Congrats on your debut album, When I'm Alone! How do you feel about having a full-length body of work coming out so soon and are there any moments in particular you're excited for everyone to hear?
B: Thank you so much! I feel nervous but so excited. I’m really excited for everyone to hear “Emma Marie” and “Permanent State.” “Emma Marie” sounds like nothing I’ve ever made before, and “Permanent State” is my favorite song on the record, so I’m curious to see how people react to them.
How was working on this record different from working on a smaller project like the Swan EP, and what lessons have you learned from the making of the album?
B: I definitely put a lot more time and effort into making the album versus making Swan. When I made Swan, I had never played a show before and playing any shows or touring felt impossible (especially because i made it during the pandemic), so I never thought about what any of the songs sounded like live, but since then I’ve played so many shows so while making the album I had playing the songs live in mind which changed how I approached it in a fun way.
This project sounds stunning, with your most expansive and atmospheric production yet thanks to a team including Sam Acchione and Henry Stoehr. How did you know you wanted to work with them and what was that process like?
B: That is so kind, thank you! I feel extremely lucky to have worked with Sam and Henry, I really admire them as musicians and think they’re both so talented. I met Sam at Riot Fest last year when he played with Alex G, and I knew he produced because I’m a fan of Tomberlin’s EP, Projections, which he did production work on. Thankfully we clicked and started texting everyday until we started working on the album together. I knew Henry because I’m a fan of Slow Pulp, and his manager had reached out to me shortly after I put out Swan to let me know if I ever needed someone to mix a song I should reach out to Henry. I met up with Henry in Chicago when I was there on tour with The Districts last fall, and we got along so well and I knew he’s an AMAZING engineer so I knew he’d be perfect for the album. Sam and Henry are also super close friends so it came together so nicely to make our perfect little team.
Your songwriting always tells an honest story; "Revenant" on the new record is one of my favorite moments that really brings your lyricism to the forefront. Have you always felt so comfortable being vulnerable in your songwriting, or has it been something you've had to develop over time?
B: Thank you so much, that means a lot to me. I do feel like “Revenant” is one of (if not the) most vulnerable songs on the record. I’ve always thought of songwriting as journaling and I’m such an open book that I immediately felt comfortable with being vulnerable when I’m writing a song. I overshare to everyone in real life so it only makes sense I do it in music lol
How do you approach your songwriting process?
B: I have a lot of one liner type lyric ideas in my notes app, or sometimes I’ll come up with a whole verse or chorus idea. Usually when I sit down to write a song I’ll go through these and piece them all together until they fit and sound right. Other times I’ll just write everything I’m feeling at once and then pick it apart until it makes sense.
Do you have any particular influences that you looked to while writing When I'm Alone?
B: Definitely! I had been listening to a lot of Grizzly Bear, Big Thief, My Bloody Valentine, and Radiohead around the time I made the album and I’ve been influenced by those bands (specifically Grizzly Bear and Radiohead), for as long as I can remember. I think you can hear a lot of elements from them in the album.
The visuals that go along with all of your music tie in so perfectly with the music it accompanies. How did you decide on the aesthetic parts of the album, including the art and music videos? It seems like it came together so naturally based on your personal style.
B: Thank you so much! I knew right away that I wanted the album art to be dark and that I wanted my face on it, and all the other art elements came in while making the album. It feels very mountain-y to me so all the greens and browns and blacks come into play with the actual record itself. As far as music videos, the “Wish” video was heavily inspired by the photo book “Girl Pictures” by Justine Kurland. “Destroyer” just reminds me of horses because of it’s galloping melody. I think both of these music videos are very southern, which I grew up in the south so I embrace the good parts of it. I love all the woodsy, farm shit.
