A Deep Dive into PinkPantheress’s Production and the New Nostalgia Sound

Before PinkPantheress became a Grammy-nominated artist and one of the most talked about names in the industry, she started on her laptop with GarageBand, experimenting, recording vocals in her room and layering them over beats she made herself!

Her early tracks gained attention for their distinct blend of nostalgic samples snippets of 90s and early 2000s sounds chopped and remixed into fast-paced, catchy productions. That combination of old-school inspiration and DIY energy quickly became her signature style, often defined as a mix of bedroom pop, UK garage, and drum and bass. Quickly, songs like ‘Pain’ and ‘Break It Off’ became some of her biggest songs on TikTok and other platforms (My personal favourite was I Must Apologize).

PinkPantheress or Victoria Beverley Walker eventually made the jump from GarageBand to Logic Pro, giving her more control over complex arrangements and polished mixes. Still, her process remained very personal and innovative! This year, she made history as the youngest and first woman to win Best Producer at the BRIT Awards, paving the way for so many young women in music. If you’ve ever dreamed of producing your own tracks, PinkPantheress’s story shows that great music starts with curiosity, experimentation, and having the confidence to do it. You don’t need a fancy studio to make music. Here are some tips on how she gets her signature sound. 

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1. Start with Nostalgic Samples

PinkPantheress often pulls sounds from the late 90s and early 2000s like old R&B hooks, UK garage beats, or chopped vocal loops. These nostalgic textures give her tracks a familiar feel to the listener.

Tips:

• Start by digging into sample packs inspired by early 2000s pop or UK garage.
• Import a short sample into your mixing software.
• Trim, pitch-shift, or reverse it to make it your own.

Think of this step as setting the emotional tone of your track.

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2. Build Fast Drums

Her tracks usually have quick drum patterns and percussion, giving her music its high energy sound.

Try this:

• Use a tempo between 130–160 BPM.
• Layer crisp hi-hats, snares, and kicks.
• Experiment with rhythmic contrast like a “busy” drum pattern paired with a calm vocal or sample creates a good balance.

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3. Record Vocals!

PinkPantheress’s vocals are intimate and slightly hazy. She famously recorded many takes while lying down, giving her voice a relaxed and almost dreamy tone.

Try this:

• Use a simple microphone setup; you don’t need studio gear.
• Record in a quiet space, then layer multiple subtle takes for texture.
• Add VERY gentle autotune or pitch correction for her emotional sound.

When mixing, focus on blending your vocal so it feels part of the instrumental — never overpowering, just floating above the beat.

Today, PinkPantheress records with Logic Pro, but she built her entire sound on accessible tools first. The key is consistency and experimenting with what you have until you understand how everything shapes your sound. With our new music mixing game, you can start practicing the fundamentals just like she once did, transforming beats and samples into something all your own!

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