AMY SHARK: INTERVIEW

by martina rexrode

photo by jess gleeson

Amy Shark is an Australian singer whose newest single "Can I Shower At Yours" is a sexy, refreshing song perfect for the summer. With an upcoming North American tour and her first release of the year out for your listening pleasure, there's a lot ahead for Shark. To keep up with her, follow her on social media (@amyshark)!

Congratulations on your new single! How does it feel to have “Can I Shower At Yours” out in the world?

Amy: “It always feels great having new music out. This one feels super different too so I was extra excited to release this! I also knew the title would somewhat intrigue people.”

By releasing this as your first single of the year, what kind of foundation do you hope is established for future releases?

Amy: “I'm not really an artist who plans the aesthetics of an album early on. I put every single bit of energy into writing the song and making it sound the best it can possibly sound and then afterwards I find ways to somewhat tie them all together into a body of work. So I guess the answer is you'll never really know what's coming next.”

I noticed that the lyrics never actually say “Can I Shower At Yours,” so how did this title come about?

Amy: “I wanted to have a little fun with this one. The song is about being super upfront and honest about your feelings for someone you're 'into' so the question ‘can I shower at yours’ to me sounded sexy and exciting and within the storyline of the song. Also the chorus of the song is 'fall for you,' and I was not about to let this song get washed up and lost in the millions of songs called 'Fall for you' — I had to get creative.”

What is your songwriting process like? How long did it take you to write this single?

Amy: “My songwriting process is different each time, some songs take longer than others. But what I will say is the songs that take the least amount of time usually have a better hit rate. This song started out as an entirely different song and when I took it to my producer we decided to restructure it then re-produce it so then I decided F*#k it... I'm gonna rewrite it! And it took me about 20 minutes.”

How much fun was it to shoot the music video with all of the aerobics choreography?

Amy: “This music video was so much fun! But I soon realized how bad I am at learning choreography. Luckily I had some incredible dancers there to make up for my terribleness.”

Leading up to the release of this single, what has been the most memorable experience so far this year (career-wise or generally)?

Amy: “The highlight would be recording at New World Studios in the UK. That's where 'Can I Shower At Yours' was born and many other exciting songs. I stayed in a little cottage that was literally 100 meters from the studio I was working in, all the food was prepared for you, and I honestly had the best creative experience of my life.”

What kind of show can fans expect to attend during your upcoming tour?

Amy: “The next tour is the North American tour and I'm really excited to get back over there! I have some really lovely and loyal fans in North America and I kinda had to abandon them during Covid. So they'll finally get to see a show similar to the 'See You Somewhere' tour, only they'll get to hear some new songs live...”

Are there any dream collaborations you want to put out into the universe?

Amy: “I've always wanted to collaborate with Post Malone, I just feel like we'd create something super cool and emo.”

How are you planning on celebrating this release?

Amy: “Few bottles of Pinot Noir and a f-load of promo. :)”

 

JOSEPH LAWRENCE: INTERVIEW

by brittany and everly ormiston

photo by chieska fortune-smith

“Your soul feels everything your mind may try to deny, but your heart greets honesty with joy and relief.” London-based singer/songwriter Joseph Lawrence is on the rise and excelling in the Jazz scene. He has performed at the historical and acclaimed Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London, and networked with other musicians with a similar vision to his own. After being a part of several bands, Joseph decided to plunge into the creation of his debut album and show the world what he is capable of. His single “BeGod” is exceptional and has received nothing but praise. Listeners can dive even deeper with Joseph’s new release “No Good For Me.” His debut album in its entirety will be out later this year where Joseph will take listeners on The Trials Of A Dream. 

How do you feel knowing your song “BeGod” is out in the world? 

Joseph: “It’s always a great feeling to have your work out there. I never really put a special feeling on the release of an individual track as they all hold a special place for me and are all considered. Although BeGod probably has an extra special feeling because the message of the song highlights my rise from a personal dark space I was in.”

What musical influences did you pull from when creating ‘BeGod?’

Joseph: “There is a lot. I would say Kanye West and his record, MBDTF was a huge inspiration for me sonically behind this track. The melodic keys parts and the hard hitting punchy drums. Vocally, I actually listened to a lot of rap music for this record and was inspired by it, the way it flows and builds tension melodically. Chris Cornell and Jeff Buckley vocally I drew some inspo from too, masters.”

“BeGod” is filled with raw emotion and intense vocals. Describe who/what inspired you to create the track.

Joseph: “‘BeGod’ was born out of a place of coming out of dark space solely by myself. Having to find an inner light, a non tangible thing and pull myself out of the hole. Having optimal faith in myself seemed the only option.”

All of your live performances are incredibly powerful. You have been able to provide creative direction for several of them. Were you able to do the same for “BeGod?” If so, what was it like being able to express yourself and your artistry in another way?

Joseph: “Yes, live performance is arguably the most important asset for an artist to express themselves. It’s the truest form of your art, as you can’t hide behind things and the truth will prevail for people to feel and see. I’m blessed to have a great team who listen to me and respect my vision.”

Describe your experience working with Fryars (Mark Ronson, Pharell) and Dave Okumu (Jessie Ware, Lianne La Havas).

Joseph: “Fryars is a true genius. There are too many things to say about this man. I guess you’ll see in time to come… Dave is almost a God like figure, anyone who’s met and spoke with him will know what I mean. Truly born to do what he does, much more work to be done together I hope…”

What are some details you can share about your upcoming debut album?

Joseph: “The title of the album is The Trials Of A Dream, a lot to unpick from that…”

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given, and what is one you would give to aspiring musicians?

Joseph: “There is no one piece of advice, more so moments and advice together accumulated over time are the most powerful things. And with both of these things they always keep happening, so it changes or adds all the time.”

What are a few of your aspirations for the rest of 2023?

Joseph: “Sell out a headline show, release first part of the album. And be ready for the biggest year of my life, 2024.”

 

FIND JOSEPH ONLINE

WEBSITE INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK

THE LAST DINNER PARTY: INTERVIEW

by aiden rodgers

If you’re into alternative music, there’s no way you haven’t heard of this indie powerhouse dominating the UK’s underground scene. After the release of only one single, The Last Dinner Party has garnered over 500,000 monthly Spotify listeners. In anticipation of their upcoming UK tour and the release of their second single, “Sinner,” we talked to the quintet about their name, aesthetic, and how The Last Dinner Party came to be where it is today. 

Were you all at all startled by just how quickly you would rise to underground prominence after officially releasing your first single? What do you think that had to do with how much you had been killing it in the UK live scene?

The Last Dinner Party: “We were wishing and hoping ‘Nothing Matters’ would be received well but couldn’t anticipate the scale. It’s been overwhelming and amazing. We always hoped it would be the shows that drew people in, that’s partly why we started doing live shows before releasing anything online.”

Where did the name The Last Dinner Party come from?

The Last Dinner Party: “It was conceived during Abi and Georgia’s famous wine heavy night in Brixton. They wrote a whole manifesto, dripping with wine and blood, for this fantasy of a band they were going to start. The name is perfect because anyone can attend a dinner party. It’s welcoming and it embodies an ethos of mystery, decadence and maximalism.”

You all have such a unique aesthetic in your exploration of those Victorian, Baroque, and Renaissance themes. When did that start, and how important is it to the band’s identity moving forward?

The Last Dinner Party: “We’ve always naturally been drawn to those aesthetics as we find they capture the spirit of our music. There’s a playfulness and glamour that comes from dressing up like that and it empowers us on stage. Like many other musicians before us during the glam-rock and New Romantic eras, we like to interpret the silhouettes through a modern lens so that it doesn’t become pastiche. 

However, as with our music, our look will naturally evolve as we explore new avenues and interests so it’ll be exciting to see where our aesthetic goes next.”

At every live show, what do you hope to gain with the audience?

The Last Dinner Party: “We want the shows to be a cathartic experience for the audience. We want you to feel like you’ve been apart of something, a shared experience. We hope it’s inspiring, that it inspires artists to create, musicians to play, and friends to start bands.”

What does The Last Dinner Party songwriting process look like?

The Last Dinner Party: “As a band it’s an ongoing experiment. With the five of us being capable writers there are so many ways of collaborating on new music. On this album, Abi wrote most of the songs on the piano and then the band added the beef to the sandwich. 

Aurora and Lizzie made the ‘Sinner’ demo with each member contributing their parts, ‘Gjuha’ was written together in a practice room then Aurora went away and added the vocal line. It’s a mix of sharing songs, producing demos and jamming out in a practice room.”

What is your favorite live moment you've experienced thus far?

The Last Dinner Party: “The Camden Assembly gig right after the release of ‘Nothing Matters’ was euphoric. It was a massive joy to jump around with everyone singing along to ALL the words, we were ecstatic.”

What do you hope for The Last Dinner Party's future?

The Last Dinner Party: “We hope it keeps on the same trajectory. This band has been a dream come true. We get to make art and music, play gigs, travel with our friends, what more could you ask for? We are so incredibly grateful.”

 

FIND THE LAST DINNER PARTY ONLINE

WEBSITE TWITTER INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK

SENSES: INTERVIEW

by iliana calderon

photo courtesy of senses

Upcoming rock trio senses is delivering a brand new EP soon, with hopes of releasing new music later this year. Their two newest singles, “gonna make sure” and “sleepwalking,” are available to all streaming platforms and they have plans on touring later this year.

Can you tell us a little about your new single “gonna make sure?”

senses: “Yeah! We wrote it fairly quickly with our producer. I think we hammered it out in under an hour. It’s about that period of time post-break up where you don’t really want to be the bigger person and that it’s okay to feel that.”

What topics do you tend to mostly make your songs about?

senses: “Honestly, whatever one of us is going through in the moment. For example, our newest single ‘gonna make sure’ is kind of literal in the sense that every lyric in the song was actually something that happened and/or was actually said.”

What are you hoping your fans can get out of your upcoming EP?

senses: “We hope our fans connect to the songs and find relative meaning to them. Each song is a pretty specific moment in life that we think we have all felt or will feel at some point. Having some sort of courage is a main theme of the EP.”

Can you give us a hint on the name for your upcoming EP?

senses: “It has to do with escaping.”

When do you guys plan on dropping your new EP?

senses: “Aiming for September!”

Who are some of your inspirations?

senses: “Blink-182, Waterparks, Paramore, Evanescence, Lady Gaga, The Story So Far, P!NK, Fleetwood Mac.”

What is your song “sleepwalking” about?

senses: “‘sleepwalking’ is about starting over and the fear that comes with that. We think everybody at some point in their life craves a reset, but it can be difficult not knowing what’s on the other side. It’s about reaching that point where you would give anything to just break from the cycle and overcome it.”

What more can we expect from you guys in the near future?

senses: “Hopefully hitting the road in the near future as well as more music! We are already gearing up for another batch of songs.”

 

FIND SENSES ONLINE

WEBSITE TWITTER INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK

GIGI PEREZ: INTERVIEW

by sara welden

photo by deanie chen

Having recently released her stunning debut EP, How To Catch A Falling Knife, Gigi Perez is making waves in the music realm. Gigi’s unique, tender-hearted lyricism is a breath of fresh air, and her new EP just might be the thing that you’ve been patiently waiting and looking for. Read our conversation with Gigi below, and make sure to have a listen to How To Catch A Falling Knife, which is out now!

Hi Gigi! Thanks so much for taking the time to answer our questions. You’ve just released your debut EP How To Catch A Falling Knife, congratulations! How were you feeling in anticipation of its release, and how did you feel once it was actually out in the world?

Gigi: “I was anxious about the release for a while for a few songs but overall I was filled with a positive anticipation over it. I took my time releasing the project so when it was officially out of my hands I felt a relief come over me. It was finally where it belonged.”

Out of the eight tracks on the EP, was there one specific track that you built the whole EP around? Or was the project more of a collective vision? 

Gigi: “The project came together collectively. The first song I wrote was ‘Figurines’ in 2020 and as more life unfolded I took inventory of it, and when the time came I turned around and had a story.”

Could you speak about some of the themes you explored in your songwriting on the EP?

Gigi: “The biggest theme discussed on this project is grief. The way I deal with grief is by writing to the experience of that abject darkness.”

Is there a song off of the EP that you enjoy playing live the most? If so, what makes it your favorite?

Gigi: “Definitely ‘Figurines.’ Don't know what it is about it but I'm able to explore so much of my voice and how I decide to sing it varies from night to night.”

You’ve accompanied and supported some amazing artists like Noah Cyrus, d4vd, and Coldplay on their tours. Is there anything in particular that you’ve learned from those shows, or a favorite memory that comes to mind?

Gigi: “Trust yourself. And favorite memory was the Halloween show in Denver. I sang a cover of Alex G's ‘Harvey’ and this one person knew all the words, will never forget that!”

Who or what initially inspired you to pursue music?

Gigi: “My sister Celene and Ariana Grande.” 

You recently played sold out headlining shows at Rockwood Music Hall in NYC and Genghis Cohen in LA, which are both incredible venues! Do you have a dream or bucketlist venue that you’d like to play one day?

Gigi: “Red Rocks.”

While there’s no doubt you’ve been staying busy the past few years, what does the rest of this year and the future of Gigi Perez look like?

Gigi: “Making new music!”

 

FIND GIGI ONLINE

TWITTER INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK