CLAIRE ROSINKRANZ: INTERVIEW

December 11, 2022

by lauren kovolenko

As writers for Unclear Magazine, we are honored to talk to a wide variety of artists and creatives. This time around, I got the chance to talk to one of the coolest young people in the music world right now — Claire Rosinkranz! We talk about tours, personality, and finding your sound. We hope you enjoy what you read!

When did you start writing music? How was music introduced to you?

Claire: “I started writing at eight years old and was lucky enough to be introduced to music though my family.”

How would you describe your sound and music to someone who's never listened before?

Claire: “Honestly, I don’t know. I feel so wrapped up in what I’m making all the time that I don’t even know what it is. So, I usually just tell people to listen to it and if they like it, great! I want people to take time to explore the music and see how it resonates with them.”

There's no doubt you have a major influence online, with TikTok success particularly. How did the virality of “Backyard Boy” change your life?

Claire: “It gave me A LOT of amazing opportunities and ones that forced me learn and grow in ways I wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for that song. I’m very thankful for it.”

What was your writing process like on BeVerly Hills BoYfRiEnd? Did that same process apply to your other singles/EPs that followed?

Claire: “My writing and creative process is constantly changing. It’s usually me writing on a guitar or piano. Back then, I was writing about whatever was in 16 year old Claire’s brain, and now I write about what’s going on in my head at 18.”

Where does your influence come from within your writings? Are any of your lyrics based on real events?

Claire: “I write about EVERYTHING I feel or think in my journal. A lot of that stuff makes its way into my music.”

Are you planning on releasing a full-length album in the near future? Any hints on what the all-encompassing vibe will be?

Claire: “I’m releasing an album near the beginning of the next year, potentially in February. Just a lot of songs I’m really excited about… but it’s more fun to keep you all guessing.”

When you aren't creating music, what are you doing? How do you find your calm in such a busy industry?

Claire: “Love hitting the beach, driving around in my car, and hanging with my fam and friends.”

As a young person with a voice, do you have any inspiring words to share with our readers?

Claire: “We’re put on this Earth to be nobody but ourselves. Pursue whatever you really, really want to do and SHARE IT. Nobody actually cares that much, and if they do, why are you listening to them? Don’t get stuck living in somebody else’s brain.”

What has been your favorite project and song lyric to date?

Claire: “Favorite project: probably my upcoming LP, and all of the lyrics in one of my songs off the project, called ‘Polarized.’”

You have collaborated with a few people thus far — what was that process like for you? Do you want to do more in the future?

Claire: “All of my collabs so far have been a good time, easy. All were done during the Covid-era (safely, of course). Def looking forward to doing future collabs.”

Congratulations on your recent tour with Alec Benjamin! What are you most excited for while touring?

Claire: “Thanks! Really looking forward to being in new cities, new coffee shops, new vintage/thrift stores, and most of all, performing!”

What is one personal and one career goal you'd love to achieve? What does the word "success" look like to you?

Claire: “Personal goal: surfing. Career goal: do a tour overseas and make more music. I don’t really know what success looks like to me. I’m kind of a perfectionist, so I’m constantly hard on myself to do more and be better. Workin’ on giving myself more grace lol.”

Where do you want to go from here? Do you plan on pursuing music long term?

Claire: “I’m open to trying, learning and picking up new things, but music will always be number one.”

If you weren't doing music, what do you think your life would look like?

Claire: “Honestly, no clue.”

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ELENA ERIN: INTERVIEW

December 4, 2022

by mariah estran

Singer-songwriter Elena Erin has always been interested in music. She moved to New York and began pursuing music business and her own artistry. During that time, she observed the ruthless nature of the entertainment world. Moments that became self-reflective as she began feeling further from her childhood roots.

Her debut album Holy Tender Artist taps into those stories. “The whole album came from growing up in this really religious family,” she explains. “I think a lot of me felt there was something no longer holy about me. After I had pursued the whole music thing in New York, all my tenderness was gone.”

However, through those times of reflection, the album concisely documents her confidence in empowering lyrical writing. “As I homed in on the craft, who I am starts coming out in the songs,” she says.

Elena Erin took the time to give us more insight into her album. She tells us about her inspirations, working through the pandemic, and the meaning behind specific tracks.

Your track “Almost Famous” describes growing up and pursuing your dream. How has music guided you into figuring out who you are as an individual?

Elena: “I think it was a way to express myself and put my emotions into words. As a kid, I wrote a lot — a lot of which was copying what other artists were doing. As I homed in on the craft, who I am starts coming out in the songs. That happens more and more every year.”

I feel like there’s a reason behind “Almost Famous” being the first track on Holy Tender Artist. Why did you want to open with this song?

Elena: “The whole album came from growing up in this really religious family. I moved to New York and ended up doing music. Throughout my life, what I was pursuing was the music industry and music business. I think a lot of me felt there was something no longer holy about me. After I had pursued the whole music thing in New York, all my tenderness was gone. I had to be badass, cut-throat.

I also questioned my artistry a lot. Sometimes it felt like it didn’t come naturally to me. So, the whole album describes that, and it goes back to my roots growing up. It describes that opening story of where my mindset was at the time and where it is now.”

The album explores vulnerable moments, and it’s tender-pop atmosphere allows that to shine. What were some of your musical inspirations along the way?

Elena: “I think a lot of them would be various singer-songwriters. I’ve always loved Lorde’s writing. She would say things in a way that if you had read it or heard it, you’d be like, ‘That’s not going to work.’ By the tenth time you hear it, you’re like, 'This is such a clever way to do it.'

I grew up with a lot of old country music. I’ve always loved that type of storytelling. I feel like there’s been a surge of singers-songwriters that are raw and honest in their writing. Someone I like lately is Julia Wolf. I got a lot of inspiration from saying what’s on my mind without worrying about how it will be perceived or if the story is being told right.”

You wrote most of these songs during the pandemic. Would you say those secluded times aided your songwriting and creativity?

Elena: “It’s the reason I was able to write such good music. I think it’s the best music I’ve written in my life thus far. It was the first time I could stay home for a week straight and work on music.

I’d wake up early in the morning and be nonstop all day — writing and writing. There were no social distractions or anything to distract me at all. I found it very empowering and creative.”

What song on the album is your favorite?

Elena: “There is a song called ‘Mayhem World.’ I think that’s my favorite because it’s been with me the longest. I wrote it pre-pandemic, it describes me and the person I was seeing. It felt like we were so perfect for each other but jaded by the world and had all these different masks on.

The whole idea of ‘Mayhem World’ was that there's so much mayhem in the world that it destroyed us. That one feels very dramatic — it has a depth to it that I like.”

How’s the story going to be shown in the music video?

Elena: “I’ve done some videos that have storylines and everything. I wanted to express these stories in small intimate ways, verses showing the whole story played out. Which is why ‘Almost Famous’ is made in my bedroom — that’s the landscape I would be in.

This one is set in a bar in London. One of the lines of the song is: ‘Nobody knows what it’s like to hold me closer, nobody knows what it’s like to hold you closer.’ Me pining after this person, but also knowing that this would never work.

So, I walk into a bar, order a whiskey, and I sit there on my phone, singing this song as I process all these emotions as they are happening. Then when I’m done drinking my whiskey, I leave and walk out.

It’s like you’re sitting there, experiencing the feelings in the song with me.”

What can we expect from you next?

Elena: “I have another visual for ‘Für Elise”’ coming out. Then I have a Christmas song I wrote last year that I like. So, I’m going to try to get it produced and out for Christmas this year. Hopefully, we’ll have an Elena Christmas track.”

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VEEALWAYSHERE: INTERVIEW

November 28, 2022

by mariah estran

Stepping out of your comfort zone, especially for an artist, isn't easy. For the musician VeeAlwaysHere, it was a move that needed to be taken.

“I wanted to challenge myself, and let go of my ego and have fun with it,” he says on his new EP, ego: playlist I. “I did this project as a consumer of music first and an artist second.”

The recent project takes you on a journey of genres. From buoyant pop and synth-infused numbers to chill R&B moments and Korean verses, it’s a delightful mix. One which shows his admiration for the craft as he pushes himself to the next level.

Born in Russia, English was not his first language. However, after discovering MTV, a fascination with American music began. “I found myself sitting there, staring, just listening. I couldn’t understand a single word, but I loved it so much, the way it sounded,” he explains. Music became a way to express himself as it served as a guide for the English language.

Now, ego: playlist I is the new chapter in the story, a step towards becoming the artist he’s visualized for years.

VeeAlwaysHere told us more about his EP. He explains navigating the array of genres, singing in Korean, finding his passion for music, and how his latest work documents his growth.

You’ve just released your EP, which I know you also call a playlist (ego: playlist I) because of the mix of genres and inspirations. The project encouraged you to be more versatile. How did this project help you get out of your comfort zone?

VeeAlwaysHere: “There are two different types of songs you can make. You can make comfortable music — music that falls out of you effortlessly. It’s so easy; it’s on brand. It’s something that’s been done a million times.

Then, you make uncomfortable music. The music that never leaves your computer or Dropbox, the music that no one is supposed to hear.

So, this entire project is full of uncomfortable music. It’s the stuff I normally wouldn’t put out. But I wanted to challenge myself, let go of my ego and have fun with it. I did this project as a consumer of music first and then as an artist second.”

I know you wrote and produced this EP. How did you navigate the mix of sounds and genres you wanted to integrate into these tracks?

VeeAlwaysHere: “I like to reverse-engineer my music. First, I focus on the feeling or the emotion I want people to experience when they listen to the song. Then, I go backwards with this destination in mind and take whatever steps I need to arrive there.

I didn’t have any specific genres in mind and didn’t plan anything. It’s just how it came out. I always made sure I did something weird or something uncomfortable I didn't do before.

I didn’t know what to expect every single time with every single song, and that was the most exciting part for me.”

I want to talk about the song “right now” with jujuland. You pushed yourself to sing in Korean. What inspired you to go back to your roots and add this to this EP?

VeeAlwaysHere: “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I’m a big fan of K-pop. I wasn’t fortunate enough — being half Korean, I, unfortunately, wasn’t raised with a lot of the language. I’ve been putting it off, but this song was the perfect opportunity to slowly introduce Korean into my life.

The featured artist (jujuland) on the song really helped me out. She helped me with the lines and everything. She even sent me a voice message on Instagram about how to sing it. I recorded the first demo, and I sent it to her. Once I got that first approval, I was like, ‘We’re doing it. It’s definitely happening.’

Before and on release day, I was very nervous about how people would react or receive it. So far, it’s been incredible. It’s extra motivation to keep doing it and keep learning Korean. Maybe I’ll make an entire song in Korean one day.”

Reading about your background, I know music was a way to overcome a language barrier. You didn’t give up, which is incredible. How would you say music and making your music helped you keep going?

VeeAlwaysHere: “If I look at my life from an outsider's perspective, I was born Russian, not speaking or understanding English. One day, in elementary school, I turned the TV on, and it was MTV. Back when they used to play music videos back-to-back. I found myself sitting there, staring, just listening. I couldn’t understand a single word, but I loved it so much, the way it sounded.

English was just magical for me. I started writing little songs when I was 8 or 9 years old in gibberish that resembled English. Then, some years later, I got serious about it — going to a school to learn English. It was okay. It wasn’t exactly what I wanted — it was still helpful.

So, I had to do it myself because I dreamt of moving to the US and pursing music, being an American/English speaking music artist.”

There’s no doubt you motivated yourself as an artist to explore multiple avenues, whether it be sound and creativity or understanding who you are as a person. How do you feel this EP helped you mature as an artist?

VeeAlwaysHere: “Producing all these different records — the title track, ‘ego,’ is a genre I never tapped into as an artist. The song ‘Maybe,’ which is a drum and bass song — I’ve also never done.

I’ve grown a lot, I’m ready to do more and explore more.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned from this experience was to make music that you like, music that you want to listen to because, at the end of the day, it’s such a bumpy ride. That love, that passion will carry you through no matter what.

The amount of excitement and love that I still have for this project is nothing I’ve ever experienced. I want to continue finding that for myself and my future projects.”

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MOKITA: INTERVIEW

November 10, 2022

by brittany and everly ormiston

Mokita (AKA John-Luke Carter) is a Nashville-based producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who effortlessly pours his heart and soul into his art, and leaves listeners feeling whole and accepted. On the surface, Mokita’s alternative/indie sound has a clean vibe and instrumentals that will get stuck in your head all day long. Once diving into the lyricism, Mokita’s personable songwriting wraps you in a comforting embrace and diminishes feelings of desolation. Mokita’s recently released EP, Color Me In, appears to be his most transparent body of work to date. Sonically the tracks are uplifting in nature, and a great deal of self-reflection exudes throughout the lyrics. The title track emphasizes the importance of searching for wholeness within yourself, and in the world around you versus looking for meaning in everything. This sets the tone for the EP as a whole, and provides the opportunity for listeners to connect and reflect on their own lives.

Mokita collaborated with several artists who are also good friends on Color Me In, such as Bre Kennedy and Charlotte Sands. Since they all live in Nashville, he had the privilege of writing “Room For Another” and “Crash” in person with each of them. “Both of those collaborations were super fun and very organic. They happened naturally… There were no expectations with those songs. That always revives your creative spirit,” shares Mokita. Spontaneous collaborations are what Mokita enjoys the most, and he values the time spent with each artist. The artists he has befriended along the way, along with other close family and friends, have helped bring Color Me In to life. Mokita makes it a point to send music he is working on to those in his inner circle for their honest opinions. When his friends provide positive feedback, he is content with songs before they are released into the world. He typically does not have “any expectations with a release,” and is the case with this project as well. Mokita does not get wrapped up in the numbers, and as long as he is incredibly proud of the art he creates that is what matters.

A lot of Mokita’s songwriting takes place in retrospection, and looking back on what happened previously. In Color Me In, he speaks to his past struggles with mental health and addiction, and “figuring out what it looks like to live life to the fullest.” He never feels obligated to write about what he encountered prior to becoming sober three years ago. He wants to be as open as possible knowing that level of honesty can help so many others. Mokita’s songwriting has been a vital part of his healing process along with his faith, reading, and being active. He also emphasizes the importance of surrounding himself with a community of people, and avoiding self-isolation when his mental health is not the best. He advocates for therapy services and addiction programs further indicating his passion for mental health and a strong support system. By showing an incredible amount of bravery and sharing his story, Mokita has in turn created a community of his own filled with individuals who find inspiration in his music. His end goal for his music is to encourage listeners to start conversations about their own mental health and emotions. “I don’t feel like I am offering advice [with my music], but I am offering hope… A lot of times people bond through shared experiences,” Mokita states wholeheartedly.

Mokita has had meaningful conversations with fans on tour during the month of November. He supported indie/rock band and close friend, Augustana, at select dates across the country. “Intimate shows have always been my favorite to go to, and my favorite to play,” says Mokita with a twinkle in his eyes. These smaller shows have allowed him to make impactful connections with those in the crowd who may have gone through something similar to him, and can relate on a different level. Mokita will spark optimism and inspiration throughout each of the venues, and in the minds of many for years to come.

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ABBY SAGE: INTERVIEW

October 29, 2022

by alex grainger

Abby Sage released her new EP The Florist on October 21st. The soft-pop EP came together during a period of solitude and transit, largely dipping into the minds of others — their experiences, their stories, their struggles. From the alluring gentle vocals backed by subtle pop beats to an excerpt of a conversation with her Nanna, The Florist projects the message to “not be afraid to reach out to one another.” Read more about The Florist and Abby Sage below!

Can you tell us what your EP The Florist is about? Are you telling a story through the EP?

Abby: “Of course. The Florist I leaned heavily into a ‘fly on the wall; mentality. I was spending a lot of time alone but surrounded by many people in transit. I wrote the project with others in mind; others and their experiences and stories, particularly struggles people face through the various stages of life. For example, ‘Pool Party’ really zeroes in on moments of youth feeling unprepared, overwhelmed, and a bit out of sorts. To contrast this, I included a conversation I had with my Nanna where she speaks on the troubles she faces and her overarching feeling of falling behind, regarding technology in particular. I think we really glorify youth and there are a lot of pieces of work out there that focus on ‘firsts’ — first love, first heartbreak, etc. My Nanna really inspired the project because I wanted to get both sides of the timeline. The beginning and the end.”

What’s the meaning behind the EP title, The Florist?

Abby: “‘The Florist’ is a song on the project that I felt fully encapsulated the project. It’s about asking for help. ‘The Florist’ is someone who for a living makes a space more beautiful while delivering a message (of love, of forgiveness, of condolences). Amidst moments of trouble we ask for help from friends, family, partners. That’s who I wanted ‘The Florist’ to be. Someone who helps make our lives a little brighter. The project represents the power of leaning on one another.”

What was the creative process behind the EP?

Abby: “I was in London for most of the writing portion of the project. Most of the songs started as poems, particularly ‘Pool Party.’ I would bring these to Roy Kerr and Tim Bran who helped me build the project out and we would take it from there. It was a really beautiful process and we all worked so well together. It feels really special when you find that. I would take the tube every morning to their studio and that time in transit really helped me gather my thoughts, observe my surroundings, and start the studio day with a really clear mind.”

You note how you’re ready to “speak directly and eloquently” to your audience. Do you have a message you are sending to listeners of The Florist?

Abby: “Yes! I think I touched on it a bit earlier. I think I would want to tell listeners not to be afraid to reach out to one another. Whether it be for help or just to show appreciation. There’s a lot of power in communication. That can get lost so easily since I feel like we’re in a rather isolating period of time. ‘I love you, thank you’ goes a long way.”

How would you describe your sound? How has it evolved since your first SoundCloud demo to now upon the release of The Florist?

Abby: “I don’t really know. I want it to feel really grand. I think that’s the biggest difference compared to the beginning. I wrote everything acoustically, so leaned into a more singer-songwriter style. Growing up listening to Florence and the Machine, I always craved building it out to that big big feeling. Fill an amphitheater with emotion type feel.”

How did moving from LA to London influence this EP, your music, and who you are as an artist?

Abby: “I am still in LA, I just spend a lot of time in London. I have close family there so have always felt close to the music that comes out of it. I think it felt natural more than anything to make the project there.”

Is there a song off The Florist you are most proud of? One that was the most challenging to create? One that was the most fun to create?

Abby: “I think the most challenging was ‘High Five.’ I had a concussion the week we planned to work so felt very out of sorts. We recorded this one in LA and Miya Folick came in to help write. It ended up being such a moment of relief having her there. She really helped with the writing process and was such an incredible addition to the song.

The most fun was ‘Backwards Directions’ since Roy, Tim, and I started it pretty late into a session day. We were working on something and scratched it the minute I found the melody for backwards directions. It was a really fun organic day, Roy and Tim really took the switch in their stride and we made something we were all really proud of.”

You mention how at the start of your career music was a way for you to mature and grow your confidence. How have you grown through the process of creating this EP?

Abby: “It’s weird to look back on where I was before I wrote this project. It feels like an entirely different person. I feel so sure of everything I created and so sure of how to build it out visually. I’ve never had that sense of clarity before.”

What are you most proud of upon the release of The Florist?

Abby: “I think the project as a whole feels really special to me. I created everything as honestly as I could and looking back at it all I don’t think I could have captured myself and my vision any more truthfully. I haven’t felt that in a while so that alone makes me the most proud.”

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