ME: So I’d love to start by talking about your recent release, Good morning Al. It’s a song, as you mentioned in your instagram caption, about so many different complex things. What pushed you to write this song and release it now?
ALLY EVENSON: I wrote it back in April. I was touring with Chloe Moriondo for a while, I was her guitarist, and I wrote it before I went on a seven week tour with her and the band. I was going through two consecutive breakups, one was a long relationship that came to an end, I ended it and started to date a girl, and then I realised her and I were not compatible and that ended. I then got into a car accident and I was just really going through it, experiencing so many emotions. It was inspired by when my ex told me that he drove past the house I moved into and every morning on his way to work he'd wave and say good morning Al. I just started writing and as I kept writing I realised it started about all the things that had happened. I couldn't do much with it because I was on that tour, so when I came back I thought I need to release this so I can release that time.
M: The voicemail at the end of your song is the last voicemail you received from your grandma before she passed which to me is just so touching, and such a unique personal touch to the song. What caused the idea for you to add that?
AE: That was kind of the last thing that happened at that time, she passed on the last day of the tour that I was on. We knew it was coming though. When I first heard the voicemail, back in February, I knew immediately I wanted to add it into a song because she had dementia and it was the last time she was sort of coherent. Our relationship was kind of funny and interesting, but that voicemail meant a lot to me, I knew I wanted to use it.
M: Last year you joined Chloe’s band for tour. What was that experience like?
AE: It was amazing. Tour is stressful, when you're with all femme presenting people a lot will happen that stresses you all out but it was so amazing. Chloe is now one of my best friends, I can confidently say that, I love her so much. You're basically living with each other for months at a time. Chloe has the best fans ever, the audience was always perfect, I'm so lucky for her and that.
M: You guys even performed on Jimmy Kimmel and James Corden, which is such a crazy thing to experience I can assume as an up and coming artist, what was that also like for you?
AE: Now that I'm no longer part of the band I feel like I can say that we shot it three times for Jimmy Kimmel because I messed up in the first two times and I was like no we have to redo this I need to do it perfectly. I was still new to the band and still learning the songs. I felt more nervous shooting those than I have in performing in front of thousands of people because it's for Jimmy Kimmel and James Corden, a lot comes with that.
M: This April you performed a festival too - how did it go?
AE: I played in a backyard and it was so cool! Any festival is stressful but it was so fun. I'd never played a festival like that and I'm super excited to do more.
M: What does it feel like to be able to say you’ve reached such goals such as playing your first festival, performing on Jimmy Kimmel, etc?
AE: I didn't start releasing solo music until two years ago and I think in two years time I've made pretty good progress, especially for someone unsigned who doesn't have a team. I've gotten some really cool opportunities and I feel proud of myself and accomplished and surprised. Surprised that I'm not going insane with everything, I think writing a lot and I've just started journalling and meditating, I'm like finally dedicating myself to that and making time and I won't get better if I don't try.
M: What are your next goals when it comes to your music?
AE: I definitely want to get a manager, just to have that help, it would be really helpful. I'm releasing one more single before the end of the year, it's very pop which is very fun, it's lighthearted and sarcastic, and not like anything I've released before. I think this winter into spring I'm going to start working on a full length album, I think it's time, I feel it. I'd love to get signed too.
M: When I do my research when coming up with questions for artists it obviously means I have to go through their socials and you’re proudly open about your political stance - of which I personally agree with - but do you feel that, as an artist, up coming or not, that you have a platform that needs to be used for good such as that?
AE: If you have a platform, and people care about what you're saying, then yeah, you should use it! To try and make change and at least put things out into the world. Part of that is like yeah do that, and the other part is like some people have terrible views and I'm like no, don't do that. But especially if something big and bad is happening, if I see someone I look up to comment on it, it makes me look up to them even more.
M: What has it been like breaking into the music industry for you?
AE: So hard. It's like all based on social media, and it was the pandemic so I couldn't just go around and book a bunch of shows. I'm not great with things like TikTok and don't feel I've succeeded with it. But I feel like with instagram I'm finding my tune and finding my aesthetic, I think I've found a way to use it right for me now.
M: Finally, i’d like to ask what you want to say to people who are listening to your music and what your message as a musician is?
AE: When people message me on like Instagram, and tell me how much a song has helped them, I kind of realise that my music helps people. I think through my music I'm saying hey, I'm here going through the same thing with you. I hope that people listen to my music and feel that way. In a way, I want it to be like therapy. There are so many songs I listen to that help me cry it out where the lyrics are so relatable and I'm like, how did you know what I was going through? I want people to have the same response as that to my music.
Comentários