Hi, your upcoming EP “Chaos Era” is highly anticipated and carries a strong title. Can you share with us the inspiration behind the name and how it encapsulates the overall theme of the EP?
Hi, thanks so much for having me! I was chatting with some friends about what “era” we’re in and I jokingly said I was in my “chaos era” and right away I knew that I was going to hold on to that whether it was for a song or for something else. I hung onto it and decided “Chaos Era” was going to be the title of the EP about 6 months before I wrote the title track. The theme of the EP was inspired by one of the most chaotic times in my life where I was experiencing a lot of grief and uncertainty and was trying to make my way through it all.
As a multi-talented Métis pop artist, how have your cultural roots influenced the sound and storytelling we can expect to hear on “Chaos Era”?
You might catch glimpses of these influences in the heartbeat of a drum pattern, the way a synth dances, or through the lyrical storytelling (even if the story is just a moment in time). This EP is a reflection of my journey, a mix of modern pop with the timeless echoes of my Métis heritage.
You have a hand in producing your music, a field where women are underrepresented. What message do you hope your active role in production sends to other aspiring female music producers?
Gender has nothing to do with production capabilities, you can be and do whatever you set your heart on. You don’t need to sit behind a computer to be a producer and if you’re making music there’s a good chance that you might already be doing some production without even knowing it. There’s a really high perceived barrier to entry for aspiring producers where they think they need a $10,000 studio or 1,000 fancy plug-ins to be an ‘actual’ producer and that’s simply not the case. If you’re curious about production, you can rent recording equipment for about $50/month (at least where I live), get a free trial of a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) like Ableton (that’s what I use), and just try out production and see if you like it. In all honesty, you’ll save a lot of money too by renting gear to see if you like it before buying it (I learned that one the hard way… multiple times). I never went to a ‘production school’ to learn how to produce, I did free programs, mentorships, and hit YouTube HARD. There’s so much material online and seriously all the information you could ever need and more right at your fingertips. Take it slow – it can be really overwhelming to learn a new skill, but you got this! What you want to make matters, that fire was put in you for a reason.
“Chaos Era” delves into personal subjects like bullying and dating a narcissist. Can you discuss the process of translating such intimate experiences into your music, and do you find it therapeutic or challenging?
I find it incredibly therapeutic, although these songs are now out in the world, I didn’t always write them with that intention. I songwrite almost every day just to get feelings out knowing most of those songs will never see the light of day, but nevertheless some of those private diary entry type songs did make it onto the EP. I find songwriting like you’re not planning on releasing the song just brings a different type of rawness.
The single “All My Exes Are Dead” offers a darkly humorous take on moving past relationships. What can you tell us about the creative process behind this song, and how does it reflect the EP’s overall vibe?
I wanted this one to feel like a twisted fairy tale for people who are past the age of hearing stories and lessons in that format. It’s obviously satire (which not all my exes appreciated) and is intended to be tongue and cheek, which made the writing process so fun. The overall vibe of the EP is on the darker side with whimsical moments, which I feel can very much be heard in this song. I don’t think any of the songs should be taken at face value – the more you dig the more you’ll find.
Your music has been described as crossing genre boundaries and offering unexpected mood swings. How do you manage to maintain a cohesive sound while also exploring such a wide range of styles?
A hope, a wish, and a prayer mostly. I have no clue how this EP ended up cohesive when the creation process was far from organized or uniform. I think it mostly came down to selecting songs that were in that darker, moodier kind of vibe. Once I figured out which songs were going to be on the EP, I started working on production elements from the selected songs into the other songs I picked like percussion samples or MIDI sounds. I tried to do it in a covert way so people wouldn’t really notice but hoped it would be a nice little brain massage.
The track “Ruin My Life” has a unique concept of intoxicating attraction turning common sense into comedy. How did this idea come about, and what was it like co- producing it with Elias Edlund?
I was in a session with Elias and Alexandria Maillot and told them that I felt like something funky was missing from the EP. Elias started playing around with a bass line and right away Alex and I started messing around with melodies. I had a note in my phone that said something like “hi do you want to ruin my life” and we felt like that was a cool vibe and ended up finishing the song in about 3 hours. Once we left the writing session, I took over the production process. I kept the bass line, some guitar parts, and some other production elements that Elias recorded in our initial writing session and kept building from there. I added some parts and made other parts my own and re-recorded all the vocals and boom! She was done.
Among the tracks on “Chaos Era,” is there one that stands out to you as the most personal or that represents a significant milestone in your career? If so, could you elaborate on its significance?
They’re all personal and equally loved but if I had to pick a favourite it would be Villain. I think it was the first song in the creation process of this EP that forced me out of my comfort zone as a producer and gave me confidence to pursue a different sound. I love how powerful the song makes me feel and am really proud of how it turned out.
You’ve had an expansive career thus far, not only in music but also in TV and film. How have your experiences in these different creative industries influenced the way you approach songwriting and performing?
I’ve learned how important it is to drop the ego and priorities connecting with others. Art is truly all about connection whether it’s music, film, visual art, etc. I feel like at times I’ve ventured away from that belief with the pressures of social media or workload or whatever it might be. I want to connect and leaving my ego in the coffin it belongs in feels like it has uplevelled my artistry. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely have moments where my ego rears its ugly head – I think I’ve just become a lot more mindful of it and found ways to help silence it.
As a role model in advocating for women’s rights and the LGBTQIA+ community, how do these advocacies resonate in your new EP, and what impact do you hope “Chaos Era” will have on your listeners, particularly those from these communities?
I think they resonate as me showing up as an Indigenous queer woman with pink hair in a historically predominantly straight white male industry and making music about all my exes being dead. I hope people take what they need from this EP. I would be delighted to have these songs be the soundtrack to anyone’s chaos era and help them through tough times the way they’ve helped me. I hope people feel seen and loved and a warm fuzzy hug from these songs and knowing that they’re a part of making a little queer girl’s dreams come true.