by sierra romano
photo courtesy of winona oak
Winona Oak tells Unclear all about her new album, Island of the Sun, and breaks down the process of making such a beautiful record. Oak says she wants people listening to her music to “feel good about themselves and feel less lonely” which is definitely what you will experience when hearing her tracks. Check out our most recent interview with her, and be sure to catch her at an upcoming headlining show!
Congrats on the album! What was the inspiration behind the title track “Island of the Sun” and how did you know it would open the album?
Winona: “Well first of all, thank you so much! It feels pretty unreal that it is out in the world finally and it feels so nice to be able to perform all these songs live and see how people in real life connect with them. It just makes me so happy! Island of the Sun is named after the island where I grew up in Sweden, a small island in the middle of the Nordic forests. I was feeling pretty homesick when I was living in LA and I was going through some really tough things. The island works kind of as a metaphor for a place when everything is just beautiful and easy in a way — the place in your childhood where everything is as big and complicated as you make it. I wanted that song to open up the album to take people back to where it all started, the place where I grew up. I wanted to invite them into my world and I think it's the perfect song to open up to them the rest of the album. I am really happy with the decision.”
What was the writing process like for this album as a whole?
Winona: “So this album is full of some of my favorite songs that I've written over these past four years. There's a lot of songs that didn't make it and it's always like that, like a puzzle you kind of have to piece together and see what sounds good as a whole. It’s kind of hard to be honest, it's a process and it took me a long time to make the decisions. I'm really proud of the album and happy with how it all turned out and I love every single song so that makes me happy.”
What was the most challenging part of completing the album?
Winona: “Well definitely choosing the songs and choosing what order I was going to put them. It is hard, you need to listen to it over and over again and you need to switch out songs. It can be really hard because you get so attached to them. You can only have so many sad songs and so many up tempo songs. In an ideal world, at least for me, I wanted the album to contain a whole spectrum of emotions and have it be like a rollercoaster. I didn't want it to be an album where 13 songs sound the exact same, so that's definitely the hardest part.”
If you had to pick, what is your favorite song off the record?
Winona: “I don't know, I can't choose really. They're all so different and I just love them all actually. It's really hard, I can't choose.”
Who are some artists that inspire you?
Winona: “Well I have always been inspired by Leonard Cohen since I was very young. I just love his way of songwriting and the way that he uses his voice as the core. I have just always loved him. There are so many great artists out there! I love Christine and the Queens, Charli XCX, Tove Lo, RyaX. Honestly, there are so many great artists. Bjork, the list can go on and on, which is so lovely. There are so many beautiful creators out there.”
What is something that making this album has taught you about yourself?
Winona: “Honestly, I feel like writing every single song on this album is like having a therapy session. I feel like when you go into the studio and write a song, because you talk about life and your experience and emotions for so long and that's kind of what creates the song. Every single song has definitely taught me something which is beautiful.”
As new fans are discovering your songs, what is something you want them to take away from your music?
Winona: “Well I just want them to feel like they are a part of my world and they are beautiful and that they deserve the best, that they just feel good about themselves and feel less lonely. They can have my songs as soundtracks in their happy moments and in their sad moments and just feel like a deep connection from them. They know that I write these songs about my experiences and what I’ve learned and all the tough lessons. I just want new fans to feel like they can take something from that and that they feel good about it and that they are a part of something good.”
Are there any upcoming projects or shows the fans can look forward to?
Winona: “Yeah definitely! I am so excited, I can't wait to do my own headline shows in the future and I am going to continue writing and I can't wait to write my next album and to collaborate with more people and artists. There's so much to create and that's so exciting because I have no idea what it will be but I know it will be amazing, so stay tuned!