PinkPantheress Reveals She Used to ‘Follow Then Unfollow’ Artists to Get Noticed on SoundCloud

You might not be able to scroll through TikTok without hearing any of PinkPantheress’ hits. The British pop hitmaker has often credited the platform for the viral success of songs like “Boy’s a Liar” and most recently “Illegal.” But before her rise to internet stardom, PinkPantheress was working the algorithm in her own way.

In an interview with Coveteur published Tuesday, September 23, PinkPantheress — whose real name is Victoria Walker — shared the tricks she used in order to get herself noticed online.

“Oh my God, the things I used to do,” she said. “I would follow people and then unfollow them just so that they’d follow me back, because I was really desperate to get people that would listen to my music.”

Thankfully, these tricks worked, and PinkPantheress quickly became a viral success — thanks to the powers of SoundCloud, as well as her quick, catchy self-produced tracks made on GarageBand.

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Though PinkPantheress has acquired a taste of fame with “Boy’s a Liar,” the Ice Spice-assisted remix that peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and with “Illegal,” which reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, she has never sought out pop stardom.

“The insane, rigorous dancing and huge events, TV performances…I can definitely do some of them, but I think my mind isn’t built for it,” she said. “I might have the physical resilience, but not the mental one.”

While she may not consider herself among the top of the pops, she does wish to collaborate with a certain main pop girly. “I think Doja Cat is the best pop writer we have,” she said. “I would love to do a song with her because her thing for melodies is incredible. When I hear something she’s written, I can always tell it’s her.”