EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW | LA's Kelsey Kerrigan
Matt Johnston caught up with LA-born anti-folk indie artist Kelsey Kerrigan to chat about her latest single 'Driving Around', autoharps and listening to music... in a cupboard?
You've just released your first single, 'Driving Around’. What inspired the song and what can we expect from your upcoming album?
Driving around in my car and feeling ultimately alone... that's what inspired it. Expect? Gosh. I don't know. Hopefully something that helps you dance out your blues.
The song makes me feel like going for a drive, just to play it on repeat in the car. What is the craziest road trip you’ve ever taken?
This one time, my friend Sophia from college was living in LA at the time. She had just gotten her first car in LA and she drove up to my house and honked and did the whole "Get in, loser". I hopped in and we drove down PCH with no actual destination, blasting music for about 8 hours and slept on the beach somewhere once it got dark. That was really fun. No idea how far we went to be honest.
The lyrics mention you’re driving around while you listen to the sounds. What music is playing on your stereo when you’re driving around?
When I wrote the song, I was listening to Avey Tare's record 'Down There'. One of the most underrated albums of all time, in my opinion. I would have given it Best Album of the Year if I had any say.
You are known for making sad songs sound happy. If ever I need to have bad news delivered I would love to have it sung by you to ease the pain. How do you go about putting a positive spin on everything?
That's the funny part... I don't put a positive spin on it. I mean, maybe the music makes it sound like that but... lyrically, shit's still pretty sad. But I dunno. I always liked how The Smiths were always upbeat but the lyrics were almost tragic. Heartbreak should be something you can at least dance to... however, I do love to listen to really fucking sad music when I'm sad so... I guess there's a balance.
One of the instruments you play is the autoharp. Can you explain that instrument and how you came about playing it? How many instruments do you play and do you have any other hidden talents?
An autoharp is like a tiny piano you strum... Actually Billy Mann gave me that autoharp. I had never even heard of one before. When I met him about three years ago, I had probably been playing guitar for about a month. I showed him my tunes and I think he wanted to help make the writing process easier. (I really sucked at guitar.) So he shipped me one. It was awesome. I dunno, I can play if I try. I'm not good or anything, but if I can write a baseline on it, we're good.
'Driving Around' sounds like it wouldn’t be out of place in the soundtrack to an indie film. If you were to have your music in any film, what would it be?
That's a damn good question. I have no clue.
You’ve been compared to Australia’s Courtney Barnett. Is that a fair comparison, and why do you think Americans relate to her music, particularly with such a distinctly Australian voice?
Dude, she's the shit. I don't think that's a fair comparison for her. She's so raw and real and unique and passé about shit, but not. I guess that's what Americans are... "passé" about shit, but not...
Your music also screams of singing by a beach in California. What is it about the area that generates such laid-back happiness? Who were your musical influences growing up?
Does it? (laughs) That's rad. I feel so heavily influenced by everything. I grew up on Phil Collins and George Michael and Michael Jackson and The Cranberries and Garbage and a bunch of other shit. My siblings were older so they showed me cool bands and sitting in the backseat of my mom's car listening to stuff like 'Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes' while she snapped her fingers with one hand and drove with the other... I'd say those moments are the foundation maybe.
You have been quoted as saying that when you were nine you sat in your cupboard in the dark listening to meditation music. Surely growing up as a kid in LA wasn’t so stressful it required meditating in a cupboard?
(Laughs) Oh, man... It was a walk-in closet and it was just moody world music, I think. Probably some CD someone got for free, or for relaxing. But hey, I had a Walkman and I was down to listen to whatever we had laying around. LA is so chill. It's my home.
What do you like to do outside of music and how does that contribute to you as a person and an artist?
I love hiking. I love it. I love painting and drawing or making t-shirts of shit I want on my t-shirts. I love sound designing... oh wait, that's probably considered music. Um... I don't know. I like exploring the unknown... reading about stuff I don't know. I do a lot of those home chemistry reactions coz it's fun to do, and I like science and sometimes I film it. I love photography. I love attempting to capture things as as I see them. I dunno, maaaan. Tripping in the desert with my nearest and dearest?
And what can we expect to see next in the life of Kelsey Kerrigan?
More music for sure. More art for sure. I have some collaborations in the works that I'm really excited about!
