Originally Posted on 21 January 2009:Hot Young Things continues this month with the rather special darling known as Billie Porter. Now the whole point of this feature is for you to find out about up coming and emerging new talent across arts, music and media from around the world and boy does Billie have talent in abundance.
She's a bit of a jack-of-all-trades having worked in music promotion, blogging, modelling and journalism but we wont spoil this wonderful interview you'll just have to read it yourself you lazy blighters. Vainzine's CTZN V41N posed the questions...
You said you are very young, it's not unusual for people in the music industry to start out young, I was DJing in nightclubs when I was 17. Just how old are you and how did you get into booking bands at 14?
I went to an underage new years eve party in an abandoned office block. I paid a stupid amount to get in, then the host shut the thing down an hour or so before the turn, and chucked hundreds of kids on the street. It meant I spent new years in a strangers house on a space hopper, so I sent a scathing email to the guy who ran it asking for my money back. When he refused I threatened to report him to health and safety. I was being a huge brat, basically. But it got his attention... I started seeing him at shows and stuff and he apologised and we sort of forgot about the new years saga.. then once when I was broke I did some flyering for him. Pretty ironic I guess.
My involvement just increased really gradually, by the end of it I was doing sell-out shows for 700 kids or something, it was a really good experience.
I've just left school... so I'm sixteen. Or am I? I lie to everyone I meet about how old I am.
Yes I noticed you told Eleanor Morgan the same thing for the piece in Dazed & Confused on Platform. Are you really the Fashion Editor? Hows everything going with that? I mean it's aimed at teenagers but I actually found some of the articles interesting. Am I allowed to read it being 26 or is that too old?
Yeah, I am the Fashion Editor, but I guess the term is used pretty loosely when in relation to a youth website. I'm adamant that all the fashion features should be interesting to people who aren't necessarily concerned with style or what's in or out. For example, the Girls in their Ex's Clothes piece. Its more of a story than a fashion editorial, even though it was styled. It was received really well, buy people of all backgrounds, but that might just be because I chose loads of hot girls.
Fashion writing doesn't have to be as black and white as it has been in the past, I think readers want to be moved by an article as well as impressed by the aesthetics of the relating photos/items. I'm about to start working on a really unique fashion project with Vice, which should be cool.
Platform is aimed at young people, and we have a really young editorial team, but I think that the reality is that the audience is pretty broad. Some of the content is about issues directly relating to kids but a music piece is a music piece; you can enjoy music at any age, you can enjoy music journalism at any age. Just don't start grooming any of our members.
Ha Ha, we wont, promise! The Ex's Clothes piece is cool, it is rather Vicey - do you think that's why they asked you to work with them? How did that come about? What about you, will we see you modelling in the future? You have a unique look, how would you describe it?
We share an office with Vice, and I contributed to the blog with an article about how I crippled my boss. It was received pretty well so I've been invited to work on a new project.
I'd like to model, yeah. I'm too short to be signed to an agency, but I've had fun doing bits and pieces for people. Hopefully that will continue. Modelling certainly isn't a career aspiration for me, but it would be a great hobby.
Its difficult to describe my style; I'm constantly going through phases. I go through periods of basically living in a certain item, then I'll completely change my mind. I dress according to my mood - I go to work in my pyjamas if I feel like crap.
I often go to work in my boxers and dressing gown, I guess I'm lucky that I work at home or I might get arrested. So you are working in the music industry right now, do you see yourself staying with that? You must have your ear to the ground, got any tips for up and coming new acts that our readers should be checking out?
Yeah, I would imagine so. Want to keep my options open though. La Roux, The Invisible, Leif, I Blame Coco, Heartbreak.
I just checked your Justice Video out - That was laugh out loud funny - the puberty question is gold. Was he being for real at the end when he said no one cared about your questions?
He was drunk as hell, just taking the piss. He'd been trying relentlessly to make me sing for ages. I'm sure he was semi-erect by the end of my performance.
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