You’ve described “Just a Dog” as one of your most intimate songs. How did you approach conveying such raw emotions through your vocal performance and songwriting?
At the time, I didn’t anticipate that I was going to write such an intimate track. It sort of just came out of me as we were writing because it was how I was truly feeling. The winter in London really helped the vocal performance for sure. It was such a cold, gloomy day and I was really feeling something haha that was for sure.
The production on “Just a Dog” draws comparisons to artists like Portishead, Caroline Polachek, and Coldplay. What do you think these influences bring to the song, and how do you incorporate them into your own unique sound?
These influences really helped shape the world Just a Dog lives in. It’s got such a unique flavour, it did certainly take us a little while to find the sonic landscape it lives and should live in. In terms of bass parts, the space etc, I was listening to a lot of Mitski at the time. She’s incredible!
You mentioned that you see “Just a Dog” as a metaphorical and harrowing track. Can you tell us more about the meaning behind the title and what it symbolizes in the context of the song?
The dog reference is super metaphorical, it’s sort of like when you have this puppy love for someone and almost want to follow them around because you’re so vulnerable but also it’s animalistic like this feeling of wanting some is so instinctive.
One of my favourite lyrics is ‘I can’t let the sleeping dogs lie, why can’t we be alone’. It means you can’t ignore a problem or situation because it will only get more difficult.
Your new EP when i’m feeling better we could dream together has a variety of musical textures. How did you decide which musical direction to take for each track, and what guided those decisions?
A lot of the sonics behind each track was down to the journey and meaning behind the track. I wanted to properly encapsulate the feeling and emotion and that’s what really guided a lot of the sonics. Although there are a bunch of different textures, I think they all have an outburst of hope or want for hope and that’s something that I really wanted to focus on.
Can you share some insight into the creative process for the EP? How do you balance your personal emotions with the sound you want to create, especially when the themes are so vulnerable?
To be honest I didn’t have to balance too much, I really just let my emotions take hold and ran with it hahaha and that’s how the EP really just came about. I think I really trust my gut feeling and by letting myself be in touch with my emotions really helped me to figure out what each song needed.
You’ve often written about things left unsaid. What do you think it is about music that allows you to express these emotions and thoughts in a way that feels more impactful than spoken words?
I’m not a great journal-er or diary writer, so by writing music it allows me to get out thoughts and feelings in a similar way. Music has so much behind just the lyrics also. I’m so fascinated by production as well so it lends itself so well to writing music.
With the upcoming Australian show in Melbourne, is there a particular song from the new EP that you’re most excited to perform live, and why?
I loooove performing Breathe live! There is just something about the outro which gets me so hyped to play on stage! Also very excited to play my first Australian show with my band, it’s going to be so epic
Looking ahead, how do you see your sound evolving after this EP? Are there any new genres or musical ideas you’re interested in exploring on future releases?
Absolutely, I think for a while I was afraid of accessing the more melancholic parts of my writing. At the moment I’m in a really good space mentally and feel like I can access that part of me now without it being difficult to take it ‘home’ with me.
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