Mimi Webb on her fiery new single Red Flags: "No-one would want this song written about them!"

If we could boil down Mimi Webb's excellent new single, Red Flags, into one phrase it would be: MEN. Am I right?

Mimi has quickly become the country's go-to chronicler of a break-up, ranging in scenario; from serene acceptance (Good Without), hypnotic refusal (Ghost Of You) and even arson (House On Fire - we support women's right but most importantly, women's wrongs!). 

On her new track, however, Mimi's eye is wandering from horrible men to herself. She's asking herself...wait...am I the problem?

On the fiery synth track, co-produced by Cirkut (Ava Max, The Weeknd), Mimi begins to wonder why she's staying in a situation she should be well shot of; "Even my friends hate that I'm with you," she sings. "A million reasons I should be leaving, I need more hands to count all the issues."

Understanding more than most that, sometimes, those red flags can actually seem a bit green, we jumped on a call with Mimi to discuss why we love and hate the male species, and how she's gearing up for the release of her long-awaited debut album, Amelia.  

MORE: Mimi Webb's Official Charts history in full

First of all Mimi, we have to say we agree with the general thesis of Red Flags - we do hate men, right?

Literally! I think Red Flags is definitely my revenge song. It's one of those...no-one would want it to be written about them, you know?

Did you get into the booth thinking right, I'm going to write an anti-men anthem, why I love them, but also why I hate them

It was really odd. I wrote it around the time I was actually getting back with someone. Deep-down, it felt weird. Like, why do I seem so much more into it than him? It wasn't like that when it started! But I was still so in love [I was trying to ignore the signs], even though I knew it wasn't it...I was just running through those red flags!

Looking back at it, though, you connect the dots. I was very in love, I think sometimes you want what you can't have. It can be really challenging and you have to have such a discipline to walk away. For me, I look back at our old conversations and, honestly, that person was really trying to get me to get break up with them. I didn't even see it! I thought it was all green flags. 

Who did you work on the track with?

I wrote this with Connor McDonough, Riley McDonough and their brother Toby McDonough and with CASTLE and Ryan Daly [Cirkut also helped produce and co-write the track]. We wrote it at the end of last summer. We did a lot of really sick songs that are on the album.

We were all just talking about red flags [while writing it], I think I was honestly just trying to get advice from them, you know. When you have a group of guys in the room, who better to ask? I've known these boys for years, literally when I was in LA signing my deal. It felt very full-circle. 

Your debut album, Amelia, is also officially on the way - literally not long to wait now! This has been a long time in the making, Mimi, how are you coping? 

It's the adrenaline of it finally coming out [that's keeping me going at the moment]. Because when I sit down I think, oooh, is there anything I can add to it? I'm constantly thinking about it. I am so excited, though, I literally cannot believe it's coming out. 

I remember last year, when the album process was starting, and I thought to myself...wait, how do you actually make an album? What goes into it? What do I want to say with it? It was actually a really scary subject for me. Now, I'm actually in a position where it's done. It's done! Literally my blood, sweat and tears went into it. I think people are going to get to know me more as a person and not just an artist, that's why the title is my real name.

We wanted to ask about that, because that's a smart title choice, making it your real name 

There is a whole story behind why I went with Mimi as my artist name. There's such a transition there, so it's quite fun. 

Did you listen to any notable debut albums while making your own?

I listened to a lot of Coldplay. On rotation. They're really big, musically. Just the instrumentation in incredible. Dua, I really liked the order of her album and also Harry Styles' too. Basically, I'm obsessed with the sequencing of a tracklist. I've been freaking out over it, trying to put these songs in an order that make sense. It was a big lesson for me, listening to other people's records and see how they made it work.

You're live shows have also grown bigger and bigger over the last year, it must be exciting, seeing the venues level up each time

I’m so grateful that everything just keeps growing. I’m so excited to see the places we end up going to and the venues we play to. It’s amazing to take a moment and think ‘wow, we’ve built up to this!’ You grow as a performer and artist with every show.

A lot of people know you now, Mimi, as kind of the UK's maker of the break-up bop. You are the Queen of the Break-Up! Is that a title you're comfortable with?

Do you know what? I love it. It's vulnerable! Obviously, I started with [debut single] Good Without, and [the theme] followed me through. But the album does have a lot of different songs on there. There are a lot of personal growth songs on there! 

Sorry, by different song you mean you've recorded a death metal, screamo track Mimi?

Oh my god, imagine. Next album. Wait for that one, guys!

Red Flags is out now. Mimi's debut album Amelia drops Marc 3 via Epic. 

Article Image: Hayley Louisa Brown