream and right-wing media towards trans women. Trans women are overwhelmingly portrayed through the frame of ‘predator’, especially when discussing safe spaces. The ignorance pours off the pages the tabloid press. Unfortunately, the consequences of such ignorance has a huge and extremely negative impact on individuals’ everyday lives.

A dear friend of mine suffered at the hands of The Daily Mail recently as a result of some of the lies they published. They should get their facts right and be held accountable.

Looking at the broader alternative-pop/rock genre, do you feel like there’s a growing space for socially conscious music like yours?

Yes, most certainly, and why stop there? There has always been space. I feel it is an artist’s duty to reflect on the times and create thought provoking work in light of that. When you look at social change throughout history the pattern speaks for itself. From Rock and Roll and Punk to Hip Hop, these were the voices of their generation and responsible for engaging people, uniting them and resulting in impactful social change, moving ‘the times’ forward in their way of thinking.

Governments are acutely aware of the power artists have and we need to remember that. Especially now where so many artists with huge platforms have been silent in relation to Palestine. I would bet my last tenner that artists such as Bowie, 2Pac, Sinead O’Connor or George Michael would not have been. I hope this kind of activism is not lost.

Talk us through your journey into music.

I have always loved music and have sung for as long I can remember. My friend’s dad at school had a punk band called Instant Muscle. They had a basement in south London full of instruments. He and his friends who were all in various amazing bands would jam every weekend. At the time, as a 15-year-old, I almost took for granted the level of talent we were submerged in. They would encourage us to play and sing, we would take it in turns on the drum kit, keys, guitars, and mic. They eventually let my mate and I sing backing at their gigs. We played all over London. It was a very magical time in my life.

What do you have coming up in terms of new tracks, projects, live performances and collaborations?

I will be dropping the Die Young remix, by the incredible Hannah Holland, in the coming weeks. My next single, Scream, will also be out in January. I have been working with the very talented Josh Quinton on the visuals, where we will be transporting you into another universe. As well as all this I am recording my forthcoming album. Watch this space!