What's next for LASHES?

Photo: She Is Aphrodite

Hey LASHES! Thanks so much for taking the time to speak with us. How are you doing?

Hey! No problems, thanks for having me! I am doing splendid, thanks. 

Your new single ‘The Island’ is incredible! It really transports you to another place. What can you tell us about the track?

Wow thanks! 

From the get go I wanted this song to have a cinematic feel…like it was a soundtrack to the movie ‘The Island’. It’s a dark but dreamy pop song. 

I wrote it after watching ‘Escape From Alcatraz’ one night. I was thinking about the relationship I was in at the time and how one sided it was. It was only working when we were isolated away from the world…and at the cost of my own happiness.

‘Escape From Alcatraz’ turned my relationship story into more of a concept.
It's about being stuck on a loopy island where you’re in a warped reality and everything is good as long as you don’t leave…but IS it good?… or are you just slowly losing your mind…

You’ve been working with Xavier Dunn who has worked alongside the likes of CXLOE and Jack River. How did that collaboration come about, and can you walk us through your songwriting and production process?

Xav and I had previously worked on my last song together, so he’s got a good grasp on where I want to go sonically. The production for this song came about so quickly and easily. As soon as I said the words “loopy Island” and “theatrical” Off he went! The main vocal chop that plays throughout the song is my fav part. We recorded that on an iphone; we were saying random things into the phone. I was mostly yelling and making random sounds and we chopped everything up and that became the main vocal loop.

Songwriting for me happens at the worst times, like driving in a car when you can’t write anything down so you have to sing it the whole way to the destination.. or I’ll pull over and sing it into my phone. 

The melody and lyrics usually come together at once for me, and in big chunks. Then the musical elements are added after that.

As a regional artist, what would you say are some of the challenges of breaking into the music 
industry? And on the other hand, are there some benefits to it?

Being from a regional town there is less incidental exposure to up-and-coming artists and the scene in general. Typically, it means having to travel to Melbourne or Sydney for most music related things.

On the positive side, it’s probably more of a laid back vibe here. I find the small town network is very supportive. It’s nice getting to be part of a small community, and celebrating each other when something big happens for one of us.

From what we’ve heard, you have quite an extensive list of influences, and even a self-confessed emo phase. How do you find other genres making their way into your music, if at all?

I think a bit of everything I listen to makes its way into my music somehow, particularly RnB and Pop.

I did have a huge emo phase in my teens which definitely ‘bleeds’ into the music I make today. That intensity and rawness morphs into those erratic electronic sounds for sure.. (I was a Paramore super fan!).

As a kid I listened to whatever mum had on in the car - Fleetwood Mac, Michael Jackson, The Eagles, INXS, George Michael, Super Tramp. I’m also really invested in the Australian music scene, which is very varied in genre and style. I’ve found a lot of inspiration in contemporary Australian music in all of its colours.

And finally, what's next for LASHES?

New songs! Hopefully release another one before the end of the year, and then an EP next year and some live shows!