Interview with Beautiful Things
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Interview with Beautiful Things
What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?
I was singing and making up songs in my crib, so music was just something I always felt like I had to be a part of, since I've been alive. I also loved dancing as a kid, so sometimes I think that it would have been nice if I had kept that up and been a professional dancer, especially a ballerina. I totally fantasize about that, lol.
What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?
I love watching weird and classic films from the past. I'm in a couple of film discussion groups online, and it's so fun to have people to talk to about them, and to hear other perspectives. Creatively the movies influence how I dress and act personally I think, and for vidoes/photos, more than in the music itself, but maybe it's in the music on some level that I'm not conscious of.
Where are you based and how did that influence your music?
I live in Los Angeles, and I've lived and worked all over this city. It's influenced my music in that there is, suprisingly, a lot of rock history here, not just film and TV history, and a lot of extremely professional and talented musicians, both past and present. This ensures that your game will be constantly upped, if you want to be taken seriously. So I would say that LA has made me a better musician, in every way, because of this.
Tell me about your most memorable shows, if you haven’t played live what is your vision for a live show?
Hmm, that's a tough one, because I honestly never think about my past shows, as I'm always looking forward. I think the most memorable shows are still to come!
If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?
Well, this is happening in November, and it would be amazing to play this festival with all of these great bands. I can't believe they are all going to be together! I would be honored to play a bill with any of these artists.
What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into making music and some advice that you would give to your younger self?
For people just starting out, I would say to just be patient and work at your own pace with whatever resources that you have. Don't worry about the hustle, because the hustIe always changes and it seems to keep getting increasingly difficult. Just focus on making the best music you can at the level you are currently at, and keep building from there. At the end of the day, it's about being an artist, making music that you are proud of, and buidling a body of work. Nothing else matters. I would give this same advice to my younger self as well.
Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?
Hmm. Probably the song "Back to Me Again", because the lyrics remind me of how far I've come since I released it over 13 years ago. The fact that I was hoping for the song's subject to realize my value as a human just makes me laugh now. It's cool to have this song as a way to reflect on all of the inner work I've done since then.
What is your creative process, and what inspires you to write your music?
I'll usually just be playing my guitar and I'll stumble upon some notes that sounds really cool together, and I'll build the song from there. After the song is complete as far as getting it complete in my head, I'll start working on getting it recorded and produced. The last thing I do is write the lyrics, usually only finishing them right before I record the vocals, because writing words is a very hard thing for me to do. I get inspired to write because maybe I'll hear a song from another band that makes me feel a certain way and I'll want to write again. I'll just get so excited at the idea of creating a new song and getting it out in to the world.
Do you have messages that you like to get across in your music? If so, please tell me about them.
I think the most common message I write about is to always be true to yourself despite the pressure to be something else, or the pressure to please someone else, or to give in to someone else's control, especially when you know they are not good for you. Listen to your inner soul despite others telling you that you are wrong. That seems to be a common theme for me, maybe because it's something I tend to struggle with in life.
What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?
We're working on a new song called "In the Night", and I'm thinking that it should be on an EP with a couple of other songs. So I think this will be the next release for us. I can't wait!
How can your fans best keep up to date with you, any socials you want people to check out?
They should sign up on the Beautiful Things email list here:
https://beautifulthingsmusic.com/subscribe
And definitely follow us on our Facebook, Instagram and YouTube:
https://www.facebook.com/beautifulthingsmusic