IVY-LEE: INTERVIEW

by pankhuri bhutani

photo courtesy of ivy-lee

Born into a multicultural family which supported her interest to explore and be open-minded, Ivy-Lee’s knack for music really started when she was just a little girl jamming and dancing to Atomic Kitten and Hilary Duff. From that time a star was born, at just eight years old Ivy-Lee wrote her first song. 

Recently releasing her debut single “If I Fall,” Ivy-Lee is the freshest face to join the world of electronic-pop music. We recently had an insightful chat with Ivy-Lee about her music journey! 

Hi there Ivy-Lee. So lovely to have you over at Unclear! How has the start of this year been going for you?

Ivy-Lee: “Hello! Thank you so much for having me! I honestly can’t believe we’re in March already… So much has happened this year and I am super excited about how things are going.”

Is there anything that you’re currently doing in order to maintain your creativity during times like these?

Ivy-Lee: “Honestly, I have about 100 hobbies going on at one time, so my brain is always buzzing! I like to keep myself busy whether it’s going on a bike ride cruising around my city, progressing myself through my figure skating hobby, connecting and catching up with likeminded people and listening to artists who inspire me. I think having goals and being inspired by influential people around me helps keep me excited and gets me in the mood for creating!”

You recently marked your debut with your first single “If I Fall.” Huge congratulations on that! Are you enjoying the response you have been receiving from the listeners so far?

Ivy-Lee: “Yes! I am beyond excited that it’s out! Being my first song release, I didn’t know what to expect and I was just happy for my friends and family to enjoy the track. Bianca from Renegade Records is AH-MAZING and has helped me to connect with people in industry I never would’ve imagined.”

How did the songwriting process go for this track? Where did you garner your inspiration from?

Ivy-Lee: “So, I moved to Sydney to work as a graphic designer for Uber when I was about 21, and it was super daunting, but I was wanting to get my foot in the door and ‘find myself’ as they say. I remember not having done much with music at all, so I teamed up with a few people and joined a punk band which got the ball rolling. We found a local studio which we would meet up with for rehearsals and one day I just decided to head there by myself and come up with something, anything.

I would listen to instrumental tracks on YouTube and just sing random melodies to tracks I liked, then I came up with the theming of the song which was about how I was feeling at that point in time in my phone notes. I remember writing the phrases ‘loosing myself in this big city’ and ‘being taken advantage of’ and ‘If I fall, please don’t let me go’ just kept coming up. Eventually put words to paper about where my head was at.”

What was the creative process like with this single? Did you face any kind of challenge during the production stage of the project?

Ivy-Lee: “I dabbled a lot myself in GarageBand to make it an electronic vibe. I am terrible at production though which is something I want to work on. I had about three iterations of the song but left it sitting there for about two to three years because I came back to Adelaide and got a full-time job. I was linked up with Jethro by a friend and I heard his music, I knew I had to get it properly produced! I honestly just was very specific of the sound I was looking for and Jethro made it happen.”

Now that you have officially made your debut, what are the top three things on your bucket list regarding your future years?

Ivy-Lee: “I would love to release an EP by this year  — if not early next year. I would love the chance to either guest play or play at a smallish festival with my originals. Third one would be to keep building my experience and connections, I’ve already made some great connections through this process and I’m excited to meet more people in the industry who inspire me.”

Lastly, is there any message that you wish to give to your fans reading this interview right now?

Ivy-Lee: “Eeek! I just feel super lucky to have you listen and appreciate my work and story! Thank you so much for your support, and please stay tuned for future music from me!”

 

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NORA MAE: INTERVIEW

by emma schoors

photo by whitney otte

If romance could be bottled, “Rendezvous” by blossoming musician Nora Mae would fit the bill. 

Elegant vocals are laid above a gentle bed of guitar in her debut single. In just three minutes, with just two core chords, Mae ushers listeners to a Spanish countryside, a Parisian balcony, a lush forest. The sounds hark back to an endless array of tranquil landscapes. In this tranquility lies an undercurrent of sensuality and danger, as Mae describes the uncertainty that is inherent in intimate relationships. She ponders, “Should I let myself go to these places, and will you meet me there?” Mae’s knack for escapism is sure to land her a devoted following in the years to come, but for now, her tight-knit audience can revel in knowing they are part of the inception of a sound so classic, yet so timely. 

We had the chance to speak with Mae recently about her musical beginnings, the wondrous single, and her upcoming EP.


Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us! Before we get to your stunning new single, I wanted to start a little further back. What was your first memory of music?

Nora: “Well, thank you so much. It’s so wonderful to get to chat with you, thank you for having me! That is a great question. My earliest memories of music were definitely watching my grandmother perform. I’m not sure it’s the first, but one of the most vivid memories I have is being underneath the moving staircase when she was on the Cinderella tour. I must have been about five years old.”

Did you always know you wanted to be a musician, or did you at any point in time have a different dream career?

Nora: “Oh, I always knew. There was a period of my life when I went to college and entertained the idea of a different path. I thought about being a psychologist, or working for an advertising agency. I even gave working a 9-5 job a try, but I knew instantly that something was missing and it wasn’t right for me.”

Who were some of your absolute favorite artists growing up?

Nora: “It’s so hard to narrow down because my taste really changed all the time growing up. I went through quite a few phases. I always loved Alicia Keys, she’s been a constant for me, Adele, Ed Sheeran, John Mayer, Coldplay, Beyoncé, Amy Winehouse. The list could go on and on depending on which season of my life I was in.”

In what ways do you think these artists influenced the way you make music, and view music in general?

Nora: “I think what all of those artists have in common that really inspires me are powerful storytelling and versatility. They’ve all made songs that were ‘upbeat’ and songs that were ‘sad,’ but still achieved such cohesivity and distinctiveness in their style. If you heard a song you’d never heard before, you could probably still identify as theirs. In terms of sound and production, there’s nothing that sounds too fake, which I love. It’s a lot of minimalist, but interesting production using live, organic instrumentation and natural sounding vocals.”

“Rendezvous,” your debut single, is a beautiful introduction to your discography. Can you take us through the songwriting process for this track?

Nora: “Thank you so much for saying so. The songwriting process for this one was interesting, because we wrote it at the height of the pandemic over Zoom. I was in the woods with my dog, and my producer and co-writers were in Los Angeles, and it was the first time the three of us had worked together, mind you, so I really had no idea what to expect but I had a good gut feeling about it. We started out just chatting about life and how we were all faring in Covid times, the direction I saw the music heading down, and conceptually what I wanted to write about. I came in with a lot of thoughts and musings written so as I spoke it through and gave context, my co-writer, Alexa, would write down things that stood out to her. With that, we started to build the story and how it would flow. We want to say ‘X’ in the first verse and have it lead to ‘Y’ in the hook, and so on. And my producer, Mark, started poking around on the guitar trying to match the mood based off of some of the reference tracks I had pulled and of course, he nailed it instantly. It was two chords, but it was perfect. And then, it all just started to come together. I recorded vocals as we went along and would export them and we’d add them in, which is the only time we’ve ever done that. We usually save that for the end of the session or have a session solely for vocals. All-in-all, we were probably on Zoom for nearly 10 hours. I remember I took my laptop with me as I brushed my teeth, washed my face, and got in bed since I was on a later time zone, and we kept working. We were buzzing. It was magic.”

photo by whitney otte

You cited “Bang Bang” by Nancy Sinatra and “Fever” by Peggy Lee as reference tracks. What about these songs specifically inspired you?

Nora: “The sexiness and the mystery. They’re both very simple in production and vocal style, so laissez-faire. When I listen, I feel like I’m in a classic film, sitting in the back of a smoke-filled jazz club locking eyes with a stranger. And that’s where I wanted to be. That’s the energy I wanted to bring.”

“Rendezvous” connects classic vocal styles with lyrics attuned to the modern listener. How do you hope audiences react to this song?

Nora: “I really hope they feel the sense of nostalgia and timelessness, and get lost in it. I love the idea that this song could invoke romanticism and playfulness for the listener to fill in their own fantasy. Mostly, I just want to make people smile and feel that sense of escapism, even just for a few minutes.”

Is there anything else you’d like to share with fans about your creative plans for the future?

Nora: “Well, I plan to release my debut EP later this year that ‘Rendezvous’ will be a part of, so stay tuned for more music. That’s really my main focus right now, but lots more planned down the line so you can keep up with me on social media and come along for the ride!”

 

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GIRLS BEHIND THE ROCK SHOW: INTERVIEW

by abby crabill

photo courtesy of girls behind the rock show

Girls Behind The Rock Show (GBTRS) is a nonprofit organization that focuses on helping create an equal opportunity environment for women and marginalized genders within the music industry. GBTRS raises awareness through collaborations with current industry professionals in order to promote important discussions regarding the present issues that the industry faces. The organization also strives to share educational resources for those who may otherwise not have the same opportunity to prosper in the industry. Girls Behind The Rock Show continuously works to open doors for future music professionals to succeed, with the hopes of eventually leading to a more safe and diverse environment that brings everyone together with a single focus on enjoying the music.

What inspired you to create the Girls Behind The Rock Show organization?

Olivia: “Shelby grew up in and often attended the pop punk scene, and noticed an alarming amount of people not given opportunities because of who they were. There’s a lack of diversity — whether we’re talking about race, ethnicity, gender, or being disability accessible — in all genres of music, and so Girls Behind The Rock Show was founded on and stands for the principle of female empowerment within the music industry. First just created on paper, Girls has now grown into an organization that has helped close to over 10,000 women, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming music industry professionals in a matter of six years.”

photo courtesy of girls behind the rock show

What is the overall mission of your organization?

Olivia: “Our overall mission at Girls Behind The Rock Show is to provide a community for marginalized individuals, share educational resources, and create equal opportunities by allowing open dialogue about the issues that can come with working in the music industry and how to break down those barriers.”

Can you define "marginalized genders" for those who may not understand the term?

Olivia: “Anybody who doesn't identity as a cisgender man! We like to say anyone who is gender diverse.”

What problems do women and marginalized genders often face in the music industry? Why?

Olivia: “There’s often the issue that women and marginalized genders are not in the room when decisions are being made, and this is an issue across every industry. They often face stereotypical prejudice, some in positions of power believing that they cannot hold leadership positions the same way cisgender men can. Sexism also runs deep in the music industry — whether it’s the pay gap, not booking marginalized genders for music gigs, sexual harassment, and unfortunately so many more issues that can’t just be covered within a matter of one question. There’s no good reason why this is happening, but rather it’s the patriarchal society that we live in that allows these issues to happen and we are just supposed to accept the way things are (which Girls never want to just accept this).”

Can you describe some of the programs that your organization provides?

Olivia: “Some of the programs we’ve done over the past years have been ‘Roadie for A Day’ and ‘Festival Immersion.’ Roadie for A Day allows someone interested in the touring industry to gain hands-on experience, and we’ve proudly partnered with three North American tours to do this partnership! Festival Immersion allows participants a hands-on experience working behind the scenes and gain the opportunity to be mentored by festival directors and work in a variety of departments, along with other programs that include virtual workshops, mentoring, and internship placements.”

photo courtesy of girls behind the rock show

What are some artists/festivals that you have collaborated with in order to help spread awareness?

Olivia: “We’ve proudly partnered with over a dozen artists, festivals, and companies to help spread the awareness of our mission at Girls Behind The Rock Show. Some of our partners have been Bonnaroo Music Festival, Sad Summer Fest, South By So What, Grandson, 1824 at Universal Music Group and more!”

How can someone help support the cause of your organization?

Olivia: “There's a number of ways that someone could support the cause of Girls! We have a website where you can directly donate to us (girlsbtrs.com/donate/), buy our merch, follow us via Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and share our content, or join the Networking Group where you can search for those looking for career and internship opportunities, mentorship, and advice.”

Why is this an important cause for you to spread awareness for?

Olivia: “As stated in our mission, we believe that when everyone has a voice opportunity flourishes. Breaking down barriers and creating accessibility for all allows for so many more creative and productive ideas to be flowed for artists, management, tours, and many more alike. Music is all about bringing people together, so why can’t the industry and professionals behind it be the same?”

photo courtesy of girls behind the rock show

How can current industry professionals help to fix this problem in the music industry?

Olivia: “The biggest and most important thing someone can do as a current industry professional is address the problem. We can't fix something that isn't addressed, and we must speak up for those who aren't in the room with us while these problems arise. We also must provide opportunities for marginalized people who may not be the first considered for jobs, internships, mentoring and so forth.”

In regards to these issues, what do you see for the future of the music industry?

Olivia: “There’s been an increasing number of people that have been put into positions of power who are considered marginalized. And while this is more progress than we’ve ever experienced as an industry within the past decade, we need to continue the promotion and hiring of marginalized people for the younger generations who wish to work in music. We need to continue to create conversation around these issues and allow change to be made from those highest in companies, all the way to entry level jobs.”

 

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SUPERET: INTERVIEW

intro by madden levin

interview by cami liberty

photo courtesy of superet

Matt Blitzer, a so-called salty surfer kid and jazz enthusiast from Santa Barbara, started the project Superet in 2016. Before this creation, Blitzer had his part in different bands across Los Angeles, showing his love for music has been lifelong. With that jazz influence, it is no doubt that Superet's music is extremely captivating and makes you want to get on the dance floor and vibe it out. With the artistic ability portrayed in each new release that comes our way, it's so clear why fans flock to listen to Superet's tunes. Check out our full exclusive interview with Superet below!

For those who aren’t familiar with your work, can you tell us a bit about who you are and the music you create?

Superet: “My name is Matt Blitzer, and I’m the singer and songwriter behind Superet. I grew up in Santa Barbara as a salty surfer kid and studied jazz guitar at Calarts. After moving to LA and playing in a few different bands, I decided to start Superet in 2016 on Valentine’s Day. It’s been a deeply satisfying and also tumultuous relationship ever since.”

If you were to recommend a new song for listeners to check out first, which would you suggest?

Superet: “I’ll suggest you go on a short journey… Take a scenic drive with someone you love and listen to ‘Prism.’  Then take a hot bath (maybe with the same person) and listen to ‘Pink House.’  As you dry off, try dancing to ‘Go To Sleep Kimberly’ while singing the chorus into your hairbrush like it’s a microphone.”

You recently wrapped up as support for iDKHOW’s “The Thought Reform Tour.” How has it felt being back onstage and touring the country?

Superet: “The short answer is that it felt really, really good. Like every other performer in the world, the pandemic had me wondering if I’d ever play a show again. I really had to look for other ways to exert that kind of energy, but there’s nothing like a live show. Basically I had two years of build-up, so I can promise you that every performance on this tour has been deeply appreciated.

But the long answer is that it’s also been the hardest tour I’ve ever done, by far. When Dallon reached out to check in with me over the summer, I was essentially starting over. I gave him the update that I’d parted ways with my management as well as the original members of the band. I was pretty isolated, and just working on becoming a better songwriter and doing some recording at home. Dallon, being the champion that he is, then asked me if I could get it together to support a couple of shows on his tour. I said, ‘Yes! I’ll be ready!’ But truthfully I was nowhere near ready.

It was only supposed to be a couple of shows, but I was so thankful for an opportunity to get my shit together. I managed to put together a new live show right in the knick of time with the help of a really talented friend – Aaron Harrison Folb. We played the two shows as a trio and they were so much fun, but then it was over and I thought, ‘Ok, back into the void.’ 

A few days later I’m steaming some vegetables and, no joke, listening to ‘Comfortable With Uncertainty’ by Pema Chodron when my AirPods go ‘BING!’ and Siri says ‘Text message from Dallon Weekes.’ He wanted to know if I could make it out to Denver in two days and finish out the rest of their tour. I had about 12 hours to figure out how to make it happen. 

Chaos ensued. We made it happen. I won’t go into the logistical nightmare, but I’ll just say it’s really beautiful to see how the people in your life will show up for you in moments like this. This is not an easy career choice, so it helps if you have people who are making you feel like it’s possible.”

Was there a song on your set list that surprised you from the audience reaction?

Superet: “Yes! There were a few shows when the audience lit their iPhone flashlights and swayed them in the air to the new songs – ‘Prism’ and ‘Pink House.’ It was a really beautiful thing to watch from the stage. Those songs are also so much more vulnerable than anything I’ve ever done before, and you never know if people are going to go on that journey with you. That’s a direction I had to go for myself, but it’s really special if other people are able to connect with it too.”

Speaking of “Pink House” and “Prism,” can you tell us a little about these songs and how they came about?

Superet: “It was the middle of the pandemic and I was having a tough time writing and finding motivation. So one night my girlfriend challenged me with an assignment. She said, ‘You have to write an album worth of songs, record and deliver them to me in three weeks. The theme of the album is me. If you fail to complete the assignment you’ll pay a $200 penalty. Go.’ It was exactly what I needed.

‘Pink House’ and ‘Prism’ were written during this assignment. A week in, I was getting frustrated and falling behind schedule. I was writing ‘Prism’ and thinking, ‘This one is gonna be the runt of the litter.’ When I listened back at the end, it was the clear favorite.”

How do you feel your music has evolved since your 2019 released album How To Work A Room?

Superet: “The music evolves when and if I evolve. I love How To Work A Room, but I’ve changed quite a bit since then. I don’t think the new songs are necessarily more ‘me,’ but they reflect a more tender side that maybe I’m more at ease with now.”

Has your writing process changed at all over the years?

Superet: “It has changed a lot. I have some natural talent, but I spent too long thinking I could ride on that alone. I studied music my whole life but the craft of songwriting is a different animal. One day I realized that, while there might be some people out there just sneezing out good songs all day, I’m not one of them. So I started putting the effort in and that learning will never come to an end. There is so much amazing work out there, from songwriters to novelists to poets, on the craft of writing. Just take your pick.

Now I find myself changing up my approach to songs all the time. I’ll experiment more with lyrical structures. Sometimes I’ll start with just lyrics, which is something I never used to do. I’m more okay with writing ‘bad’ songs. I’ll try writing a song really fast. Then I’ll try writing one really slow.

Process is everything to me now. I don’t want to sneeze out good songs, I want to spend my life searching for them.”

Is there anything else we can expect in the near future?

Superet: “You can definitely expect a lot more from Superet this year. But I honestly don’t know what. I had a whole plan written down on a legal pad and then Dallon called and messed up my whole schedule! All I know is that Superet isn’t going dormant again. I’m full steam ahead, I can promise you that.”

 

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