Her new album, Desire Is An Angel, explores desire as a means of understanding ourselves and our connection to others. Combining deeply personal songwriting with bold, expansive arrangements, the record marks a period of self-discovery in which Jefferies has learned to embrace her ambitions, trust what she wants and allow music to soften her perspective on life.

We caught up with Asha to talk about finding beauty in uncertainty, reclaiming her ambitions, the freedom that comes with vulnerability and why the unpredictability of live performance is all part of its magic. Read the Q&A below.

For anyone discovering Asha Jefferies for the first time through this interview, how would you describe yourself as an artist – and what is it about songwriting that keeps pulling you back to it?

“I like to make music where joy and loss meet, bake it in sparkly leadlines and sprinkle in wisdom and hope. What pulls me back into songwriting is how sad I’d be without it.”

You’ve said that you wanted to make music that would “soften” you. I love that idea – what does being softened by music mean to you, and do you feel like making Desire Is An Angel gave you what you were looking for?

“This album has given me what I was looking for…and so much more. I feel like everytime I put out music I learn so much about who I am, both as a person and as an artist. For me, being softened by music is the experience of allowing music to remind me that life is fragile, beautiful, humbling and that there are extraordinary things happening beyond our everyday consciousness.”

The album explores desire not simply as wanting something, but as a way of understanding ourselves better. What have your own desires taught you about who you are?

“I think I’ve learnt how connected we all are through our desires. We all experience the same feelings of possibility, uncertainty, disappointment, even if we desire different things. Through documenting my desire, I’ve discovered that underneath everything I yearn for externally, is actually the desire for something far beyond whatever that external thing could give me.”

You’ve spoken about previously feeling timid or hesitant to want things. Has learning to trust your desires changed the way you take up space – either creatively or in your life more generally?

“Absolutely. Learning to trust my desires has changed a lot about how I see the world. To zoom out, in Australia, there is a real tall-poppy syndrome that reinforces young women to not be too ambitious. I think re-connecting with my desire has helped me claim ownership over what I want instead of believing that it’s “dangerous” or “greedy” to want things and try to reach for them.”

‘Art of Suggestion’ explores that exhilarating space where attraction still exists largely in your imagination, before you know whether it’s reciprocated. As a songwriter, are you naturally drawn to those unresolved, in-between moments where there aren’t necessarily any clear answers?

“I live for the in-between moments! They are most frequently unexplainable and universal and I will spend forever sinking my teeth into them, to attempt to paint that feeling of possibility and hope but also agony and exhilaration!”

Desire Is An Angel is more sonically ambitious than your debut while also being more intimately personal. Did becoming more vulnerable in the writing make you want to be bolder with the music surrounding it?

“I definitely threw a lot of paint at the wall making this album. Lots of big feelings with maximalist arrangements. I didn’t really go into writing it thinking it was going to be as vulnerable, but I guess it’s what naturally happened and is one of the most fulfilling parts of songwriting for me.”

You’ve spent the last couple of years taking your music around the world and sharing stages with artists including Courtney Barnett and Soccer Mommy. What have you discovered about yourself through performing live, and what do you hope happens between you and an audience when you’re on stage?

“Live music is like magic and whenever I get to see it or be a part of it, I feel connected to something greater. There can be a lot of unknowns and I think it can be easy to try and over control the variables, like singing the same songs every night, saying the same things in between songs. But the crowd is as much a part of the performance as the people on stage and I love allowing spontaneity to take place when I’m performing. I guess I’ve discovered I enjoy being surprised, and I hope the audience will surprise me.”

Finally, you’ve said making this album helped you realise that you can give yourself some of the things you’re searching for. What do you hope Desire Is An Angel might help somebody else discover about themselves?

“None of us would be here without desire, it is one of the deepest codes in our DNA. I hope this album inspires someone to discover how deep and powerfully desire is living within them.”

The post Getting To Know… Asha Jefferies appeared first on She Makes Music.

Her forthcoming EP, It All Comes To End, draws from diaries, relationships and experiences spanning the past four years, with its seven songs forming individual snapshots of love, heartbreak, identity, money and expectation. From the memories woven through ‘Red Velvet’ to new single ‘A Confession (I’m Broke)’, which playfully punctures the illusion of having everything together, the record captures an artist learning to be present, embrace imperfection and take control of her own story.

That sense of agency has followed Essence since she left a tennis scholarship in the US and returned home to pursue music, putting herself “in the driver’s seat” of her life for the first time. We caught up with her to talk about songwriting as self-discovery, finding freedom in honesty, learning from the artists she’s shared stages with and why, ultimately, she wants her music to make people feel truly seen. Read the Q&A below.

For anyone discovering Essence Martins for the first time through this interview, how would you describe yourself as an artist – and what is it about songwriting that you feel compelled to keep coming back to?

“I was always a creative kid. I had a whimsical imagination and I loved to draw and create any type of art. I wasn’t great at English in school but I adored the creative writing classes. My mind would often be away with the fairies until something pulled me back down to earth. Telling stories and self expression is a big part of who I am and songwriting is the best way I know how! I think I write in search of the truth so a lot of my artistry is based around my honest feelings and thoughts which are constantly changing and evolving. There’s so much to navigate in this life so there’s so much that brings me back to songwriting!”

Before pursuing music, you were on a tennis scholarship in the US and ultimately made the decision to return home and follow songwriting instead. Do you remember the point when making music stopped feeling like something you loved and became something you knew you needed to pursue?

“Yes! When I came home after my freshman year I quite literally had all day and night to learn my favourite songs, work on my songwriting, get better at piano and guitar and more importantly watch my favourite live performances on YouTube for hours. The time spent doing all of that really showed me what I felt I needed to do. I became so inspired watching artists on my screen living a dream that felt so far away and after some months the penny dropped and I got in the drivers seat in my own life for the first time.”

Emotional honesty seems to sit at the heart of your songwriting, with your upcoming EP It All Comes To End drawing from diaries, relationships and experiences from the past four years. Does writing give you access to feelings or parts of yourself that you sometimes find harder to understand outside of music?

“It does! I feel like my songwriting often knows me better than I do! It sometimes feels like a portal to my own emotions that I haven’t even yet realised or processed. I can write a song where I’m not really sure what it’s about and then after a few months realise so clearly what situation I was talking about or what experience I’m pulling from. I think it helps me be brutally honest in a way you wouldn’t in real life. You can write a song that’s truthful or fictional and no one really knows but you, and that allows you to go really deep or playful without it feeling too personal because it’s a song after all and it doesn’t have to be serious or true if you say it isn’t.”

‘Red Velvet’ captures how tiny, everyday things can become loaded with meaning after we lose someone. Are you naturally someone who holds onto those little details and memories, and do you think that shapes the kind of songwriter you’ve become?

“I love to reminisce and I especially love to hold onto fond memories. I think I’m good at that but when it comes to something negative I’m rather good at forgetting – It’s funny how our brains protect us! What I’m trying to say is that I’m selective about what I choose to remember and what I forget and it likely does shape what I write about!” 

‘A Confession (I’m Broke)’ is funny and playful, but underneath it is a very real experience of looking like you’re doing well while privately struggling to make ends meet. As an artist in an industry where visibility and appearances can feel so important, was there something freeing about puncturing that illusion and simply saying, “Actually, this is what my life looks like”?

“I had so much fun writing and producing this song with Jay!! It was definitely a highlight for me! It was so fun to feel completely free in the studio and just speak my mind. After we wrote it though I wondered if it was too honest and had a few doubts but I just enjoyed the process so much and knew that an honest message like this would resonate with people so we had to run with it! There’s so much beauty and strength in honesty and it’s important to puncture the illusion of perfection every now and then we’re all humans just trying to get by.”

You’ve described It All Comes To End as a lesson you’re still learning yourself – that life is finite, so we should live it – and talked about wanting to become the “front seat driver” in your own story. Do you feel that making these songs has helped you understand what taking control of your own life actually looks like?

“There’s always gonna be lessons to learn and I’m sure there will be in every song or EP I put out. But I still feel like I’m in a very formative part in my career so everything feels so dramatic and far away and like you’re running out of time. So because of that it’s so important to remind ourselves to slow down, be in the moment but also don’t let life pass you by. Each song has a little lesson and the EP encompasses the idea that life is precious so we must take control and be present. I think that I’m learning how to be that more and more with every project I put out.”

You’ve spent a lot of time performing alongside other artists over the last few years. What have those experiences taught you about the kind of performer you want to be when you step onto a stage as Essence Martins – and what does sharing such personal songs with an audience give you in return?

“I’ve been so privileged to open for so many incredible artists in the last few years such as Rachel Chinouriri, Maisie Peters, Ellie Goulding, MIKA and so many more. I even had the opportunity to play in Birdy’s band. I’ve been able to watch and learn how they hold themselves on stage and how they give so much to an audience. I’ve been inspired so many times and I’m learning how to do that myself in my own way. It’s truly been an honour to witness.

“I know that I want to be the type of performer who leaves an audiences feeling hopeful and inspired but also one that provokes thought and deep emotion. I want people to feel bigger when they leave a show than when they came in.

“If I can do that, that’ll be the best gift I can receive, a genuine mutual understanding between two people.”

As your music reaches more people, what do you hope someone finds in your songs that perhaps you once needed to find in music yourself?

“Woahhh what a question! I hope that people find true understanding. There’s nothing quite as beautiful as truly being seen. The human condition is so complex but our experiences all overlap and when we find that sweet spot of perfect compassion, empathy and understanding, we will all be okay.”

It All Comes To An End is out October 29.

The post Getting To Know… Essence Martins appeared first on She Makes Music.

Her two-part EP project The Apothecary emerged from a period of emotional healing, gathering songs about heartbreak, insecurity, self-sabotage and the things we continue to carry from our past. Rather than documenting a journey she had already figured out, songwriting became part of the process itself – a way of recognising feelings she hadn’t always been able to put into words.

Now taking those songs far beyond Manchester, including her first headline shows across Europe, Lusaint has discovered that their meaning continues to change once they’re shared with other people. We caught up with her to talk about finding a path into music, understanding home from a distance, the jazz and blues foundations that still shape her work, songwriting as self-discovery and why performing live is where everything finally makes sense. Read the Q&A below.

For anyone discovering Lusaint for the first time through this interview, how would you describe yourself as an artist – and what is it about making music that feels important to you?

“I think at the heart of it I’m a singer-songwriter who’s always been really drawn to soul, jazz and blues. I grew up listening to those kinds of records and I think they’ve naturally found their way into the music I make now, even as it’s developed into something more contemporary.

“The most important thing to me is that there’s honesty in it. I’m not particularly interested in making something just because I think it’s what I should be making. Music has always been the place where I can say things that I probably wouldn’t necessarily say in conversation. There’s something really special about taking something that feels incredibly personal and then watching it become somebody else’s song because they’ve attached their own experience to it. I think that connection is probably the part of being an artist that means the most to me.”

You’ve said that growing up in Stretford, you never imagined a career in music was possible. When did that change for you – was there a particular moment when you first allowed yourself to think, “Maybe I really can do this”?

“It happened quite gradually. Growing up in Stretford, being a singer was something I loved, but I don’t think I understood that it could actually be my life. I was working in a clothing shop, studying fashion and singing covers in bars and restaurants at weekends. Music felt like this thing I did because I loved it rather than something I genuinely thought could become a career.

“When some of the covers I’d recorded started reaching people online, suddenly doors began opening that I’d never really imagined would open for me. I think that was the first time I started thinking, maybe I could do this.”

The Apothecary came from a place of emotional healing, but you’ve said you now feel very different to the person who began making it. What has creating these two EPs taught you about yourself?

“Probably that you don’t always realise you’re changing while you’re in the middle of it.

“When I started The Apothecary, I was carrying things that I hadn’t completely understood or dealt with, and a lot of those emotions ended up in the songs. The whole idea of The Apothecary became almost like collecting different remedies for different parts of yourself — heartbreak, insecurity, self-sabotage, things from the past that you’re still holding onto.”

‘Tib Street’ is a love letter to Manchester and the people, streets and memories that have stayed with you. As your career has taken you further away from home, have you come to understand Manchester’s influence on you differently?

“Definitely. I actually think leaving Manchester made me understand how much of me comes from there.

“When you grow up somewhere, you don’t really analyse it because it’s just normal to you. Stretford was home, Manchester was where I went out, worked, studied, sang in bars — all these little parts of my life happened there without me ever thinking they would eventually become memories I’d write songs about.

“The further I’ve travelled with music, the more I’ve realised how strong that sense of home is. There’s a familiarity and an ease to Manchester that I think will always be part of me, no matter where I live or where the music takes me.”

You grew up listening to your parents’ jazz and blues records before singing Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone covers in local bars. Do you feel like there are parts of that younger version of yourself that still come through whenever you make music now?

“Absolutely. Probably more than I consciously realise.

“Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone were some of the first voices that made me understand how much emotion could exist in the way somebody sings something. It wasn’t about showing what your voice could do all the time — it was phrasing, restraint, tone and making somebody believe what you were saying.

“I think singing those songs in bars when I was younger taught me so much without me knowing I was learning. There was no big plan behind it. I just loved singing.”

So much of The Apothecary is rooted in healing and understanding who you want to become. Has songwriting ever helped you recognise something about yourself that you hadn’t been able to put into words before?

“All the time. Sometimes I’ll start writing about one thing and halfway through realise that the song is actually about something completely different.

“There’s something about having to condense an emotion into a lyric that forces you to be quite truthful with yourself. You can spend months avoiding something or telling yourself you’re fine with it, and then you write one line and think, oh maybe that’s what I actually feel!”

You’ve now taken your music across Europe on your first headline tour, with a hometown show at Manchester’s Band on the Wall still to come. What does performing live give you that making music alone can’t – and what do you hope people feel when they’re in the room with you?

“Live is probably where everything makes sense.

“You can spend such a long time making a record — writing it, recording it, listening to tiny details over and over again. Then suddenly you’re standing in a room somewhere in Europe and people you’ve never met are singing those words back to you. I don’t think I’ll ever find that normal.

“I also love that every show is slightly different. I come from singing jazz and blues, so I’ve always liked music having a bit of freedom and not feeling completely identical every night.

“More than anything, I want people to feel connected to it. I don’t need somebody to understand a song in exactly the way I wrote it. If they leave having felt something — or one lyric has reminded them of their own life — then the song has done its job.”

Finally, if The Apothecary represents a chapter of your life that you’ve now grown beyond, what do you hope someone who might still be living through their own version of that chapter finds in these songs?

“I hope they find some comfort in them.

“I’d never want the message of The Apothecary to be that I worked everything out and here’s how somebody else should do it, because that isn’t what happened at all. These songs were written while I was trying to understand things myself.

“But I think there’s something comforting about knowing that somebody else has felt something similar to you — whether that’s heartbreak, insecurity, regret or just feeling a little lost.”

The post Getting To Know… Lusaint appeared first on She Makes Music.

Her sophomore album, RollerCoaster Tycoon, embraces all the chaos that comes with growing up, from burnout and dating to nostalgia, individuality and figuring out what you actually want. Inspired by the game Lea loved as a kid, the record turns life’s inevitable highs and lows – or, in her words, “the coasters burning down and the children throwing up” – into something playful, messy and entirely her own.

Behind all that fluorescent chaos, however, is an artist who has found purpose, confidence and a voice through making music. We caught up with Lea to talk about rediscovering the things that made her feel like herself, protecting her love of creating through burnout, embracing what she really wants, finding the confidence to be heard and creating a live space where everyone else can be themselves too. Read the Q&A below.

For anyone discovering lolitslea for the first time through this interview, how would you describe yourself as an artist and the fluorescent world you’ve created around your music?

“I would describe my art and music as colorful, extroverted, electric, loud, earwormy. Emphasis on the neon in neon pop punk. The world I built around my music has shades of blue and green and takes place in a video game from around 2010. Low-poly, colorful, and a catchy soundtrack.”

Your new album RollerCoaster Tycoon takes its name from an iconic 2000s game, but you’ve also described it as a “way of life”. What does that title say about where you are in your life right now?

“I can’t say it references where I’m at in life, but more so something that describes the general ebb and flow of my life as it is. Growing up playing RollerCoaster Tycoon on my computer as a kid and finding ways to relate it metaphorically to my adult life is ironic and fun. While you can claim “life is a rollercoaster”, I was comparing the coasters burning down and the children throwing up as the relatable part, lol.”

‘BURNOUT!! BURNOUT!!’ tackles the reality of balancing everyday work with trying to build a career in music. How do you protect your love for creating when the pressure to constantly work and keep up can become overwhelming?

“Life is generally overwhelming. I could very much make it easier by quitting the music thing, but considering it’s one of the few things that brings my life purpose, I fear that would only hurt me more than help. Getting to experience pure joy and bliss while on the stage or writing music or meeting fans and making new friends absolutely makes up for the moments that feel too hard. It’s important to remind yourself that balance is healthy. Asking for help is healthy. And it takes sacrifices to follow your dreams.”

‘Summer 09’ looks back at that wonderfully specific period between childhood and growing up. What is it about nostalgia – particularly the music, culture and memories of the 2000s – that you find yourself drawn back to creatively?

“I think part of it was discovering my own individuality and interests. For a long part of my teenage and young adult years, I spent that time following and liking music and styles because other people did. Following trends instead of diving deep into what I really loved. When I was in middle school, I was discovering a style of music and a community I loved and growing up made me lose sight of that a bit. I wanted to be reminded of that individuality and explore it further, so I picked up where I left off in the 2010s and dove right back into what excites me.”

On ‘Tragedy’, you’re looking for genuine connection in a dating culture that can often feel disposable. Do you think writing about what you actually want, rather than what’s considered normal or expected, has become easier as you’ve grown more confident in yourself?

“I think growing up and uhh, let’s say trial and error have helped me get back to the real purpose of what I’m looking for. I tried it, didn’t like it, and am now trying something new! Who knows, maybe I’ll feel differently in a year from now. I do think confidence comes with age. The older I get, the more idgaf.”

Your music embraces the sounds and aesthetics of the pop-punk era while very much creating its own world. How do you draw inspiration from something you grew up loving without simply recreating the past?

“Honestly, this is probably not the “right” answer, but I truly just copy what I love. I think taking inspiration from everything I loved listening to growing up and what I listen to now, along with my own individuality and experience, it comes off as fresh (hopefully). Like a little brewed up concoction, if I may.”

You’ve toured with Diva Bleach and performed everywhere from Emo Nite to shows alongside Taylor Acorn and Games We Play. What does the lolitslea world become when you take it onto the stage, and what do you want people to feel when they’re part of one of your shows?

“Growing up, I was always dismissed when trying to speak up. In class, in circles, in my friend groups. I blamed it on the pitch of my voice being lower. Getting to take this project and my music to the stage gave me a new chance to speak up and be heard. And all I wanted was to create a fun and exciting space to be whatever we all want to be in that moment together during a show. Creating my own music and getting to bring it to a stage gives me an opportunity to share that newfound confidence with everyone and be myself, which is all I can hope is felt around the room, too!”

Finally, RollerCoaster Tycoon seems to embrace all the chaos, highs, lows and contradictions of life. What do you hope people take away from the album once they’ve ridden the whole rollercoaster with you?

“Aww, ridden the whole rollercoaster is such a sweet way of saying that. I lowkey hope people get a little bit of whiplash. Like “omg that was a lot all at once” because I feel like that’s truly what it’s like being around me. But then, they remember how much fun they had in the moment and want to ride again. :)”

The post Getting To Know… lolitslea appeared first on She Makes Music.

Her new album, War On Women; Calling All Good Men, arrives after a transformative period that saw Wicklund reclaim her autonomy and rediscover the joy of songwriting. Raw, defiant and ultimately hopeful, the record gave her somewhere to channel her anger while exploring artistic freedom, oppressive systems of power and the importance of speaking up in the face of injustice.

Now creating entirely on her own terms, Wicklund wants that sense of empowerment to extend beyond herself. From encouraging audiences to recognise their own power to launching The Strawberry Moon Tribune as a space where creativity can be seen and celebrated, this new chapter is as much about connection as it is self-expression. We caught up with Hannah to talk about reclaiming her creative freedom, her relationship with anger, meaningful allyship, the power of performing live and making art that inspires others to take up space. Read the Q&A below.

For anyone discovering Hannah Wicklund for the first time through this interview, how would you describe yourself as an artist and what drives you creatively?

“As an artist, I feel that I am always striving mainly for authenticity. My main motivator creatively is simply to make art that connects with my soul. When I sit down to write a song, it’s a moment of pure expression, not calculation.”

War On Women; Calling All Good Men was born out of an incredibly transformative period in your life and career. You’ve described making the record as rediscovering the pure joy of music – what did finding your way back to that feeling teach you about yourself as an artist?

Honestly, it taught me to not sacrifice autonomy for comfortability. There was a reason my songwriting went into hiding while I was within unsafe circumstances. Reclaiming my freedom as human being directly correlated to the writer’s block being lifted, and I will be striving to stay in this newfound space I have discovered with my songwriting.

You’ve said that the songs became somewhere to “park” your rage, and that the more you wrote, the less angry you became. Has making this album changed your relationship with anger and the way you channel difficult emotions creatively?

“I’ve had a lot to be angry about in my lifetime, to be honest. My music in general has been there for me when processing all of my emotions, but especially anger since I was a little girl. This record had to hold far more than ever before though, and perhaps the greatest lesson it has taught me is how to truly release it. Releasing a record is more than just having people hear your story and your heart, it’s the opportunity to also release whatever power the stories behind the songs may have had over you at the same time.”

After years of navigating an industry that you feel tried to limit your independence, you’ve taken back control of your career and self-produced this record on your own terms. What does artistic freedom mean to you now?

“Artistic freedom is something I have always held close to me, so having such a period of uncertainty of how I could and would proceed was unbearable. I have had such a transformative time in creating this record and the magazine that goes along with it and couldn’t imagine asking men what they think about my ideas ever again…”

The title War On Women; Calling All Good Men feels both confrontational and hopeful. You’ve spoken about wanting men to recognise that women’s issues are society’s issues too – what does meaningful allyship look like to you?

“Allyship looks like speaking up and standing up in the face of abuse and injustice. There is no lack of opportunity in this world to use your voice for something that matters. So often people take the approach of “well that’s not my problem”, and will stand there and watch one human torture another. Whether it’s a passing moment with strangers or spousal abuse that everyone knows is going on, it’s time to be brave and bold in calling out unacceptable behavior.”

Your guitar playing has always been such an important part of your identity as an artist, and you’ve called the solo on ‘Cowards & Kings’ the greatest you’ve ever played. Do you feel differently when you pick up a guitar now compared with when you were making The Prize?

“I don’t feel different, I feel the most myself I’ve ever been. My guitar is an extension of my expression and has always been the most powerful place for me to channel my emotions. The Prize felt a little more constructed and knit-picked, but this record was more of a free- flowing intuition all the way through.”

You’ve spent years performing everywhere from intimate venues to arenas alongside artists like Deep Purple, Yes and Greta Van Fleet. After everything that has changed for you personally and creatively, what do you want people to feel when they experience this new chapter of Hannah Wicklund live?

“I want them to feel inspired. Inspired to be themselves, to stand up for themselves, to champion their fellow humans, and to use their power for good. There is so much each of us have to offer this world, and I only hope to encourage others to reach for their full potential.”

Alongside the album, you’re launching The Strawberry Moon Tribune and bringing other creatives and experts into the world surrounding these songs. What inspired you to expand the project beyond music, and what kind of space do you hope the Tribune can become?

“My greatest hope for the Tribune is that it becomes a treasure chest of good information, creativity and inspiration. The goal in opening this up to submissions is to encourage everyone to see themselves and their art as completely worthy of being seen. If I can offer a platform for people to be witnessed in which they feel like they are part of something bigger, then who knows how they may carry that torch into the world.”

Finally, after an album that begins with War On Women and ends with the hope of Calling All Good Men, what do you hope people carry with them when they reach the other side of the record?

“I hope they reach the other side feeling the weight of my words without being weighed down, and instead feel the courage to confront the societal norms that have allowed stories like mine to exist. My story is not unique, for women and artists have long been under the thumb of oppressive systems of power, but I know that we can and must do better.”

War On Women; Calling All Good Men is out now on digital download, CD and vinyl.

The post Getting To Know… Hannah Wicklund appeared first on She Makes Music.

Their new EP, Butterfly Wing in a Silver Locket, sees Sesame Girl leaning further into vulnerability than ever before. Inspired by the sentimentality of lockets, butterflies and the memories we hold onto, the record explores love, friendship, self-worth and the complicated emotions that come with wanting to feel seen and valued. Working with producer Simon Lam, the band gave themselves permission to embrace the sadness in their songs completely, allowing the instrumentation to carry just as much emotional weight as Heather Duncan’s deeply personal lyrics.

More than anything, though, Butterfly Wing in a Silver Locket is about connection. Whether celebrating the friends who show up when they’re needed most or finding comfort in discovering that someone else understands how you feel, the EP captures Sesame Girl at their most open and authentic. I caught up with Heather to chat about vulnerability, friendship, finding the band’s sound, creating space for emotion and what she hopes listeners will carry with them from this new chapter.

For anyone discovering Sesame Girl for the first time through this interview, how would you describe the band and what you’re all about?

“Well hi we’re Sesame Girl! I’d describe the band as quite soft with some more heavy and gazey elements, combined with some country instruments and pop inspired songwriting. It’s really such a melting pot of stuff, but I think that’s definitely a part of our uniqueness.”

Butterfly Wing in a Silver Locket feels incredibly personal, almost like opening a time capsule of memories and emotions. Was there ever a point where sharing that much of yourself felt daunting, or did it feel more freeing than anything else?

“It’s always pretty daunting to bear any part of yourself to strangers. I think the way that I find inspiration is mostly through my own sadness and shame, so if I’m inspired by something I wouldn’t necessarily share in my everyday life and that turns into a really good idea I know I have to run with it even if I’m scared. It’s not necessarily freeing, I’d like it to be, but it’s comforting getting to talk to people at shows who feel the same and knowing neither one of us is alone in that.”

Throughout the EP, there’s a real contrast between fragility and strength. Was that balance something you consciously set out to capture, or did it emerge naturally as the songs came together?

“I think the contrast of soft and heavy has always been something we’ve had to work with. We love heavy music and I have a very soft voice unfortunately. So I think we’ve almost just embodied that in our writing without too much thought. But I do think it’s kind of a blessing in some ways to have an inbuilt challenge that forces you to adapt creatively, it definitely makes our music more unique I reckon.”

Friendship plays such an important role on the record, particularly on ‘Superstar’. In a world where so many songs focus on romantic relationships, what made you want to celebrate platonic love in such an open and heartfelt way?

“Even just reading this question lowkey makes me a bit teary because we were going through such a tough time personally when we were writing the ep and we were staying with friends away from home in order to work with our producer Simon Lam in Melbourne, and the way they looked after us and cared for us just meant so much. So when we were in the studio I wanted to capture that feeling.”

You mention that this EP finally feels like the record you’ve been trying to make all along. What do you think clicked creatively this time that allowed Sesame Girl to find that sound?

“I think going through that really tough time while we were writing the ep really put a lot of stuff in perspective. We knew we couldn’t just keep making pop music to fit into people’s expectations of who we were as a band when it didn’t feel like what we wanted to do anymore. I think working with our producer Simon really helped us to create really genuine music and he was able to help us combine all our very sporadic influences into something really unique that represented how we’d changed as people and as artists. But we’ll always love pop music and it will always influence how we write for sure. I don’t think our new music will alienate anyone really, it’s very smooth listening.”

Your music blends dreamy textures with fuzzy guitars and moments of real emotional weight. How important is it for the instrumentation to tell the story alongside the lyrics?

“We’ve always written sad songs, but I think on this record the instrumentation is sad too. We really gave ourselves permission to be emo and our producer Simon is so good at not overdoing things and letting the emotions come to the front and centre, as opposed to one million guitar parts taking that space as we’ve done in the past. And I think having contrasting happy instrumentation and sad lyrics as we’ve done in the past is still really cool, but I think we wanted to see what it would be like to lean all the way into the emotion of the song with everything we could and I think it’s really powerful to do that.”

You’ve been building a reputation through your live shows and touring alongside bands like the Belair Lip Bombs. What do you hope people take away from seeing Sesame Girl perform live?

“I think as a live band we’re more interested in people having a good time than being super serious and showing off our chops. So we really hope people take away a really fun night where they enjoyed themselves.”

Finally, what do you hope listeners carry with them after spending time with Butterfly Wing in a Silver Locket?

“Of course we hope you love the record as much as we do! And you take that with you, but whatever stays with you and resonates is just as meaningful. The main take away I’d want anyone to have is that they’re not alone in those feelings, and to get a sense of belonging from that.”

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Their fourth album, Resurgence, marks an exciting new chapter. Exploring themes of isolation, self-doubt and emotional transformation, the record captures the fragile moment where despair begins to give way to strength. Alongside a willingness to experiment with fresh influences, including the nu metal-inspired single ‘Resurge’, the album showcases a band continuing to evolve while remaining true to the emotional core that has resonated with fans around the world.

Renowned for their powerful live performances and deeply personal songwriting, Future Palace have established themselves as one of the most exciting forces in modern alternative metal. I caught up with frontwoman Maria Lessing to chat about the inspiration behind Resurgence, embracing change, experimenting with their sound and the connection they share with audiences both on and off the stage.

For anyone discovering Future Palace for the first time here, how would you describe the band and what you’re all about?

“I would describe us as an authentic and emotional post hardcore /metalcore /alternative band who love using synths as well and writing hooky chorus lines. We have published 3 records about mental health and that will be followed by ou 4^th album now as well, so that is a very central topic for us, such as also other themes, that are not often talked about in the metal scene.”

Your fourth album, Resurgence, explores isolation, self-doubt and rebuilding yourself. What did creating this record teach you about yourselves, both individually and as a band?

“It taught me that I am capable of more than I told myself with our past album. After touring and being a bit burned out by trying our best to make this band our main income for like 8 years (and we still have some jobs on the side) you can lose energy and motivation and somehow also hope in yourself. I tried to regain energy, change systems, improve as a singer, artist and human and overall, we put our mental wellbeing as an almost number 1 focus now, because no matter how famous you get, if you’re unhappy, the fundament of the system will break at some point – and also what’s the point of doing something that doesn’t make you happy? I think this album just brought me a lot of joy for music and being in a band again”.

‘Resurge’ imagines what it would be like to completely start over and become a different person. Is that idea something you’ve personally wrestled with, or was it more of a creative concept?

“Completely. I had many doubts about myself and my life choices, especially with my career as a musician, since it also comes with a lot of challenges and sacrifices behind the scenes. I never had a plan B because music was always mit plan A and my full passion. When I realized that a goal and “obsession” won’t fix your problems, won’t automatically make you happy and feel like you “arrived” where you belong, my world shattered a bit. It was like a hard slap in the face. My life goal has changed from “I want to be a musician and live from it” to “yes that would be nice, but my life goal is being happy”. Though I still had my thoughts and questions about “what if”.”

Musically, ‘Resurge’ introduces some fresh nu metal influences to your sound. How much fun was it experimenting with new textures while still keeping that unmistakable Future Palace identity?

“When I listened to it when Manuel sent the first Demo of the instrumental, I was like: oh yeah, that will be fun live. I think Nu Metal is just a natural fit for us, we had some elements of it in our past songs already and we always have a strong 2000’s vibe in our music, so I think it just worked easy.”

The story from ‘Deep Blue’ continues into the ‘Resurge’ video. How important is visual storytelling to the world you’re building around your music?

“It carries the music completely. It was fun to have two songs so connected, we never did that before, the ideas alls came to me naturally and I love it when that happens, while brushing my teeth I just had the idea for the entire Resurge Video and how it could be connected to Deep Blue. I already thought about a potential Seuqel for Deep Blue after we shot the video. I always have visual on my mind while writing also.”

You’re known for balancing crushing heaviness with huge melodic moments. How do you decide when a song needs to hit hard and when it needs to give listeners a moment to breathe?

“That depends on the topic really. Also, Manuel writes the instrumentals and oftentimes sets the mood with that, but we had moments where we made a breakdown longer, changed the chords or the key entirely to make it heavier, depending on what topic I decide to write about. It’s always extremely important to me to get the listener as close as possible to the real feeling I had while writing. We also had songs where we cut out the screams and entire parts completely in the studio, because it just didn’t fit the energy in the end.”

You’ve built a reputation as an incredible live band, with sold-out shows and international touring. What do you hope people feel when they leave a Future Palace show?

“Future Palace Shows are supposed to be a safe space to just feel. Cry, sing, shout, mosh and hug each other. There are so little spaces in our world where we can truly be ourselves and feel without being judged. It’s a confrontation and a party at the same time. I want people to feel connected to their feelings when they leave our show. Of course, I also try to be a good singer but the best compliment will ever be, when someone opens up about how much they were touched by a speech or were able to cry to a song and release some stress.”

Finally, Resurgence is ultimately about finding strength after despair. What do you hope listeners take away from the album once they’ve experienced it from start to finish?

“That they can become much more than who they are right now. We have so much more potential inside of us and especially mental illnesses like depression try to talk us down and put us in a self-build cage. We can change every day and we can become better versions of ourselves. A Resurgence of ourselves.”

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Described as the clearest portrait of who she is today, the album finds carolesdaughter embracing vulnerability without losing the sharp wit and self-awareness that have become hallmarks of her songwriting. Across thirteen tracks, she examines everything from self-preservation and identity to the complexities of growing up, ultimately creating a record that feels both deeply introspective and universally relatable.

I caught up with carolesdaughter to chat about creating her most personal work to date, finding comfort through music, growing up in the spotlight and why You Can’t Spell Sweetheart Without Thea feels like the most authentic representation of who she is as an artist. Read the Q&A below.

For anyone discovering carolesdaughter for the first time here, how would you describe yourself as an artist and what you’re all about?

“I’m not really sure, I really hate putting myself in a box. I don’t really think you can tell people who you are, you just have to show them. One thing I will say is I feel like I’m everything but always the same inside/at the core.”

You’ve said that your upcoming new album You Can’t Spell Sweetheart Without Thea feels like the clearest portrait of who you are today. What makes this record different from everything you’ve released before?

“I really took my time with his record, and I think you can’t rush great things. I’m confident in saying that I think it is my best and greatest work since I started my career. It’s different because it’s original and imperfectly perfect in a very saturated and curated world.”

Your songs balance vulnerability with a really sharp sense of humour and self-awareness. Do those two sides of your personality naturally go hand in hand?

“Of course. I respect all kinds of artists, but for me-there isn’t a character for carolesdaughter. That’s kind of the whole point of my name in the sense that it references me in relation to my mother, making it clear I’m a real person with background and history. My identity as an artist is pretty much exactly who I am as a person, and it changes and grows with me.”

You found success at such a young age with ‘Violent’. Looking back now, how do you think you’ve grown both as an artist and as a person since then?

“I’m grateful that I had such a spontaneous drop into the music industry. I have only ever been blessed with opportunities and safety because of it, and has also given me the opportunity to create more art. I’m just extremely blessed and grateful. I’ve grown up from 17 to 23 as we all do. I’ve become more and more myself and am now creating with much more intention.”

‘The Invisible Man’ explores loneliness in a really thoughtful way. What inspired you to write about that feeling from the perspective you did?

“Yes, I tried to express myself in a way where there is a loneliness that is much deeper than being alone or single or something superficial like that. Feeling completely disconnected from others and chronically unfulfilled is something I struggle with, and sometimes life feels like a never-ending cycle of predictable events and performances.”

Growing up as the youngest of ten siblings is quite a unique experience. Has your family shaped the way you write songs or see the world?

“Of course. I was also raised extremely religious, and it affected my family and me in so many ways I couldn’t begin to list them, but ultimately it led to me having many very beautiful friendships.”

Finally, what do you hope listeners take away from You Can’t Spell Sweetheart Without Thea once they’ve spent some time with it?

“I hope it is something that comforts them that they can come back to whenever they need. Music is my comfort.”

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Their second album, The World Splits Open, arrives at a time when the band feel the world is “splitting open and collapsing on both a societal and ecological level”. Written during a period of immense personal and political upheaval, the record became a space for HAWXX to process their anger, find healing and explore what it means to resist, reconnect and reimagine the world around us. Across its ten tracks, themes of feminism, queer identity, community and hope sit alongside crushing riffs, ritualistic energy and moments of profound vulnerability.

Known for their electrifying live performances, HAWXX have also built a reputation for creating spaces where audiences can feel empowered, connected and free to be their most authentic selves. Ahead of the release of The World Splits Open, I caught up with the band to talk about catharsis, activism, the importance of emotional connection and why, even when the world feels like it’s falling apart, there is still hope to be found.

Hi guys! For anyone discovering HAWXX for the first time, how would you describe the band and what you’re all about?

“Feral, political punk metal. Rituals of rage and resistance.”

You’ve just released your second album, The World Splits Open. What does this record represent to you personally and creatively?

“Writing and recording this album has been an anchor in this last year, a place to embody our rage, to find our healing. The title comes from a lyric on the closing track of the album, ‘Be That Whore’. We made this music in a time of emergency where it felt like the world is splitting open and collapsing on both a societal and ecological level.

“How do we unlearn the systems that divide us? How can we tap into that pulse of belonging that exists in the natural world, calling us to new ways of being? To hear that song the earth is always singing, the song that splits the world open in revolution. These are the questions we are asking in this album.”

A lot of the album explores themes like resistance, feminism, queer identity and community. How important is it for HAWXX to use music as a platform to speak openly about those topics?

“At this point in time, HAWXX is a necessary vehicle for us to express our rage and tap into hope while it feels like the world is splitting open. It seems to be something that happens organically because these are the things that are burning inside us. We are so lucky to have this vessel to express ourselves through.”

HAWXX have built a reputation for being an incredibly powerful live band. What do you want people to feel when they come to one of your shows?

“HAWXX has given us permission to be our most unlocked and feral selves. It’s given us a space to be brave and expressive, to speak our minds and not hold back. We want to give the same to people that come to our shows. It’s so important to us to transform what a metal show means. We all grew up going to metal shows and know in our bones how important it is to carve out a brave space for women and queer people at the front.”

Your live performances seem to carry the same intensity and passion as the themes in your music. How important is that emotional connection with the audience when you’re on stage?

“The emotional connection on stage is everything, it’s what makes being in a band these days worth it. We are being bombarded with AI slop and bots. The never ending cost of living crisis makes touring financially unsustainable for artists as well as affecting disposable cash available for tickets. There’s a real danger of reduction to the live music experience for venues, artists and audiences.  To be able to get on stage and connect so deeply with people at our live shows reminds us why we do it and is hopefully is the antidote to AI slop for our audience. In our shows, our bond with the audience creates this small beautiful universe where things feel possible and alive.”

‘Resistance Is Justified’ is such a powerful and politically-charged track. Was it emotionally difficult writing something inspired by such a personal and real situation?

“It was definitely an intense process writing this song. There was a powerful driving force behind it, this song had to be born. It was ultimately really healing to write and I got to play it on the phone to my friend Jordan (who it’s about) while he was in his prison cell ,the night before his trial. I then performed the song outside the courthouse during the trial back in January. The song took on a path of its own once we wrote it and found it’s rightful place beyond the world of music and out on the streets.”

Finally, what are you most excited for people to experience now The World Splits Open is finally out in the world?

“We are excited for people to experience catharsis the same way we have writing these songs. We also want people to feel hope, to be driven to find how they can split their own world open and to reconnect with the power of nature. And we’re on tour in the UK in September and October – come experience it with us live!”

You heard the girls – go and get yourself a ticket now!

The post Getting To Know… HAWXX appeared first on She Makes Music.

Their recent singles, ‘Jewel Case’ and ‘Cringeworthy’, offer an exciting glimpse into the band’s next chapter. While ‘Jewel Case’ finally gives a long-time live favourite the studio treatment it deserves, ‘Cringeworthy’ turns emotional honesty into a rallying cry, exploring themes of shame, self-acceptance and personal growth with the band’s trademark wit and charm. Together, the tracks showcase Hayley and the Crushers at their most vulnerable, self-aware and unapologetically fun.

With a new album on the horizon and a reputation as one of punk’s most magnetic live acts, there’s plenty to be excited about in the Crushers’ world right now. I caught up with frontwoman Hayley Crusher Cain to chat about the band’s evolution, the stories behind the new music and what fans can expect from this latest era of Hayley and the Crushers.

Hi Hayley! For anyone discovering Hayley and the Crushers for the first time, how would you describe the band and the world you’ve created around it?

“Poolside Glitter Punk – all the fun stuff you’d find at the bottom of the pool after a really wicked party. It’s a little rock n roll, a little 80s new wave, always some sunny, beachy fun. The subject matter is hopefully enlightening, if not a tad cheeky. The Crusherverse is a portal to a colorful, joyfully chaotic world where anything can happen, and often does.”

Both your recent singles ‘Jewel Case’ and ‘Cringeworthy’ balance chaos, vulnerability and humour so perfectly. Do you feel more comfortable being emotionally honest in your songwriting now than when the band first started?

“Since I was a nine years old, journaling every day and reading Harriet the Spy, I have always considered myself a writer. Around the same time, I learned guitar, so songwriting became a way to anchor my experience and express what so often feels so unexpressable. When the band first started out, I still was trying to figure out how to write for the heart and the dance floor, if that makes sense. When it comes to crafting a song that hits someone in the gut, something people want to laugh (or cry) to, or call their best friend and confess their deepest darkest secrets, or just feel totally free to lose themselves in the moment, you have to think about so much more that just what you’re personally trying to say. It’s this process of going deep into the guts of the song, then zooming all the way to see the structure. You get 2 minutes and 30 seconds to transport someone, so how do you do that? Over the years I do think I’ve gotten better at answering this question, and trusting myself when it comes to songwriting, editing and execution. So if it seems like vulnerability is showing up more, I think that’s due to better songwriting all around. The vulnerability was always there, it just wasn’t always always getting across as effectively.”

‘Cringeworthy’ feels like a real celebration of letting go of shame and not caring about looking “cool” all the time. Was writing that song cathartic for you in any way?

“Totally. Shame is something we toss around from person to person (or generation to generation) like a hot potato. No one wants to hold it. The easiest modern example is when someone online calls someone else out for being “cringe.” This says so much about the judgmental party, not the person doing the so-called “cringe” thing. “Cringeworthy” is about when you finally look down and realize you’ve been holding someone else’s proverbial hot potato of shame, and realizing it’s OK to simply put it down and get on with your life. We all come to a place when we realize that not all of our baggage is our own. I am in that phase, and it feels really freeing and exciting.”

‘Jewel Case’ has been part of your live shows for years before finally getting a proper studio recording. Why did now feel like the right time to officially release it?

“’Jewel Case’ is one of my all-time favorite songs: always a favorite to play live, to close out the night. But now it’s a favorite studio track, too, and that feels so satisfying to know we finally gave it the love it deserves. It’s a real “party song” about how hard-partying can go totally awry, which I think is pretty funny, and very us. My D.A.R.E. officer would have loved it. Music is a hell of a drug. I’m stoked people are digging it and the video too.”

Your live shows have this reputation for being sweaty, chaotic and completely unpredictable. What do you want people to feel when they leave a Hayley and the Crushers show?

“It sounds cheesy, like I’m Richard Simmons or something, but I want audiences to feel like they can embody their larger selves, step into power and be joyful out loud, together.  Regardless of what the world throws at any of us, we always have this choice to grow or shrink. Music, all art, can help us get to the other side of life’s potholes. The fans who have stayed with the band have really grown with us over all these years. We have scars. But we also aren’t afraid of a fun hook or a little glitter or looking dumb to boring people. Our listeners always have a certain glimmer in their eye. They’re funny and smart and relish the chance to really let it all hang out. They understand you only live once. In a word, they are true Crushers!”

A lot of your recent material seems to explore burnout, identity, emotional baggage and modern disconnection, but always in this really vibrant, energetic way. How do you balance heavier themes with that sense of fun?

“Girls just wanna have fun. But seriously: People who present as “fun” and “colorful” usually do it from a place of needing that medicine first. Mary Poppins needed her own spoonful of sugar to really share that sweetness with the children, you know? I live with a lot of existential dread, intense feelings of anxiety/sadness and overwhelm in my own life. When I put on a hot pink catsuit and write a super bouncy pop song with a sweet ass riff, I am doing that for my own dopamine levels first. I truly need that medicine injected straight into my veins, stat. When an artist is living from a place of vibrancy, that light can illuminate others in new and interesting ways. I think this is the magic salve of music and art. Artists have lit my path for years, so this is my way of getting to do that for someone else, while we both digest those hard-to-deal-with topics. I’m grateful I get to do this.”

Finally, with a new album on the way this summer, what can fans expect from this next era of Hayley and the Crushers?

“The word that comes to mind is POWER! Like when Batman beats up the bad guy: Pow! Bomp! Crush! We tried not to overthink the songs or production and really just trust our gut as we continue to blend our basement Detroit sessions with the amazing resources we have to play with thanks to Josie Cotton, our LA with producers John Miller, Paul Roessler and Kitten Robot Records as a whole. We continue to be a band that’s too punk for pop and too pop for punk. So now we say, “let them eat glitter!”

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