PinkPantheress, the patron saint of sad girls and a handbag aficionado, has once again thrown us off guard with her remix of Boy’s a Liar. The London musician got back on the Mura Masa co-produced groove, this time calling up none other than Princess Diana, Ms Ice Spice for a verse.
And while you’d think Ice Spice, famed for her nonchalance, casual confidence, and ability to wave off simps, wouldn’t get along with Pink Pantheress’ sad meditations, you’re mistaken! It appears that the NYC drill queen has also gone through it, singing about not eating or sleeping due of a cunning boy who, as the song implies, is a liar.
However, while the song may make you feel something, the story behind it is truly inspiring. And this is not least because Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2 — which debuted at number one on Spotify UK Song Debuts over the weekend and is currently the top trending music video on YouTube — almost didn’t happen.
PinkPantheress felt she wasn’t even on Ice Spice’s radar – until the extremely offline singer came onto Instagram. “I saw that [Ice Spice] followed me because I was on Instagram, and I never go on Instagram,” she explained in an NME interview. “I thought it was cool because I didn’t think she even knew who I was.”
You know the story: girl texts girl, they decide to collaborate, and then, well, they make music history. “I said in [the DMs]: ‘Whenever you’re in the UK, I’d love to meet’. Regardless of the music, I think she’s incredibly great. She claimed she was a fan of mine, and I was like, ‘OK, wonderful’.
Pink Pantheress has previously collaborated with Willow and Beabadoobee, but she has some opinions on why her single with Ice Spice was so successful. “When it comes to collaborations, I’m quite picky: I always want someone who can match me well on a track,” she says. “Even though Ice Spice does drill, her flows are quite distinctive, and the rhythms she uses are distinct. Many people would struggle with the beats I chose, but I knew she’d be up for it.”
She also discussed how the collaboration is allowing the public to witness a new, more compassionate side of Ice Spice. “My songs are quite dark lyrically,” she explained. “When you see the world Ice Spice represents and how she appears, it changes your perspective on her songs. I listened to her and thought, ‘Oh, she’s cuter than a savage’. I suppose it was an excellent chance for her to demonstrate a more vulnerable side. I believe it is beneficial to develop a more three-dimensional character as a musician.
And the love does not end there! Pink Pantheress rushed to Twitter to celebrate the release of the single, stating that Ice Spice “radiated the warmest + most positive energy I’ve ever felt from a fellow artist” [sic]. And Ice Spice appeared to indicate that the adoration is reciprocal, quote-tweeting the article with “I loveee yuu pink.”