Arlo Parks

Arlo Parks

From LSQ by Jenny Eliscu

April 10, 2026 · 37 min · Season 9 · Episode 6

About this episode

Arlo Parks discusses her childhood fascination with language and her journey into music in this episode.

“I just remember being fascinated by language, it felt like this treasure I was discovering,” says Arlo Parks , of her childhood affinity with words. “I remember being obsessed with the word ‘pebble,’ and the sense of different shapes. Maybe it’s because I learned French before English, so my approach to the English language was quite, like, seeking and grasping and understanding as I went along. But the dictionary, I remember being obsessed with it.” If you’ve been a fan of Arlo Parks’ music over the course of her three beautiful albums, I’m sure it comes as no surprise to learn that the British singer-songwriter has been obsessed with words since childhood. In episode 137, she shares more about her early life explorations of poetry and song craft, memories of hearing Otis Redding from the backseat of her father’s car, discovering Miles Davis and Prince in her uncle’s vinyl collection, downloading Arctic Monkeys and Kaiser Chiefs onto her iPod, trying to play all of Elliott Smith ’s XO on guitar, and eventually beginning to make her own music near the end of high school. We also discuss her approach to her wonderful new album, Ambiguous Desire , and how going out to dance clubs…

People in this episode

Host: Jenny Eliscu

Guest: Arlo Parks

Topics covered

  • language
  • music
  • poetry
  • inspiration
  • childhood
  • album

Keywords

  • Arlo Parks
  • music
  • poetry
  • Ambiguous Desire
  • inspiration
  • childhood
  • interview

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs

Books & works: Ambiguous Desire

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