By: Lisa Steinberg
Q) How would you describe your sound?
A) I like to think that I combine a few different genres to make a sound that is both unique and familiar at the same time. I’d say my music is great for people who are a fan of lyrics that tell a story and theatrical melodies that are still catchy and memorable. Combine that with rock sensibility and a healthy respect for orchestras and you get a general idea of what I try to emulate.
Q) Who are some of your musical influences?
A) I think in a lot of ways I’m an amalgamation of singular traits I respect from a multitude of different people and mediums so it’s hard to name them. I think at my core I’m super inspired by musical theatre and I love the storytelling aspect of that music. At the same time I love the passion and intensity metal and hard rock has, but I also absolutely love the complexities and intricacies of orchestral composition. Essentially, I just kinda took one or two things from everything that has made me feel something.
Q) Your song and animated video for “Race With No End” dropped in June. Talk about the story behind them.
A) “Race With No End” is probably one of my genuinely most hopeful songs. The song’s main theme is perseverance in the face of hopelessness. Even when you feel like you’re repeating the same things over and over again and you don’t feel like you’re accomplishing anything, you get up and keep trying especially in reference to a dream. For me, I’m singing and thinking about my music/artistry. It’s hard to feel like I’m succeeding sometimes because I get hung up on the wrong things. I think that’s a feeling that’s relatable for a bunch of people from all walks of life.
With the music video, I knew pretty quickly I wanted it to be animated. I’ve always loved animation and I think some stories are told better in an illustration and this is one of them. I wanted it to feel youthful, innocent, maybe even childlike, but maintain the depth of its meaning. As a result, it was super important to me to find an animator who would be able to capture that feeling. I am super lucky to be working with an amazing animator, Devon Manney, who really understands the song and had an amazing grasp of the song’s emotion. The video, I think, is everything I wanted. There were so many times even before it was fully animated where I just got chills. The symbolism and the message of the song meshes so beautifully with the symbolism and message of the video. It’s so beautiful.
Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans will connect to?
A) I think everyone has questioned whether they’re doing enough at some point in their life. Wondered whether there was a point in trying, in getting up and slogging through the failures. “Race With No End” is all about that feeling – it’s about everything feeling pointless but doing it anyway. It’s not easy, accepting the hardships and getting up anyway, but it’s so important to remind ourselves that trying alone is a success. The fact you tried, regardless of the outcome, is a huge win.
Q) What is your songwriting process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?
A) Most of the time I have a feeling that manifests as either a melody or a line of lyrics and then I run with that. Sometimes it makes a full song, sometimes it doesn’t. I’ve always made my lyrics and my melodies at the same time. I think it’s sooo important that the words taste good with the notes.
Q) How much of a hand do you have in the production of your music and videos?
A) This is a hard one because I’ve been told I’m a bit too hard on myself. All my lyrics I write. I also tend to play accompaniment with either piano or guitar as I usually write my music acoustically since I don’t know how to use production software. For music videos, I put together the mood boards. I’ve storyboarded a fair few of the videos I’ve released, in some of them I did all the styling myself as well. I like that in a lot of our shoots sure people have a specialty but it’s a very group-based creation process. We all share ideas, and we all work together to execute them. It’s the group project from heaven!
Q) With “Race with No End” and “Toast to the Broken” out, do you have a full album or EP in the works?
A) We doooooo!!!! We have an EP slated to be coming out this summer in July! It’s by far my strongest set of songs to date. When I tell you people aren’t ready for the storm that is this EP. I mean, man the sails, start strapping things down, maybe throw an offering for Poseidon in there. This is A BIGGUN.
Q) Since “Race With No End” came out June 6. Will we get to see you hitting the stage to perform it live?
A) I sure hope so!!!! I love performing on stage and try to take every chance i get to do it.
Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?
A) Oh gosh, it’s kind of impossible to choose. Less than venue, though it is important, what makes a performance special is the people that come to watch. I’ve never had an audience I didn’t love so every performance is special because every single face in that crowd made them the unique experience they were.
Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?
A) Sleep Token comes to mind. They are genuinely masters of songwriting and it would be an honor to work alongside them. I’d be stoked to someday work alongside Yungblud as well as his raw authenticity is so admirable. Aurora is a goddess on earth and I think I would genuinely need to go to confession or something before breathing in her presence but I can hope to someday be worthy. Jorge Rivera-Herrans, the mastermind behind EPIC The Musical, is also someone I’d love to work with someday. ESSENTIALLY: Any artist who makes music that punches you in the gut with its emotion I’d be stoked to work with.
Q) What artist/musician are you currently listening to and why do you dig them?
A) This changes every week but some I routinely go back to would be Sleep Token, Epic the musical and Aurora. I’m notoriously a mood listener and tend to vibe with songs more than singers and match them into hyper-specific playlists.
Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?
A) Thank you so much for being the ears in my forest of falling trees. Without you guys, I couldn’t do any of what I do and I’m so so beyond grateful that you guys give me your time and your energy by listening to my music, learning my lyrics, maybe even singing along. This is a slowly growing community, but it’s filled with some of the best people on earth and it’s an honor to be a part of it.
Watch The Video For “Race With No End”