INTERVIEW: The Weekend Ladies
The Weekend Ladies
The Photo Ladies Interview - by Edwina Hay
The Weekend Ladies is the new musical project by Tessa Greenberg and Ariel Sims. Their previous group together, Tayisha Busay, disbanded in 2012 with their final performance occurring at Glasslands Gallery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn only for that venue to close their doors in 2015 due to a new, more profitable, tenant desiring that same location for their new office. Their upcoming EP, Ghost Town, began to form in 2016, a year that marked personal trauma, loss, and the election of Donald J. Trump as president of the United States. Nearly five years later, we’re in a pandemic and most places in New York City are closed because of the deadly Coronavirus a.k.a. COVID-19.
The Weekend Ladies’ newest single “Love is a Choice” can be purchased on Bandcamp and their full Ghost Town EP is now available on all platforms. In this interview, The Photo Ladies help you get to know The Weekend Ladies.
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Tessa and Ariel, how did you two first meet and decide to make music together?
We met in 2003 at Marymount Manhattan College while studying theater, but we first got to know each other while taking a radical liberal arts class about the social taboos around menstruation. That class ended up informing so much of our shared feminist views that we still incorporate into our art and activism to this day. However, ultimately the music and collaboration were born out of dissatisfaction with what our theater education had shown us in terms of performance outlets. We were both theatre misfits and began looking for alternative ways to engage in the performing arts. I think we both identified in one another that feeling of "Ohhhh, YOU'RE a cool weirdo TOO!" During this time, Tessa had a video assignment for a film class - a song and music video about her favorite sneakers - and asked Ariel to collaborate. It was fun, weird, and it gave both of us some of that outlet we had been looking for that made us think: “hey, we don't have to audition for anything ever again, we can just make our own music and performance art.” We bonded over our shared childhood of singing and taking dance classes during the Jock Jams/90s house & freestyle music era that became a sort of holy grail for us and continues to inform our taste and musical style. After college, we kept making our own weird songs and performances and within a year, we had a handful of bizarre electronic songs written using a free version of Apple's GarageBand that we started performing in the back of bars at odd weekday time slots. At first, our act was more of an early 2000's digital love letter to vaudeville and it didn't fit into any genre but we just kept doing it and enjoying it more and more. Then one day, we sort of looked at each other and said, "Could this be a real thing? Should we maybe try and be….like...an actual band?" The answer was yes.
Ariel during Tayisha Busay’s set at Public Assembly on June 24, 2010.
Tessa during Tayisha Busay’s set at Public Assembly on June 24, 2010.
I met the two of you via your previous group, Tayisha Busay, and first saw you perform before Big Freedia at Public Assembly during the Northside Festival in 2010. Can you tell us the importance of New York City in the formation of your music as Tayisha Busay and how that led to your new duo known as The Weekend Ladies?
As Tayisha Busay, we first existed on the furthest fringes of an already fringe scene. We weren't an indie rock or folk band so it was hard to get on those bills, and we weren't a hip hop or DJ act either. At first we really just squeezed our way into every possible show that needed a spot filled... I mean we FINAGLED! We mostly played in Brooklyn and the Lower East Side of Manhattan where there was a lot going on musically. Still perpetually outsider-weirdos, we weren't chic, slick or cool, and we often felt incredibly bored at the popular shows where the bands took themselves too seriously. As young artists, we battled an immense amount of sexism, misogyny, and exclusion, even after the addition of our third member, Brandon Levesque. We rejected the idea that we had to be a sexy women-led band and instead we leaned into our sense of humor and corny Bat Mitzvah-Slumber-Party level stage antics from our Jock-Jams-School-Play-Theater days. We knew that it was our New York too and that we could define it for ourselves. After a couple of years of playing out, we finally crossed paths with some fellow, like-minded DIY electro-pop acts like Planet Rump, Suspicious Package, and Great Tiger. By 2010, indie-electro and DIY dance-pop was more of a "thing" and it felt like New York was finally embracing it (and us) a little bit. Most of the love we got was in the gay bars and alongside other queer acts - like Big Freedia. To this day, it’s the queer spaces that feel like an artistic home to us, anywhere we go. After our last show as Tayisha Busay in 2012, we took five years off from performing together so we could spend time on other jobs and projects, and probably to grow up a little! In 2016, we reconnected after some intense life changes and a period that Ariel would coin as "Raft Times." Our old version of New York had completely changed, but some of the loss we experienced encouraged us to start writing again: that's when The Weekend Ladies formed. After Tayisha Busay, we've joked that we were "traumatized by DIY" and all the scrappiness and hustling that burnt us out in the Brooklyn scene. The Weekend Ladies is a rejection of that. It's now more about the art, leisure, and slow, deep, empowered catharsis that we can create through music and performance. We also learned how this approach to art makes us better activists and all-around more balanced people.
What were some of your favorite venues to perform around NYC that have since closed forever?
Too many, gone too soon! Glasslands was our favorite, even though they'd get mad at us for throwing confetti and silly string everywhere. The old Silent Barn was a hot, fun mess. Death By Audio smelled like shit and they didn't always get us but we still fucked it up a few times. Sugarland really embraced us with open arms and made us feel at home. Shea Stadium was great. The OLD House Of Yes on Maujer Street (but check them out at their current home at 2 Wyckoff Avenue or on the Internet)! The old Secret Project Robot on Kent Avenue. Santos Party House! RIP :(
How would you characterize the Weekend Ladies sound? What are some of your musical influences?
At its core, our music is electropop. As performing artists, we combine our social activism, clowning, and witchcraft to serve fun and emotionally charged anthems for dystopian times. Our musical pizza pie is topped with everything from lots of Robyn, to Devo, Italo Disco, late 80s freestyle like Debbie Deb, Crystal Waters, Cher, Kate Bush, and the sound of our Moms yelling at a customer service person on the phone so they can get $8 back on their long-distance phone bill in 1994.
What is the songwriting process like for the two of you? Do you write lyrics and music separately or together? Has this process changed over the years from Tayisha Busay compared to now?
These days it's very Postal Service-style. One of us will completely produce the music and write lyrics to a near-full song and then the other will take the track and fill in the little details like vocal harmonies or synth fills. We are now very good at letting each other take the lead on a song so it can be its full self, and then giving each other feedback or ideas to build upon what's already there. Writing more individually has also been a great way to avoid forcing the creative process in a room together on an arbitrarily designated day, which is how we used to do more collaborative writing in Tayisha Busay. It was fine but our songs back then were more forced and lacking in depth because we felt we "needed" 1 more ballad or 1 more banger to round out the album or a set. But that was a made-up, bullshit mentality based on what other people had done rather than what made sense for us as artists. Since then, the actual content of our writing has matured and evolved quite a bit based on our personal life experiences from which we write. Tayisha Busay was like a teenager's diary. The Weekend Ladies is a thick, leather-bound, grown-ass journal.
Your first single as Weekend Ladies is “Love is a Choice” and the video features an 80s vibe and displays your sense of humor. How did you come up with the concept of the music video and bring it to life?
We shot the video this summer (still in the throes of COVID-19 restrictions) while we were cat-sitting for friends in Scarsdale, NY. We knew we wanted to do some kind of video for this song, despite the obstacles that the pandemic presented, and this house gave us the quarantined space we didn’t have in the city. For inspiration, we watched a lot of lo-fi, campy Italo videos from the ’80s and ’90s and realized how much we already love and embody this moment in culture and music. Around the same time, we had gotten really into watching all the old “Weird Al” Yankovic videos, almost as therapy for the stressful and heartbreaking time we were living through - we are perpetually soothed by “Weird Al”’s earnest absurdity and his relentless commitment to the “bit.” The plan for the shoot was originally very barebones: we would get a bunch of funny props at the dollar store, have our genius filmmaker friend Suzi Sadler come to the house in Scarsdale for a couple of days with basic equipment, and we would get some fun, very DIY green screen footage. By some stroke of magic that seems to follow The Weekend Ladies around, a porch-side conversation with a neighbor led to the discovery that she was sitting on a garage full of professional film equipment left by her husband who she had recently separated from. A filmmaker herself (and a woman experiencing recent heartbreak as well), she understood what we were trying to do and she lent us the top-of-the-line gear that took our rinky-dink operation to glossy levels that otherwise would have been impossible to achieve. The results are so perfectly us: through a series of random coincidences, we were able to beg and borrow our way into a video that we couldn’t afford, and we STILL chose to film ourselves goofing off, putting press-on nails on our toes and wigs on bouncy balls.
Proceeds from the sales of “Love is a Choice” will go to The Audre Lorde Project. Can you tell us more about this organization and why you chose them as a charity partner for your single?
Our artistic journey of the last couple of decades has been heavily influenced by our activism and intersectional feminism. We have seen that art and music are powerful tools for community organizing and social justice. Over time, the majority of our shows have become fund and awareness-raising events for various causes. Both of us have a healthy obsession with the poet/activist/feminist Audre Lorde, and also with the organization that evokes her name: The Audre Lorde Project, based here in our adopted hometown, Brooklyn. ALP is an LGBTSTGNC organization focusing on people of color in the New York City area. This org is about as intersectional as you can get, tackling the issues that arise as a result of compounded oppression of folx experiencing concurrent forms of discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation, race, immigration status, wealth inequality, etc. We also love ALP’s hyperlocal approach, letting them focus on the nuanced struggles that New York City presents.
What was the recording process like for the songs on the Ghost Town EP?
Our approach to writing and recording has always been very DIY and most of the production is done solo, bedroom-style. With this release, we wanted to achieve very clean, pop-sounding vocals, which is very hard to do when you don’t have the right equipment or space. We teamed up with our friend, engineer Thomas Ricard, who had done some previous work with Ariel for her solo project Ariel & The Swoon. He had the right equipment, knew what he was doing, and was a great energy match for us. It was important to have someone at that stage with a new perspective come into the mix after the two of us had been in a feedback loop with these songs for so long. Thomas recorded all of our vocals at his space at the infamous Danbro Studios in East Williamsburg, helped us with some of the arrangements and effects, and he played a sick guitar part on “The Gun.” Miraculously, we finished the recording of these tracks just weeks before COVID would close down the city. Our very talented friend Joseph Colmenero mixed and mastered Ghost Town. Tessa has worked with Joe on some of her previous solo releases under the name TWERP and he was willing to help give these songs the bump that we needed!
What is your definition of a Weekend Lady and how do you become one?
At some point, our shitty capitalist society invented this stupid idea that weekdays were for work and weekends were for fun and leisure. Fuck that. And fuck anything trying to exist solely in the binary! We have day jobs too - but experiencing joy and feeling blissfully untethered is something that anyone should be able to embrace during any day of the week, month, or year -- and as any gender. We happen to be cis-gendered ladies but, the truth is, ANYONE can be a Weekend Lady/Person/Spirit and the secret is that you already ARE one! Maybe your weekend spirit means smashing a bunch of burnt-out lightbulbs in the street just to hear that beautiful sound. Or maybe it's just sleeping in and eating two bags of the recently re-released 3D Doritos because the texture has a very special mouth feel. A Weekend Lady/Spirit embraces an instinctual will to find that joyful Saturday energy for even ONE minute on even the darkest of days. It's a fucked up world, but no one and nothing should be allowed to steal the joy and love you have within -- not even an asshole on a Monday.
Also, there used to be an amazing discount store on Knickerbocker Avenue in Bushwick called “Weekend for Ladies” where we used to frequent for the $1 rack!
If New York City resumes live events within the upcoming year, what do you envision being next for The Weekend Ladies?
It’s fair to say that about 50% of this project relies heavily on the performance aspects and it has been almost unbearable not having live shows to complete the true birth of Ghost Town. In the meantime, we have been able to focus on making some really great music videos and overall are trying to use this strange opportunity to delve inwards and out of our comfort zones. We hope to partner with new friends for some streaming/experimental/virtual experiences soon - if you host anything like this, hit us up!
3/4ths of the song titles of the Ghost Town EP are “Feel Like Shit,” Tired,” and “The Gun.” My final question for you is, are the Weekend Ladies okay now? I mean, besides the global pandemic and the general collapse of our society, of course.
In truth, the last four years have been incredibly rough on both of us - personally, professionally, politically, etc. The desperation, despair, and heartache was relentless and at times, insurmountable. However, making art about strife is very therapeutic for us. Written years before any inclining of the multiple global catastrophes we are currently experiencing, the themes of these songs are eerily relevant. When listening to Ghost Town now, we also can hear the beautiful things that we have learned about ourselves, each other, and life. We hear the trials and tribulations of an emotional odyssey that prepared us to weather this storm: Ghost Town is our unexpected adventure of hauntings and hallucinations that finds light in the dark and strength in sisterhood.
INTERVIEW: Elise Eriksen
Elise Eriksen
The Photo Ladies Interview - by Emily May
At just 17 years old, emerging pop star Elise Eriksen is already creating a buzz with her fun and fresh pop sound. Having discovered a love for music at a young age, she spent years playing the piano, honing her songwriting capabilities and refining her vocal skills. Her varied musical inspirations range from Stevie Nicks, Alicia Keys, and Don Toliver, leading the young artist to emerge with her own spin on fun and feel-good pop. Born in Norway, she moved to New York City as a young child and is currently based in Los Angeles. As the daughter of GRAMMY-winning producer Mikkel Eriksen, one-half of renowned producers Stargate (Rihanna/Katy Perry/Coldplay/Jay Z), Elise had the distinct advantage of growing up around a wide array of the world's top artists and songwriters. As a result, she was instilled with the hard work and dedication she would need to succeed in her own career. In December of last year, Elise released her debut single "Less", co-written by Julia Michaels and featuring guest vocals by Shoffy and Blu DeTiger on bass. The song is about growing apart in a relationship, and with its shimmering textures and bass-heavy grooves, “Less” finds Elise and Shoffy trading off verses as they reflect on the increasing distance between two partners, creating a track with a mix of bittersweet lyrics and an upbeat tempo. After overhearing her father working on an early version of the track, Elise felt immediately grabbed by the melody and was determined to rework the song. With Julia Michaels’ blessing, she then reimagined “Less” according to her own distinct vision, and quickly caught the attention of Shoffy and Blu DeTiger.
“The first time I heard ‘Less’ I was really struck by how the chords were sort of jazzy because I have such a huge appreciation for jazz,” says Elise, who names Ella Fitzgerald and Etta James among her all-time favorite singers. “It’s such a perfectly crafted song, and I love how there’s this new meaning to it now everyday life has been so drastically altered. I think everyone can relate to feeling isolated, and just wanting to connect and be together again.” Today sees the release of Eriksen's second single "Smile", which was co-written by Sasha Sloan (Charli XCX, Camila Cabello, Anne-Marie, Katy Perry) and shows a different side to Elise who also plays piano on the track and speaks to putting on a façade and smiling even though you’re not okay. “Smile" is about putting on a façade and trying to seem happy even when you’re not,” says Elise on the inspiration behind the song. “As a teenager, I really connected with the idea of feeling like you can’t always be completely yourself, which I think is something that a lot of people experience. I want to speak about things that are meaningful. It felt important to put out something that will leave people feeling more in touch with themselves but also more hopeful and uplifted, especially because it has been such a tough year.” With plans to release more music, music videos and engage in collaborations with other artists and different genres, I think it's safe to say that Elise Eriksen has a bright future ahead of her and is definitely an artist to watch! You can connect with Elise Eriksen via the following links. Photo credit: Mikkel Eriksen.
TikTok | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify | SoundCloud | iTunes/Apple Music | YouTube | Deezer
You are originally from Norway and moved to NYC soon after discovering your love for singing. What can you tell me about growing up in Norway and discovering that love?
I'm extremely thankful that I got to grow up in Norway. It was great because you're surrounded by down to earth people here who don't care where you're from or who you are or what you've done. They just care if you're a genuinely good person. Norwegians are also a lot of fun… I mean, we're Vikings, so what do you expect? My childhood was fantastic and I travel back every summer. It’s the best and the people here are great. There's hardly any focus on the superficial, which I really appreciate.
My dad has always been a part of the music. My grandmother, too. She was really huge in the theatre world and performed all over France and in different places in Europe. She also sang in bands and was incredible. I think that, because of her, my dad was so exposed to music and I’ve been lucky enough to experience it through him.
What was it like for you to move from Norway to NYC? What were your first impressions of the city and how did living in NYC influence and shape you as an artist?
It was a culture shock. I was just a kid, but I remember starting school there. I had to do my ERB's and try to speak English when I did not know what I was talking about at all. New York is probably my favorite place in the whole United States. It's filled with such diversity and there are just so many different types of people who come from all different backgrounds, and who have an interest in all different types of things. So many people go there to do something great and that's what makes it so interesting because you're just surrounded by talent. It really humbles you. When there are so many people who are good at things, then you ultimately have to work 10 times harder. LA is similar, too. It’s more laid back, but the whole vibe of LA is just a melting pot as well. You have so many people in the creative industry around you that, for the most part, want to help you and want to do great things as well. You meet so many people that can assist you in your journey… And there’s better weather.
What can you tell me about your decision to move to LA and how the scene in LA compares to that of NYC? What do you love and find inspiring about living in LA?
It wasn’t really my decision to move away as I was in fifth grade and don't know how much I really could have done, but we wanted to kind of change things up because we had lived in New York for such a long time and the creative industry was really blossoming in LA. In LA, I think, you really get inspired because of all the creative people that are there. If I hear someone say something interesting, like a little phrase or a couple of words, I'll write it down and maybe use it in a song. There's so much in your daily life that you can take inspiration from, or take little phrases from, that you can use in your music. I've also gotten a lot of help from teachers to really perfect my craft, and to learn how to perform and to sing live. I would say it's a really creative place to be. I really, I really enjoy living in LA.
Your father is Mikkel Eriksen, GRAMMY-winning producer and one half of uber-producers Stargate. What was it like for you to grow up in the studio, surrounded by the world's top artists and songwriters? How has having a father in the industry, as well as the exposure to so much talent growing up, helped you to navigate the music industry in the pursuit of your own music career?
Growing up with him in the studio and around all those people was inspiring to say the least. It was incredibly humbling as well because you see these people in a whole new light. You see them when they're not wearing makeup and they’re in their sweatpants at, like, two in the morning working their ass off just to make something cool. It really shows you that they’re real people who do put in the hours and the effort to be something great. It shows you how they really earned what they did. Growing up with my dad taught me that it isn't just the fun things, like release parties, or the GRAMMYs and award shows, or TV for that matter. It is those long nights and those drafts and the 100,000 takes. That’s what you’ve got to do to really be one of the greatest and that’s something that I’ve learned.
I’ve also learned that you have to accept help too because nobody does it by themselves and dictates everything. It’s always a group effort. The most successful people take inspiration and then take advice. That’s what makes these things great.
What is the best advice you have received over the years?
Collaborating is one of the most important things in music. Sitting there and starting from scratch with nothing other than a piano and a piece of paper and isn’t how it really works. I mean, sometimes you can do that if you’re lucky, but I think that accepting help and knowing that other people can contribute as well is really important advice. You realize that there are so many moving parts to this industry and all of those parts contribute to your journey. So, I would definitely say to start by reaching out to people and seeing if they want to make something. You don’t even have to use what you create but reaching out to people and working your butt off are the two most important things for sure.
What can you tell me about your recent single "Less", co-written by multi-platinum songwriter Julia Michaels? What inspired your decision to re-work the song as your own and what was that process like?
“Less” is a funky and upbeat song that can speak to a lot of people through his message, I think. I wanted the song to reflect who I am as a person, even though I haven't had a crazy amount of relationship drama myself. I want to really be able to stand for what I’m singing, so that’s why I used the production I used and interpreted the song in a different way. The production is a mix of all the genres that I really love and the elements that I find really cool about those genres. I just wanted to make this on my own by changing up from the original composition so that it really did become something of my own and something that I'm proud of.
What was the inspiration behind the music video for "Less" and what was it like to work with Shoffy and Blu DeTiger? It looks like it was a fun video to make!
Working with Shoffy and Blu was amazing. Shoffy is super, super nice and Blu is awesome and inspired me to start learning bass.
I wanted the video to feel genuine, so we shot it in locations that I've grown up around with the people that I've grown up around. It is a really personal video to me because it is in my hometown and has my closest friends in it. I wanted it to be fun and uplifting. It’s just a happy, quirky video with a bunch of colors and liveliness, different outfits that contrast with settings, and all things that I find really fun because I wanted the video to show my personality.
At just 17 years old, what has it been like to have a career in music at such a young age? Do you feel as though juggling schoolwork with writing and recording music presents a challenge? What do you like to do for fun when you aren't working on your music?
I've wanted to be a part of the music industry so long and I really worked on myself and my craft. I’m still growing but, for right now, this felt like the right time. It has truly been a fun journey, but juggling everything has been weird. Half of me focuses on the music side but then I also have statistics homework to do the same day, which is kind of weird. It hasn't been awful because music doesn't feel like a chore at all. It feels like something that is a hobby for me, but with the pandemic I've had a lot more flexibility in my schedule. I've been able to focus more on the music side. I've had the opportunity to really, really work on everything because I dropped all the social stuff.
When I’m able to, I ride horses and I'm really interested in fashion. I love taking pictures, spending time around animals, going on walks, being outside, and swimming – just not in the ocean, I’m not a fan. I do love spending time with my friends and doing things with them, but it has been very limited.
You have said that over the years, you have learned what it takes to create the perfect pop song. What have you learned? What does a good pop song look like to you?
I think I've learned that pop can be a lot of different things. A common association with pop is that it needs to be middle of the road or vanilla for it to be successful, but pop can really be something really interesting if you merge it with a lot of other things and a lot of other genres. I’ve also learned that, although they may sound simple or easy to sing, it's not as easy as it looks. I've done covers of other songs my whole life, but once it really becomes your own you want to present your best work. You want to present something you're proud of. I've learned that it does take time to really make something your own.
I would say a good pop song just tells a story. If it tells a story that people can relate to, or that people can understand, and it’s conveyed in an interesting and descriptive way, I think that that really makes a pop song good. If it becomes personal, then people can connect to it and if it's happened to you then a lot of the time it's something that other people have experienced as well.
What can you tell me about finding your sound as an artist?
I think that we're constantly on the hunt to find our sound. I think that's a never-ending process, almost. Particularly for me, there are so many different things that I'm interested in trying out and that I want to do. My voice is my sound somewhat, but I'm really open to trying other things and seeing what works best for me. I want to be able to have variety in what I do.
Having honed your songwriting craft over the years, what was your process like when you first started writing songs and how has it evolved over the years?
When I first started writing songs, they were just poems. A song is kind of a poem, really, but it was mostly just phrases and random words that I wasn't able to complete. Over time, I've gotten significantly better at being clear in my storytelling and using real life experiences to tell stories. Storytelling is one of the hardest but also most important things to do in music. So, I think that writing songs started out as being really difficult, but you have to write 100 crappy songs to get one okay one and then 100 more to get one good one.
Who are you listening to right now? Who are some of your favorite artists? Are there any new artists you've discovered that you feel like people should know about?
Right now, I’m really loving 21 Savage’s new album with Metro. I love, love, love that one… And I'm always listening to Pink Floyd and Fleetwood Mac, those are two of my favorite bands. A new artist that I actually thought was really cool is a band called Hotel Ugly. One of their songs has 2 million streams and I think it is so good. I really want people to hear them because I think they have something really cool. I’ve become a new fan.
What's next for you?
I just released a new single called “Smile”! I’m also working on a body of work and we're filming interesting videos, which is super exciting. I think I'm just going to keep working at what I do, collaborating with more people, and seeing what's out there and experimenting with genres!
QUARANTINE PROFILE: Ciarra Fragale
We’ve launched a profile series to highlight how artists are spending their time during the quarantine. Several times a week we’ll highlight a new artist across the globe and see how they’re keeping busy during COVID-19 lockdowns.
Ciarra Fragale has a gift for making some easy listening tunes. Not to mention her live performances (if we ever get to experience those again) are captivating with her true craft for songwriting and a winning personality to boot. She released her 2nd album Call It What You Will in 2019 and we’re waiting patiently for her 3rd album, which you can find out more about by reading on!
Where have you been spending your quarantine?
My home in North Adams, MA
How have you been staying busy during quarantine? (or not keeping busy is totally fine too)
I’ve been working on new music, cooking, and spending as much time outside as I possibly can. I also help run an artist collective called Common Folk, so that’s kept me quite busy as well.
What quarantine trend have you fallen prey to?
I’m proud to say that I still have never made a loaf of sourdough, but I have been experimenting with cooking quite a bit. My best friend and I made tamales for the first time and they turned out pretty well!
Go-to quarantine snack:
Copious amounts of coffee.
Song (or album) you’ve had on repeat:
People, I’ve been sad by Christine and the Queens. Such an incredible song by an equally incredible artist.
What’s a song that is your go-to comfort jam?
I’ve been circling around “The Bottom of It” by Fruit Bats recently. Listening to that song feels like you're getting a cozy hug. (Remember those?)
Something keeping Ciarra Fragale sane right now: This is a picture of the view at the top of my favorite hike. Nature is very accessible here in Western MA, which has been something that I've been incredibly grateful for.
If you could only watch one film or TV show for the rest of time what would it be?
Parks and Recreation is the only answer. Arguments will not be accepted.
What is keeping you happy?
Thankfully many things, but being able to safely & responsibly see my best friend every day is at the top of the list. I’d be totally lost if we weren’t in the same pod.
What’s the best advice you’ve received during this time?
Productivity shouldn’t come at the expense of your mental health.
What’s something you miss the most right now?
Playing shows, seeing my parents, traveling in general.
Are there any livestream concerts/events you’ve really been inspired by or enjoying right now?
TENNIS (my favorite band) recently put on a livestream concert that was a transcendent experience.
What do you hope we take away from this?
Trust science!
Anything new we should know about that you’re working on?
I’ve been working pretty tirelessly on my 3rd album for that last year or so. We’re finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel in terms of production, so I’m quite excited for people to hear it.
IN FOCUS: Keyboardists
Cover photos by (left to right): Elizabeth Friar, Jordan Hefler, Edwina Hay, Erin Brown, Dana Jacobs
In Focus is a Photo Ladies collaborative photo series that showcases TPL members’ favorite photos, focusing on a different subject each time. Following the success of our first In Focus feature which was all about Drummers, we decided to dedicate the second feature to a subject that is just as challenging to photograph: Keyboardists! From digital keyboards to pianos, from small gigs to Elton John: this is a selection of our photographers’ all-time favorite keyboardists photos.
ⓒ All photos are subject to copyrights and cannot be used without the photographer’s permission
QUARANTINE PROFILE: Medium Build
We’ve launched a profile series to highlight how artists are spending their time during the quarantine. Several times a week we’ll highlight a new artist across the globe and see how they’re keeping busy during COVID-19 lockdowns.
If you’re in search of a catchy new vibe of a song, be sure to check out Medium Build’s “Good At Being Lonely” and thank me later…if you scroll down you can have a listen now. I came across this tune a couple of months back and it’s been on quite a bit in my rotation. Not to mention, Medium Build also has a lot of other musical gems we should be keeping an eye on. We had a chat with Nick about his project and what life has been like in Alaska (yes you heard me right, Anchorage to be exact) during the quarantine.
Medium Build Online: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Soundcloud | Bandcamp | Website
Where have you been spending your quarantine?
I’ve been spending most of my quarantine in Anchorage, Alaska. My parents are here. As well as my brother and my 6-year-old nephew.
How have you been staying busy during quarantine?
I have been ice skating and watching anime.
Anything new you’ve learned?
I’ve been learning how to play the drums! There’s a set at the brewery I work at and I try to sneak a few rips in every day.
What quarantine trend have you fallen prey to?
Ya I did it all. I watched tiger king. made an only fans. baked some sourdough. broke up with my best friend. did puzzles with my mom. Adopted a cat. Got super into tik tok. Played a drive-in concert. Ordered takeout. Fought boomers on Facebook. Voted by mail. Cut my own hair. Bleached my own clothing. Quit drinking. Started drinking. Hooked up with an ex. Thought I had covid but didn’t. Gathered outside. Walked.
Go to quarantine snack:
Go to lockdown snack is ramen 🍜 . Or an apple & peanut butter.
What’s something you miss the most right now?
I miss the second run dollar theater probably more than I miss anything. We have one in town that has a kitchen attached. The only place I’ve ever been able to watch Blazing Saddles and Frozen on the same day while drinking a banana milkshake.
Something keeping Medium Build sane right now:
Are there any live stream concerts/events you’ve really been inspired by or enjoying right now?
I like watching Kacey Johansing play from home. She has unmatched comfort in the live stream. Makes it feel like ur in the room with her.
What do you hope we take away from this?
An appreciation for our immune systems. I’ve spent so much time in crowded places, yet before 2020 I had never once pondered particulate or my distance to someone else. I feel like the masks might make the immune system think we don’t appreciate the job it had been doing. We weren’t paying attention before, but we are now. I appreciate your white blood cells. I’m just calling in some reinforcements (insert picture of my blue sequined mask) for a while til we figure this thing out.
What’s a puzzle you’ve completed during quarantine?
Still working on the puzzle that is my Instagram algorithm. You know when u got a nice sunset in ur town and ur whole feed is sunsets for a day. I’d really like to figure out how to get 50 percent celebrities and 50 percent friends. Maybe 40 celebs/40 friends/ 20 frog memes. Maybe I need new friends or I need a handful of friends to move away so I can see different weather patterns across my feed. Please send advice.
Anything new we should know about that you’re working on?
A pal and I are building a new studio down the stairs from my apartment so I’m gonna hole up there til the vaccine 💉 pops off and make a record. Been in a sad folk and slow RnB phase lately. Expect acoustic guitar and chimey keyboards. Expect a ton of vocal harmonies and hints of ego death strewn throughout.
INTERVIEW: Elder Island
Elder Island
The Photo Ladies Interview - by Emily May
Electronic-pop trio Elder Island traverses the sounds of many genres. Based in Bristol, they blend electronica, indie, pop, and neo-soul to weave together a sound that threads together poetic lyrics, unique instrumentation, and synth-heavy dance beats. The trio met six years ago in Bristol while attending university to study fine arts, photography, and graphic design, with the city's diverse music scene providing the inspiration and opportunity to play music together. Although the trio started out doing casual jam sessions at home, things took off for them when their 2014 self-titled debut EP gathered steam amongst the public, allowing the band to focus more seriously on their musical endeavor. Their follow up EP, Seeds In Sand, saw the band finding and becoming more comfortable in their sound. Where their debut EP had been an ambient soundscape of field recordings, loops, and percussive elements, the follow-up was a more cohesive collection of five dance-influenced tracks. Their songwriting process adds to the magic of their sound, with each song starting out as a jam session in which various ideas and instrumentation are mixed together to create a song. 2019 saw the release of their album The Omnitone Collection, described as ten tracks that are rich tapestries of tiny moments in time, but also sweeping soundtracks weaved with ambition. The band created bespoke artwork to accompany the album, describing The Omnitone Collection as an “integrated concept”. This form of commitment is evidence of the hands-on, DIY approach the band undertakes in many aspects of their music. 2019 saw Elder Island take The Omnitone Tour to Europe and North America twice, with over 60 dates. This included sold-out shows in New York’s Bowery Ballroom, El Rey Theatre in LA, and an electric, sold-out performance at London Roundhouse. Capturing their dates on their Omnitone Tour, the band released a short documentary last year that not only documented the unique, immersive quality of the band’s live performances – which have inspired sell-out shows at iconic venues around the globe – but it also heralded a raft of new tour dates for 2021. A remix of the album was released last Spring, featuring remixes by fellow musicians and admired artists such as Shigeto, Matthew Dear, and Dirty Nice. The band recently released their latest single and accompanying video for "Feral". A dramatic track, it builds towards a crescendo with inexorable, synth-lead force. “It's got a driving aggressive sound that's quite dark, and then this light bossa nova beat that goes along with it,” explains bassist Luke Thornton. “The song is inspired by childhood memories of fear, so the track has become a juxtaposition between darkness and light.” In a nod to the classic double-sided cassette and vinyl singles, Elder Island also release B-side “Absolute.” Juxtaposing the intensity of the A-side, “Absolute” is the antidote to “Feral,” a drifting synth-led track floating melodically through soft, choral vocals, which nevertheless maintains an unrelenting 4/4 beat. Reminiscent of a short film, the music video for "Feral" embraces the paranormal and the sinister discomfort of vast, desolate landscapes. Directed by Jordan Martin who has worked with the likes of Fontaines DC, IDLES, Heavy Lungs, Two Door Cinema Club, and Bastille, the video centers around a flickering fireside and the band as cult-esque figures, barefoot and shrouded in the dark. Filmed on the outskirts of Bristol, it moves between haunted outhouses, vacant grounds, and Hitchcock-styled chiaroscuro driving scenes with a permeating sense of dread, visually exploring the burden of childhood nightmares. With a new album in the works, Elder Island is definitely a band to follow into the new year! Elder Island is vocalist and cellist Katy Sargent, bassist and beat maestro Luke Thornton, and guitarist and synth master David Havard. You can connect with Elder Island via the following links.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify | SoundCloud | iTunes/Apple Music | YouTube | Bandcamp
Luke and David- You knew each other growing up and met Katy while attending university, recruiting her to play with you when you heard her playing the cello. Early on you preferred folk tunes over the synth sounds you now play. What can you tell me about those early days of playing together and the evolution of your sound?
David - When we started playing together, we only had a few instruments at hand. It started with an acoustic guitar, acoustic bass, a cello, and a very basic drum kit. We had a 2-channel interface, one microphone, garage band and would experiment, teaching ourselves how to record, trying different things out. It wasn’t long before we got a copy of Ableton which really helped open things up. We were still mainly using acoustic instruments but were learning to manipulate them and loop in time together to start creating beats. In the years leading up to us making our S/T Ep we had managed to accumulate quite a few more instruments and effects from bargain eBay purchases and making DIY equipment. We would play together when we found the time in between work and it was these early sessions that would be the foundation for that EP. When we made that record, we intentionally played everything, recording directly into the arrangement. We didn’t want to use Ableton for the instruments, just to record and produce the record. I picked up a Pianet T, which was quite a crucial instrument for me as it’s when we started to use keys, not just stringed instruments. I found an old Yamaha PSR-21 keyboard, which was hidden in a cupboard at home, which was the only synth on the record, as it was all we had, but ultimately added to the lo-fi nature of the recordings. After putting that record out and seeing its response, we started to take things a little more seriously. We had a lot to learn, trying to translate that record into something that worked in a live environment. I think every show we performed for a couple of years had a technical issue of some kind, but it’s where we refined our instrument choices and found the basis for how we perform today.
Your process for writing music tends to involve marathon jam sessions. What do you find inspiring about these sessions? Are all of your songs a result of these sessions or do you ever find yourself with specific song ideas going into them?
Luke - I believe the inspiring aspect is getting lost in the moment. Most of the time when this happens, something unique ends up being created. There is nothing more special than that.
You started out writing, recording, and producing on your own in your basement studio in Bristol, but with your first LP, The Omnitone Collection, you worked with Ali Chant at his studio, Play Pen. What can you tell me about the process of doing everything yourself vs working with another producer and what led you to reach out to him? You have said that the album had more of a songwriting focus and that working with Ali led the songs to be more sculpted. What can you tell me about the process of making that album?
Katy - Producing at home is a double-edged sword. You have all the time you need to realize tracks and get them right but there is a tendency to agonize over decisions and things can take a lot longer. It's always hard to know when to stop. When working in a studio you have to be more prepared and because ‘time is money’ you have to make quicker decisions. There is also someone present who can guide and offer a second opinion. Alternatively, these aspects can cause you to rush and the additional person sometimes means another link in the chain of production, having to explain your vision before you can enact it. I think with the Omnitone album we had got the tracks to a good point in our own studio but were struggling to finalize/ finish them. Ali really gets our long processes but as an external producer has the power to chivvy us along a bit and say is this your final decision? It's what we needed.
What can you tell me about your love of old school equipment vs digital gear and your aim to mirror the level of care that goes into the production of old artifacts in everything you create?
Luke - The biggest pro of doing things digitally is that the process is always faster. It's incredible what can be achieved now with digital equipment and the development is never slowing down. The good thing about old school equipment is that it was built to last and if treated with care can last forever. Our goal is to use whatever gear old or new as tools, then see if it inspires us to create something with it. So far it has yet to fail us.
You recently released your new single "Feral" and the accompanying music video. What can you tell me about the inspiration behind the song and the idea behind the video, which brings to life the uncomfortable dread of childhood nightmares and the anxiety and fear of what awaits you when you finally fall asleep? Was the song based on real-life experiences?
Katy - Sonically there’s a contrast in the track between the lightness of the Bossanova / mambo beat and the darker ominous driving bass. A sense of foreboding with a naive twist. Lyrically I was exploring a time in my childhood when I was testing the boundaries of what was right and wrong. A fear of things you don't understand but also the exhilaration in this fear. I reference films that I had watched at friends' houses whose parents did a little less censoring than mine. Late Night horror movies, Candyman, and satellite’s delight ‘Are You Afraid of the Dark’ (a North American kids horror television series). Watching these things elicited not only a fear of what I had visually seen but also a deeper feeling that I’d watched something forbidden. These feelings as a child are way more prominent than those of an adult. Everything is interwoven into your imagination and thus your everyday. I didn't sleep much as a child but I certainly didn't sleep much at these horror house sleepovers. I could dedicate some of the sleepless aspects of the video to these long nights awake believing there was something ominous drawing closer.
The video is described as a spooky cinematic seance. What led you to shoot the video like a short film and what was the filming process like?
Katy - The short film probably comes from us trying to squish as much into the video as possible without bursting its seams! We ended up with way more footage than was needed and it was a definite ‘Kill your Darlings’ scrapping certain sections, but the video benefit as a whole from these decisions.
What can you tell me about the different locations in which the video was filmed?
Katy - We filmed in two main locations with a few extras for B-roll. We were looking for classic eerie settings. Dusty cobwebbed barns and creaking outhouses. As per we called in a few favors. One sight was with some incredible friends of ours who live on the outskirts of Bristol. It’s a semi-rural, slightly wild, and sprawling place that I love. The other was near Gloucester where Director Jordan Martin's grandparents live. A fitting location being a place he had spent a lot of his childhood. They were also the owners of the small well that we hung Luke over and the fantastic Saab 900 convertible that I got to drive.
You have said that the video pays homage to the horror films that broke your childhood. What were those films?
Katy - It's a great talking point as everyone has one or two shows they saw as a kid that stayed with them! I think mine was watching MJ’s Thriller Video for the first time and then also watching Candyman way too young. Really shook me up. I also asked Luke and he said Chucky. Dave coincidentally mentioned episodes of Are You Afraid of the Dark but then started talking about a scene in a film he had seen with walls closing-in and spiders pouring out. No idea what the film was but it seems to have had a lasting impression.
With an upcoming album in the works, what can you tell me about the process of recording your second LP compared to your first? What can listeners expect sonically? What else can fans look forward to in the coming months?
Luke - It has been a shakeup to how we've written previously. For the first album, we had songs that were created around the same time as “Seeds In Sand” that were being finished and incorporated into the album. With this album, we started from scratch a few days after our London Printworks show. The lockdown happened, so we put our heads down and pretty much spent the entire year making the music and discovering new instruments and equipment. Without giving too much away, expect to hear a sonic landscape filled with the new instrumental discoveries we’ve made. It is an album reflective of the year it was created whilst having an anomalous charm. We’ve had to move live dates on so that our first shows will be the UK and IE tour in May & June. Fingers crossed. We are however hoping to record some live performances to put out in the interim. Looking forward to the challenge of transforming the new tracks into a live show.
PLAYLIST: Hometown Heroes
New year new playlists ahead! We’re kicking off January by showing a little love to our hometown favs. With Photo Ladies spread far and wide we’ve really come together with quite the collection of our hometown heroes. As music photographers, a lot of our drive is in supporting the local artists as they grow. You’ve seen this in past photo series we’ve done like The Local Music Project.
With 100 founding members, and over 1000 Photo Ladies part of our community, we all have a huge variety of musical tastes, and we plan to showcase them each month through our upcoming playlists. Full playlist below, along with some Photo Lady blurbs behind the choices.
“One of my favorite albums from last year. So proud to have Orion Sun based in Philly”
“The Greeting Committee are awesome musicians and awesome people. Their most recent EP showed maturity in their sound that I really enjoyed.” - Sophia Ragomo - @sophiaragomo | Submission: The Greeting Committee - ‘Cry Baby’
“Love the passion and energy that Hand Out has when on stage! Their songs are moody, raw, heavy, and melodic at the same time.” - Jordan Hefler - @jordanhefler | Submission: Hand Out - “Care”
“I was lucky enough to shoot the cover art for this single. Colton is a good friend and I’ve loved watching him grow!
I feel like anyone can relate to this song when they’re separated from the person they miss most. It just gives me ALL the feels. ”
“I will forever find it strange that I can see Black Peaks rock the biggest festival stages and then bump into its band members at the local pub!”
“‘Oh Why’ is about emotions that can't be conveyed. People use words and language to describe their feelings. All communication has become indirect, but the explanation is not necessary for understanding something, as all feelings are direct and real.” - Mia Min Yen - @miaminyenphotos | Submission: The Fur “Oh Why”
“If you’re looking for a calm but upbeat summer feeling song check this out” - Steph Wanderling - @wvndr | Submission: Varsity “Sleep It Off”
“As the first week of the year wraps up, my Friday was delightfully surprised by not one, but two song releases. I have been a huge fan of Modern Vices, a local Chicago band. A defining trait of the band is their lead singer’s enticing croon. “Fades” is more upbeat with a sense of urgency. “i” could be considered a response to the first track and filled with more nostalgia. Both songs unequivocally reflect the band’s key sounds that have made them recognized and supported throughout the Chicago music scene. I recommend you treat you ears to their new release x ”
“Enon were a NYC based trio (John Schmersal, Toko Yasuda, and Matt Schulz) and was one of my favorites to see around NYC over the years. I tend to listen their music every now and then even though they’re no longer active and it makes me wish for a reunion.”
QUARANTINE PROFILE: Wolf
We’ve launched a profile series to highlight how artists are spending their time during the quarantine. Several times a week we’ll highlight a new artist across the globe and see how they’re keeping busy during COVID-19 lockdowns.
Julia (aka Wolf) has slowly been releasing some new bops we think you should really have on your radar. Today we’re graced with a new banger called “Villian”, featuring her signature sound incorporating elements of Hip-Hop, RnB, and Pop. Not only has she been busy with new tunes, but she also has a recently launched clothing line called Girls in Purgatory. Read on for our chat with Juila about what else she’s been busy with during quarantine.
Here’s a photo of me I created when I dropped my Girls in Purgatory clothing line! Something I've been working on during quarantine.
Where have you been spending your quarantine? at home in Astoria, Queens! The first half was mostly in my bedroom (where I create everything) but now that we have a new puppy I’ve migrated on over to the living room to be with him.
How have you been staying busy during quarantine?
I’ve been super busy actually! But it’s all music related so you know I’m loving every second. Lots of filming videos lots of photoshop edits, LOTS of writing and recording new music. It’s been interesting trying to write new music without new experiences to speak on. So I’ve been forced to revisit my past quite a bit and create from there instead.
Anything new you’ve learned?
I’ve been teaching myself new things like after effects and whatnot, but what I’ve really learned is just how much I took for granted the opportunities to connect with other people. Pre Covid I was the first to say no to any new social interactions, or too afraid to ask the waiter for a new glass of Coke; I was constantly canceling plans just out of habit and avoiding new people as best I could. But this isolation has made me realize how acting that way is only doing a disservice to myself. We only get one life to live, so I think it’s important I suck it up and put myself out there before I really regret not having done so.
What’s something new you’ve cooked/baked?
Dumplings!!!
Album you’ve had on repeat:
While The World Was Burning- SAINt JHN
Something keeping Julia sane right now: Here is a picture of my sister Cameron!! I would be nothing without her, she's my other half. Not only does she watch Twilight every time I ask, but she makes me laugh the whole way through. During this quarantine, we’ve been baking new things, obsessing over new fanfic stories, and honestly just helping each other create (she’s a fantastic writer). With her by my side I can get through anything, I’m lucky to have her!!
What’s a song that is your go-to comfort jam?
My comfort lives with Taylor Swift, and I’m talking Fearless album. But can I also just say how lyrically incredible Folklore is? Every line counts.
If you could only watch one film or TV show for the rest of time what would it be?
"CALL ME BY YOUR NAME" OMG
What is keeping you happy?
100% my family. We have a minimum count of 3 laugh attacks per day. My sister Cameron is an automatic serotonin dosage, she just doesn’t know it. Pursuing my dreams as an artist is directly adjacent to that. Also the new Jack Harlow album.
What’s something you miss the most right now?
I miss Cafe Reggio and exploring NYC. I miss dive bars and dancing. I’m going to miss watching Fifty Shades of Grey at the movie theater (a yearly Valentine's day tradition lol). And most of all I MISS PERFORMING!!!
Anything new we should know about that you’re working on?
It’s album time baby!!! I’d also like to drop something in the new year for Girls In Purgatory (my clothing line) and just continue doing whatever I can to scale up and grow more each day. I haven’t even released my all-time favorite tracks yet so when I do that’ll be a HUGE moment for me in the near future.