What is your earliest musical memory?
To tell you the truth, my first musical memory was realizing that if I sang loud, people would pay attention to me. So maybe it was just me interrupting a beautiful moment by shouting “Twinkle, Twinkle, Twinkle”.
The first moment I felt I had a personal relationship with music was going to a show like Annie or The Lion King and watching kids my age perform and sing on stage. It was time. I remember that my perspective changed a lot.
You're based in Nashville, which is obviously famous musically. Could you tell us more about the scene there? Who are the other artists who are breaking out right now?
Nashville is a really interesting music city! Everyone immediately thinks of country music or Americana music, but I think there's something special about his DIY and indie scene here. I think it can be difficult to deal with living in an area where the music you play or what you say isn't necessarily the norm, but it makes the community you find that much more special. I think it will become something, and I am connected. The amount of support and cheerleading this community does for each other is unlike any other place. Everyone is just advocating for each other because all we want is more great music and art and that's what people do.
As for other artists, I love that there are so many female-led bands coming out of Nashville. Snõõper are very important players in the scene here, and their shows are very creative and fun. They have papier-mâché bugs and traffic lights, and the energy they generate is contagious. A great place to jump and get thrown around. Artists like Venus & the Flytraps, Joiner, Baby Wave, Wilby, hana Eid, and Annie DiRusso also make me scream, dance, and puke in the best ways.
Your upcoming debut album 'spittake' incorporates elements of pop, indie, folk and grunge. Which songs would you recommend to a first-time listener and why?
I think the first single “ifshitfuq” is a good introduction to this record both sonically and lyrically. The language and tone used is scattered throughout the album, but each song has a different flavor. But I think the album's actual intro, “spittake,” is also a good choice. I feel like I've been told a secret I'm not sure I should know.
You mentioned that iznotreal was partially inspired by AI. What inspirations outside of music influence your writing?
It's funny because if you ask me about the musical inspiration for an album, I can easily answer and go on and on. As for inspiration outside of music, I don't think I've ever thought about it to be honest. I write down how I speak in my head. That's very important to me. I think it's the little moments and simple words that leave the most room for emotion to be projected.What Simplicity Makes Possible [the listener] It was meant to be a way for me to get out of there personally, but it wasn't exactly how I was feeling at the time.
In terms of inspiration, I think it's only through life and its little “aha” moments that you can get so much out of something easy and light. I also get a lot of inspiration from my favorite authors, such as Vonnegut and Banana Yoshimoto. I often read books where the words are simple yet witty and thought-provoking, which certainly inspires phrases and adds a sense of playfulness.