Girli interview: This is the sound of me vomiting out my brain

A star for 2017, this London sensation with pink hair offends just as many people as she wins over, but she wouldn’t have it any other way

The north Londoner GIRLI, aka Milly Toomey, used to be the deputy Youth MP, while going through a grungy phase

When getting to know GIRLI’s hyperactive, anything-goes pop, the best starting point is through one of her mixtapes. Shadowing as a twisted homage to pirate radio, her two “GIRLI.FM” shows are messed up, junk-filled introductions. On her latest, she impersonates Anne Robinson on The Weakest Link, envisages an episode of Take Me Out where Donald Trump gets buzzed off, and recounts late-night party conversations with her friends. All while this is happening, she throws in a dozen demos, half-finished ideas and off-the-cuff takes. In truth, these works are less like actual mixtapes, more like hearing her weird imagination spilled out in song form, warts and all.

As she neatly puts it, this is the sound of “me vomiting out my brain”. An exciting prospect for some, a gross one for others. In her short existence, the outspoken north London newcomer – real name Milly Toomey – has pissed off as many people as she’s brought on board. Songs go for the jugular – new single “F*** Right Off Back to LA” being as brash as it gets – and it’s enough to make hesitant bystanders flock for the hills. Speaking ahead of another sold-out London show, however, it’s clear the all-pink-sporting star wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I’ve been trolled quite a few times,” she says, readily admitting that many don’t see eye-to-eye with her music or opinions. “I got trolled by The 1975 fans on Twitter. I’ll probably get trolled again if this is in the article,” she begins, clarifying: “I like their songs. I respect them for where they are. But the album title [I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it]... I thought it was the most stupid thing ever. So I tweeted, I Like It When You Name Your Album A Twatty Title, For You’re So Pretentious Yet So Unaware Of It. I was on the train, thinking, ‘I’m so funny’ and that five people might pick up on it. I logged in two hours later and it was exploding with hate.” Her account was invaded with abuse (“You’re s***! I hate your hair!”), mostly personal slights. “I made fun of a band’s album title, they said something about my family!”

GIRLI, a star for 2017, has been accused of making up a persona and creating her own fictional world

At this point, GIRLI is fairly used to barrages of hate. At one of her first shows – not exactly subdued affairs, these tend to consist of tampons being thrown from the stage and screwed up beats breaking venue speakers – someone came up to her, while she was on stage, and handed her a note that read, “You’re shit”. Things could only get better. And for every naysayer willing to express their hate, she picks up a bunch of enthusiastic, sugar-pop-happy fans hanging off her every word.

After even just a few minutes in her company, it’s clear GIRLI The Popstar isn’t remotely separate from Girli The Actual Person. In the past, she’s been accused of making up a persona and creating her own fictional world. Not exactly a crime in the first place, but it doesn’t hold true. Within seconds of saying hello, she’s recounting stories from last weekend’s parties, dissing venue cloakrooms (“Don’t charge me £2 to keep my coat safe. I want to mosh”) and talking about how live music in London is “losing its dirtiness” due to too many rules and restrictions. Everything is out in the open, right down to those troublemaking tweets and social media’s latest additive, Instagram Stories (“That’s been a bad development for me,” she jokes).

With the hype wheel spinning, at this time of year talk begins to turn to 2017. GIRLI is right at the heart of the conversation, alongside a bunch of young, opinionated acts eager to make a point, even if it might ward off potential fans. Just last week, go-to tip Declan McKenna was arguing with Piers Morgan on Twitter. Fellow 2017 hopeful Jorja Smith penned her first song, “Blue Lights”, about police brutality. GIRLI is similarly screwed-on. Politics is part and parcel of her early material. Brash single “Girls Get Angry Too”, released earlier this year, is a vital celebration of female identity.

It’s impossible to be a musician in 2016 without being partly politicised, but GIRLI has a history of this. At 15, she was the deputy Youth MP, campaigning after she felt “the need to change the world.” After being “very academic” in school, her brush with politics arrived exactly when she entered a “massive rebellious grungy phase.” There’s footage of her speaking in Parliament with an untucked shirt, sleeves rolled up. “I remember being like, ‘F*** you all!’ And I remember all these kids from the countryside coming up to me like, ‘Oh, you live in Camden do you? With all the punks!’ But yeah, that happened.

“With more extreme shit happening in politics, musicians are finding it hard to keep this neutral stance,” she states. The Trump result felt like a “personal assault”, because as a bisexual, she fears of a future where she can’t “go to America and hold hands with a girl.” And she has an issue with musicians who don’t put their politics forward, particularly if they’re in a position of influence. “The person I was really disappointed about was Taylor Swift. She said f*** all. F***. All. One of the most influential, famous people in the whole world. She has a responsibility to say something,” she states.

Heading into 2017, it’s clear GIRLI isn’t holding anything back. Being inoffensive is her worst nightmare, and for the time being, upsetting a few strangers is a fine sacrifice to make. “Everyone’s watching the world burn. But I hope that people realise they can’t sit still.”

GIRLI's new single 'F*** Right Back Off to LA' is out now