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‘Everything is whimsical, always’: In conversation with Ziggy 2000

At 6:30pm on 18 th December 2024, Bristol’s Mount Without, The Crypt, opened its doors for fans of Ziggy 2000 to spend a night in a whimsical wonderland.

By Leah Matthews, Third Year Classical Studies

If you haven’t been before, The Mount Without’s Crypt is a truly special events space, with its dim-lighting and low ceilings creating an intimate and magical atmosphere.

As I waited to speak to Ziggy herself, a friend of hers arrived with some handmade jellyfish to add to the array of decorations, an act that encapsulated the love that was poured into this intimate show. From homemade bunting to paper tealight houses, everything truly was whimsical.

And then, there she was. A rainbow princess, dancing between friends and loved ones, and flitting between last minute tasks before the doors opened. With cheeks blushed as rosy as Snow White’s, and a cobalt blue A-Line dress, swiped straight from Alice’s Wonderland Wardrobe, I felt I was truly in the presence of a modern day Disney Princess, with a touch of rainbow hair.

If you’re unfamiliar with the music of Ziggy 2000, imagine femininity and its most delicate, blended with a homage to alt rock and indie sleaze. To maintain the theme, she is the princess of versatility. Here is the pre-show conversation we shared:

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A post shared by Ziggy 2000 (@z1ggy2000)

L: Hello! How are you doing? 
Z: I’m doing really well , I am a bit nervous but I’m also really excited. 

L: So, can you tell me the story of how Ziggy 2000 came about? 
Z: So in a nutshell, I had been playing the bass at uni to fill up my time. I had melodies in my head all the time, so I felt like bass wasn't the one for me and I just felt like I want to be in the forefront. So, I picked up the guitar and then, unbeknownst to me, lockdown happened.

I had this guitar, and I was living with my ex ex-boyfriend, and we broke up whilst I was still living with him. So he would just play Fifa and I would play the guitar!  

L: A strange situation, but perfect for writing love songs!
Z: Yeah! So wrote a bunch of these love songs, whilst working night shifts at Waitrose. It was one hungover Sunday morning, and I thought to myself, ‘I have a bunch of songs which are really cool, I'm just gonna post them on the Bristol Musicians group page and see what happens’. I got a bunch of messages and then a guy messaged me saying how good he thought they were. And then it kind of snowballed and before I knew, I'd raised £2000 for a Kickstarter for an EP.  

Then, I was in Marseille on my year abroad, and I had a really bad breakup with an ex. I made a TikTok and it blew up and I got noticed by a small label who didn't have any artists and I was the first artist they signed. So yeah, it kind of grew from there. 

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L: What an incredible story! I also want to ask you about Bristol. So, you're not from Bristol originally? 
Z: No, I came to Bristol for uni. 

L: Where are you originally from? 
Z: I used to live in Indonesia because my mum's Indonesian. We lived over there until I was seven and then came back. I’ve probably moved around 15 different times. So when people ask: where are you from? I don't know, but Bristol is where I have lived the longest. 

L: How do you feel about Bristol as a place? Do you think it is creatively inspiring? 
Z: It's incredible. It's such a good place to be nurtured creatively. I had a lot of reserves about it because my music, for better or for worse, is very girly. So, I always felt really bad because I didn’t want random guys in my band who hate my songs, but just want to play the guitar.  

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L: So do you think this girly vibe is not very Bristol?  
Z: I feel like that's changing now. It’s been very serendipitous for me. I found Kate, who’s my right hand man, she’s incredible. And then through her I found Louis, who's amazing. I love working with them. And then I found Ella, who's a girl drummer, which is insane to find someone like that in Bristol, who's also so clued up on PR, music and things like that.

Ever since I found that, I've been more confident, I’ve found like my favourite band who are based in Bristol and this entire scene which I didn't know about.  

L: And your fan base as well. You've got a really supportive fanbase. 
Z: It's all these young girls who are dotted all over the globe. I have fans in Japan and loads of people in the US. I was a Disney kid, so I grew up listening to Demi Lovato, I loved her. 

L: Would you say she is a big inspiration? 
Z:  I mean look at the outfit! 2008 Demi Lovato is absolutely my thing, she is a big inspo for me, definitely in songwriting. I think a big reason I sometimes feel as though my music doesn’t assimilate into Bristol Culture is because it is slightly Americanised. I went to international school in Jakarta, so a lot of the music I grew up listening to was American. 

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A post shared by Ziggy 2000 (@z1ggy2000)

L: Do you have any tips for young musicians?  
Z: When I first started writing songs, I knew when they were good, but also it takes a while to get better. The lyrical difference between the songs I wrote four years ago versus now is crazy! So, just keep on writing those bad songs! Those shit songs became amazing songs.

I had a writing hiatus for six months, and I thought: ‘Is this it? Is my career over?’. Then, I had a flick of inspiration which opened up a cavern of new songs, and here I am! 

L: Have you got any plans for the future? Or are you taking it one step at a time? 
Z: I want to make it bandier and more rocky, that's my plan. Rock music has always been the thing I have wanted to do. Girl rock, Girl punk. My favourite band is a band called Dazey and the Scouts from Boston. They are an all-girl band, who have super emotional and funny lyrics. One of my songs, Stitches, is based on their songs.

It has very scathing, hilarious lyrics. Also, the film Juno! That vibe as well as Broken Social Scene, all of these American and bubble-grungy, hard but soft bands, I love them. 

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At 7pm, the evening opened with the truly talented Harmer Jays, followed by Dogsbody, both local and upcoming artists. The two performances wowed eager crowds and set the tone for evening.

Ziggy’s set commenced with just her and Kate, and the other bandmates joined the stage as the night progressed. We heard old stuff, new stuff and covers- including a rendition of ‘Casual’ that gives Chappell Roan a run for her money.

With the addition of a violin and skin-tingling harmonies, whimsicality ricocheted around The Crypt. The supportive audience laughed and cried throughout the journey, their's echoing the biggest smile of the night: Ziggy’s.

Ziggy 2000’s music is available on all major streaming platforms. Keep an eye out for any upcoming gigs. If you are searching for whimsicality in its purest form, it lies with Ziggy and her songs.

Featured Image: Leah Matthews

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