Exclusive Interview: Le Fil Talks “Splash Zone,” New Music Video, and More

Le Fil is a multifaceted artist who recently released the song of the summer, “Splash Zone.” The empowering anthem is about embracing the unknown and diving head first. It’s a message that the world needs now and it’s no surprise that it’s resonating with listeners around the globe. Today, Le Fil drops the highly-anticipated music video for the single and Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to chat with the LGBTQ+ pop artist and star of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Season 4 about this momentous occasion!

PC: How did you discover your passion for music and performing?
Le Fil: My mum often asks me this question. She always jokingly says, “No one in our family ever sang or danced…where on Earth did you get it from?” As early as I can remember, I always really enjoyed singing and performing. My sisters always used to play pop music when I was a child and bought me Disney movies like The Little Mermaid or Aladdin, and I always just sang along and recreated the scenes. As a Cantonese-speaking child, I learned English singing along to Kylie Minogue songs! I was only three years old and spent so much time literally copying Kylie’s music videos.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Le Fil: Off the top of my head, I’ve always loved pop artists like Gaga, Kylie, Madonna, the Spice Girls—strong women. Not surprisingly, ones standing up to the patriarchy. As a gay kid, I always felt different and always felt more at home with females. They inspired my pop music for sure.

But in terms of moving that passion into a career, I’d say it was an amalgamation of lots of influences. I was lucky that I enjoyed lots of types of creativity. Sculpture, drawing, fashion, music—all of it. The thread that joins all this was the urge to express myself. That’s partly why I’m called Le Fil. It means “the thread” in French. The thread that weaves through all my disciplines and passions.

Part of my journey was going to art college and trying to discover new ways of seeing the world. I spent a lot of time working on my creative identity, and my gender expression, and that has impacted a lot of my work and subject matters now.

Moving to London really opened my eyes too. I met so many inspirational people in the nightlife, in the arts, and the culture. It all fed into my creativity. I really experimented with many types of expression until I found something that resonated with me. And yet, music was always the backbone throughout all my creativity, so I had to honor that initial instinct.

PC: You’ve had so much success already in your young career. When you look back, is there a moment that stands out?
Le Fil: There have been some amazing moments for sure. Appearing on the latest season of Drag Race UK definitely changed my life. The last two years with that juggernaut of a show have been an adventure. I also love when I get to meet other artists or work on projects, like touring with Spice Girl Melanie C or being in British Vogue…even meeting Beyoncé!

However, as a personal achievement, I think this moment I’m currently in is what makes me happiest: the fact that I’m continually able to do what I do as a gay Asian androgynous male and have the opportunity to create art and share it with the world. It’s magical. As a kid, I never thought I could do it, so every new single, photoshoot, or campaign I work on I’m always thankful for the next steps and for everyone who works with me.

PC: You’ve got a new single out now. Tell us about “Splash Zone” and the inspiration behind the song.
Le Fil: The message behind “Splash Zone” is really about diving in for something that you want. If something piques your interest, don’t sit deliberating. If you’re in the splash zone anyway, you’re going to get wet, so embrace the fear of the unknown and dive right in! When I wrote it, I thought about all the closeted straight men who fancy a bit of the Le Fil action but who are scared to embrace their queerness. So I wrote this about them but wanted to make it more of a universal song.

PC: The music video is so unique. How did you initially come up with the concept behind it?
Le Fil: I mean, with a title like “Splash Zone” how could I not do a watery, moist visual? So I wanted to film it while I was on my beach holidays. I never really rest, to be honest, so I thought why not use a holiday productively too! James Charles Abbott, who worked on the video with me, was also on holiday with me. He works a lot with an analogue aesthetic, often using film for his photos. So we decided to do a retro video that referenced the ’90s sound of the track. We made it feel super lo-fi and played around with bold text and graphics. We ran it through old video machines to get the natural quality of it. I love it! You get the sense it’s like a holiday home video.

PC: As we look ahead to the rest of 2023, what does the year hold for you?
Le Fil: We’re going to be releasing some “Splash Zone” remixes which I’m super excited about. Keeping the summer vibes going as long as I can. And I’m working on some exciting new music too! You’ve got to keep an eye out for that.

To keep up with Le Fil, follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Spotify.