Curious by nature
VOGUE AUSTRALIA: It’s exciting to talk you, Pandora. I’m not sure if you’re aware, but The High Low is beloved in Australia. Do you gauge the stats on global audiences?
PANDORA SYKES: “Oh, that’s lovely to hear! We do have those statistics … I think about two thirds of the audience are UK, then it’s Australia, USA, Ireland and New Zealand, in that order. But I try not to give them too much attention because you can get a bit obsessed with that side.”
VA: Is that because it feels overwhelming?
PS: “I think it’s because we’re living in the kind of review culture where everyone is a critic now, so it’s possible to become consumed with what other people think of the work that you’re making, rather than the work that you are making, if that makes sense. I’ve had times where I’ve found that quite overwhelming and hard to keep my conviction and confidence, so I try not to think of the bigger picture because it does make me feel very nervous.”
VA: Congratulations on your book. For me, there were many moments of recognition in the anxieties of modern life that you dissect. Can you tell me about how it took shape?
“I can! I had been interested in writing essays for a while and really wanted a space where I could interrogate some of the ideas that interest me and go into much greater depth. At the beginning I didn’t think there was an overarching theme and then as soon as I started writing them down I became aware of
