IN CONVERSATION WITH DIANA VICKERS

interview JANA LETONJA

British singer, actress, and multi-hyphenate Diana Vickers made her long-awaited return to music with her new single ‘Ice Cream’, her first solo release in nearly 12 years. Best known for her unforgettable run on ‘The X Factor’ and her No. 1 album ‘Songs from the Tainted Cherry Tree’, she has since built a diverse career across theatre, TV, comedy, and podcasting. With her viral comedy duo Ki and Dee, her 2025 collab with “Picky Bits”, and her hit new podcast ‘Just Between Us’, Diana is stepping back into her pop star identity, this time on her own terms. 

pink coat KARINA BOND LONDON

beret GUCCI

top JACQUEMUS

‘Ice Cream’ marks your first solo single in over a decade. What inspired you to finally return to music now?

I think the spark was reignited when I did a gig at Mighty Hoopla a couple of years ago. Seeing all those gorgeous, queer, amazing fans out there just reminded me how much I love being a pop star. It’s such a fun thing to do, it’s every girlie’s dream, really, and I thought, you know what, it’s time again.

How would you describe the vibe of the track in your own words?

In three words: camp, sexy, fun. It’s pure pop, but with a cheeky little wink to it.

The song leans into sass, humour, and a dancefloor energy—how much of that reflects where you are personally right now?

Oh, it’s exactly where I’m at. I’m in a really cheeky, sexually liberated time of my life, and I think that comes through in everything I do, whether it’s my comedy, the acting roles I’ve taken on recently, my online stuff, or even the podcast. I’m not afraid to fully embrace that side of myself, and it feels really good.

Your debut album shot straight to No. 1. How do you look back on that era of your career now?

I look back on it really fondly. It was such an exciting time, but also a lot of pressure for someone young. I was so proud of myself when the album hit number one, because it’s not always a given when you come from a reality TV show. There’s a stigma attached, and it could’ve gone either way. I’d done the West End before even releasing the album, so I really wasn’t sure what to expect. But the way it was received was amazing, and I just remember being so proud of myself.

Songs like ‘Once’ and ‘The Boy Who Murdered Love’ are still cult favourites. Do you feel pressure to recreate that sound, or are you eager to evolve?

Honestly, I don’t feel pressure to recreate anything. I love good pop, I credit myself with knowing how to write a proper pop song, but this time I wanted to do something different. Something a bit camper, a bit sexier. I didn’t want to mimic the past, I just wanted to make a really great little banger.

After such a big early success, was there hesitation or fear about returning with something new after so long?

I’d say there was a bit of hesitation. The music industry is pretty daunting, it can be really cutthroat and exhausting, and I did find it quite hard last time. So, I wanted to be sure that if I came back, it was with something I truly loved and was really proud of. I’ve been busy with so many other creative things over the years, but when the time felt right, I knew I wanted to return purely out of love for it and that’s what made ‘Ice Cream’ the perfect moment to come back.

Your career spans music, theatre, comedy, and now podcasting. Do you see all of these as connected, or do they feel like separate creative worlds?

They’re connected in some ways, because I think that cheekiness runs through everything I do, but I also see them as quite separate. I’m literally about to do a play where I play an 11-year-old boy and an older male police officer in a show about the witch trials that’s a completely different world to releasing a pop single. But that’s what I love, slipping into all these different hats and creative spaces. And then something like the Gwyneth Paltrow musical I did, it was so fun and camp, and honestly really inspiring too. Those moments definitely fed into me wanting to embrace that side of myself again with the music.

Your new podcast ‘Just Between Us’ launched straight to #2 in the UK. Why do you think listeners have connected with it so strongly?

I think it’s because, for a long time, it was still pretty taboo for women to talk openly about sex and pleasure. The podcast gives people a safe, honest space to connect with those conversations. We have ordinary people calling in with their real issues, and listeners really resonate with that. Everyone has questions or challenges in their sex and love life, so hopefully it feels like a warm, safe hub where they can go, “Oh my gosh, this is me. I feel seen.”

Gen Z fans have discovered you through TikTok. How does it feel to suddenly have a new generation embracing your work?

It’s wild. When I first came out with my music, there wasn’t even Instagram or TikTok, so it’s a whole new world for me. At first, it felt a bit daunting and overwhelming, but now I see it as really fun. You put something out there and suddenly it’s reaching this whole new audience you didn’t expect. It’s amazing.

With ‘Ice Cream’ finally out, what is coming up next for you?

I’d love to keep my head down with the acting and the podcasting, but every so often just drop a pop banger out of nowhere. I’ve got some really fun projects coming up, I’ll keep doing live gigs for the LGBTQIA+ community, my comedy, my acting, and then every once in a while, surprise everyone with another banger for the theys gays and the girlies.

CREDITS

photography LEO CACKETT

styling LUCAS ARMITAGE and MEGAN BOYES

hair and makeup YASMIN KHAN