Mescal’s enchanting sound and storytelling style were shaped by all manner of musical influences, among them Ethel Cain, Lucy Dacus, and Florence Welch, and—only a few years into her career—she can already boast opening gigs, or “pinch-me moments,” as she endearingly refers to them, for Florence and The Machine, Haim, Birdy, and Dermot Kennedy. Yet to this day, Mescal still sends all her demos to her brothers before anyone else. “Knowing that they like my music is really comforting,” she says.
By the way, it has been a total joy for Mescal to see her eldest brother Paul’s star rising ahead of her own. (A few weeks before our tea, she and I had met for the first time at Chiltern Firehouse after the BAFTAs, where Paul was nominated for his supporting turn in All of Us Strangers.) “We grew up with parents who are a policewoman and a teacher—we’ve come from a background that is so different from how we live now,” she says. “It’s been a cool journey to be on and see on. I can’t wait for people to only know me for me, but if they know me because of Paul, that’s okay, too. If I wasn’t related to Paul, I would still be a fan of his work because I think every project he has done is amazing.”
And, anyway, it pays to be the baby in the family. “I am the favorite, and it’s just unfortunate for everyone else,” she cracks. “I’m both my parents’ phone background screens and my dad’s WhatsApp profile picture. As my brothers have gotten older, they’ve started treating me like that as well.”
Things are changing fast for Mescal—but she’s taking careful stock of every moment. “I met Florence Welch when I supported her show, and I have a photo of us from that day on my vision board,” she says. “As much as it’s so great to focus on the future and all the things you want, you can’t get there without remembering what you’ve already accomplished.”