A Quick Chat with Betty Taylor
Betty Taylor is a team of powerhouse women. Sophie Patrick’s indie hooks and honest poignant lyrics are complimented by Kayla Smart (AKA Dorah Jacson)’s beautiful harmonies and wistful guitar riffs. Helping to strike this perfect balance between power and charm are Claire Chittick on bass and Katie Ishaque on drums.
Betty Taylor dropped their dreamy debut single “Stallin’” in November 2022, the track now boasts over 120,000 streams on Spotify. Their second release “Glitter” followed in February. Despite only now releasing their third track “Fuck You”, Betty Taylor has received a host of praise from key Australian music media and were named as triple j's Unearthed Feature Artist of the Week in April, the same week they performed the Unearthed slot at Groovin the Moo, Sunshine Coast.
A four-piece to be reckoned with, the band have racked up an impressive host of support shows for the likes of girl in red, Pacific Avenue, Verge Collection, The Rions and Surf Trash. They wrapped up their first-ever headline tour with dates in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Wollongong in May, and recently joined Beddy Rays on their Tour De Frothy dates. Betty Taylor will open for Matt Corby on 13 July for a stripped-back intimate performance at District 14 in Narre Warren before supporting Teenage Dads on the QLD leg of their upcoming national tour. The band will also play SPRINGTIME Festival in September.
So whaddya waiting for? Get Betty Taylor on your radar now! Hit play, “Fuck You” is out today!
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your new single, "Fuck You" and what message you aimed to convey with the song?
In truth this song was never written with the intention of becoming a single. I was driving home after having my feelings pretty badly hurt, when the first few lyrics came to mind
( I just found the original cringy voice memos, Dated 7th Feb 2021) I finished writing the verses on my living room floor as soon as I got home, and uploaded them to my instagram story, in the hopes the person it was about would see it. It was all the things I felt and wanted to say at the time, but couldn't bring myself to say it in person. I never thought those lyrics would exist outside of the 24 hour time period on that instagram story.
How did you approach the songwriting process for "Fuck You", especially in terms of capturing the emotions of a broken relationship?
The emotions conveyed throughout the song are very contrasting. It was written in two parts. There was a large space of time between when I started writing this song, and when I finished it. I was in two very different headspaces.
I think what makes this song special is it doesn't just capture the emotions of a single moment in time, but rather the entire journey of what it is like to experience a heartbreak.
What made you decide to release "Fuck You" as your latest single, and how does it fit into the overall theme or direction of your music?
It became clear quite quickly that this song was a crowd favourite at all our live shows. Which I feel so grateful for, as it's always been my favourite song to play. So it was a bit of a no-brainer. All of our music lyrically comes from my personal lived experiences, and It does get much more personal than this, so I think it's perfectly fitting.
Could you describe the collaborative process with the producers and engineers who worked on "Fuck You" and how they helped bring your vision to life?
The bones of the song were all there, but legend and producer Aidan Hogg at Plutonium records ( Who also Produced ‘Stallin’ and ‘Glitter’) brought out the depth and feel of the song with layers of dreamy guitars & synths, giving ‘Fuck you’ that same etherial, signature Betty Taylor sound.
The music video for "Fuck You" shows the band in a karaoke bar. What significance does that setting hold in relation to the song's message?
A karaoke bar is the one of those places where the second you jump on stage you're completely exposed. You can get up there, give it all you’ve got, and leave it all on the stage.
This song is pretty much doing all of those things, so it felt fitting.
"Fuck You" is described as a heartbreak anthem. How do you think your music resonates with listeners who have experienced similar relationship struggles?
Heartbreak anthem you say? … we’ll take it!
I guess most people have had shared experiences when it comes to past relationships.
Being able to sing along wholeheartedly can be incredibly cathartic
(I know playing it on stage is haha)
I think people connect with music and lyrics in their own way, attaching onto some lyrics more than others. The beautiful thing about music is you can create meanings of your own.
How has the response been to your previous singles, "Stallin'" and "Glitter"? How do you think "Fuck You" builds upon or expands your musical style?
We are blown away by all the love we have received from our releases so far.
‘Stallin’ really set up sonically the sound for Betty Taylor .’Glitter’ allowed us to really solidify that indie rock sound, and lyrically set us up in the direction of writing about lived experiences.
‘Fuck you’ continues to push the boundaries of what I think people expect from us.
We want to continue to explore our sound but maintain the authenticity of our storytelling.
As a relatively new band, how does it feel to receive recognition from key Australian music media and be named as triple j's Unearthed Feature Artist of the Week?
We feel years ahead of where realistically most bands stand at this point in their careers, we are incredibly grateful to have our hard work recognised. At the end of the day, we are just 4 best friends, playing music together and everything that has come along with doing something that we love has been an absolute bonus and completely unfathomable.
We are so appreciative of all the support we have received.
You recently wrapped up your first-ever headline tour. Can you share any memorable experiences or highlights from that tour?
Easily one of our most memorable moments was when we played our first headline show in Melbourne. Being our first show as a band in that city, it was amazing to see how many people showed up to support us and have them sing back the lyrics to our songs.
The craziest part about that show was meeting a Fan who had a Betty Taylor tattoo! Like what! You're a crazy girl, we love you.
You've had the opportunity to support several notable artists and bands. How have those experiences influenced your own musical journey and sound?
As a band, being able to speak with and learn from other musicians is such a blessing. We’ve been fortunate to play alongside some of the kindest and most talented people we’ve ever met. From helping us with tips and tricks on stage to off the stage taking time to give us advice about the industry and letting us in on their personal experience.
Watching these musicians on stage is so inspiring, and I’ve definitely taken notes on how to take our performances to the next level.
What can fans expect from Betty Taylor in the future? Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations you're excited about?
We are just going to continue to write from the heart and explore musically deeper into the indie rock world. We would love to write and collaborate with other artists! We have plenty more exciting projects coming up on the horizon that we can't wait to share with you.
How has your live performance evolved since you started as a band, and what can audiences look forward to when they see you perform live?
We have formed a really strong bond and that has always carried through into our live performances. But the more we play the better we are becoming at throwing ourselves into the performance and just having fun with it. We’ve let go of trying to be perfect and we’ve embraced the chaos that comes with being a live performer, and boy, do we love to lean into the chaos.
Are there any specific themes or experiences that you hope to explore in your future music? How do you envision the evolution of Betty Taylor's sound?
I started songwriting as a way to process my thoughts and emotions. A lot of these emotions have been centred around relationships, but as my songwriting has developed, I’ve been able to tackle and start to unpack other events In my life. I would love to explore these more in the future. And obviously, there will be more sick guitar solos.
