1. Symbolism played an important role in your debut song “Brix.” How has literature such as “The Great Gatsby” influenced your songwriting?
I have always loved symbolism because it can break down a complicated story and tell it through connections to things that people understand. In “Brix” there’s no plot or characters but I think it still manages to create a narrative through the symbol of a house and what’s happening in and around it. I also loved playing with the connection of a house to the 3 Little Pigs story – the second verse talks about blaming the destruction of the house on a wolf. I wanted listeners to think about the famous children’s story and realize that the wolf could only blow down houses that were poorly constructed in the first place. You can blame an outside circumstance, but a weaker foundation is always more likely to fall.
2. In an interview with RAG Talent you mentioned wanting to write a duet. If you could duet with any artist, who would it be and why?
I would love to write a duet with lots of people, but the first person I think of is Brady, who produced the song. He really pushes me to be a better artist and he loves harmonies almost as much as I do.
3. How has TikTok helped you as an artist? What advice would you give to other artists using the platform?
TikTok is a blessing and a curse in ways. For one, it’s a great way to get heard as an independent artist. On the other hand, it’s a very saturated platform – you have to work really hard to gain any real traction. I’m still working on how to best use TikTok, but I can say for sure that consistent posting is key. I’d like to say that original and high quality content is the most important factor, but unfortunately I can’t be sure. The algorithm is elusive to say the least.
4. Poetry helps inspire you to write. Who are some of your favorite poets?
I think the first poem I ever read was “Falling Up” by Shel Silverstein, which I can honestly barely remember but I remember that it made me smile. I can’t say I have a favorite poet or poem, but I am enjoying spoken word at the moment. I somehow only recently discovered “Ain’t I a Woman” by Kai Davis – if you haven’t heard that yet definitely take a listen.
5. Mustard loved the animation you shared on TikTok for “Brix.” When did you first begin creating animations? Did a certain movie, television show, or music video inspire you?
The first animation-like thing I ever made was a present for a friend depicting what I love about them through stop-motion. When I started digital painting I realized that typical animation is just the marriage of stop-motion and digital art, and the rest is history. For the ‘Brix’ animation, I wanted to make it so people could see what I see when I sing the song, so I made it an animation 🙂 I wouldn’t say anything specific inspired me, I was just in a creative mood.
6. If your song could be on any playlist, which playlist would it be and why?
I love making really specific playlists. For example, one of my current favorites is “Graffiti and Run” which is a playlist that just embodies juvenile recklessness through music. I would love for my song to make it onto playlists like that – playlists that mean something to someone.
7. You mentioned finding new ways of becoming Eco-conscious. Do you have any tips for those looking to do the same?
My best tip is to find the top 3 things in your life that are the most wasteful, and then look for Eco-friendly replacements. For example, I used to use 2-3 cotton rounds a day to clean my face that would go straight in the trash. Now I use cloth rounds that I can wash and reuse.
8. “Cosmic” is the title of your next song. Could you share anything about it?
Actually that’s a song by a fellow artist Evan Kepler and his sister that just came out on March 25th! My next single doesn’t have a name yet… because there are actually 2 on their way and neither of them have been named 
. You can expect some more dark pop anthems to come your way soon 🙂
9. Who are some of your favorite TikTok creators? Are there any artists on TikTok you would like to collaborate with?
First off, I love Mustard! They’re funny, creative, and so supportive of other creators 🙂 In terms of who I would want to collaborate with, I would love to work with Au Gres (@augresband), Danny Beau (@dannybeaumusic) Arden Jones (@ardenjones) and/or Kate Stephenson (@katestephensonmusic). They’re all pretty cool.
10. Did you win the pizza party contest? What does your ideal pizza have on it?
We did win! My favorite pizzas are anything out of the box, like mac and cheese pizza or crab rangoon pizza. I also like the classic cheese.
Music Shelf With Mustard 