“At first I was afraid, I was petrified…”

What’s your biggest music-related fear? What helps you navigate stage fright, fear of failure, or other challenges?

“Actually releasing music is the hardest challenge for me. That last 10% of the work, when we’re just polishing off the mix and making the final tweaks, is the most difficult. I think it’s because I know that once it’s done, it’s reached its final form, and I won’t be able to continue revising it. Whatever form it exists in at that point is the form by which it will be judged. I find that finality really terrifying, and I have a hard time walking away. I get scared that this thing I’ve poured myself into and that we’ve all put hours of work into creating is going to go out in the world, and people will hear it and think ‘meh.’ Or worse, that a month will go by and I’ll think ‘Oh my god, I can’t believe I thought that was ready to put out there.’ I have this protective instinct to clutch everything close to my chest and not let anyone else hear the songs I care so deeply about, but I also know that doesn’t help anyone!

On the other hand, I think it’s a good thing to look back at old work and cringe sometimes. It means that you made choices instead of playing it safe, even if they weren’t always the ‘right’ choices when you reflect on them. And if you recognize it as a choice you’d make differently now, then hopefully that’s a sign of growth. There’s that Da Vinci quote ‘art is never finished, only abandoned.’ I don’t know if anyone’s ever felt 100% perfect about a project they’ve walked away from, which is a wonderfully humbling and human experience!”

“Hello darkness, my old friend…”

What’s the biggest challenge, disappointment, or struggle you’ve faced in your career so far?

“One thing I really struggle with is the sheer confidence you seem to need to possess in order to self-promote at the level required to achieve certain kinds of success. I think it benefits you to have an attitude of ‘what I’m doing is incredibly special and unique, and it deserves to be heard by as many people as possible.’ I do believe that our music is really special and unique, but I naturally tend towards lower expectations for traditional markers of success. I do think it’s important to be humble, but I also don’t want my insecurities to hold us back.”

“Somebody once told me…”

What’s the best music-related advice you’ve ever received?

“‘Do less.’ I used to play in an all-improvised project alongside some amazing players with serious chops. We were making up everything on the spot every time we performed, which for me included lyrics and melodies. My one bandmate, who was also a talented producer, shared that whenever anyone he worked with was nervous, they would overcompensate by trying to play more. He was always about doing less–sometimes he’d just hang out on one note for an entire song, but you would definitely remember that one note! I try to make sure the choices I’m making matter and create a change. I come back to that a lot in my writing and our production processes–is what I’m adding serving a purpose, or just taking up space?”

“Do you have the time to listen to me whine…”

Finish the sentence with your biggest music industry pet peeve: “Do you have the time to listen to me whine about…”

“Having to be on social media!!! I get it, it’s a great tool in a lot of ways, and there are many great bands that I love that I may not have ever stumbled upon if it weren’t for the ol’ apps. It’s a powerful way to make connections and get your art out, sure. But it also inarguably rots your brain and makes you feel like butt. I just wish we didn’t HAVE to be on it all the time in order to promote, reach people, etc. The industry requires us all to be micro-influencers of capitalism, and it just feels icky. This is the age-old conundrum of being an artist, though. Marketing yourself is just so weird.”

“I had a dream I got everything I wanted”

What’s your biggest dream or fantasy as an artist?

“Playing a big show to a room full of strangers and having everyone in the audience singing along :’) It just means the world to me anytime I discover that the music we’ve poured so much of ourselves into is meaningful to someone else.”