PinkPantheress

Biography

Victoria Beverley Walker (born 19 April 2001), known professionally as PinkPantheress, is a British singer-songwriter and record producer. She has been honored with several accolades, making history as the youngest person and first woman to be awarded Brit Award for British Producer of the Year. Her music blends styles such as R&B, drum and bass, UK garage, house, and alternative pop, often sampling music from the 1990s and 2000s and featuring affable stream-of-consciousness lyrics.
Born in Bath, Somerset, and raised in Kent, PinkPantheress began her musical career in 2021 while attending university in London, where she produced songs using GarageBand and posted them on SoundCloud and TikTok. Several of them, including "Break It Off×Break It Off4 June 2021 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Break It Off1:35", became popular on TikTok, and she signed to Parlophone and Elektra Records and released her debut mixtape To Hell with It×to hell with it15 October 2021 · Studio album · Mixtape/StreetSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Pain1:382I must apologise1:483Last valentines1:134Passion2:185Just for me1:556Noticed I cried1:227Reason2:118All my friends know1:589Nineteen2:3310Break it off1:35 later that year. Her 2022 singles "Just for Me×Just for me13 August 2021 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Just for me1:58" and "Pain" peaked in the top 40 of the UK Singles Chart, and "Boy's a Liar" reached number two.
PinkPantheress's debut studio album, Heaven Knows×Heaven Knows10 November 2023 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Another life2:532True romance2:163Mosquito2:264The aisle2:465Nice to meet you2:036Bury me2:187Internet baby (interlude)2:128Ophelia2:349Feel complete2:4310Blue2:5911Feelings3:0412Capable of love3:4413Boy’s a liar, Pt. 22:13 (2023), charted in ten countries. It spawned the UK top-20 song "Nice to Meet You" and the remix single "Boy's a Liar Pt. 2" (with Ice Spice), which peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100. She continued this success with her second mixtape, Fancy That×Fancy That9 May 2025 · Studio album · Mixtape/StreetSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Illegal2:302Girl Like Me2:253Tonight2:554Stars2:225Intermission0:246Noises1:457Nice to Know You2:508Stateside2:489Romeo2:34 (2025), which reached number three on the UK Albums Chart. It spawned the UK top-40 singles "Tonight×Tonight4 April 2025 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Tonight2:55" and "Stateside×Stateside25 April 2025 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Stateside2:48", and "Illegal×Illegal6 June 2025 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Illegal2:30" became her second entry in the US. The remix single "Stateside + Zara Larsson" (with Zara Larsson) became her second top-ten hit in the US and her first to top the Billboard Global 200.

Early life and education

Victoria Beverley Walker was born on 19 April 2001 in Bath, Somerset, to a Luo mother from Kisumu, Kenya, who works as a carer, and an English father, a statistics professor. She has a brother who works as an audio engineer. Walker is the niece of English chess player Susan Lalic. Walker has said that her "family are all chess players", and that if she was not making music she would "be a chess player". When she was five years old, her family moved from Bath to Canterbury, Kent, where she grew up and studied at Simon Langton Girls' School. Her father moved to the US to work at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas, when she was 12 years old, but she and her mother remained in the UK.
Walker took piano lessons as a child, and, at age 12, sang "Stand by Me" by Ben E. King at a school talent show. When she was 14 years old, she became the lead singer in a rock band, which covered songs by My Chemical Romance, Paramore, and Green Day, and performed with them for the first time at a school fête. She studied film at the University of the Arts London, but dropped out in 2022. In July 2025, she received an honorary doctorate in Music from the University of Kent.

2019–2021: To Hell with It

Walker started writing music in secondary school to help a friend before eventually writing music on her own. At age 17, she began using GarageBand to produce instrumentals for her friend, fellow singer MaZz, and she later used GarageBand to record many of her early songs while lying down in her university hall late at night. She started uploading original songs of hers to SoundCloud as PinkPantheress. After a video posted to her personal TikTok account in December 2020 received over 500 thousand likes, she posted a snippet of her song "Just a Waste×Just a waste5 February 2021 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Just a waste2:07", which used the instrumental from Michael Jackson's song "Off the Wall", as PinkPantheress later that month in the hopes of reaching a wider audience; the snippet soon went viral on the platform.
Two of PinkPantheress's songs, the Adam F-sampling "Break It Off×Break It Off4 June 2021 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Break It Off1:35" and the Sweet Female Attitude-sampling "Pain", went viral on TikTok in early 2021, with the latter peaking at number 35 on the UK Singles Chart in August of that year. She was signed to Parlophone in April 2021. In June 2021, she was featured on GoldLink's song "Evian" from his studio album Haram! and signed to Elektra Records. When a snippet of her song "Just for Me×Just for me13 August 2021 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Just for me1:58", produced by Mura Masa, gained attention on TikTok, she released it in August 2021, along with a music video co-directed by her and released the following month. On the UK Singles Chart, it peaked at number 27, making it her highest entry on the UK Singles Chart at the time. It earned PinkPantheress nominations for an iHeartRadio Music Award, an Ivor Novello Award, and two NME Awards. At the time, Walker coined the genre and term "New Nostalgia" as a way to describe her sound. According to Office magazine, the term denotes "a trend wistful of the Y2K era" and was often associated with Walker.

In early October 2021, she announced the release date and title of her debut mixtape, To Hell with It×to hell with it15 October 2021 · Studio album · Mixtape/StreetSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Pain1:382I must apologise1:483Last valentines1:134Passion2:185Just for me1:556Noticed I cried1:227Reason2:118All my friends know1:589Nineteen2:3310Break it off1:35, which was released on 15 October 2021 through Parlophone and Elektra Records and debuted at number 20 on the UK Albums Chart. The mixtape was preceded by "Pain", "Break It Off", and "Just for Me" as singles, as well as "Passion×Passion1 July 2021 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Passion2:18", released in July 2021, and "I Must Apologise×I must apologise6 October 2021 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1I must apologise1:48", released in October 2021. PinkPantheress performed live for the first time in October and November 2021 in London.

2022–2024: Heaven Knows

In January 2022, PinkPantheress was announced as the winner of BBC's Sound of 2022 poll. That same month, she released a remix album for To Hell with It×to hell with it15 October 2021 · Studio album · Mixtape/StreetSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Pain1:382I must apologise1:483Last valentines1:134Passion2:185Just for me1:556Noticed I cried1:227Reason2:118All my friends know1:589Nineteen2:3310Break it off1:35. She was nominated for the Brit Award for Song of the Year at the 42nd Brit Awards for "Obsessed With You" by Central Cee, which sampled her song "Just for Me×Just for me13 August 2021 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Just for me1:58", and gave a virtual performance on Roblox for the Brit Awards. She appeared on the song "Bbycakes" with Mura Masa, Lil Uzi Vert, and Shygirl in February 2022. She released her song "Where You Are" featuring Willow in April 2022. That same month, PinkPantheress went on a European tour in support of To Hell with It. She was featured on "Tinkerbell is Overrated", a song from Beabadoobee's second album, Beatopia, released in July 2022. She performed as an opening act on Halsey's Love and Power Tour throughout the spring of 2022 on the American leg. In June 2022, she cancelled her scheduled appearance at the Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona due to hearing loss. Her next single, "Picture in My Mind×Picture in my mind10 August 2022 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Picture in my mind2:56", featuring Sam Gellaitry was released in August 2022. Her extended play Take Me Home was released in December 2022, featuring the singles "Boy's a Liar" and "Do You Miss Me", both released a month prior, and the title track.

"Way Back", her collaborative single with Skrillex and Trippie Redd, was released in January 2023 and included on Skrillex's album Don't Get Too Close the following month. In February 2023, she released a remix of "Boy's a Liar", "Boy's a Liar Pt. 2", with American rapper Ice Spice. After becoming popular on TikTok, the remix debuted at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her first song to appear on the chart, and later peaked at number three. It also peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart, where it became her highest-charting single. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), marking her first RIAA certification, and was nominated for two BET Awards, an MTV EMA, and a Streamy Award. "Angel×Angel8 June 2023 · Single · SoundtrackSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Angel2:04", her addition to the soundtrack for the Greta Gerwig–directed 2023 film Barbie, was released as a single in June 2023. Her collaborative single "Turn Your Phone Off×Turn Your Phone Off14 July 2023 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Turn Your Phone Off2:56" with Destroy Lonely was released in July 2023, and she was featured alongside Hyunjin of the K-pop group Stray Kids on a remix of the Troye Sivan song "Rush" in August 2023. In October 2023, PinkPantheress announced her debut album, Heaven Knows×Heaven Knows10 November 2023 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Another life2:532True romance2:163Mosquito2:264The aisle2:465Nice to meet you2:036Bury me2:187Internet baby (interlude)2:128Ophelia2:349Feel complete2:4310Blue2:5911Feelings3:0412Capable of love3:4413Boy’s a liar, Pt. 22:13, which was released on 10 November 2023. "Mosquito×Mosquito29 September 2023 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Mosquito2:26", the album's lead single, was released in September, followed by the singles "Capable of Love×Capable of love12 October 2023 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Capable of love3:442Mosquito2:26" and "Nice to Meet You" in October and November, respectively.
In October 2023, PinkPantheress announced the Capable of Love Tour for the UK and Europe, spanning from February to April 2024, with North American dates added later in November. The North American leg was produced by Live Nation. In February 2024, she was honoured as Producer of the Year by Billboard Women in Music. She performed as an opener on Olivia Rodrigo's Guts World Tour in the summer of 2024 until announcing the cancellation of all of her remaining live performances in August of that year, citing health reasons. She was featured on a remix of K-pop group Le Sserafim's song "Crazy" released in September 2024.

2025–July 2026: Fancy That

In January 2025, PinkPantheress was featured on Shygirl's single "True Religion×True Religion22 January 2025 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1True Religion2:512F*Me3:083Immaculate2:34" alongside Isabella Lovestory. Her first solo single of 2025, "Tonight×Tonight4 April 2025 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Tonight2:55", was released in April with a Regency–inspired music video. Her second mixtape, Fancy That×Fancy That9 May 2025 · Studio album · Mixtape/StreetSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Illegal2:302Girl Like Me2:253Tonight2:554Stars2:225Intermission0:246Noises1:457Nice to Know You2:508Stateside2:489Romeo2:34, was released on 9 May 2025, with "Tonight" as its lead single. She was featured on Danny L Harle's song "Starlight×Starlight8 July 2025 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Starlight3:40", released in July 2025, and was featured on Yves's single "Soap", which was released in August 2025. On 10 October 2025, she released the remix mixtape Fancy Some More?×Fancy Some More?10 October 2025 · Album · RemixSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 31 tracks · 3 discsDisc 11Illegal2:292Illegal2:473Girl Like Me2:424Tonight2:585Stars2:216Noises2:077Nice to Know You2:498Stateside2:489Stateside2:2810Stateside2:5611Romeo2:1212Romeo2:46Disc 21Illegal2:402Girl Like Me5:223Tonight5:004Tonight4:195Stars2:476Noises6:317Nice to Know You3:228Nice to Know You2:269Stateside4:5410Romeo3:03Disc 31Illegal2:292Girl Like Me2:253Tonight2:544Stars2:215Intermission0:246Noises1:447Nice to Know You2:508Stateside2:489Romeo2:34, which features several artists. In November 2025, she received a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Dance Pop Recording for "Illegal×Illegal6 June 2025 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Illegal2:30" and Best Dance Electronic Album for Fancy That. That same month, she appeared on Benee's second album Ur an Angel×Angel8 June 2023 · Single · SoundtrackSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Angel2:04 I'm Just Particles as a "secret feature" on "Princess", which she also helped write. She appeared on the FKA Twigs song "Wild and Alone" from her album Eusexua Afterglow, which was released in November 2025.
In February 2026, PinkPantheress appeared as a contestant on an episode of The Weakest Link. She was voted off in the sixth round. Later that month, she won the Brit Award for British Producer of the Year, making her the youngest artist and the first woman to receive the award.
In July 2026, PinkPantheress was announced to make her acting debut in a feature film directed by the director duo Daniels. She would join the cast alongside Matt Damon and Sandra Oh.

August 2026–present: Second album

In August 2026, PinkPantheress uploaded a video to TikTok where she performed the tour choreography to her song "Girl Like Me×Girl Like Me8 October 2025 · Single · RemixSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Girl Like Me2:42" and in the caption confirmed the release of her second studio album. She told fans that they should "start saying [their] goodbyes [to the Fancy That 'era']".

Influences

PinkPantheress's stage name was taken from her TikTok account of the same name, which was inspired by a question from the game show The Chase that asked "What is a female panther called?" and by The Pink Panther film series. PinkPantheress has listed Imogen Heap, Lily Allen, Kelela, and Kate Nash as her biggest influences, alongside other artists such as My Chemical Romance, Just Jack, Michael Jackson, Kaytranada and Frank Ocean. She has also cited K-pop songs, Blink-182, Good Charlotte, Green Day, early Panic! at the Disco, Linkin Park, and Frou Frou as inspirations for her melodies and beat choices. She has called Hayley Williams a "big influence" on her as a performer and said that she first wanted to become a professional musician when she was 14 years old after seeing Williams perform as part of Paramore during Reading Festival and that she is "doing music because of [Williams]". She has also stated that she was inspired by an interview with Doja Cat to pursue music as a career, and was inspired to post her songs on TikTok by Lil Nas X.

Musical style

PinkPantheress's music has been described as bedroom pop, pop, dance, R&B, alt-pop, drum and bass, 2-step, jungle, and hyperpop, and often uses samples of other songs, such as dance music from the 1990s and 2000s and jungle, funk, UK garage, and pop songs. PinkPantheress uses topline writing to write her songs, which are frequently self-produced and short in length. She has attributed the shorter length of her songs, which customarily range from two to three minutes long, to her belief that a song does not need to be longer than two minutes and thirty seconds or to have a bridge, a repeated verse, or an extended outro. She has described her own music as alt-pop and "a form of D'n'B that's acceptable to listen to at home", and has stated that she writes "sadder", "dark" lyrics to "appeal to the youth", often to contrast them with her "happy instrumentals". PinkPantheress has said that her lyrics are usually not based on personal experiences, stating, "A lot of it just comes because I really like storytelling." Her views on music, including on song lengths and her stating that she does not listen to albums in full, have prompted criticism and discussion on social media.
NPR's Vanessa Handy called breakbeat loops a "signature of [PinkPantheress's] work", while music critic Kieran Press-Reynolds, writing for Insider stated that her songs regularly have "fast-paced breakbeats" and "ASMR-like refrains". Rolling Stone's Keegan Brady described PinkPantheress's music as "alt-girl rap" and wrote that she uses "confessional, almost treacly rap-singing" and "dated production technology" in her songs which "tap[s] into a deeply nostalgic sound that conjures the height of Nineties U.K. culture". DIY's Georgia Evans called her "DIY aesthetic that started as GarageBand experimentation" a signature of her music.
The Guardian's Michael Cragg described PinkPantheress's vocals as "sweet but unsettling", while Jon Caramanica of The New York Times wrote that she "sounds like she's flirting and aching all at once." Cat Zhang of Pitchfork called PinkPantheress's voice "angelic", "girlish", and "slight" and wrote that she was "one of the rare TikTok artists whose internet fame seems proportional to their potential". Felicity Martin of Dazed called her lyrics "sad" and "wistful". Writing for Nylon, Steffanee Wang called her music "a collage of sounds that fell [sic] simultaneously dated and contemporary", adding that listening to it "feels like being on the internet before social media was a thing". Insider's Kieran Press-Reynolds wrote that PinkPantheress gave up-tempo electronic music genres like drum and bass an "introspective, romantic bedroom sound" with her "hushed" vocals.
PinkPantheress told The Hollywood Reporter that she wants to be taken more seriously in the music industry. She said that she believes "people are less willing to listen to electronic music that is made by a Black woman". She acknowledged the influence of her British heritage on her music, saying "Every time I’ve tried to lean into a more American sound, it ends up being a song that I don’t necessarily think reflects my personal tastes as much as when I lean into being British."

Performance

In her early career, PinkPantheress would walk onto the stage at live shows with a purse in hand in order to make her feel comfortable performing and counter stage fright.

Personal life

Walker has discussed experiencing body dysmorphia from a young age. She also has hearing loss, which initially began as tinnitus, from exposure to loud microphone feedback. She reported being 80% deaf in her right ear in 2022 and has described voices as sounding "mostly like bass". Walker has spoken about her struggles with OCD. She has been diagnosed with primarily obsessional obsessive–compulsive disorder.