Mood Board
11 Things That Got Suki Waterhouse Through Her New Album (And Pregnancy)
“I had two babies that I had to deliver right on time.”
After cramming to finish her forthcoming sophomore album during the last two months of her pregnancy, Suki Waterhouse is ready to celebrate.
That joyful mood comes through on the 32-year-old indie-pop singer’s most recent single “My Fun,” which was chosen to soundtrack Sonos’ new campaign accompanying the release of their first-ever headphones. And it’s a theme we can expect to hear throughout the new record, which drops later this year. “[My last album] very much encompassed this reflection on a sadistic sort of love,” she tells NYLON. “This album’s like, “You’ve been through all of that sh*t and you’ve come out the other end, and now you’re like, ‘OK, what are we doing tonight?’”
Below, Waterhouse — who also stars in the smiley Sonos Ace commercial — details all her must-haves throughout the recording process, from her preferred studio snack to the sausage-like pregnancy pillow she still sleeps with.
LAMY Ink Pen
“I bought a LAMY ink pen in an airport in Germany, because it just reminded me of being a kid so much. I used to use them all the time, and I would just constantly be having ink explosions and doing ink doodles. It was the pen [I used while] writing for this record.”
Rice Krispies Treats
“Sometimes when I was writing for a long time or got stuck, that would be my go-to. I’d just have a walk down to [Gelson’s Markets] and have a Rice Krispie reset.”
Sunset Boulevard
“I watched [the movie] a couple of times while I was making this record. I spend a lot of time in L.A. and I'm English, so [the city is] sort of home, but it always feels kind of mysterious and distant in some way. I wrote this song inspired by it. I love the idea of going to Beverly Hills and these older ladies who are super-glamorous, and I imagine them holed up in this cave. Or maybe I imagine myself holed up somewhere in the hills, not leaving the house and having this ridiculous lifestyle. Reflecting back on their lives, what they're bitter about, and what makes them textile.”
Bbhugme Pillow
“It's [a pregnancy pillow in] a long sausage shape. When we were making the record, I couldn't sit comfortably anywhere for any amount of time without being entwined in the sausage. Now, I'm not pregnant but I am never giving up that pillow. I really need it with me at night. At all times.”
Comme Si Socks & Shorts
“I am really obsessed with their socks. They make the best socks that I’ve ever experienced — they’re kind of thin and delicate. And then I have a little pair of red boxer-style shorts from them, which are also super cute. [I found their clothes] while I was in a deep scroll on Instagram, just dreaming about [not only wearing] sweatpants anymore.”
Canon PowerShot A650IS
“I discovered [this point-and-shoot digital camera while] making the record. It’s turned into my favorite little digi camera for documenting everything, and it takes the most flattering photos. I literally cannot take a photo on my phone anymore. I'm allergic to it.”
Ginger & Cinnamon Tea
“I got really obsessed with making [tea] at home. Boiling ginger, putting cinnamon in it, a little cardamon, just making this really fragrant tea that would permeate through the whole house. It was such a calming, natural fragrance to have around when you're doing long hours. I’m a terrible cook … so all I could do was make the tea.”
This is quite funny, but I saw [the recipe] on Kourtney Kardashian’s POOSH page. When you’re pregnant, you get into that nesting feeling and you start getting obsessed with [things like that.] We also got really obsessed with what pans we had. We would go to [Williams Sonoma at The Grove] for an hour and just stare at pans. It’s a really strange thing that happens to you. That was part of my nesting vibe.”
Death Becomes Her
“That scene at the end where they’re completely broken and f*cked up, and there are these two women still bickering at each other and fighting over these values of beauty they have. It was that scene in particular that really struck me and I used it as an inspiration for a song.
Her producer Blue May’s bulldog Dean
“We were all in such an electric, high-pressure situation [working on the album] and all [Dean the bulldog] wanted was to sniff things and eat and sit in this big furry chair that I have, which he completely destroyed. He just laid out there like a seal in the sun, and having this guy around that wasn't invested in the project keeps you connected to normalcy. I really want to get [our own] dog one day. But now [that] I have a kid, I want to wait until she's a couple of years old, and I can do the whole “bring home the surprise dog” thing.
Sonos Ace Headphones
“My house is full of Sonos [speakers], and now, I’m a total Sonos headphones girl. It was a mad rush to finish [my album] while I was in my last two months of pregnancy. I had two babies that I had to deliver right on time. Now, I’m walking around the city and have a great new pair of headphones to listen to the record and enjoy it in a different way than when [I was] making it.”
