QUARANTINE PROFILE: William Wild
We’ve launch a new profile series to highlight how artists are spending their time during 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.
We did a quarantine check-in with Tennessee native William Wild, aka Garrett Sale. He's released his latest beauty of an album, 'Push Ups,' at the beginning of lockdown and we've had it on repeat ever since. ‘Push Ups’ offers a very unique approach to Indie-Folk accompanied with some synth and uneasy feels, but in the best ways possible. This is a huge leap forward in William Wild’s sound and we can’t wait to hear what’s next.
William Wild Online: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Spotify | YouTube
Where have you been spending your quarantine?
Knoxville, TN. Hometown!
How have you been staying busy during quarantine?
I have been mixing/post-producing a full-length record for one of my good friends. I felt really lucky for that to happen right when quarantine started, it is such a good record and has kept me very busy. I have also been practicing guitar and music in general without the pressure of writing. Its been nice to learn some new tricks!
Anything new you’ve learned?
Working on that whole power of now thing! Quarantine started right when my new album Push Ups came out so obviously the whole tour was cancelled. I got super restless at first because I tend to kind of “ramp up” emotionally into a tour. When it got cancelled, I didn’t know what to do with all that energy! I have since learned to try and be present more and more and have been forced to not play the comparison game as much.
What’s something new you’ve cooked/baked?
I didn’t know the baking craze was happening until I had the novel idea to begin my own sourdough starter lol. I went to like 5 grocery stores and couldn’t find flour. I eventually got my hands on some from a neighbor and my starter is healthy. Although I haven’t baked any bread I did learn that you can throw the extra starter (from when you are feeding it) into a pan with some oil and fry it up. So good.
Go to quarantine snack:
Frozen Mangos. Good for reflux!
Album you’ve had on repeat:
Oddly enough have been revisiting ‘Either/Or‘ by Elliott Smith.
What’s your go to song to make you feel less alone? / What’s a song that is your go to comfort jam?
Not always comforting in the traditional sense but I always find myself listening to ‘Nevermind’ in weird times.
If you could only watch one film or TV show for the rest of time what would it be?
Maybe Game Of Thrones over and over.
What’s the best advice you’ve received during this time?
“You drink too much!”
What’s something you miss the most right now?
Playing live music. I don’t always love touring, but I need it.
What do you hope we take away from this?
More take away food.
What’s a puzzle you’ve completed during quarantine?
I turned drinking too much into a puzzle and then completed it when I realized alcohol is poison and I don’t need it at all.
Anything new we should know about that you’re working on?
I am entering into a time of creative fluidity, I'm about to begin making the best stuff I ever have.
QUARANTINE PROFILE: Fickle Friends
We’ve launch a new profile series to highlight how artists are spending their time during 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.
Brighton’s Fickle Friends continue to leave us with nothing but happy little bops since their debut album in 2018, You Are Someone Else. In the last few months we’ve been treated to a few new tracks like “Amateurs”, “Pretty Great” and the latest “Eats Me Up”. We caught up with front-woman Natti for the first time since our US Tour Diary to see how she’s been spending her quarantine. Alert: kitten content ahead.
Fickle Friends Online: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Spotify | YouTube
How have you been staying busy during quarantine?
I have actually kept myself very busy. I’ve been illustrating a lot, doing pay what you feel commissions. I’ve also been teaching a lot of zoom yoga classes. Writing music, recording covers, reading, watching movies, learning macrame, learning how to stick and poke tattoo (practicing on myself ha). Lockdown has been weird but fun!
What’s something new you’ve cooked/baked?
I made Aubergine (vegan) Katsu curry last night. I’m gunna nail that before lock down is over!
An image of something keeping Natti sane right now: I got a new kitten at the start of lock down. This is Norm. He’s keeping me sane right now with hugs and jumping on my face in the morning.
Go to quarantine snack:
Plantain!!! Fried plantain, omg I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to cook it for myself!
Song you’ve had on repeat:
“The Garden” by Phoebe Bridgers. It’s become one of my all time favourite songs.
If you could only watch one film or TV show for the rest of time what would it be?
RU PAULS DRAG RACE!
INTERVIEW: Quinn DeVeaux
Quinn DeVeaux
The Photo Ladies Interview
Nashville-based artist Quinn DeVeaux spent his early years with his grandmother, a former jazz singer, in Gary, IN cultivating a love of music that would help him go on to discover his signature sound. Combining gospel, blues, soul and R&B, DeVeaux has created a sound that he has been dubbed "blue beat soul", that encompasses sounds of the past with his own modern touches. As a teen, he headed west with his guitar, landing in San Francisco where he became a founding member of local group Blue Roots. Following his time in Blue Roots, DeVeaux went on to form Quinn DeVeaux & The Blue Beat Review, releasing several acclaimed albums and performing raucous live shows that showed his fans a boisterous good time. Now performing simply as Quinn DeVeaux, he recently released his new album Book Of Soul via QDV Records, an album that harkens back to the era of the iconic Sun Studios in Memphis. DeVeaux wrote and produced the entire album himself and recorded the album in Nashville, TN at The Bomb Shelter, with the versatile sounds focusing on showcasing his deep love for storytelling. With sounds reminiscent to artists such as Nathaniel Rateliff, Leon Bridges, Anderson Paak, Al Green and Bill Withers, DeVeaux blends the sounds from all of his influences and elevates them through his timeless sounds. “I love this record and feel that I am at the beginning of a new era in my creative life,” says DeVeaux. “I want as many people to hear this record as possible and looking back I'm not sure I ever felt that way. This record has more of my soul in it than anything I've done.” You can follow Quinn DeVeaux and stay up-to-date with all upcoming music and news, as well as stream and purchase his music, via the following links:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify | SoundCloud | iTunes/Apple Music | YouTube | Google Play | Bandcamp
You spent your early childhood in Gary, IN living with your grandmother, who was a former jazz singer. What kind of influence did she have on you as an artist and your love of music in general?
I think she instilled my love of music in me. She would always have me and my sister singing in the back seat of the car, on the way to church or the store or wherever. She would help us with our harmonies. We would be singing, like, commercials or some song that we heard on the radio. She was a great singer, in and out of the church. She got me piano lessons, which of course I didn't keep doing, because it was piano or Nintendo and at that age Nintendo sounds a lot more fun [laughs]. Of course now I wish I had kept doing it, but she got me those first piano lessons. She really instilled in me a joy and a love of music.
You were brought up with two religious faiths- Jehovah's Witness and Baptist. How did that shape your views on the world and on your faith growing up? There are some pretty distinct differences between the two religions!
Yeah, you know it was interesting. It was very existential for me growing up because I was really...I mean, I think that religion is supposed to do a lot of things perhaps, but certainly one of them is to make sure you know what is going to happen to you when you die, or at least give you some faith. The two faiths are pretty diametrically opposed (laughs)! In the Baptist church, it's more traditional where you die and you either go to heaven or hell. But with Jehovah's Witness, it's a bit different. If you die, and you are not a Jehovah's Witness, you're just dead. You're just dirt. You're just nothing. If you die and you are a Jehovah's Witness, you come back with Jesus and you get to stay on earth and live forever with Jesus. So going from believing that there's a chance you'll go to heaven or some sort of afterlife to the prospect of just being nothing really still scares me to this day (laughs)! It doesn't scare me as much as it used to. I've definitely done a lot of work around death and myself, just reading books and what not. There's a great book...aw man, I wish I could remember the title. It just talks about a bunch of near death experiences people have had. By in-large, people describe the sort of...you know there is the light. People talk about this beautiful light that happens and this tremendous sense of peace and comfort and feeling like everything they've ever worried about is just gone. It sounds quite lovely. Of course, there's a lot of dopamine and chemicals that our bodies put out when we're dying and all of these things can somewhat be explained by science. At the same time, that whole line between science and the chemicals in our bodies and what we're actually feeling and everything....so anyways, this is all just my general journey with religion (laughs). But yeah, they are very much opposed which was hard for me growing up. One does more research as an adult and hopefully comes to some kind of peace with everything.
You grew up going to church and gospel music was a big influence for you. What can you tell me about developing your sound, that combines those gospel influences with soul and R&B, as well?
All of the great music that I love is all of these things coming together. I definitely have a gospel base and then was turned onto the blues and Muddy Waters and then was turned onto soul and Sam Cook and Ray Charles. Everything that you love, you want to bring it together. That's basically what I've been trying to do. I definitely accomplished the beginning of that with Book Of Soul. It really came out largely how I wanted it to and I am hoping to combine all of these things. I also love country music and folk music, that's more story based...more than soul. The next step for me now is to try to incorporate that into the gospel and soul and R&B.
You have said that you feel that you are the beginning of a new era in your creative life and the songs on this album have more soul than anything else you have done in the past. What inspired this new era of creativity for you and what can you tell me about the process of making the album and why it is so special for you?
It's special I think because I was feeling very stagnant and needed something to just jump me out of the feeling I was in, that I was never going to create anything new or interesting. I think we all get stagnant sometimes, like "Aw man, I've been doing the same thing. Is this still what I want to do?". The answer came back to me that it just wasn't. I moved to Nashville, which at the time felt crazy. As much as I love country music, I was not necessarily wanting to move to the country music capital. But man, when I got there it wasn't at all what I thought it would be. The musicians there are so open and welcoming and they play everything. I mean, sure, they are known for country music, but man these guys can play anything. That's been my experience. And even more than that, the songwriting is such a central part of living there. So moving to Nashville, it was a few things converging. Moving to Nashville and really wanting to say something with my music that I hadn't said before and didn't know was possible. So writing all of the songs on Book Of Soul really was like "Oh, ok" and then the way that the album turned out and the sounds that we got just really opened my eyes. I was like "Man, ok. Let's do this. Let's go in this direction".
How has your songwriting evolved over the years? Would you say your inspirations when writing lyrics have changed?
Oh absolutely! I actually do keep a tally of my favorite artists lyrically and my top 5 now includes Bill Withers and John Prine. Even those two, who are probably my number 1's, or right up there, man...if I could just bring the kind of storytelling and honest delivery of John Prine and equally honest delivery of Bill Withers, with the soul and the vibe and the groove that doesn't let go. That's really the goal, because for me I find that with a lot of soul music, you can write about love and a lot of things, but there's a bit of a limit so far that I'm kind of trying to break through. I'm not even exactly sure what's on the other side, but I really want to be able to talk about just my life. I really want to talk about things that are, I don't know if I'd say complicated, but things you don't normally hear about in a soul song.
You have said that sometimes you have to reinvent yourself in order to move forward. Do you feel that is kind of the process you are going through right now?
Absolutely, yeah. Book Of Soul is kind of the beginning of that and I'm still going through it right now. I actually have most of the next record written already, but I'm really trying to move in a particular direction. I think that before Book Of Soul, I was just writing. I would write something and would put out albums of my favorite songs that I had written, whereas now I am actually trying to move in an artistic direction. That's the best way I can say it.
Your music pays homage to the blues, R&B and soul that came before but has your own modern twist. How have you gone about combining the sounds of the past but putting your own spin on it?
Yeah, I think that happens pretty naturally. I listen to a lot of music. I do sometimes have to force myself to listen to more modern music (laughs). There's just so many great records...Bill Withers, Al Green...just so many great records. There's also some great modern stuff, so I put it all in the pot and try to listen to as much as I can. I'm an avid lyrics reader, as well. And then, I, you know, live life and hear stories from friends about their lives and try to make it into something that captures a moment. For me, that's what a song should be. You should capture a moment or a feeling or a story. That's what I'm trying to do.
As a teenager, you moved to San Francisco with just your guitar and became a founding member of the group Blue Roots. What can you tell me about your early years of playing music and how that shaped you into the musician you are today?
Even before I moved to the west coast, or before I moved to the bay area, I went to Evergreen State College up north and I was in a cover band. This is one night I will always remember. I was in a cover band and we played a show and it was just when all of the Freshman had arrived. It was the beginning of the school year. It was great night. I played with a band, but then afterwards I played my songs solo. That just blew my mind because everyone just sat down and they were quiet and they were just listening to my songs. I felt the impact of the words and like people understood the story I was trying to tell. I was like "Oh, ok. This is what I love!". I didn't care if it was with electric guitars or acoustic guitars, a big band or small band, I just wanted to write words that people could feel and understand and put a story across. That's what I love, when I can watch a performer and they really take me somewhere. I leave myself and I'm in their world for a while. That was definitely an important moment for me, when I realized that if I did it right, that I could do that. That I could take people somewhere.
With this album, you completely wrote and produced it. Is that something you had done with previous albums or was this the first time you had done everything yourself?
This was the first time. I gotta say, I worked really closely with Andrija at The Bomb Shelter in Nashville. The tones that you hear on Book Of Soul...he's just a master at it. I'm really proud of what we did. But yeah, it was the first time I had produced something and it gave me the freedom that I wanted and I took some chances. Thankfully I really liked the record and it worked out.
What has it been like for you to promote an album during the shutdowns and quarantine. How has it altered the plans you had for the album, such as touring?
Totally. My booker is just going crazy! Every time they extend things in California or elsewhere, he's like "Ok. I got us booked for July 1st." He takes us right up to the date and then the next day we're on the road (laughs). So yeah, we'll see what happens. But yeah, it's definitely been a challenge. I send the link out. I send the Book Of Souls Spotify out, or Pandora or whatever because I want people to hear it. Nothing can replace watching a band or a performer live. I certainly hope to get back on the road. Promoting the record has definitely been tough, but I also think that once we do get going, I think that people who like the record will still like the record 3, 4 or 5 months from now. Once I can get it out there, that will be great.
Do you feel that artists and people will come out of this pandemic with more of an appreciation for the arts? That's definitely what a lot of people turn to, music and different forms of art, during these times. What do you think the state of the industry/music will be once this is all over?
I think that people will flock to shows. I think that, for many reasons, that watching music is a great place to have an experience with your friends and get together and lose yourself in show. I think that people will definitely flock to shows after this is over. It's interesting because people are...I'm in California...but people are already going to bars and stuff. There's definitely different levels of the re-openings. I think once bigger tours...we had a three week tour planned and another two and a half week tour planned, and that was just at the beginning of the summer...so I think that once some of these bigger tours get going, I think the excitement of music very well could emerge. It's like meeting an old lover and being like "Aw man, I forgot how this felt!" (laughs)! I think that people will have that experience. And me too. I look forward to, as much as I miss playing live, I think once I actually start doing it again, it's like you realize what you've been missing in a new way.
You have talked about what a big influence Bill Withers has had on you and your music and recently took part in an online "Lean On Me' Tribute. What was that like for you, to pay tribute to an artist that had such an influence on you?
Man, he's one of those guys where every time I dig back into his catalog...because you know I'll go away for a while and then come back...the deeper I go, the better it gets. It was amazing to be a part of that project and see so many people from around the world who his music has touched and wanted to also pay tribute to him and be a part of it. It makes you feel connected. That's what I'm talking about man! If you can tell a good story and get that feeling across to people, then you bring them together. It doesn't matter where you are from or what you look like. That's really what it's about. That's what people like Bill Withers do. If you sit down and listen to "Lean On Me", it's like, everyone believes that.
What's next for you? What do you have coming up?
Well, I have my solo project Flamingo Dores, which is kind of just me and a guitar. I have a new record of that. I also have a new Quinn DeVeaux solo record. They are pretty much ready to go. In a way, I'm holding the train at the station because obviously I can't go and record right now, so I'm trying to wait. Everything is like 90% done right now. I wanna hit the studio, so that's kind of what's next. Once everything opens up, I'm going to get on the road with the band and promote Book Of Soul and then I'm going to get in the studio with the Nashville band and record the next Quinn DeVeaux record and the next Flamingo Dores record.
QUARANTINE PROFILE: LU KALA
We’ve launch a new profile series to highlight how artists are spending their time during 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.
LU KALA has already proven to be a force to be reckoned with, with the hair to prove it. She may only have a handful of songs out in the interweb currently, but all of them are pop jams we’ve had on repeat since we heard about her. We can’t wait to hear the new EP, in the meantime here’s a Summer jam for you to enjoy: ‘Want You’. Check out below what she’s been up to during quarantine.
How have you been staying busy during quarantine?:
I’ve been doing sessions daily, and recording vocals. That’s been crazy for me since 1) I’ve never done online sessions until this and 2) I’ve never recorded my own vocals before so it’s definitely been different and challenging, that being said, pretty amazing and empowering. It’s been an amazing creative period, but it definitely took a few weeks before I was able to get to a creative place.
What’s something new you’ve cooked/baked?
You guys may laugh but I’ve never made french toast before this pandemic! lol I wasn’t a fan of them before but I woke up with breakfast on my mind one day and decided to do the most in the kitchen. It was a pretty damn good breakfast! :)
Song you’ve had on repeat:
“Want You” by me... it’s weird because it’s my song but when I release something, I listen to it a million times wondering how other people are experiencing it.
What’s keeping you happy?
As cheesy as it sounds, doing what I love. It keeps me sane and though I don’t have all the money in the world, I am one of the luckiest people in the world because I get to do what I truly love for a living. I wouldn’t be happy if this wasn’t my reality so I’m grateful. My friends and family also keep me happy when they aren’t stressing me out lol
My old family computer x Zoom is what is keeping me sane right now. It allows me to have physical contact in a different way with people around the world and still permits me to create magic. I’m so grateful for it even though I need an upgrade like yesterday 😂
What’s the best advice you’ve received during this time?
Only focus on what you can control. As an artist, it’s easy to be super discouraged at everything being canceled and to let that negativity take over but now I truly think about the advice I was given. I try not to be too upset about the things I can’t control, and I try to work on what I can.
What’s something you miss the most right now?
I miss human contact, I miss smiling at strangers on the street, opening doors for them, dining out with my friends and mainly, being at the studio in person.
What do you hope we take away from this?
I hope people will be more grateful after this. I hope people will be more compassionate and more of us will do more in the community to help others. I also hope we will all live more in the moment, I think that’s very important.
Anything new we should know about that you’re working on?
I have a lot more music coming soon, an EP that I’m truly excited about. I don’t know if we’ll ever return to a new normal, but I’m happy we’ll always have music to get us through. I believe my project will help someone get through, and that’s the most important part of creating music... at least for myself.
QUARANTINE PROFILE: Harry Strange
We’ve launch a new profile series to highlight how artists are spending their time during 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.
London based sad boy, Harry Strange, may only have nine soothing gems currently on the webspace. Especially the latest, “Turn Away”. He’s recently graduated from uni and has the world ahead of him so watch out! We had a quick chat with Harry amongst his final studies and celebrating a new release. Check out below what he’s been otherwise up to during lockdown.
Harry Strange Online: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Spotify
How have you been staying busy during quarantine?
I’ve been doing a lot of sitting and procrastinating, binging Normal People (obviously). I’ve also been doing a lot of uni work as I graduate this year, so I’ve had my dissertation to be focusing on! I think it’s actually kept me sane as I’ve had to keep to some kind of routine that revolves around finishing off assignments and meeting deadlines.
Song (or album) you’ve had on repeat:
Apologies for cheating and choosing two BUT, I am a huge fan of Jeremy Zucker and he released one hell of an album a few weeks back so that has been on pretty much everyday. I’ve also been listening to the JP Saxe and Lennon Stella song “Golf on TV” a LOT, know I’m late to the party but I came across their acoustic version and oh my god. It’s just such an amazing song.
What’s something new you’ve cooked/baked?
I cooked this banging vegan red wine risotto / ratatouille and damn, it was something special (even if I say so myself) - my family can back me up.
An image of something keeping Harry sane right now: running
What’s something you miss the most right now?
You know what I miss most is knowing i can see the people i love most. Not actually seeing them (obviously would love that as well) but just the fact that i know i’m not allowed to? You know when you’re having a really shit day but you know deep down that if worst comes to worst you could jump in the car or whatever and be with your best mates and forget all about it. I find the fact that that isn’t an option more upsetting than the actual not seeing them.
What’s a song that is your go to comfort jam?
I love me some Norah Jones. Don’t know why, think maybe my parents used to play it a lot when I was growing up, but just really makes me feel at ease.
What’s the best advice you’ve received?
Not to compare yourself to others. Think especially in the music industry and at the moment with everyone constantly online, it’s so easy to fall victim to comparing yourself to other artists that are just crushing it and that can be super demoralising. I think you just have to keep reminding yourself that everyone’s on different timelines and you just have to be confident in what you’re doing.
Anything new we should know about that you’re working on?
I may or may not have an EP coming out very soon (and by may or may not, I mean I 100% do)
INTERVIEW: Annie O'Malley
Annie O'Malley
The Photo Ladies Interview
19 year old singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Annie O'Malley is unlike most teenagers. When she was a senior in high school, she sent a demo to rock band Chicago's manager that led to her opening for the band at Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati with 3 days notice. To kickstart a music career in front of 20,000 people was an experience most musicians rarely experience. She then joined Chicago for 16 dates on that tour, which taught her a lot about touring and performing live. Having had a lifelong love of music, O'Malley has always had a love of performing and started songwriting at a young age, a skill that has evolved over the years. With influences that range from Taylor Swift, alt-J, U2 and Flume, she derives her inspiration from many different sounds to create her indie-pop tracks. Growing up in Chicago, her parents always encouraged an open dialogue in their house and were adamant that everyone talk about their feelings, which has led to an open, honest and raw approach to her lyrics when songwriting. She believes in having a transparency to her lyrics, with a desire to make music for those going through similar changes and growth as her. Annie first garnered attention last year with her independently released single "Chase Me Down," which has organically collected over 200,000 streams on Spotify and caught the attention of producer of Johnny K (Plain White T's). She has since released several tracks such as "Planet Golden", "Island", "You're The Drug", "Golden Doves", and most recently "Mrs Nice", songs that aim to reflect her own life events and some that have a message of empowerment, each showcasing her journey towards being a more confident artist. O'Malley released her debut EP Golden on April 29th, produced by Johnny K, which addresses topics such as love, self-empowerment, loneliness, and heartache. With her goal to be a positive influence for her generation, she is well on her way to achieving that goal! You can follow Annie O'Malley and stay up-to-date on all upcoming music and artist news, as well as stream and purchase her music, via the following links.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Spotify | SoundCloud | iTunes/Apple Music | YouTube | Deezer
You released your new EP Golden today! What can you tell me about the process of writing and recording the EP and the message you hope people take away from it? What has it been like to release an EP during a shutdown, when you might normally be preparing to tour?
This EP has songs on it that I have written in the last 6 years. They have been some of the staple songs of me starting this career and were the first couple songs I saw people had responded well to! The most important thing for me is that people know that every melody and every word came from my head and my heart and was seen through my eyes. These are my experiences that I have learned and written about and I hope people can get a glimpse into my mind.
You have said that you have a new mindset for 2020 and that this is the year for big things. In what ways have the COVID-19 shutdowns affected your goals for this year?
When I said that I have a new mindset for 2020, the biggest things are being okay to make mistakes, understanding my feelings and dealing with the ones I really don't want to, making sure I have a good balance in my life and staying healthy and not pushing so hard for me to do everything. To learn and pay attention to the things that make me happy and incorporate more of that into my life. To understand that I do not know where I will end up or the end results or to stress about what I cannot control, and to learn to not avoid obstacles and to face things head on. These are things I have always struggled with like most 19 years do and so I have been very verbal about dealing with it all:) I had a lot of fun planned that COVID had to put on pause but I really believe everything happens for a reason. Sitting and waiting for this all to pass has made me realize how much more I want to go out and get what I want and to not take for granted being able to plan what my next week or month will look like.
You’ve mentioned that one of the hardest parts of being a musician is dealing with the music industry being a roller coaster! What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced in the industry and what lessons have you learned over the years?
I would say some of the big challenges would be taking advice but not letting it make things unnatural, trying to focus on your path and don’t look at others and think you are doing things wrong. To know that everything you encounter makes you stronger and better, people will not like you or your music and won’t have a reason why and you have to have peace with it, and learning to enjoy the journey and not think so much about the outcome.
When you first started out, you have said that you did what your idols did and sang their songs and copied them. What has your journey been like, as you’ve grown and evolved over the years, in creating your own sound and vision as an artist? What has it been like to develop and gain the confidence to be yourself?
I definitely looked up to many people, I wouldn’t say I copied them, but I studied how they were and took bits and pieces. I always watch live performances of people for hours and see how they interact with the crowd and how they perform. So that has been a big part in where I am today. My journey has been long and detailed and really cool. I have tons of things pop up that didn’t work and some things that have, I really honestly have no complaints. I will be where i am meant to be in my own time. Confidence is a hard thing to find sometimes but I was born with a very big personality, I always wanted the attention, I always wanted to perform, I always wanted people to watch what I did and that really paid off because I was never afraid. As you get older it’s much harder to live so fearlessly because for a very long time I put what others thought of me before anything else but I’m getting a lot better with that.
A lot of artists in the industry often find it hard to be the kind of artist they want to be. Have you felt those pressures as an artist, to pursue a musical path that didn’t feel right to you?
I have totally felt those pressures because people around you will tell you that you are doing the wrong thing and you will have a million opinions if you ask enough people. But that’s something I had to learn by experience. You don't want to be difficult but you want to be heard so it’s very important to do what feels right to you. Whenever I post something that is very raw verses more practiced or finetuned people know and they react very differently.
You had the opportunity to kickstart your music career by opening for the band Chicago and playing in front of 20,000 people, ultimately joining them on tour! What did you learn from that experience about touring and performing an artist?
I learned a lot, they were so incredibly welcoming and kind to me even though I was so young and new. They actually watched parts of my performance and gave me tips and even compliments. I saw what it was like for them to perform for 2 and a half hours a night and do meet and greets and I wanted nothing less. It was just more proof that it was exactly what I wanted, and it was what I needed in my life.
You have talked about how your music is documenting this transitional time in your life. What has that been like for you? Do you feel that you have learned things about yourself through your music?
When you find a song you love, and you listen to it on repeat you get to imagine that song as the soundtrack to your life. And sometimes there are songs that are so moving and so special to you that you get like 2 seconds of relief, just 2 seconds of "I could do anything" or "I’m gonna be okay" or "I’m not alone" and that’s an incredible feeling. I get to live my life and write my own soundtrack and then people get to hear it. Regardless of what the numbers are or how many people like it, if I have reached one person like that, then I did exactly what I wanted to. When I sleep, I think of lyrics, when I get hurt, when I laugh, when I read, when I watch, all the time, I imagine things in a song and it’s so fun I love it so so much.
Why do you feel that time spent outdoors fuels your creativity more than anything else?
Being outdoors lets you listen to yourself and in our crazy world sometimes it’s good to just listen for a second.
You are also very hands on with your music videos, designing the storyboards and recording them yourself more recently on your camera. Having mentioned how conscious you are about the way visuals can impact an auditory experience, what do you hope your videos say about your songs?
I want my videos to portray the vision I have when writing the song, but I also want them to feel like I had a very big part in them, because it makes it more of a conversation between me and the listener rather than me and a hundred other people and the listener. With that said, I have also worked with some amazing people and I couldn't do it all alone.
People turn to the arts in times of uncertainty and anxiety, which we are certainly facing now. How has making music helped you during this time?
I strongly believe in doing what makes you happy and what keeps you calm, and music does do that for me, so I have been playing and writing a lot. It’s a hard time and it’s important to look at the facts and not get caught up in a lot of the false reporting because it will drive you mad.
What kinds of things do you like to do when you aren’t playing music? Do you have any fun hobbies outside of music?
Really anything artistic is good for me, I like listening to people talk through problems and helping them coming up with solutions and keeping on track with them about their life, and I love to journal. I journal all the time, I love to be with people who make me laugh, to run on the treadmill while singing my songs. Things like that.
You just released your new single "Mrs Nice"! What can you tell me about the song? Are you planning to do a music video for the song?
“Mrs. Nice” is a song I wrote about what would happen if I did the wrong thing for a second. If I didn't do exactly what I was supposed to and I made mistakes. Would that be the worst thing in the world? This has been something I’ve been thinking about a lot recently because I am at an age where I am expected to be mature, but I don't wanna grow up too fast because I won't learn enough from my failures. I am hoping to do a music video, I have lots of ideas!
What’s next for you?
What’s next is just keep living my life and paying attention to all the detail and putting it into my music :)
QUARANTINE PROFILE: Wild Rivers
We’ve launch a new profile series to highlight how artists are spending their time during 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.
Toronto’s Wild Rivers started off May with a new EP, ‘Songs To Break Up To’. The band has always had a modern approach to their music, with refreshing blend of country-folk influence scattered throughout. Wild Rivers are Khalid Yassein, Devan Glover, Andrew Oliver & Julien Laferrière. Like many bands, they had a US and European tour scheduled for this Summer and now everything is on hold. As we wait for new plans we have the gang here to tell us what they’ve been up to in the meantime.
Wild Rivers Online: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Spotify | YouTube | Website
Where have you been spending your quarantine?
Andrew Oliver: I have been downtown Toronto, living with two of my best friends. Obviously it has been a scary and stressful time, but we’ve been fortunate and have managed to have a lot fun just being bored together.
How have you been staying busy during quarantine? (or not keeping busy is totally fine too)
Devan Glover: Although there have definitely been challenges, we feel lucky that we can do a lot of our job from home. We all have basic home-recording studio setups, so we’ve been finding ways to remotely collaborate on new song ideas by sending session files over to each other. It’s been an interesting process, and has forced us to adapt and be creative in different ways. Other than that, I’ve been doing more cooking than ever! It’s not something I get to do much, because the band is often on the move, but my family and I have been rotating who is in charge of dinner. It’s become a little bit competitive and everyone’s vying to make the best meal, so it’s been pretty funny.
Anything new you’ve learned?
Andrew Oliver: I spent a week on YouTube learning card tricks. I used to love magic tricks when I was younger, but realized a few months ago I didn’t know any. I was waiting for a good opportunity to learn some again, and here it is! I have thoroughly annoyed my roommates with them, but I think they are pretty sweet!
What’s a song that is your go to comfort jam?
-Devan Glover: “Somewhere only we know” by Keane; or anything Coldplay or Kacey Musgraves
-Khalid Yassein: “Pink Moon” by Nick Drake
What’s the best advice you’ve received?
Khalid Yassein: I heard the singer songwriter Passenger talking about his career once in a podcast. He was speaking about how in unconventional careers like music, it’s difficult to feel productive and know what to do. His piece of advice that really hit home was to do just ONE thing every day to push you closer towards your goal. It could be as small as replying to an email you’ve been putting off. Life is a series of tiny steps.
Are there any livestream concerts you’ve really been inspired by or enjoying right now?
Julien Laferrière: Questlove has been doing some really cool DJ sets.
INTERVIEW: Janet Devlin
Janet Devlin
The Photo Ladies Interview
25-year old Northern Irish songstress Janet Devlin has persevered through a tumultuous period of her life, facing her inner demons and addictions, to re-emerge a more mature and confident artist. Inspired early in life by bands such as Foo Fighters and Red Hot Chili Peppers, she taught herself to play instruments by ear and started writing her own songs. She joined YouTube in 2006, at the age of 12, to get her music out into the world, quickly gaining a devoted fanbase. Devlin was only 16 years old when she auditioned for UK X Factor, quickly becoming a fan favorite and making it to 6th place before her exit. Having been bullied as a child, she had already been fighting an ongoing battle with depression, weight issues and body dysmorphia, alcoholism, cutting and drug addiction also emerging as inner struggles. Releasing her debut album Running With Scissors in 2014, Devlin will be releasing her new album Confessional on June 5th, along with her autobiography entitled 'My Confessional' that will dive into to the meaning behind the lyrics of each song. Five years in the making, the album and book lay bare Devlin's demons and fight to overcome them. Since 2019, Devlin has released 3 singles, ""Honest Men", "Saint Of The Sinners" and "Confessional", each of which became fan favorites and gave her the confidence to tell her story to the world. In telling her story, she has also told the story of countless others who can relate to the struggles she has endured and survived, with countless fans sharing their own stories with her and offering her their love and support.
“Writing the songs for Confessional at the same time as my autobiography has been one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done,” Devlin reveals. “There have been many times when I felt I would never be able to finish either of them. So, now that they’re both finished and no longer just ideas that reside in my broken mind, I stare back in wonder. Even I can’t believe what I’ve endured. Whatever compelled me to write the story of the last ten years of my life was also the same power that gave me the confidence to start believing I deserved this second chance. Through everything, I can genuinely say I owe my life to music. And now it’s time to set it free.”
Produced by Jonathan Quarmby and written in collaboration with Lauren Aquilina, Fiona Bevan and Paul Statham, all hand-picked by Devlin, Confessional was recorded over two years at RAK Studios in London and Westland Studios in Dublin as a way to involve her friends and bandmates and to ensure the Irish roots that are central to her identity were present on the album. With plans to take the album and book on tour as soon as possible, Devlin, who is a staunch advocate for mental health, is eager to hopefully empower her fans who are also be struggling with her story of hope and survival. "That’s what this whole idea of ‘confession’ has been about," says Devlin. "To show people that no matter how dark your life can get, there is always a light to aim for.” You can follow Janet Devlin and stay up-to-date on all upcoming music and artist news, as well as stream and purchase her music, via the following links. You can pre-order the new album HERE. You can watch her discuss the book and album HERE.
Website | Patreon | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify | SoundCloud | YouTube | iTunes/Apple Music | Deezer | Google Play | Bandcamp
You've been writing songs and poems since you were 7. What drew you to songwriting and poetry at such a young age and were there certain poets and songwriters that were especially inspiring for you?
I got lucky I think. I went to a school that promoted creativity from a young age. I don't know. I just remember school projects, where they'd make you sit down and write a poem. It always felt like it was kind-of part of the curriculum and I just really loved it and had a really good, fun time with it from a really young age. I don't really remember reading much poetry until I reached my teenage years and then I just couldn't get enough of it. I didn't care who wrote it. I would even go on Tumblr and just sit and read other people's poems and little thought spiels. I've always been amazed at how language can evoke feelings. I think I must have been around 16 when I discovered spoken word poetry, and the beauty of no rules and no laws and the aim of the game being to just speak your feelings in a way that just evokes feelings in other people. That got me so excited. I always just knew that poetry would be lyrics at the end of the day. I'd be like "That's good to have". I have...well I don't have them with me now because I rush moved...but I have loads of these leather bound journals that I keep my poems and things in. If I ever get stuck in a session, they are so handy if I'm like "Oh, what do I want to write about?". Or if something that somebody is playing reminds me of a certain memory, I'm like "I know which book that's in!" and I'll go find it. So yeah, it's always just been a part of my life. Maybe it's an Irish thing, where you're just encouraged to just always write.
I know storytelling is a big part of Irish culture!
Absolutely! I remember being in a pub as a kid and having an old man reciting a poem once and was like "WOW"! But the fact was that everybody in the pub stopped and listened and I thought "Oh, this is cool".
You have said that Chris Stapleton is a big influence for you with regards to his attitude towards life, music and the balance in between. How have you gone about trying to find that balance for yourself between your music and personal life?
I still have a very blurry line! I won't lie. I feel like I look up to him because it's like that man can be successful, on top of his game and an incredible artist and have millions of fans, but he doesn't really give anything away about himself. I always just like to look up to him in the hope that...I don't know. I feel like we are on very different paths. I personally don't feel like I...I don't mind oversharing! It's kind-of just me as a person. People in my personal life know that I overshare. I remember at the start of dating a guy, him just being like "You really don't mind about telling everybody about everything do you?" and I was like "No! I really don't!" (laughs)! It's always like, especially if I'm dating someone, "I'm just giving you all of the disclaimers up front about what goes on up here in my head so that you can't in six months say I'm a crazy woman and why didn't I tell you? I told you from the start!" (laughs)! I honestly don't mind. I believe in emotional honesty and all that kind of stuff. The most fun conversations, and even in writing sessions and things, are ones I have with people when they let their guard down and actually talk about what's really going on and what really happened in their life and all of that kind of stuff. That always really inspires me to write, because my life is my inspiration and things like that, so I like to keep a good emotional dialogue. But when it comes to Chris Stapleton, I love how we're very different. Like, I love the lyrical simplicity and the way that he writes and the way he carries himself, because we are so different. It reminds me that you can be your own person in this industry and still do well!
You were on The X Factor at 16 and have said that the only downside to your appearance on the show was that you were so young and that in later years people looked at you and asked "What happened to Janet?". Have you found it difficult to grow and change as a person and an artist in the industry over the years and evolving past how people saw you on the show?
I literally just went on a massive rant the other day on Instagram. I'd hit my final straw with dudes. It's always a dude! It's always a dude, middle aged or above who is very annoyed that I'm not 16 years old anymore, which I find questionable. I'm not going to lie. So I just had a massive rant the other day about it, because I have invested 1) a lot of money and 2) a lot of time into learning how to love me and be wholeheartedly myself and be comfortable and confident. And I couldn't be happier for it. But for some reason, that scares people but that's not my problem. That's not my cross to bear. That's some internal reflection that that person has to do and that's none of my business. But they don't know that it's noe of my business and they tell me constantly "You're not 16" and I'm just done with it. I don't even engage in any of it anymore. The nice thing about investing all of this time and money into learning how to love myself is that it allows me then to be more confident in my job, in my work, and allows me to take more risks. Like, I don't know how baby Janet would have felt about a Celtic infused pop album. She would have been like "Oh, but what if nobody likes it?", and now I'm like "I don't care if anybody likes it!" (laughs)! I wanted to make it so I did. So the two things go very hand in hand. I'm so happy, in the sense that all of the changes I have made seem to be well welcomed by the people I want to be engaged in this project. I don't want close-minded people who want women to remain girls. I'm loving this new wave of followers I've been getting lately of young girls who are like...I've gotten so many message lately from young girls who are like "Thank you so much for sharing your growth of you as a person because it's really inspiring". I've been getting loads of messages from young girls who are like what I was like and that warms my heart. That's what I want! I want that, not people who are upset that I've changed. It's like "Of course I have! I paid money to, thank you! Appreciate it! Thanks for noticing" (laughs)!
It's probably nice to know that so many people look up to you and that you can help them with their struggles because a lot of people can identify with the things you've gone through, like "Oh, I can relate to this person"!
Which is so bizarre! When I was going through half of the things I went through, I was feeling so isolated and so alone and petrified of admitting even half of the things I had going on. To see so many young girls and young women owning what's going on with them and just stepping up into it and being willing to change and evolve and not be so mean to themselves, it inspires me more than I think it inspires them to be honest.
Your new album Confessional will be released on June 5th and combines the Celtic sounds of your roots with more alt-pop sounds. You have said that you feel you really found your sound with this album, so what has that process been like for you, to grow and evolve your sound as an artist?
When I started this album, it was like 5-6 years ago. My first album was folk-pop and I loved it and it was everything I needed it to be at the time. I released other stuff at that time, and everything was that timeless sound where all the instruments were real instruments and that kind of thing. When it came to this album, I was writing a book with it and realized with the book that a lot of it took place back home in Ireland when I was a kid. I remember working with Jonathan Quarmby one day and the first session didn't work out but I got good vibes, so we tried to work again together the next time and we smashed it. One of the songs we wrote is like one of my favorite songs on the record. I feel for me that he was a big key in unlocking my sound, because whenever he spoke to me, it was very clear that my home and my story plays a massive part in this record and in the stories behind it. He just kind of went away and sneakily Irished it up and I heard the demo and LOST MY STUFF! I freaked out! I was like "This is a bop! Oh my god! I've been sleeping on my roots all my life! This is insane!". I sat down and thought about it and don't think I've ever met anybody who doesn't like Irish music, because it's fun. Some of those sounds, they are weird, but they evoke a lot of joy in me and seem to evoke a lot of joy in others. It all just came together beautifully in my head and then we got to do a week in a studio in Ireland called Westland Studios and it was amazing having so many local players playing on the record. I think for the first time in my career, I really felt like I really knew what I was doing. I used to be in a ceilidh band as a kid, so Irish music is the language of music I grew up with. Some people speak classical music, some people speak jazz, and I just came into the room and was like "No, no, no you gotta do it like that, yeah that's it, cool!", whereas whenever it's with contemporary music or regular pop music I'm like "Hmmmm...no comprende! Sorry! I don't get it!" (laughs)! It was so nice and so empowering to be able to stand in the room and think "This is it. I know what I'm doing".
While your new album does have some contemporary sounds, you have said that as an independent artist, you don't have the luxury of making contemporary pop music. I thought that was an interesting perspective! Could you elaborate on that?
Yeah! The fact is, this album took almost six years to make, so if I was to make an album of the sounds of six years ago, it wouldn't be very cool right now-at all (laughs)! So the fact that I can't make contemporary pop is a blessing and a curse. It means that you have to work harder to find this identity that's not of the time. Don't get me wrong-I love contemporary pop music. I still bop around my room to it! It's just that thing where I don't have the budget to put things out as quickly as like Ariana Grande or Selena Gomez. They're able to just kind of go into the studio, write a few songs and take a month to record and put a record out a few months later, and that's sick! But that's not my story. It takes me a long time. That's why I was kind-of happy with record, because it did mean I had to dig a wee bit deeper to find that balance of like what's still like pop but like timeless pop where I could bring in these old Irish instruments and kind of tie everything together.
I know a large aspect of the new album was the photography you did to accompany the songs. What can you tell me about the idea behind the imagery in the photographs and what your goal was with the photography?
I basically realized that the whole thing is a big concept record anyway, with the concept of the album and the book. I just got to the point where I was like "Well, it is going to take forever and ever to release this album so I may as well do another thing too!" (laughs)! I loved working with the photographer on the front cover. I loved it so much! I can't remember where the idea just came from, but it just kind of happened and I just knew that I wanted a photo to go along with every single song. Every song is a concept and the book unlocks it, but I loved the idea of having a middle ground between those two worlds where I could play again on metaphors and symbolism and it was really fun. It was hard at times to be like "This is the thing that it's actually about, but I want to create an image to represent that" or to give somebody something to work out. I loved this whole idea of people unlocking this jigsaw puzzle of an album. It was just amazing! Emma-Jane Lewis took the photos, and very importantly Lou, Lovehairbylou, did my hair, which sounds ridiculous because those two people are my dream team! We know my hair is important! It's like my brand! If I don't have my big ginger hair it like "Who is this?". We just had so much fun and it was the most...I watched the behind-the-scenes video for the front cover of the album and that was over two years ago. I watched it because I was putting it out live and couldn't get over how insecure I was. The front cover is me like semi-naked but absolutely covered by my hair, showing off exactly what you'd see in a bikini...actually more covered than in a bikini...but getting that shot obviously meant that I had to, for the first time ever, strip down to having hair only covering my top half. I was petrified and incredibly insecure, but through the process of working those two women, those incredibly lovely humans that I miss a lot, they really built me up into somebody who is now so confident in front of a camera. I don't mind any situation, any circumstance, any pose or anything like that now. That was just such a fun thing to do and I'm just so glad that I did it!
Along with you album, you will also be releasing your autobiography 'My Confessional', which goes in depth with the meanings behind the lyrics for each song. You have mentioned that even you can't believe what you have endured, so what do you feel that you have learned about yourself in the process of writing the book? Do you feel that you emerged with a new perspective on things and on yourself?
It was the biggest task of soul-searching ever! I think I sent my editor over 150,000 words of just sheer inward thinking. There were a lot of moments where I just sat at my computer and was like "Am I actually typing this?", because the minute it's on that page, it is real! That is a real thing that really happened the minute I type it out. There were a few times where I was like "Is this too far?" and then I'd get an email from my editor being like "Are you sure you want to put that in the book?" (laughs)! But that's how I know it was honest, when someone is asking if I'm sure I want to include it. I learned a lot. I think there are a few summary sentences that would sum it up, but it's kind of more like "Everything works out in the end" is a big one (laughs). I think another thing I realized was that a lot of the times I'm the only thing standing in the way of me. Not all of the time. There's a few stories involving other people in the book, but most of the time it's me. I'm my own worst enemy. But ultimately, it all works out in the end, and I had to reiterate that in the first chapter because even now, reading it back in this series where I sit down and read snippets from the book, I'm like "Oh my god! This was my life". It's so funny because obviously loads of things got cut and it's even worse than what's in the book (laughs)! It's crazy! But I feel so much better for it. But I won't feel wholeheartedly content until the book is out of my hands and the first person finishes it. That's when I'm free from all of the things that used to weigh me down.
I'm guessing it wasn't that glamorous!
No (laughs)! It was not! I didn't mean to make it sound so fiery, because there were days when I was crying in the studio, over the fact that I was talking about things that I hadn't really fully dealt with yet. There's a song called "Speak" on the album that I hadn't at all really dealt with and that was maybe a month or two after I had stopped taking my medication and was balling my eyes out. So, it wasn't glamorous at all. It was hard work and took a lot of self-babysitting to not do stupid stuff, because I like to self-destruct basically. A lot. It took all of the power in me to stay in the AA fellowship and talking to people with similar issues to mine and making sure that I was looking after myself and not falling back into silly old bad habits. But I was willing...and this is the difference...I was willing to put the work in to staying well. I don't think I would have come off the medication if I was like "Ok, well I'll just jump straight back into suicidal thoughts". Because that's why I had to go on the medication. I was tired. I was so tired of thinking about killing myself and planning it out. I was like "We don't have the mental energy for this so let's protect ourself in a nice little weird cocoon bubble emotionally for a little bit". And it did work. I absolutely DO NOT recommend taking yourself off of Prozac without your doctor's recommendation. I made it harder on myself by just going cold turkey. Never do that kids! Don't do it!
I read that you moved home last year for a month to decompress and did a variety of self-care techniques and therapy. You have talked about being much better at self-care these days, so what does self care look like for you?
So it's kind of hard now because the world is shut down, but I actually went back to Ireland for 6 months. The other time, yeah...I took a month off. During the last 6 months in Ireland, my self-care was trying to fulfill this list of things that I never got to do because I did TV at 16 and moved to England. It was silly but it was everything I wanted so I saved up a lot and got a car and started doing driving lessons. I really wanted that freedom to learn how to drive. Unfortunately, I never passed my test because my test was scheduled three days after the shutdown, so I'll come back to that! But I still have my car. I got a doggie as well and I love him to pieces. That was a big self care thing, although my mom has stolen him now and I'm never getting his back so you win some, you lose some (laughs)! I know that I have an incredibly addictive brain, which is very apparent in the book. I jumped headfirst into taking up Crossfit, of all things!
I have a lot of friends who do Crossfit and love it!
Yeah. It's mental! It's for crazy people, absolutely! I got so much out of it. I didn't intentionally join Crossfit, but when I went home I wanted to join a gym but all of the gyms I was looking at were like "How to lose body fat" and "How to be skinny" and things like that. I was like "I used to have anorexia and I can't do that", because I'm really good at it. I didn't want to get involved in that. I've got the badge for losing body fat. I ended up seeing that there was a Crossfit gym and I went on their website and wasn't sure if it was for me. It seemed very Type A and I'm lazy. But I went there and their ethos was so different. All they want to do do is just make you run faster and lift heavier and ll of those kinds of things. That's what I wanted and Crossfit was a big thing for me because for a lot of years I was like "I want me a big strong man to look after me and protect me" and then I went to Crossfit and was like "Hold on a sec! I can be the big strong man I've always wanted" and I found it very empowering, especially in shutting down those particular men who want me to be 16 forever. When people see me gaining muscle, the amount of DMs I got from guys being like "Ewwww...your traps are so big that they're gross" or "Women shouldn't have abs". I was like "Go away. My thighs are bigger than your dreams dude!" (laughs)! I loved it! I'm sad now because I've lost basically most of my progress, but that's not what it is for me, the aesthetic of it. It's the fact that I was meeting personal goals and it makes you feel like a kid again when you do something and people are like "You did it!". It was a really lovely community element, and as someone who is very socially inept, it really brought me out of my shell, as well. Also, I'd never been a good sister or a good auntie or a good daughter because I moved out so young. I never really got the chance to just be with my family before for an extended period of time. I moved out at 15 to live with my grandmother to take my studies more seriously and also to starve myself...2 reasons. But I loved just being with my family and seeing them and it was amazing and everything that I needed and can highly recommend to other artists. Especially the ones who get in this weird job very young, because you do lose that whether you are aware of it or not. There's something so nice about having Sunday dinner with your family.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and I know you are a mental health advocate. Do you have any specific things you are doing this month to help advocate for mental health?
Yes! So this is why I have started reading bits from the book. I know there a few chapters in this book that when I read a snippet of it, I can't just ignore that I dropped a massive bombshell on people. I anticipate getting a lot of questions on certain chapter readings, so I'm going to have to sit down and probably film a few more videos like the "I'm an alcoholic" video, because a lot of these things need explaining. It's going to be a hard month for me, because people already think I'm mentally screwed and I'm just dropping more ammo into their hatred gun. But the joke's on them because I'm better now. So that for me is what I'm doing . I'm really going to be putting myself out there on the frontline and talking about things that are hard to talk about, but if I've learned anything from my video about my alcoholism, it's that there are so many people going through it. So, so many people going through it. It makes me feel better to do it because I've put it out and then I see people who are like "Me too" or "I did this thing" and we realize that we are not alone . It's crazy! I'm so glad for the leaps and bounds we've made over the years, because when I think back to what I was going through a few years ago, or even longer, from the age of 12, which comes up in the book, the dialogue we have now over issues warms my heart. It genuinely does, because I didn't have that dialogue to talk about it when I was a kid going through some of the stuff I was going through. I feel like we are more open now. We're not as open as we could be, but better than we were. We are getting there. I see some young kids complaining about the state of the mental health things and all and I'm like "It will get better. I swear to god"! If we just keep pushing forward and being honest and loving each other then we'll get there.
What does it feel like to re-emerge onto the musical landscape as a changed and more confident artist and how do you feel the industry has changed for you over the years from what it was when you started out? It's definitely a quick changing industry!
It definitely is and I'm a slow moving gal! I've just kind of had to make my own rules. When I started, nobody was doing crowdfunding, so I had to break that boundry. That was a fun one because it worked! Since then, doing online shows. I've been doing online shows for 6 years, which is now cool because people want to see online shows because they are stuck at home. For me, it's always changing. It's always evolving. But I don't know. I welcome it. I definitely do. For me, my journey is never...I don't wanna say never, but I very much doubt that a major record label is going to come over here tomorrow and be like "Hey! Wanna be signed?". For me, I just have to just stay on my own path. Because of the internet and the digital age we're living in, that's a possibility. My kind of career wouldn't have been possible like 20 years ago. I feel like I'm living in a new era of the music industry. But by no means am I putting down the old ways or the ways of what were and in some cases still is. Some people get discovered and get signed and are given loads of money and became an overnight success, and congratulations. That's insane because that's like the smallest minority of people. I'm still fascinated and I love those stories, but that's not my story. My initial story of trying to make people think I was cool enough and not just someone off of TV and then trying to stay relevant for 10 years. It's almost 10 years of me doing this now and I'm just baffled everyday that I'm able to do it. But that's honestly just truly the beauty of people on the internet.
What has it been like to plan an album release during quarantine? Most artists would normally be planning to tour and all of the other things that go along with an album release!
Ummm...worst timing, because this is only my second album (laughs)! My first album was delayed and things went wrong, but then it came out and was fine. I was like "This time I've got it guys! Yes!" and the world was like "Uh, no!". But it's been cool in the sense that you just kind of make things work. I'm trying to film a music video very soon, with trying to practice social distancing and not really having a crew and filming things on a very small level. I think the hardest part is plugging, because it's like "Hey guys! I know the world's burning and everything's kind of horrible right now, but would you like to buy my book and my album?". It just feels very...you feel like a salesman who's turned up to a funeral and you're trying to sell people something on the way out, you know? It feels very inappropriate. But luckily most people understand. Some people don't see my line of work, my job or whatever, they don't see it as a real job so they don't respect it. They think "Why are you trying to sell something in the middle of a crisis?" and I'm like "Because this is my job. If I don't get paid, I don't eat!". Sometimes I am flattered by people thinking I am more successful then I am, but then they're like "Why do you even have to plug your book?" and it's like "Because I'm one gal, my guy.". There's not like a 1,000 person team here plugging this for me. I actually have to do it. But yeah, that's the hardest part, just trying to keep the tone right. Luckily the internet has been so supportive. I've gotten more followers on my Patreon because of it, and that's insane, right? That's counterintuitive to what you think would happen, and I can't thank them enough because these are really scary times to be in.
I think a lot of people are being really supportive of the arts right now, because in times like these you realize how important it is. Everyone turns to music or painting or photography or whatever, so it's important to support those things so that they are still around when all of this is over.
That's honestly true and it's amazing that people see that. It's such a small percentage of people that get cross at you for plugging. Everyone else is like "Yeah!". It's like "Thank you so much! I really appreciate the fact that you are still cheering me on in the midst of all this". Otherwise, if people were really being like "Stop", it would be so hard. It's 6 years of my life that I've put into something. It would suck a lot if people weren't allowing me to scream about it.
What's next for you?
For me, let me see....I definitely want to start working on my next album. I'm looking to do something maybe bluegrassy or country, just because I know that for me is the easiest genre to write in. I grew up on country music. I just feel like booking a studio for like a month with a bunch of dudes that I love working with and sitting down and just channeling that Chris Stapleton. Keeping it simple and just writing some stuff that just makes my soul happy and just playing around with the sound I've always wanted to use. Also get in shape again! That would be sick (laughs)!