(photography by @sizzyrocket / graphic design by @sandroryry) 

How did you experience the success of your debut album 'Sex Dreams And Denim Jeans' and the fame that came with it at the time?

It happened really fast and wasn’t expected. I think I was a bit naive to it. Nightlife and music scene of course has its dark side, but there is also a magic and a beauty and a family to it that are intimate and can help shield you a bit.

Do you think that with Spotify, TikTok and other social media, music consumption has become a kind of mass consumption compared to the days when you had to search Myspace and Youtube to find new artists and do you think people consume music differently today than during Myspace times?

Absolutely. So many new things are coming out with such a quick turn over rate. There is a lot of noise. It’s definitely affected how a lot of artists make music and shape their careers. During blog and MySpace days, no one was concerned with things like algorithms or posting x amount of time, etc. That being said... there will always be niche pockets and those searching for them.

When was the moment you realised you were ready to work on a second album and how was the creative process behind it different from that of your debut 'Sex Dreams And Denim Jeans’?

I never really decided to make a second LP until I was in the process. I knew I wanted to make a body of work, an EP after “cool”. The processes could not have been more different. With SDDJ, life was hectic. I was touring nonstop, had a lot of personal things going on while growing up, and I became a mother. During the SF process, the world was hectic but also came to a pause. There was no possibility to project the future, and that left a certain freedom; free of expectation. The record really started with two weeks in a little beach town in Portugal and finished with two trips to Oakland, CA.

Your album 'Sunshine Factory' was partly produced during the covid period. What did you learn about music production and yourself during that time and how did it influence the sound of the album?

All the songs were produced during covid besides ‘cool’ actually! I learned to play more and rediscover just having fun and experimenting. There were zero sterile studios...it was wood-burning fireplaces in the corner, sheepskins on the floor, cigarettes out the window, wine rings on the table energy. Notes everywhere, all creating in the same space on the floor. Breaks and walks on the beach, in nature, or sometimes through the city. Exchanging of music we’d found for inspo with collaborators. I think I was really in touch with my core self for the writing on this one... the world was upside down and there was such freedom for me with the lack of pressure and stress to keep up with all the different hats we wear in life. It was a strangely beautiful and peaceful time living in that bubble during that time.

You also wrote songs as a ghost writer for other artists. Can you tell us about the process behind it and how it differs from writing for yourself?

It’s a beautiful thing getting to live in another artist’s universe, whether that’s for a day, a week, or a year. At it’s best, co-writing is a privilege based on respect and trust, that is quite intimate. Sometimes it’s a fun night with rushing emotions.
With your own project, you are hyper aware and sensitive to the fact that people you know will hear it. You ask yourself how it will feel to play it live, does it belong to the universe you are building, etc. With other artists' songs, it’s their universe and I am there to help grow or curate and elevate their vision. I really love bouncing between the two worlds; each feels like a vacation from the other and is a perfect circle.

You have also been included in the music of other artists, such as Charli XCX. How did the collaboration come about and what was the process of creating "Babygirl" with Charli XCX?

I think we connected on Twitter, then met in person at her house party. When she sent over the track it felt super nostalgic and right.

How does it feel to know that the 2000s aesthetic, which you partly influenced, is back and that artists are using this sound and aesthetic that you partly influenced?

It was really a magical time to be a part of the scene. And you were really a part of something... everyone lived for that community on the floor, and you could find it all around the world. I definitely haven’t seen that energy recreated; it was a different time, but it’s really interesting to be around while the era is being re-examined and referenced.... my daughter is pretty pleased with my closet archives :)

What would you like to change in today's music industry if you could?

I’d like it to be more kind, fair, an respectful to the artists that make an industry possible.

What are the next projects you have planned?

Working on a new record I’m very exciting about, as well as some collaborations. I’ve just had a break from traveling and am excited to get back to it. :)


interview by @martinmanuelry