Interview with Kings Elliot

What's going on?! It's Adam, welcome back to bringing it backwards. A podcast where both legendary and rising artists tell their own personal stories of how they achieve stardom. On this episode, we had a chance to hang out with King's Elliot, over zoom video. King's Elliot, born and raised in Switzerland. And she talks about how she got into music. Started singing from a very early age. The town she grew up in, I guess didn't have a whole lot of people pursuing music at all. So she was kind of the go-to for weddings and live performances. She said she sang all the time. Growing up as a kid, she started writing songs around 14. 2 (2m 8s): She worked with a producer then and wrote some songs and burned them on CDs and would hand 'em out at school. At 21, she was accepted into a music school in London. So she ended up moving to London and really started to pursue her career as an artist. And as a musician, she talked about the first validating moment in her career, putting out her first EP her current tour with imagine dragons. We learn about the deep meaning behind her lyrics and all about her brand new EP, which is called board of the circus. You can watch our interview with Kings on our Facebook page and YouTube channel at bringing it backwards. 2 (2m 51s): It'd be awesome if you subscribe to our channel like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok at bringing back pod. And if you're listening to this on Spotify, apple music, Google podcast, it would be awesome if you follow us there as well, and hook us up with a five star review, 5 (3m 9s): We'd appreciate your support. If you follow and subscribe to our podcast, wherever you listen to podcasts, 2 (3m 15s): We're bringing it backwards with Kings Elliot. Awesome. Awesome. Well, thank you so much for doing this Kings. Appreciate it. First off, where were you born and raised? 6 (3m 27s): Thank you, Adam, for taking the time I, I was born in Switzerland, near Zurich by the lake and I was raised there and then my mom's British. So I decided soon as I could make my own decisions that I wanted to move to London and pursue music more. 2 (3m 44s): So how old were you when you moved to London? Then? 6 (3m 46s): I was like 21. 2 (3m 48s): Okay. So you spent most of your life or obviously a big chunk of it in Switzerland then? 6 (3m 53s): Oh yeah. I, I did like all my, I mean, I could make my own decisions before 21, I guess, but I had to obviously finish school and then I did like a, a banking, you know, all the stuff that you do in Switzerland, just to make sure that you've got good education before you dive into the world of 2 (4m 16s): Entertainment, music, 6 (4m 19s): Like super fragile. And I think also in Switzerland, it's just not like commonly a career path that people choose, I guess, cuz it's just not something people 2 (4m 31s): Do. Is it just, are people more on the conservative side when it comes to that? Like obviously art and music in entertainment is such a, you know, a risky endeavor. 6 (4m 44s): Yeah. And I just think, cuz the country is so small, like the music industry is tiny in Switzerland. There's obviously there's a lot of artists, but because also the population is so small. So if you say you make it in Switzerland, you might financially still not be stable enough to, you know, to have like 2 (5m 2s): Even live. 6 (5m 4s): So you might still need another job anyway, even if you make it in Switzerland. So interesting. Yeah. So and so that's why I think people are just like, quite like apprehensive about becoming an artist cuz it's not really a so yeah. So I was like, I'm just gonna go to another country and there 2 (5m 22s): Sure. Did you have, I would imagine you would have dual citizenship, right? If your mom was from there or no? Yeah, I 6 (5m 27s): Have. Okay. I have my English passport and I've got my swissphone. 2 (5m 30s): That's incredible. Well, how did you get into music? Do you come from a musical household at all or no? 6 (5m 36s): Well, I would say my mom loves singing. She would never sing in front of anyone. She's too nervous, but she definitely used to sing around the house a lot and I just used to join her. So we used to sing a lot. But other than that, no one is in music or makes music or anything like that. So I just, at the earliest age, I mean, I can't remember when it started, but I just became obsessed with songs and, and lyrics. Like I used to ask my mom all the time, like, what does this mean? What does this mean? You know? And she would, and then I would like go on the computer and like print out lyrics and I wasn't allowed to do that cuz I used up a lot of ink, but I used to, I had like this huge folder with, with song lyrics just because I was interested in like what the lyrics were and how they were put together. 6 (6m 23s): And I don't know. And that started at like nine, like really young. So I don't know. 2 (6m 29s): Well, I can tell that yeah, lyrics are definitely a big part of your music, at least from what I hear, it's very, even the most recent one that you put out, I was like, wow, like this is so deep. So it sounds like that's been something that you've been, you know, kind of drawn to from a very early age. 6 (6m 46s): Yeah. All the lyrics are very deep. I definitely put a lot of thought into the, into the, the words. 2 (6m 52s): What was the, what were some of the songs or artists that you were, you know, looking towards or printing the lyrics of and trying to kind of examine? 6 (7m 2s): Well, it's gonna get very basic here, but Brittany's fears. 2 (7m 7s): Oh really? That's cool. 6 (7m 9s): Brittany was my first love. I was completely obsessed with her. So I was, were 2 (7m 14s): You like, what is this hit me baby. One more time breakdown too. 6 (7m 19s): Yeah. I like this actually like second album and I remember last was like my gateway to like, I was like, I just remember being like, mom, what is this song? And I was just like upset and then you're just like, yeah. Anyway, but I, you know, I've always loved pop music. And my mom, my mom would like listen to like queen and Aerosmith and like bands like that. And then queen is like a big influence for me because I was like, wow, like, you know, the way Fred mercury would write songs, I mean is mind blowing. And then, and then the, the choir arrangements and the voices and like that stuff is just mind blowing. So I use that in my songs, you 2 (8m 1s): Know, I was gonna say, I can hear it in an EP, especially the last song on the EP. I don't know if I have the right track listing, but sometimes song sometimes 6 (8m 9s): Someday 2 (8m 10s): Somewhere. Oh, so someday somewhere close. I knew. 6 (8m 15s): Well also my first EP was like mainly I was using choirs and every song, I think one song is gonna have them second EP. I used them a little bit less, but still a lot of them are there. It's just something I love doing. And I don't know. I think it just adds this whole new dynamic to the song and 2 (8m 34s): Sure. 6 (8m 35s): And drama and I love drama. It's just so 2 (8m 39s): With, with those choirs, is that just you singing and kind of adding a bunch of, of your own voice there or you, or you have multiple people coming in and singing on that? 6 (8m 50s): Oh no. Yeah. That's just me. So it's, so my main collaborator, one of, of my best friends, Conway who his producer name is half rhyme. So he produces all my stuff and we write everything together and we build the choir together. So it's, it's my voice. And we work out all the harmonies together because some of them are really hard cuz some of them are like really complex harmonies and I impersonate like different people and I become like this big operatic guy and I'm like more. And then I become this like operatic woman with this high pitch voice. And I just, I just like do all these voices and it's really fun. It's just like, and then when you, when you like layer it all, it just sounds like lots of different people and I don't know. 6 (9m 32s): It's really fun. So we, 2 (9m 33s): No, it's interesting. Yeah. Cuz I was gonna say, it sounds like you just hire a bunch of people to come in and sing, but it's, that's all you and that's crazy. That's cool. Very cool. So from there, like printing song, lyrics, really getting into the, the, what these, what these songs mean? Were you writing? Like when did you start writing songs or when did that kind of become something you're interested in? 6 (9m 56s): So I remember writing things at nine or 10, like just crappy songs I guess. And I had like a little keyboard and I would just yeah, write shit songs. And then I, I dunno. And then when I was like 14 I'd meet, I met like a person that did like production. And so I started like working with like a producer and we would like record things in the basement at like 14 and I would hand out CDs at my school and yeah. And then I don't know. And then 18, I did maybe some more professional stuff, but it was still really crappy. And then 2 (10m 34s): Well, to back up real quick. So you said you were talking about playing keyboard. Were you in piano at early age as well? 6 (10m 41s): No, not at all. I was just the, I was just playing my own stuff. I'm the only self-taught and I'm definitely not very good. I just, I just like work out stuff by how it feels. So like I'm not trained at all, but that's how I used to write. And I, I love writing like that and working things out, like in my pace and just like, I mean that's how me and, and half arms do it as well. We just like mess about none of us are like professionally trained. We just mess about for ages until it feels good. And, and we, and then we write the song. 2 (11m 20s): That's awesome. So you're you at 14 or so you were recording songs then handing outta school. So people knew that you were obviously writing music. Yeah. That wasn't something you were afraid to, to let people know about? 6 (11m 32s): No, I think the whole school knew that I was writing songs and that I was trying to be an artist. So I definitely, I definitely, my whole school knew that. And I was like the only person, which that, that just shows you how it was different, where I'm from. Like it's just, I was the only person. So I would like sing at all the like events and, and weddings and things all the time. And then, yeah. And then when I moved to London, I realized that I'm definitely not the only person and I have to get much better because I suddenly realized, wow, like I have some growing to do, because I think also when you are the only person in your area and stuff, and you don't realize that there's a lot of competition or I don't 2 (12m 16s): Know, you just don't have anyone to compare yourself to. Right. I mean, if you're the only one doing it, no one's 6 (12m 20s): Yeah. Apart from the artists that are out there, but you don't 2 (12m 22s): Really right. 6 (12m 23s): Different because you don't really actually have a real comparison cuz you're just at home doing stuff. So for me, the biggest growth was when I moved to London and I went to, I went to music school for a year and I really met other people and I, I realized, wow, I really wanna get better at my craft. Like I that's when I properly got better. I just think like if I had had like, I know music, like a people around me that were doing the same sort of thing maybe from earlier on, I probably would've done more growing earlier on. I, I feel, but for me it was like literally when I went to London at like 21, 22 was when I started being like, oh, like I need to get much better. 6 (13m 9s): And I spent a lot of time writing songs that no one ever heard or will ever hear that, that I, that I was just working on and working on. And then I met Conway really, you know, I met him like three years ago and we were writing every week together. I was like the first person he wrote with and he was the first person I wrote songs with. And we would just write together religiously all the time and produced together and all the stuff. And we've been doing this for yeah. I mean almost four years. And, and now we've grown to, to a point where I'm really proud of the stuff that we make. 2 (13m 45s): Oh yeah. I mean, and the success that you've achieved is, is amazing. I mean, to, to be on a, a tour with imagine dragons and for example, I mean just the past record and everything you're doing, what was the, like, what made you decide to go, okay. Like, were you just like, how'd you decide on, okay, I'm gonna go to London. Like at 21, you said you, you were at a point where you can make your own decisions. But like, if you think about it, like you must have been doing something outside. Like, were you working at a regular job? And you're just like, oh, this is not for me. Like I need to do like, what was like the, you know, epiphany that you had. 6 (14m 21s): I was, yeah, I was working at a regular job, but I knew the whole time that I was gonna go, like, I was originally gonna go to New York, but then it just, it was too big of a mission, like a money wise and, and just, it was, I couldn't get there just yet in my mind, I was like, but I knew New York was like my head from when I was 15 years old, I was like, I'm moving to New York and I'm gonna be an artist. And then it, it changed when I was about, yeah, like 18, maybe I started thinking, okay, maybe it's gonna be London. I have the passport. And it's just gonna be more doable, like first baby steps. And then, yeah. And then I, I, I just always knew. 6 (15m 2s): So I, all the education I did all the work I did the day jobs, it was all towards moving to another country. I saved money and I, and I did all my applications, you know, cuz you had this huge application process of the school and, and the interviews, all that. So it was just, I had like years of like I'm planning in my head that I was so 2 (15m 28s): You knew, yeah. You knew you were leaving. And it was like, okay, I'm doing all these other things kind of to set myself up to be able to go. It wasn't like, you know what, I'm gonna just start, I'm gonna just go for it. It's like you were working and doing all these things to set yourself up, to be able to make the move. 6 (15m 44s): Yeah. And everyone, everyone, all my friends knew for, for years. Cause I always said, but I probably, a lot of people were like, oh she's not gonna do it. And then finally, when I finally got accepted to a school and I was like, I knew I wanted that school. And I was like, and I got accepted. And I was like, right, I'm going. And I left within six months, quit my job. And at that point I was living in like a little flat, you know, I had a little car cuz in Switzerland as well. I think now grow like living in other countries you realize, wow, like in Switzerland, it's, it's a country where you earn a lot of money just working like a basic job. Like you can live in a flat and have a car at like 18. 6 (16m 24s): I mean I had wow. When I was 18, I, I moved out. I was living by myself. So I was already by myself and had like on own life. But I just, yeah. So I, I sort of sold it all and I, I just, I just moved and yeah. And then it was back to like, then, then, and then it was like four jobs at the same 2 (16m 44s): Time. I was gonna say, you must have been a big change when you get to London, then they're like, you gotta be 43 kids to have your own flat. Yeah. 6 (16m 53s): Yeah. Yeah. And I mean, I mean, when I say have your own flat, it's not, not buying but renting, 2 (16m 58s): But still yeah. I mean even living alone. Yeah. Living alone, having a car, being able to yeah. Eat and everything else. That's so risk, especially here. I mean, in the United States, like yeah. It's impossible. 6 (17m 10s): No you can't. And I, I, you can work in a, yeah. You can work in a, like a, a, a little shop at the train station and earn a good wage in Switzerland to like live and rent a flat. And so like it's, it's, it's, it's a different kind of life. And then when I, when I moved to London yeah. I really realized, I was like, oh shit. Like, yeah. I had to work four jobs. I had to do night shifts and I had to do all these and, and obviously blacks and, and molded on the walls. And I was like, this is, this is cool. But like, 2 (17m 43s): Were you like, did I make the right decision? 6 (17m 47s): And you know what? I never once questions the decision. Okay. But I remember that my friends and my parents said like, and you know what, I'm very privileged because I knew. And I think that is one thing it's like, when you have the, when you're from another country and you know, you can go back and get a job somehow somewhere like literally a cleaning job and get more salary than working as a nurse in the UK. I think that's a privileged position to be in. Cuz then you always have that backup. You're like, if I can't will have to just go back to Switzerland. 2 (18m 25s): Yeah. You have a fallback, you have like a backup plan. So to speak very 6 (18m 28s): Privileged. Yeah. And I don't think, you know, not many people have that. 2 (18m 32s): Damn. I need to get a, a passport. I need to get like some citizenship there that's 6 (18m 43s): I never, ever wanted to go back though. I mean, for me it was always like, I, I cannot, I just cannot go back. I mean, for me it was always like, if I go back, I failed. So that was always what I had in my head. I also didn't visit Switzerland for years because I felt if I go back and I haven't achieved anything, it's failure and people are gonna ask me and I'm gonna be ashamed to say, oh, I'm still working four jobs. And I haven't put any music out. And I'm still trying to find my way because it just takes a while. Like for some people it can just happen like that. And for some other people you just have to grind and you just have to go. 6 (19m 25s): And so for me, I, I was, yeah, for a while I was ashamed to come home cuz I was like, I don't wanna tell anyone that I'm, you know, I I'm, I'm nowhere. I'm still just like finding my fee after like sure. Two years, three years even. So it was, yeah. So it was definitely like a tough, but very important for 2 (19m 49s): Years. Yeah. What, what, at what point? Or like, what was the change like did you put a certain song out or what was the moment that, that was, you were like, wow, like what validation happened that you're like this three years have, has really paid off or at this point I can, I can go home and like, you know, show something, you know, I have something, I guess. Yeah. What would you say that moment was? 6 (20m 14s): Well, I think I, for me, I mean, it was, I'm getting tired of me a hundred percent. That was my first song of my first EP. I, I was, I, I put it out without a label or anything. So it was just me and my manager and who, you know, until that point I didn't have a manager really either. So it was just me for ages, just figuring out the way. But then when, when I started working with my manager and we start and it, I think it, something changes in you and one person believes in you. I do think that it's such a huge thing. Like definitely for me, because I am riddled with self doubt, like constantly, you know, it's really, you have to sort of fight against yourself half the time, but then when, if you have one person that, that thinks you are amazing and they're willing to spend their time working on your career, then you think, oh, maybe I'm not that bad after all. 6 (21m 17s): I don't know. I think 2 (21m 18s): So. No for sure. Having somebody else validate your, your, what you're doing, right. Yeah. 6 (21m 24s): Is whatever your friends say and blah, blah, blah, blah. And it all kind of means, I mean, it means something, but it all kind of just doesn't because you think, well, all everyone's just saying it. I, you know, and then when you find someone really believes in you, I do think that changes something. And to me, cuz I hadn't even written the songs, I'm getting tired. All the, the EP wasn't even written. When I found my manager, I just literally wrote it the month after we started working together. Because I think I had a new found self belief where I was like, look, I can, I can do this. I don't know. So I just think that switched something in my brain. And then we, we just said, let's just do it together. Let's just put this song out, just you and me. 6 (22m 4s): And we put it out and it got so much love. And then we continued and then, you know, signed a record deal and then found a bigger team. And then now we're on tour and you know, it's still the beginning, but for me it's like, it's still mind blowing what's happened now already. And especially in Switzerland, like obviously they they're very supportive of their home talent. So they're very like very vocal about me. They're very supportive and it's just really wonderful. So I feel, I feel like I'm, you know, I feel really happy that now I'm at a point where I'm like, okay, you know, it's, 2 (22m 43s): That's a cool, yeah. That must be a great feeling. Did you, have you had a chance to go back and perform? 6 (22m 49s): Yes. I, I performed at the Swiss music awards. 2 (22m 53s): Wow. What was that like? What a huge moment I would imagine. 6 (22m 56s): Yeah. That was crazy because it was a dream of mine. I mean, I remember going, I used to go to the Swiss music awards all the time and like, and just, yeah. And just always dream and be like, I wanna be on that stage. I wanna be on that stage. And then, and then they invited me and I, I played and it was just crazy. I mean, I was so nervous I was dying, but it was, it was just great. It was really great. And I remember cuz my manager is American, so he, and I remember saying to him the Fu and he still jokes about it. But because I, we first started working together. I said, I wanna, I wanna sing at the swift music awards. And he was like Swiss music awards. Like why like some Swiss, 2 (23m 36s): Right? Yeah. 6 (23m 38s): That's what I grew up. 2 (23m 39s): What you probably grew up watching and you're like, oh my it's like, yeah, here, if you're in the Grammys or if you're in yeah. The Junos or something, if you live in Canada, I mean that's such a big deal. Right? Yeah. 6 (23m 49s): So to me that was huge. 2 (23m 51s): And that had to be a huge deal for people that you grew up with. Right too. I mean, you can show your streams like, oh, I had a million, 5 million streams on this song or whatever. And does that really, doesn't probably translate the same way to someone if you're like, no, I'm on the Swiss, I'm performing at the Swiss music. Like, oh my gosh, like this is such a different, yeah. 6 (24m 12s): It's like, it's my granddad as well. You know? Like my granddad would always say, cuz he, he obviously doesn't quite understand. And he's always like, when are you gonna come home and like work a normal job. And, and I remember when he saw me on TV cuz he watched it and he was like, are you already good at this singing? Like, 2 (24m 30s): That's cool. 6 (24m 31s): Yeah. I've been trying to do this pages. But I feel like that was the first time he was like, oh, like she's on TV. Like this is really cool. 2 (24m 40s): Right. She's not just screwing around. Like it's not just some hobby. 6 (24m 46s): He's always like, what are you doing? Like, are you poor? Like come home. 2 (24m 53s): You're like, yeah, I'll there someday promise. Yeah. Talk to you about this new EP it's it is coming out in. Wow. It's already September in a couple weeks now bored of the circus. And I just watched the video for cry, baby cry, which is a cool video. I mean it's like just like flickers and you and like you're in a, like you haven't got like a lighter up or something and it's just like blowing out. Yeah. 6 (25m 26s): I mean it's random. I mean it's not random, but it's it, it was just me and an iPhone in my backyard. So 2 (25m 34s): Really it's a cool video. Like I was really, I, I thought it was really rad. 6 (25m 38s): Thank you. 2 (25m 39s): And the song itself is really, really good. Going back to lyrics. I mean, wow. What a, what a deep song. 6 (25m 46s): Thank you. Yeah, a lot to me that one and, and the, the whole video, like, you know, yeah. It just, it's a, it's, it's a, one of my favorite songs and it, it means a lot to me and it's kind of like what I needed to hear when I was like 14 and I was going through all the really, you know, big changes in my head and thought I was the only one in the world that was going through that. And I was so ashamed of who I was. And so, you know, so that's why I wrote this song and I was just like, that's what I needed to hear then. And I mean, now still, you know, it's the same still, but I remember that was my earliest memory of feeling like I'm really out of place in this world. 6 (26m 33s): And I mean, a lot of teenagers feel like that. But my thing, I feel like the way I felt felt like it was next level because none of my friends were going through what I was going through 2 (26m 44s): Or at least they weren't talking about it. 6 (26m 46s): Yeah. That's true. 2 (26m 47s): That's I mean, I, I, I battle all that still to this day, you know, depression, anxiety, all that. And so when I hear the song, I was like, wow, like to have somebody speaking directly to this and being so vulnerable about it, I think that's huge. And that's such a, you know, like a vulnerable thing to do. 6 (27m 7s): Thank you. 2 (27m 8s): And I'm sure millions upon millions of people out there are gonna hear that and hit 'em directly. Right. I mean, it's, 6 (27m 17s): You know, I've had the most amazing messages about this song. I feel like it's had the most, one of the most like intense reactions so far from like fans listening and then messaging me directly or commenting and just saying like how, oh my God, like this makes me feel so much less alone. Or like this I've had people like crying on, on voice messages, messaging me, like just crying to the song because they're just letting it out. And I just that's exactly what I wanted to do. I want it to, to make you feel like you can just let it out because there's no, yeah. There's no shame in it and yeah, it's, it's really wonderful putting it out finally, 2 (27m 60s): Was that a song that you were maybe not hesitant to put out, but like when you put it out, were you worried at all? I mean just the subject matter itself. 6 (28m 11s): Well, I feel like I still wanna speak to my parents about it cause I haven't really like spoken to my family about this song and I feel like usually I owe them to at least speak about the song with them and I haven't actually done that yet. So I did feel a bit like, oh God, it's coming out and yeah. And they're gonna hear it. And then they're gonna have lots of questions and yeah. It's but I feel like I've been very vulnerable in my other songs as well. So I've already sort of broken that barrier for myself where I'm like, I'm just very, very honest in my songs. 6 (28m 51s): So it's hard every time. And I usually get very emotional when I put a new song out because it feels so like, like revealing, but yeah. But, but then it gives me so much courage when people listen and, and say that they needed to hear this, then I'm like, well, it all makes sense then because yeah. 2 (29m 12s): Yeah. And now I was actually, you answered, I was gonna ask you about that. Like your parents probably listened to your lyrics and then hearing this and were they, you know, would they be kind of, whoa, wait, what? Wait a second. Like, you know, thrown off a lyric. Yeah. 6 (29m 24s): I think it can get it's it's quite difficult for my parents sometimes because yeah. But you know, we have conversations about it and I'm like, look, this is how I feel or how I felt. And also doesn't always have to directly affect like how you are perceived by people. Cause obviously people always look at the parents don't they, when they're like, sure your child has depression or your child has personality disorder or you, your child, whatever. And then they look at the parents, but it's not always, and everyone's only human, you know? And it's like everyone. 6 (30m 5s): And then everyone experiences things differently and it has like their own chemical thing. 2 (30m 12s): Yeah. It's all chemical in brain, you know, it's not like necessarily that your parents yeah. It might, you are neglected by any means. You know what I mean? Like that's what people maybe associate right away. And it's like, no, so many people millions upon millions of people, battle depression and anxiety on a daily basis. And what, so all of their families were, you know, not there for 'em so to speak. Like it just doesn't make any sense. Exactly. 6 (30m 36s): And it's, and it's, you know, and people have, like, my parents got divorced when I was two. And, and then I, you know, I didn't see my dad much for, for a while because I was cuz they weren't together. And you know, that's what the law's like, you don't see your dad when you go with your mom and you don't see your dad much. And then my mom had to work like around the, around the clock because she was alone. And that's the things like these things in life, it's like, this stuff happens and it's not like, yeah. And then it affects you. And also your, how you are born anyway with your brain is like what you are like anyway. So I know that I'm very sensitive anyway. So any perceived abandonment or anything like that always sent me over the edge and then yeah. 6 (31m 22s): And then, and then there you are. You know, and then so I, I have like conversations like that with them and I think I need to like, yeah. And then in interviews, I, I speak about it sometimes now I've realized that maybe I, I should speak about that more because it's unfair to then point towards my parents and maybe blame them or be like, oh, they, they must be terrible people because she's such a mess. And it's like, no, like 2 (31m 45s): Yeah, no, you're right. 6 (31m 47s): Everyone's human and it's fine. 2 (31m 50s): Sure, sure. No. When you go out and sing this song, I mean, you're on tour with the imagine dragon, I'm just going off your Instagram and seeing like these crowds. And then I recognize a lot of that user playing in September, cuz I'm from San Diego and I've been to CVIS amphitheater where you were playing there and the Woodlands in Texas, I've seen shows there and shoreline in San Francisco. I lived up there for a while. So like you're playing these massive venues obviously with like, well, imagine dragons are like one of the biggest bands in the planet to come out and sing that song. Like what is that like? Is that, is that pretty emotional? I mean, I would imagine that being, not only are you feeling the energy of X thousand people, but you know, to sing a song like that. 6 (32m 31s): Yeah. It's yeah. When, when it's people that don't know you and you are singing about really personal stuff, it is very scary. Sometimes I have to like block out that they're there and I'm just like, I'm just singing it. You know, I'm just trying to get through it because especially like bitter to which starts with like, I don't wanna die, but I say I do so I can scare myself sometimes. And like the whole song is just like really personal about self destruction. And, and I always it's like the second song in and I, every time I'm always like, okay, I'm just gonna like go through it. But then afterwards, so this has been the biggest surprise for me cuz I, I had no idea. I never even went out to the crowd in the first like few shows because I had no idea that people would react like that towards me. 6 (33m 18s): And now I, I go out sometimes after the show and the people, the way they, they come up to me and like we take pictures and we talk, some of them are crying and it's like, and you cuz I also, sometimes you think, oh they're not really listening anyway, cuz I'm the support act and people aren't gonna pay attention. You sort of just get through it. But then you, when you realize people are, they are listening and they are, and it's speaking to them, even though this is the first time they've heard it, but they're taking in the lyrics and you come out afterwards and they really, I don't know. I mean, this has been one of the most amazing things I've ever experienced is, is the, the reaction afterwards and how I can then connect to everyone and the audience when I come outside and that's been like really special. 6 (34m 6s): So I, I really enjoy that. And it makes me, makes me more courageous with, with singing the songs. Cause I'm like, okay, not everyone thinks I'm just like, I don't know. Cause for a moment you're embarrassed. You're like, which is the exact thing why I do what I do is cuz I don't wanna be embarrassed about my mental health, but for a moment you're embarrassed. You're like, oh I'm saying these things, this is embarrassing. And, but then yeah, and then now I've quickly learned that no, this is great. Like I it's really freeing for me. 2 (34m 38s): I think people are drawn to like vulnerability and it just being so honest. Like I feel like that's like people are attracted to that, right? I mean, you'll see it on to, or incident, whatever social media, the people that are being like honest and real about this situation, whether they're talking about are the ones that get the audience or get the reaction, not if you're just going up there, like people know if you're bullshitting, I'm like, right. I mean, if you're just like, oh I'm gonna write this song about being sad because that's what the cool thing to do is right now. Like I, it's easier to see that it's if it's, you know, authentic or not. 6 (35m 15s): Yeah, no you're right. You're right. 2 (35m 17s): And 6 (35m 18s): I'm really glad that people are connecting to that and that I'm not standing there by myself and just like, yeah, but you know, I I'd write the songs either way because it's, it is definitely how I, how I get to grips with things, come to come to terms with things, whatever the word is. 2 (35m 43s): No, that's it. I appreciate your time king. This has been so much fun. I thank you so much for, for having this conversation with me. Thanks. Yeah. I do have a quick, I have one more quick question. I, but now too, cause I just thought of something. What was it like getting that phone call that you're gonna open up for a magic dragons. Unreal. I 6 (36m 5s): Remember I was in front of my fridge and my manager called me and told me and I just screamed. Yeah. I was just, I mean, it's completely surreal. I don't know. And when I got it, I to be for ages, I was like, oh it's not gonna happen. Like I was like, yes. And then I was like, oh no, it's not gonna happen. Like they're gonna, something's gonna change because that's so unrealistic. Cuz it's my first tour. And like why would they? Yeah, that's 2 (36m 34s): Cool. 6 (36m 34s): I love disbelief for a long time until I actually was in salt lake city and it was starting and I, 2 (36m 41s): I feel like Dan Reynolds is the guy that will like do that. Like find artists and just go this person's killer. I'm gonna help them or I'm gonna support them. I, 6 (36m 50s): Yeah. I spoke to him about it. Cause I was like, thank you for like taking me on this tour. And he was like, it wasn't even a question. He was like, I had the songs and it wasn't even a que he's he's so like when he speaks, you're just like 2 (37m 9s): He 6 (37m 10s): Question and he was so wonderful and you know yeah. They don't care that I'm a tiny artist. They're like in fact even more so take you. 2 (37m 19s): Yeah. And they see something in you obviously. And, and they know that you're gonna be bigger. Just keep getting bigger and bigger and bigger. So that's so cool that he was able that yeah. I just think that's cool that he does stuff like that. 6 (37m 30s): Yeah. Me too. 2 (37m 31s): Me too. Actually. One more question before my last question are you are these cuz I was going on your website. I love that you're releasing the, the EP as a 10 inch vinyl. I think that's so awesome. First off. And then I noticed that you have art on there from your old, your other EP art. Is that your actual drawings on those? 6 (37m 50s): Oh no. I, I used to, so I would draft them like I envisioned and then I had this girl called Sheila. Who's like amazing. And she would, I found her online and we would like do it together and then she'd draw them digitally, send me the layered files and then I would fuck with it in Photoshop. And then that's how the artworks were made. So it was a big collaboration. Like I would, I would send the drafts then. Yeah. And then she sends the layers. Then I do the color and the, and the like, you know, some of the adjustments and shapings, and 2 (38m 23s): I love it. I think it's so cool. I 6 (38m 25s): Spend hours and hours and days on end on these artworks and I some stage, my mind was just like, okay, next CP week, we can't do it because it's taking so much time. It took me so long for each artwork, 2 (38m 41s): But yeah. That's but they're great. I I'm gonna pick up those, the portfolio you're doing and then you autograph it too. I think that's so cool. 6 (38m 49s): I do love them. I, and I was looking at them the other day cuz someone messaged me about it and I was like, oh, maybe like EP three will bring it back or something. I 2 (38m 56s): Dunno. Very cool. And my last question for you is if you have any advice or aspiring artists, 6 (39m 4s): Well, my advice is to not, I think listen to certain advice, but be, I think you have to learn to listen to your own gut. I mean, I think for me when I finally made stuff that was actually good was when I really just listened to what I thought that I should do as an artist and not what everyone around me would always say. You know, teachers, people around you that give advice, you go to these panels and you play your songs and you get feedback. This is, I mean, I don't wanna discredit any of these things, but art is very individual and I don't believe in someone just giving out like advice in terms of what your art should be. 6 (39m 45s): Only how to maybe get to certain points in the industry, but not what you should make. So I think for that, you just have to focus on your craft, do it every day religiously and just listen to your gut because you are the only one that knows what art you should.