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You're doing amazing. >> Where's ice? >> You're doing great.
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>> I just need one piece of ice.
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>> Hey, what's going on everybody?
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For First We Feast, I'm Sean Evans and you're watching Hot Ones.
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It's the show with hot questions and even hotter wings.
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And today we're joined by PinkPantheress.
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She's a Grammy Award nominated singer, songwriter, and producer, including for 2025 sophomore mixtape Fancy That.
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We're thrilled we could catch her between dates for her an evening with PinkPantheress tour.
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But today, she takes the stage against a gauntlet of scorching hot wings.
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PinkPantheress, welcome to the show. >> Thank you.
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>> How would you describe your relationship with spicy food before we get started?
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>> Well, I'm half Kenyan.
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So, I'm not unfamiliar with spice, but I can't sit here and say that Nando's I'm getting anything [clears throat] past peri-tamer.
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Does that make sense to you?
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>> [music] [music] [laughter] >> I've never eaten on camera, so >> [music] >> First time? >> Yeah.
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That's very scrumptious, actually. Pretty nice. I'd put that on my food.
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>> [laughter] >> So, we're catching you in the throes of your tour, and I'm wondering what makes a great opening song for a concert?
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Like, can you pull back the curtain on the kinds of discussions that go into deciding which musical note the audience hears first?
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>> Oh, that's that's a good question.
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For me, it's kind of like what will people recognize instantly [music] that will incite a specific reaction.
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You know, when you release a project, you kind of can tell what the fan favorite [music] is.
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And so in my case, it was a song called Stateside.
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So, I have that as my opener.
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And >> [music] >> once they hear the first few notes, they already know what's going on. They're like, "Ah."
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>> And then you've been pretty open about your struggles with stage fright.
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Do you have any foundational tips for how to get over an anxiety like that?
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Does it get easier when you're doing it night after night? >> I think so.
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Like when I would used to perform on stage, I would I would uh act as if the audience were in charge.
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So, I would let them dictate [music] how I performed.
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So, if they weren't enjoying it, I'd be like, "They're not enjoying it.
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I'm not going to bother."
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But then as time went on, I think somebody once basically drilled into my head that like I [music] have to be the person that dictates them, not the other way around.
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And so, even when you are on stage and you're like, "Everybody jump." Like they all they jump.
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So, it's like you literally can just like you just need to own it.
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And that's basically what I've been trying to do for like 4 years now is just trying to like own it.
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But I've only just got like good.
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I would say even a year ago I wasn't good at performing. >> But now? >> Year and a half.
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But now I'm pretty decent. Yeah, go on.
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>> [laughter] >> Go on then.
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Okay, so do you prefer the flats or the drums?
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>> As a kid, I like the drum cuz it's cutesy, but as a sophisticated man, I've come to enjoy the flat. >> Okay.
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And you look sophisticated. >> Mhm. Thank you very much. >> Of course.
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>> What role did growing up in Canterbury play in shaping your sound?
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You're an artist who really taps into the specific kind of British melancholy.
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I wonder to what extent Canterbury lives in the music.
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>> I have to say something. >> Yeah.
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>> The reason that you're a really good interviewer is because you remember questions really well. Because uh >> actually. >> Uh Canterbury.
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So, when you come to America, things can feel quite glitz and glamour.
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[music] Everyone feels like they can work their way towards being a star.
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In the UK, it just it doesn't I I remember when my teacher like was asking the class what we all wanted to be, and I was like, "I want to be a bassist in a band."
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And literally she was like this, she was like, "Okay, so try and keep it realistic, you guys."
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Like she I was like, "Bitch."
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But, we're just not it's not necessarily in our psyche that, "Oh, this is possible, this is possible."
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And that can be a result of the melancholy, but I also think it's a lot of pathetic fallacy.
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The weather is always gray. You know what I mean?
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>> Yeah, so it keeps you in sort of, >> I don't know.
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I honestly think that I I think the thing that evokes most feeling in me is music in general.
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So, I think that I just like to kind of try and inspire that in other people.
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>> Which one is your favorite?
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>> So, I like this one a lot, actually.
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>> This is deli- delicious. Mhm.
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Wait, you said this was what, garlic? Oh, yeah.
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>> Pickled garlic, some sriracha.
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>> I really like garlic in general. Yeah. I do.
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>> Which pre-fame job do you remember most fondly?
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Working at Marks & Spencer, Claire's, or that time that you spent >> You're so I am shocked at your >> ground in Kent.
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>> So, yeah, I'd say for me, ma- you know, as most Brits know, Marks & Spencer's is pretty Have you been to the UK? >> I have. I have. >> Marks & Spencer's? >> M&S? >> Yes, indeed.
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>> If I hit the food court with a 20-lb note, what's the best pick up there?
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>> I would honestly say, since we're on the topic of wings, uh, they do really good Asian-style salt and pepper wings, which I used to buy out I I would buy out the store. I don't care.
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I'd buy like five packs at a time, and I would deep fat fry them [music] in my deep fat fryer at home.
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Um, so, yeah, that would be what I would get.
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I wouldn't even spend on anything [music] else.
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I'd just spend £20 on that.
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But, um Marks & Spencer definitely is like pretty iconic.
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The food is really good there. Let's do the damn thing.
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So, what this is Black-Eyed Susan? Okay. That is my favorite. That's really good.
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Oh, yeah, that's coming home. That's really good. Oh.
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>> And a little bit of a kick, but nothing you can't handle.
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>> I just really like the chickpea of it all. Mm. Mhm.
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That's my favorite so far.
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>> If you were to put together the perfect singer-songwriter Mr.
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Potato Head style, whose melodies are you taking? >> Okay. >> Whose storytelling?
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Whose ability to [music] break the rules?
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And whose ear for a beat? >> That's hm. Okay.
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Well, if we're hm Melodies, I must say I'm going to say Lily Allen cuz I love Lily Allen, I think.
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She really did enforce a lot of my melodical choices in in some ways.
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I think it's Lily Allen first and second.
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And I think that when it comes to beat choices, sorry, or like instrumentation, I really am a big Frou Frou fan.
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So, I'm just going to say Frou Frou as a unit.
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So, and then last question was >> Willingness to break the rules. >> Oh, I'm on the spot. >> The walls closing in. >> Rule-breaking. >> the space.
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>> Just trying to think who really pushed the Uh you know I was I'm going to say Chief Keef.
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And that's all I'm going to say to that.
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I was talking about him the other day and how much he was doing this from day one.
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Who's your [music] favorite musical artist? >> Oof.
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Like just in mileage in the headphones? >> Oh, I like that. Yeah, sure. Like who yeah.
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>> I'm kind of like a 90s rap kid, right?
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So, if I I going to like >> [music] >> Mount Rushmore just mileage in the headphones, it'd probably be Notorious B. I. G.
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, Eminem, Kanye, and DMX. >> You are surprising. Like, you actually are. No, I must say. Don't judge a book, hey?
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>> Isn't that something to say?
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And don't judge a sauce by the label.
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And up next is a hot and saucy. >> Okay. I like Guaparo.
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What are most people Do people ever stop?
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>> It's actually kind of rare.
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I think like once you're on the show, you feel like a hostage to the show or like tethered to the wings, you know?
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It's like like psychologically.
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>> I really like how you talk.
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I think that you have a I really do.
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I think I like how you form sentences and how your mind forms sentences.
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And I'm just going to let you know that.
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I'm just letting you know that.
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>> Well, you know what I appreciate?
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As an interviewer, I appreciate your candidness, your thoughtfulness, and your opinions about pop music.
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So, if you'll humor me, >> Yeah.
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>> I have some hot take pop music debatable issues that I just want to bounce off of you.
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And then I'm just hoping that you can shoot from the hip on them, okay? >> I'm just amazing.
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>> [laughter] >> Seriously great segway. Tell me, please.
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>> Do you think it's necessary for a songwriter to have experienced emotionally the things that they write about? >> I don't know. I don't.
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But that being said, I don't think you should appropriate any stories that, you know, I don't think we need to sing about everything.
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But it's like SZA's song Kill Bill.
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Like obviously, you know, she didn't kill her.
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I just think I love storytelling in such an abstract way.
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I have a song [clears throat] about drowning in a bathtub.
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>> And you never drowned in a bathtub. >> You don't know that.
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>> [laughter] >> But yeah. So, yeah.
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>> Is there such a thing as selling out or is that a phony made-up concept designed to police the success of others? >> Goodness.
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I can tell when someone's doing it for I think there's two angles.
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You can have a real sellout, which like someone that goes against their moral compass and their moral code.
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And then you have a sellout in terms of like, you know, like, "Oh, I want to gatekeep this artist.
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I don't want everyone to know about them." >> And it's a fine line.
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Not a fine It's actually quite a It's quite a thick line, actually.
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But, the way people will kind of like >> Use it as kind of better to change it.
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>> Yeah, I feel like people So, you know, I think I think it exists, but I think it's quite harsh.
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>> Does an artist owe any level of personal access to fans, or does the music alone complete the transaction?
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>> I think some people like the idea of having more parasocial fans, because I think, you know, [music] I don't think there's anything wrong with that.
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I think it Some people like having that really close connection with their fans, and they're very like their relationship is very like like this.
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And I think that that's it reaps a really, really, really like cultivated fanbase that really are loyal to you.
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But, I think at the expense of it, you kind of >> both ways.
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>> Yeah, I think at the expense of it, you do lose some privacy in your own life, and you might have people following you, for example.
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I'm very happy with my balance.
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Cuz I think that I was lucky enough when I was young, I thought of it.
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I was like, "I don't want to have to explain [music] every aspect of my life to everybody."
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So, I was like, "I'm just going to keep that level of separation."
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Do you ever get followed around?
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>> Uh a little bit, you know, like >> OMG, yeah.
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>> I once um I once got paparazzied walking out of um Tocaia, like the Mexican joint, you know, like on Sunset Boulevard over there. >> Oh, yeah.
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>> And I was walking out, and this guy just started taking the pictures, and I just said to him, "I go at Tocaia, you know?"
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And he goes, uh "Yeah, celebrities come here." Like that.
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That's what he said to me.
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Well, I was just snapping.
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I'm just in gym clothes holding a carryout bag.
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>> Do you go to concerts?
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Who was the last show you went to?
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>> to Foo Fighters this weekend, and they were playing Yeah.
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>> actually love I love Foo Fighters.
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>> And they were playing like a fun like warehouse in the middle of nowhere in New Jersey, and it was like a show cuz they're like gearing up for a tour.
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He was in here in the studio and he was like, "I got a show this weekend."
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And I was like, "Let's do it then."
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>> That's so You should I've got a show >> Tomorrow night? >> Yeah. Are you coming to mine?
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>> [laughter] >> I'd like to. >> You follow me? >> Put me on the list.
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>> Okay, yeah, I'm ready.
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>> All right, this is tropical habanero. >> Okay.
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Do you ever eat the whole wing?
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Like Like down to the bone?
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>> I match the guest energy, you know?
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>> So if I was So if I was eating every piece of chicken down to the bone, you would have done the same thing.
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>> be yes, by the sacred oath that I have to this chair, I'd be obliged to follow you.
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>> Oh, that's interesting.
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>> How do you think about the narrative from one project to the next?
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Like do you think of your music career as this ever-growing body of work with like a broader arc above it or is it more like a one idea at a time kind of thing?
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>> I think it's very easy to want to like do one thing at a time and just forget about the whole.
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Cuz when I first started, I remember like being told like this your career isn't going to be a one or two-year career.
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It should be a 10-year career.
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And I was like, "Oh, really?"
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I didn't expect to make it even 5 years.
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By the way, I didn't I didn't but we're still here.
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And um and I'm on Hot Ones.
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Um the older I get and the more I make projects, the more I'm like, "Oh, this has to be part of a whole overarching journey."
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But then when you're making it though, I still think that you need to treat it as like a like a current situation. You know what I mean?
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Like I For example, my next project >> Careful, careful, careful. You better eat them.
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I'm always just I worry about people's eyes. >> You know what?
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I'd already thought about this.
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I'm only eating it with this Actually, you'll I did use my Thank you. >> I know, I'm watching. I'm watching. >> It's really kind.
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So this is eight dragons.
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And you know what I'm going to do? >> Yeah.
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>> I'm wearing nails today, so I'm actually going to do it with a tissue. >> There you go. Breaking new ground.
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So, I've heard you say that you're obsessed with the Saw franchise, even Spiral starring Chris Rock. >> Yes.
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>> Is there a Jigsaw trap or an effed-up death from the series that you admire most for its creativity?
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>> I will say I anywhere people have to like take off chunks.
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And there's one where you have to take It was like there's a weight like you had they had to cut off chunks of their own flesh to like weigh something down. Sorry. >> Yeah. No, it's all right.
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>> they had to cut off >> I asked the question. >> You did.
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They had to cut off their own chunks of flesh and obviously you're doing it to yourself.
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I just Yeah, I I don't I think I would rather he just kind of like put the trap on me and let it do its thing than like I have to get involved in the trap.
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But that's the whole point of Saw is that you are the person >> who's got to dig out of your own grave.
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>> have to do it because then cuz he's not actually a murderer.
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He's the person that gives you the choice of death or fig- or figuring it out, but being very hurt.
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>> Can you give us one highlight and one lowlight of ghost hunting in Alington Castle? >> [laughter] >> Okay.
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When I haven't seen you look down once to check the >> [laughter] >> I just don't understand.
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So, I'd say that the highlight for that was being with my friends. I love haunted stuff.
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I'm a bit of a skeptic, to be honest.
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I don't want to ruffle anyone's feathers, but I am a bit of a skeptic.
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When we were doing the ghost hunting, I thought it was kind of satire.
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So, I thought we were all in on the joke.
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But there was a real ghost hunter.
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She would be like make four knocks if there's anyone in the room.
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And I was doing this under the table.
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>> [laughter] >> I was like, "Do you hear that?"
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>> Yeah, and I and I that it was a joke, but it wasn't.
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And she just kept I feel really bad now cuz like I really I feel like she definitely thought she like she probably thought she was on something, but it was me.
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And I never actually told her it was me, but >> You don't have to feel bad.
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You should feel good for like coming clean now, you know? >> Right.
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I just hope she doesn't see this and I think her name was Hazel, but I really hope she doesn't see this and I love you, Hazel, but yeah. It wasn't giving. Okay.
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It does creep [snorts] up on you.
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You really are waiting for me.
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Okay, that that that took it up.
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>> [music] >> Just a just a bit. Is that nice to you? >> No.
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[music] You know, this is we you were asking about the sauces earlier.
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>> the the novelty of it all. >> Yeah.
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>> So, have you ever tried the hottest chip? >> I have.
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I've also eaten a Carolina Reaper just the pod [music] straight up and that's the hottest pepper in the world for many years.
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>> The hottest chili pepper? >> Yeah.
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>> Scoville >> Yeah, [laughter] look at you.
16:37
>> Yeah, well, I do my research, too.
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>> So, I have to say that you really crushed it when you were on The Weakest Link finishing in the top three.
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So, if you'll humor me, I actually have a Hot Ones pub trivia quiz for you, which of course is tough to think coherently when you're battling the bomb, but if you're game, I do have some questions.
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>> [laughter] >> You know The Beatles, but you also know beetles.
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Which of the following is not a real beetle?
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The Hercules beetle, the scarab beetle, or the white-spotted sawyer? Mhm.
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You're right, the white the white spotted sawyer, you're right.
17:20
>> [snorts] >> Which British rapper became the youngest artist ever to win a Mercury Prize for an album recorded largely while he was still a schoolboy in East London?
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>> So Dizzee Rascal, is that? >> It is Dizzee Rascal. >> Okay. >> Look at you. How about this one?
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Imogen Heap's 2005 song Hide and Seek was used in a shocking season finale of which American TV drama? >> Mhm. Not Ugly Betty.
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I've I really Oh, I don't Oh, I don't Oh. Mhm. Mhm. Pretty Little Liars? >> It was The O. C. It was The O. C. But you're doing good. >> know that.
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>> I have one more for you. >> Yeah.
18:02
>> Which K-pop group's name includes the longitude coordinates of Seoul? >> NCT 127. >> Incredible.
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>> [laughter] >> I'm just not My mouth hurts. >> I know.
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Such is the plight of this show. >> Yeah.
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>> But you're doing amazing. >> Where's the ice? >> You're doing great. >> I just need more ice. >> yours.
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We have a whole pitcher for you over there. >> Okay.
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[snorts] >> [sighs] >> But just don't leave my mouth. >> I know.
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Do you want some ice cream?
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I can make it happen with a snap. >> Yes, please. Oh. >> Told you. >> [laughter] >> Okay. >> Now I'm blind.
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This is when ice cream tastes best. >> After this? >> After the bomb. >> The bomb.
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>> [laughter] >> the bomb.
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Do you listen to British music?
19:12
Like, do you know Do you know Dizzee Rascal? >> Fix up, look sharp.
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>> [laughter] >> Oh, yeah.
19:24
Well, you must have had a bunch of British artists on here.
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Like >> We've shot episodes in London.
19:28
We shot with Ricky Gervais in London.
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We shot with Charlie Sloth in London.
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>> Are you being serious? Charlie Sloth?
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>> Those are back in the day.
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We shot with Amelia Dimoldenberg in London. >> Oh, yeah.
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>> We shot with Louis Theroux in London. >> Oh my god.
19:44
I just I really just It hurts. It's not like >> I know.
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>> But this doesn't hurt. >> Not as bad. >> Okay, cool. Well, then that's fine.
19:51
>> It's called triple x salsa vibes.
19:57
>> I kind of wish they just called it triple triple x salsa.
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I don't know why we had to the vibe. >> vibe.
20:02
>> [laughter] >> Like Does everything have to be a vibe?
20:07
>> I've heard you say you can find good Kenyan food in New York.
20:08
If I'm new to the cuisine and I want to play the hits, what should I order?
20:16
>> [sighs] >> I'm really just like I don't know. Just give me 1 sec. >> Yeah, yeah.
20:20
>> [laughter] >> Take your time.
20:22
>> Roast meat, chapati um And we have really good sides like We have a lot of spinach and a spinach dish. You take the Oh, ugali. That one's good.
20:34
Yeah, have you eaten African food in general? >> I have. Yeah, yeah, yeah. >> Which one? >> Nigerian food? >> Oh, yeah.
20:42
Um Did you have [music] like the fufu? >> Yeah, yeah, yeah.
20:45
And you do with the bread.
20:47
>> Okay, so it's similar. >> Similar vibes. >> consistency. It's like white.
20:50
You just, you know, you take the stew with it and then you eat it. Mhm.
20:57
I would try ugali for sure.
21:01
>> Well, I've taken the notes.
21:03
All right, Pink Pantheress.
21:09
>> I'll have one bite of this, I think.
21:16
>> And with that, Pink Pantheress, [music] the wings of death are behind us. >> Yeah.
21:22
>> And to close things out, you know, you have such a unique journey to pop stardom.
21:26
You know, this starts in a university hall at night.
21:27
You're by yourself and just GarageBand, which makes me wonder for someone who's sitting in a room right now wondering if the thing that they're making in private is worth anything. >> Yeah.
21:41
>> What is it that you want them to know?
21:43
>> Like, you know, with you, you always wanted to be a journalist.
21:46
>> I did I went to school for broadcast journalism, yeah.
21:50
>> That's really incredible.
21:52
So, you this is what I would have done if I was in your position I wanted to become a host of a chicken-based interview show.
21:59
>> [laughter] >> I would have said to myself, "Okay, I'm going to in a year's time, I'm going to have my own uh YouTube show that I'm just running by myself with two of my friends who none of us really make that much money.
22:11
But, you know, they have camcorders.
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I'm going to borrow my dad's equipment.
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And that's what I'm going to do in a year's time.
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Then, in 2 years' time, oh, I want to have 50K subscribers.
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Third year, oh, now I want to have uh more professional equipment and I want to start [music] making money from this.
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Year five, oh, I want to get a whole studio and and shoot in a studio.
22:33
Year six, oh, I want to get uh Charlie Sloth on here.
22:39
Like, I wanted my first song to have like 100 listeners. It has to be this.
22:43
This doesn't have to be yearly, it could be monthly.
22:46
It could be like, "Well, this month I'm going to do this.
22:48
This month this is going to happen."
22:49
But, it's so much easier to do that than to be like, "Oh, because you overwhelm yourself."
22:52
And that's why people start going, "No, I I'm I'm too overwhelmed. I can't do this." And they procrastinate.
22:58
>> Just get to the top of the hill that gives you a view of the next peak to climb.
23:01
Get on top of that mountain, gives you a clearer view of the next peak to climb, just like the show.
23:05
One wing after another, and look at you, Pink Pantheress, conquering the wings of death, living to tell the tale, and now there's nothing left to do but roll out the red carpet for you.
23:17
This camera, this camera, this camera, let the people know what you have going on in your life.
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>> Yeah, well, I have a show tomorrow.
23:24
You're going to be there.
23:25
>> He's going to be He's in the front row.
23:26
[laughter] Actually throwing wings at me.
23:30
The optics of that would be crazy.
23:30
But, uh yeah, so we're going to have >> [laughter] >> We're going to have a We're going to have a good time tomorrow. We are.
23:37
And then we have the after thing. You can get lit.
23:41
Cuz you said you like to drink now. >> Yeah, yeah.
23:42
It's fun every once in a while.
23:44
>> Only only once in a while though.
23:46
>> And maybe you can write a SONG ABOUT IT.
23:49
>> [applause] >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. OH. >> YOU'RE A LOT OF FUN. >> OH, thank you.
23:57
>> Really nice to meet you. Fun interview. Yeah.
23:59
>> Lovely to meet you, too.
24:01
And yeah, I you must >> you tomorrow.
24:04
>> [laughter] >> We'll see.
24:16
>> All right, [music] Hot Ones fans, you've seen the gauntlet, you've heard about the flavors, and now it's time to taste the action.
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Get your hands on the Season 30 Hot Ones [music] 10-Pack delivered right to your door. That's hotones. com, hotones. com, hotones.
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com to get your hands on the Season 30 Hot Ones 10-Pack.
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[music] The Last Dab, you don't have to if you don't want to, but do it.
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Be careful around the eyes.
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Ice cream not included, and remember, fortune flavors the bold.