“How Do I Connect To The Spirits?”, the single off your EP, is a song about the inheritance of trauma on a cellular level from your predecessors. Can you elaborate on this idea a little bit?
When I'm songwriting, I feel like I'm channeling something outside myself. In that way, the expression is always pure to me. I know that there are so many others with these same questions and emotions. "How Do I Connect To The Spirits?" is at its core an exploration into feelings of fear and shame tied to my ancestry. When I learned that trauma is passed down on a cellular level, that triggered this raw gut feeling. I've completely disconnected myself from my kin, and it's been my privilege to ignore the sins of my family. Whether I want to or not, I've inherited a long line of suppression and hatred. It’s on me to grow and change now. Amends are only useful if they’re immediately followed by action.
The single has three very different sounding parts. What is the creative process of that and the reasoning behind it?
This came very naturally for me. The conflicting emotions within the song itself divided it naturally into sections. We have the questioning, the fear, the curiosity, the acceptance. They're all fighting to be heard.
What is your writing process like?
Before I wrote songs, I wrote poetry, so that's still a big part of my process. I always write lyrics first, and then after I'll add the chords and melody, usually using piano. I co-produced this song with the amazing Alexander Vincent. Working with him is a huge part of my process, as a song changes dynamically from piano to production.
Did you have any specific inspirations for this EP, musical or not?
My main inspiration was the body. It's been a long road to acceptance for me of my own body, and I'm very much still on that journey. I wanted to make an EP that questioned these bodily experiences I think a lot of us go through, be it spiritual, through our relations to others, through sex. I also wanted to add some empowerment to it, so there are songs like the first single, "Be Bigger," which is about taking up the space you deserve.
What would you like listeners to take away from this project?
I always want listeners to feel less alone, to feel connected, to feel okay in their vulnerability.
How does “This Body” differ from your last project?
It differs quite a bit, sort of a shedding of the layers. It’s a process I’ve been in for years now.
You mentioned that the EP is for anyone who has ever experienced a separation or a dissonance between mind, body, and spirit. I’d love to hear more about this idea and how it has personally affected you?
I think the separation can come from a lot of different experiences, whether that’s someone you trust, family, religion, idols, or society. It’s that moment that shuts you down, where you need to sink into the numbness to get by. I’ve been doing my own opening up and healing from trauma, especially my first sexual experiences.
There’s an underlying current of religion running through much of your music and your imagery. Where does this come from and what does it mean to you?
This comes from growing up in the church. The experiences I have within religion feel like ones I’ll unpack my whole life. Through the unpacking I’ve done so far I’ve discovered self-worth and power and forgiveness.
