TAYLOR BICKETT: INTERVIEW

August 11, 2023

by alex grainger

The messy, raw, and chaotic growing pains of being a 20-something year old are beautifully captured through Taylor Bickett’s “QUARTER LIFE CRISIS.” In an effort to materialize her thoughts on paper, “QUARTER LIFE CRISIS” became a viral sensation, with millions streaming and Bickett earning the new title of long-lost sister by her fans.

The timelapse of the “QUARTER LIFE CRISIS” music video represents Bickett’s inner turmoil as she grapples with the feelings of fear of wasting her potential, shedding who she once was, and navigating her place in the world. The closed down diner reflects a part of her mind she has just recently chosen to share.

This composition of contradictions was never meant to be relatable, just simply honest. Bickett was able to find solace in the song's response as she learned just how many people are also trying to understand their own versions of a quarter life crisis. Read more about Taylor Bickett and “QUARTER LIFE CRISIS” below!

“QUARTER LIFE CRISIS” lyrically immerses us into the world of 20-something contradictions. How do these contradictions drive the story you are sharing through this track?

Taylor: “The first lyric of the song ‘I’m terrified of rejection but I get high off attention’ was also the first lyric I wrote, and it sets the tone for the rest of the track. I was feeling anxious about a lot of things, particularly social media, and the constant need (especially as an artist) to curate your perception and seek more and more attention online in the name of getting your art out there. This thought then led me to realize how my life, in many ways, is just a collection of contradictions. I ‘say that I read for fun but haven’t read in months,’ for example. I think that this is how most people in their early twenties feel. It’s a shedding of your childhood/teenage self, except you’re not quite an adult yet either. It’s an awkward chrysalis situation.”

“QUARTER LIFE CRISIS” seems to conclude that everyone in their 20s are experiencing some type of crisis questioning who they are and what they’re doing with their life. Was the creative process at all therapeutic in these 20-something growing pains?

Taylor: “In many ways, I would say that writing ‘QUARTER LIFE CRISIS’ was very therapeutic. Putting it all down on paper made it feel more manageable, in a way. What was more therapeutic, though, was the validation I felt when so many people shared that they resonated with the song. To put your most vulnerable thoughts out there, and for people to tell you they feel the same way, that you’re not alone, is a really special thing.”

If “QUARTER LIFE CRISIS” is the first track someone hears by you, what do you hope it says about your sound as an artist?

Taylor: “I think it’s an incredibly accurate depiction of the way I think and process my life experiences. It’s a little humorous, a little self-deprecating, but still emotionally raw and honest. I weave those threads through all of the music I create, especially the new stuff I’ve been working on.”

You’ve mentioned how recording the music video was a bucket list moment. Can you take us deeper into the creative process behind translating “QUARTER LIFE CRISIS” into a visual piece? Did you have a specific vision you felt was most important to capture?

Taylor: “This song has gone through many journeys — from my brain to my notes app, from my notes app to my guitar, to a voice memo, to a recording, to a real published song, and finally to a music video. It felt like the right next step, and I was beyond excited to see it brought to life visually. The vision that I really wanted to capture with the video was the messiness of it. I didn’t see this song having a clean, bright, shiny visual counterpart — it needed a sprinkle of the angst and humor and chaos that went into writing it.”

We see your younger self looking through the diner windows at your present self. Why did you choose a diner as the setting for the “QUARTER LIFE CRISIS” music video? Does it hold any type of significance to you and this song?

Taylor: “Setting the video in a diner was actually the directors’ idea (Angelica Valente and Pseudo). As soon as they presented it, I was sold. I used to be a hostess at a café and would write songs in my head the whole time and dream about being anywhere else. I think a lot of us have that feeling of being stuck, having all these goals but also not really knowing what to do about them. I also loved the fact that it was a contained space, that the whole crisis was happening inside my head, inside this empty diner after closing. Most people would probably never know it happened (even though most people could probably relate).”

The music video was released on your 24th birthday! Reflecting on the track and your headspace when you created it, where are you now in life? Is the 20-something chaos and confusion still running wild?

Taylor: “Releasing the music video on my 24th birthday felt like the perfect closing of the 23 chapter, but by no means the closing of the quarter life crisis one. I think that might stick around a little while longer. While in certain ways I feel just as lost as I did when I wrote the song, in other ways I have so much more clarity and confidence. I think it’s really special that a song I wrote about all these struggles I was having (as an artist, as a person) and this fear of wasting my potential, of not doing enough, was actually what brought so many new opportunities my way.”

Your fans have given you the title of their long-lost older sister. How special is it that your community looks up to you for advice? How do you continue to connect and grow this relationship?

Taylor: “I remember getting a DM in which someone referred to me as their ‘long-lost older sister’ a couple years ago, and it was the warmest and fuzziest feeling. I’m an older sister in real life. My sister is my best friend, and we both learn from each other every day. Most of my listeners at the moment are young women, and the bonds between young women are so powerful and unique. In some ways, I’m like ‘don’t take advice from me, my life is a disaster,’ but I think that’s the point. It wouldn’t be realistic if I had it all together. Life is messy and imperfect. I want to create a relationship with my listeners that’s like a deeply loving friendship, which is what sisterhood is to me.”

How do you feel “QUARTER LIFE CRISIS” gives a sense of comforting relatability that attracts so many?

Taylor: “I’m glad that it does. I don’t really know why, except maybe that it’s just honest. I didn’t try to make it relatable, it just so happens that what I’m feeling is apparently really relatable. That definitely makes me feel better. It would’ve been awkward if I released the song and everyone was like, ‘we all have our lives together, but sucks for you!’ It surprised me a little that it’s not just twenty-somethings who relate, but people of all ages either feel or have felt this way.”

This breakout single has only left us wanting more! What can we expect from you in the coming months?

Taylor: “The new music is coming so soon I can taste it! I’m so excited to share the project I’ve been working on for over a year now. ‘QUARTER LIFE CRISIS’ is just the beginning.”

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CONNIE TALBOT: INTERVIEW

August 5, 2023

by chris richmond

Connie Talbot — it's a name that might sound familiar to our UK-based readers, even if she looks a bit different to the last time we saw her. If the name itself hasn't jogged your memory, perhaps the words Britain's Got Talent and “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” will — although she first found fame as the runner-up on the very first series of Britain's Got Talent way back in 2007, Connie Talbot is back, and she's a very different person to the one who toured the world before she was even six years old all those years ago. The new Connie is much more modern, and now, at 22 years old, she's making a mark for herself that's entirely different to her childhood-persona. Connie has just released the first single from her new EP, “Easier Pretending You're Dead,” and it's as dark and brooding as the title suggests. She's found a sound that suits her and that she believes in, and although she's always had a voice, a massive one at that, it feels as though she's finally found her voice. We spoke to Connie about the artists that have influenced her new sound, the memories that linger from her time on Britain's Got Talent, and what her aspirations are for her future.

You say that “Growing Pains” is an ode to your younger self. What do you mean by this? What's the inspiration behind the song?

Connie: “Thanks Unclear for talking with me! ‘Growing Pains’ for me is definitely an ode to my younger self because when I wrote the song, I really wanted to capture how I was feeling in that moment. I had just moved out and started my first ever adult EP and it was going to be released independently, so there was this sense of independence and also pressure to get this right by myself. I was so lucky to have a career as a child and I find it hard to kind of live up to those achievements. Growing up in general and in the music industry definitely had its struggles, highs and lows, meeting incredible people, and some not so much [laughs]. I realized that everything has kind of led up to this point and everything has led up to this freedom of being able to write about anything I want to. There is this pressure in general, I think, to have your life together in your twenties and I just wanted to write about how everything happens for a reason and how we are still allowed to grow and there is still room to change and evolve.”

How did the song come about? What's the story of its creation?

Connie: “I wrote ‘Growing Pains’ with Emily Philips and Ant Whiting and we were talking about the struggles and the highs of growing up and for me in music.

To tackle such a deep huge emotion to put into words felt impossible, but after talking and Emily literally writing things down as I was speaking, we managed to spin that feeling on its head and make it positive. I wanted to create something different. I'm used to ballads and it pushes me out of my comfort zone which I really like.”

"Easier Pretending You're Dead" — What can you tell us about that track? How did it come about?

Connie: “Thank you! The EPYD seed first came about when I was in my flat in Liverpool and I came up with this chord progression which was SO dark. I have always been quite head strong (I'm a scorpio) and whenever it's time to say goodbye to a relationship or a chapter in my life, I usually just rip the plaster off and cut ties. It's something that I like and dislike about myself [laughs]. ‘Easier Pretending You're Dead’ is meant to be a lighthearted way of saying 'it’s over' and we’re never going back.”

What inspired this foray into original music?

Connie: “I have been writing songs ever since I can remember. I used to post songs I used to write at home on YouTube and always had a passion for songwriting. I always, always wanted to put out original music. At the time, I was still a kid and everything of course needed to fit in with that narrative. Now I'm an adult and I have more experience in life, there’s so much to write about. The first couple of years of my adulthood was in lockdown, so as life became a bit more normal, I just thought, what am I waiting for?”

Was it easy selecting which songs to go on the record? How did you know whether a song was right or not?

Connie: “I think I have learned to just go with my gut on most things. The four tracks on the EP mean so much to me. The whole process of writing to having final tracks has had this theme of going with the flow and my gut feeling and I think that's how it was decided in the end. I also had friends and family listen to demos and the whole process in the meantime, and these songs were the ones that seemed to stand out.”

How did you first discover the gift for songwriting?

Connie: “Thanks so much! I think the first song I ever wrote completely alone was when I was about nine on a little keyboard. It was definitely cringe [laughs].

When I was about 11, I had a trip to LA and somehow got to write with Toby Gad who wrote ‘If I Were a Boy,’ and I was completely starstruck the whole time. I played him this song and all he said was ‘...nice’ [laughs]. We wrote together and I was just in awe the whole time. At the end of the trip, Toby said to me that he forgot that I was eleven and that he really believed in me as a singer/songwriter. So that was the moment, where I really felt like THIS is what I want to do forever. Toby was a big inspo for me. I really love the idea of making your emotions into something you can listen to and revisit. It really helps me draw a line under it.”

What’s your process when writing a song?

Connie: “I usually try to start with a chord progression that is giving the feeling of what I want to write about. I do write about other people's life- which I rarely ever tell them haha. After that, I sing some melodies in gibberish and then try to work out the lyrics. In this EP, me and Emily really spent a lot of time tweaking lyrics. For me, I love when lyrics just flow and say what were trying to say.”

Who are your musical inspirations? Who's on the musical moodboard for your own music?

Connie: “Big inspirations for this EP were definitely Billie Eilish. I love how cinematic and powerful her songs are production wise. We really liked having sweet but dark melodies which I think were definitely influenced by Lana and old classics like Bowie for a future song to come out on the EP.”

What are your lingering experiences from Britain's Got Talent? Was it positive for you?

Connie: “It almost feels like a dream for me because I can't remember the whole thing.

I find it hard to believe that the little girl on BGT and me are the same person [laughs]. I think it is challenging to become your own artist/person after being a little girl who sang for fun. Having the passion for music has really been the thing that has pushed me to go into an original career. I will always hold that time in my life close to my heart, but I would like to say goodbye to ‘Over The Rainbow.’ It's where it all started, and I will always be grateful for the highs and lows.”

What would you advise for anyone thinking of applying for a similar type of show?

Connie: “I'd say enjoy it, and stay true to yourself.”

What are your memories from touring around the world? What did you learn from the experience?

Connie: “I have so many incredible memories touring around the world. I met so many amazing people who still follow my music now — which blows my mind. I think it was so good for me to be able to perform so young. I'm not sure I would have the confidence to be on stage if I hadn't had all that experience before.

I spent a lot of time in Asia, the US touring and every audience was so kind and so welcoming to this little girl, which I am so grateful for. It really gave me confidence and a passion to perform live. I can't wait to perform these new songs live.”

What are your goals and aspirations as a musician? What would you love to achieve in the future?

Connie: “I already feel so lucky to have people listening to my music today, and to be accepted for closing a chapter in my life and opening up a new one. I'd like to be known for an original song, that would be nice, a little update in the life of Connie [laughs]. I also want to release an album of originals, which I think is casually happening in the background. To also do gigs and perform these songs live is something I am hoping is going to happen soon. It blows my mind that I can do what I love to do every day, release songs that mean something to people. Big or small, I just feel very lucky.”

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LIZA ANNE: INTERVIEW

August 3, 2023

by chris richmond

Trying to summarize Liza Anne into a few short words feels an impossible challenge to undertake: they're brazen and bold and brave, and they're fiercely fighting the ongoing battle for queer and women's rights. The battle is being fought by their refusal to compromise on how unabashedly their music and image is informed by their queerness, but it's equally being fought in tangible, material ways, such as the organisation of Liza Anne's ABBA Abortion Disco for Abortion Care. Their recent single, “Cheerleader,” a funky, rocky expression of queer joy, is fantastic; we were lucky enough to speak to Liza Anne about their current head space, their process of creating music, and the ongoing importance of the intertwining of activism and music.

Hi, Liza Anne! Thanks so much for agreeing to chat. We absolutely love your single “Cheerleader.” What was the inspiration behind the song?

Liza Anne: “Well, I wrote this song while I was still closeted and dating a man. In a way this song was a manifestation of feeling that I hoped I would get to live in reality one day.”

The music video for “Cheerleader” is brilliant. What was your experience like shooting the video?

Liza Anne: “It was almost like giving myself a redo of high school and an experience of adolescent queerness that I never got because of coming out at 29. It was a very queer set and it was very important to me to give everyone this freedom of being gay while in a high school — almost like exposure therapy for a space that holds a lot of residual pain. I will never forget what it felt like to kiss Eva (co-star of ‘Cheerleader’/close friend) in the high school locker room and be applauded for being gay rather than experiencing embarrassment was euphoric.”

You wrote, performed and produced the song. What is your process when it comes to creating songs? Is there one aspect of song creation that you find easier than the other?

Liza Anne: “I really like all of the aspects of song creation — it all feels a lot like breathing to me. I guess I could say that words come easier because I’ve been writing poetry since I was a kid but the whole of the process feels so good to my brain — like I’m expanding and contracting — breathing. ‘Cheerleader’ came from a co-write with two of my favorite collaborators — Kyle Ryan and Madi Diaz. The track started with drums, bass, and a guitar line that felt like Tom Tom Club. I wanted to create something joyful and true. Not like a reach into joy that felt foreign but like an understanding of joy that felt meant to live in my body — the instrumentation was an important window for that for me opening up new pathways in my brain to what that song would become... and what my life would become, too.”

Are we building up to an album?

Liza Anne: “Always.”

You proudly and brazenly intertwine your queerness into your music and performances, which couldn't be more important at a time as tumultuous as this where queer rights are being attacked from all angles across the world — so genuinely thank you for holding the fort and never compromising on yourself or your image. How do you feel about the current state of things and how does that manifest itself in your music?

Liza Anne: “I feel a lot of grief around what feels impossible to help and in that I feel completely dedicated to creating a sense of safety and home within my art — not only in the physical sense of the shows that I play and the physical room that I can provide for people, but in the emotional sense of the room that happens when you listen to a song that makes you feel at home — that room that you can carry around with yourself everywhere through. The process of coming out has moved me to such a tender place of understanding the importance of holding each other — I thought I understood that before but now there is a sacred reverence to community that is impossible to skip over.”

You're on tour this summer. What can we expect from a Liza Anne live show?

Liza Anne: “Right now my shows feel like experiencing and exploring movement and sound through the freedom found in limitations — learning how to work within the bounds that are possible given the current economy of the music industry. I’m pushing myself to present my project in the fullest way possible with less people on stage. I feel like I am playing again, exploring again, pushing myself to new understanding of what I am capable of — I’m so proud of this show.”

You have an event called Liza Anne's ABBA Disco for Abortion Care — sounds amazing! Can you talk us through the inspiration for the event and what its purpose is?

Liza Anne: “So much of activism feels really lethargic to me. It feels hard to feel like I’m doing much at all or making any real difference. In this economy, giving money feels really hard and asking anyone to give more than a concert ticket price feels difficult and unsustainable but it also feels really small to donate ‘only $20’ to an abortion fund. That $20 on its own doesn’t feel like it does a lot. These discos feel special because if you have 300 people giving $20, it feels like real movement. The discos themselves feel like a cathartic release of medicinal balm for us, too. It’s not just donating $20 to enter a raffle you don’t actually care about. It is money that gives and gives back, a joy space in this time that we all need. Turning ass shaking into abortion care feels important — the combination of grief and catharsis. It is so necessary.”

You took a bit of a break from releasing music the last few years. What was the reason behind the break and why did you feel that now was the time to come back?

Liza Anne: “I wrote the music I’m releasing now three years ago and spent the last three years really melting into my body and understanding myself more. It didn’t feel like taking a break, it felt like a patient breath that was necessary.”

How did you first get into music? Have you always been a performer? How did you get your big break?

Liza Anne: “I started writing poetry when I was eight and around 13 started to turn the poems into songs. Music was always a sacred room for me that felt like my emotions were valid and the heaviness of them felt possible to be carried because of hearing how other people held space for their emotions through songwriting. I don’t think I’ve had my ‘big break yet’ and thank god, who wants to have their best moment be in their 20s. I believe the best is on its way to me. I’m still blooming.”

Who are your musical inspirations? Whose music have you been listening to lately?

Liza Anne: “St. Vincent, Angel Olsen, and Feist are my big three. Recently, I’ve been listening to a lot of Arthur Russell — my girlfriend told me about him, they share a birthday so listening to him feels like knowing her better. I love how we can grow more love for the people we love by the windows that helped them understand themselves better.”

What are some of your goals? What would you like to achieve in your career?

Liza Anne: “I want to be happy, healthy and have a life full of love. I want to write songs that are true and I want those songs to end up wherever they need to end up. Anything else is icing on the cake.”

FIND LIZA ANNE ONLINE

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'HOW DO YOU LOVE ME' / NICOTINE DOLLS: REVIEW

July 28, 2023

by iliana calderon

Nicotine Dolls just released their new song, “How Do You Love Me” on July 28th.

The song is a very soft pop rock song with deep and emotional gut wrenching lyrics. The meaning behind this song can move audiences in how they feel about their personal relationships and how they feel about themselves. It’s great for those who are fans of John Mayer and Rod Stewart or are looking for softer songs with a heavier beat. This song is also perfect for those looking for artists who make emotional and deep music.

Nicotine Dolls are newly signed to Nettwerk Music Group. You can also check out lead singer Sam Cieri’s performance on America’s Got Talent.

NORTH COAST RETURNS FOR ITS 13TH YEAR

July 26, 2023

by emma zanger

Returning to the Chicagoland area for its 13th year, North Coast 2023 is set to bring a one of a kind experience to its 90,000 attendees. Just thirty minutes outside of Chicago, North Coast takes place at the SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois over Labor Day weekend, September 1st - 3rd and we can’t wait to be there!

One of Chicago’s top festivals, North Coast has six stages that host an array of over 100 electronic, dance, dubstep and house music artists, including this year’s popular headliners Marshmello, Zeds Dead, and Flume. However, music isn’t the only thing this unique festival has to offer. The festival also boasts an expanded collection of immersive art installations that will interact with all your senses.

Passes to North Coast 2023 are now on sale, but going very fast! You can purchase tickets to this incredible event at northcoastfestival.com. Set times have also been recently released, so you can be sure to see all of your favorite artists and maybe even some new ones! Check out set times for each stage at the festival below: