GRAYS
Q: What inspired the reflective tone of “Preoccupied?” Overall, I use music as a from of reflection, whether it’s my own music or other artists that I listen to.
Q: How do you go about writing such brutally honest lyrics? Earlier in my songwriting ventures I was much more straightforward, so I’ve had to work on balancing out the honesty and the goal of making a listenable and enjoyable tune. I usually can get out the instrumental, but then I need to take a pen and paper and sit down and work out the lyrics slowly. I do think that honesty is important for people to relate to or feel something in the track.
Q: The lyrics say that they’re preoccupied with something else, what were some of the things you were distracted by when you wrote this song? I don’t know if I can really pin it down to one thing in particular, it is more the overall feeling of social anxiety and personal seclusion. Sometimes when you’re down, there is much more on your mind than the present moment no matter how great that present moment may be.
Q: Personally, how would you interpret this line: “Don’t try to remind me I might / Die out of shame”? There’s that saying that ‘depression lives in the past.’ It’s trying to move forward with your life after a rough patch.
Q: There is resilience in the song but this is your journey as well? I think that everyone is resilient in one way or another. I may not be some solider on the battlefield, but we all have BS that we have to put up with.
Q: Is resilience important in your personal and artistic path? For sure. I am only starting out, but I have had to be resilient up until now and I’m sure that in the future, for both my life and my work, that resilience will not only have to be there but will have to grow.
Q: What message are you trying to pass across through “Preoccupied?” I think being preoccupied really is a relatable thing. Everyone’s internal world is unique no matter the shared experience. Everyone has their own set of problems and blessings, and no one can read another’s mind. There are times in life when you are more outward and times in your life when you are more inward, this is for the inward times.
Q: How do you balance being emotionally open in your songs with maintaining personal wellbeing? Great question, it is a double edged sword, and in working on my own music it is a question that I have had to confront myself. On the one side I would say that either opening up in my own music or listening to music that I relate to is therapeutic for me, on the other hand it’s never healthy to dwell or wallow in the more negative aspects of life. When I listen to my own music, I am reminded of the things that brought me to making it, but I also have to remember that this is all in the past and that both things and myself are different now.
Q: How was the writing process for Preoccupied? Did it come together quickly or take a long time to complete? Usually the instrumentals come to me in quick bouts of creativity. Lyrics take longer to complete.
Q: That line itself: ‘I lost those fights’ / About my own death” carries plenty of weight; can you elaborate on what these battles signify? I think the line about departure has to do with the support system that got me through troubled times. Whether is just being anti-social or wanting to abandon everything, it’s the people around you that you love and care about, as well as the things that you have worked for that keep you around. Sometimes there is a selfishness that pervades over feeling down, it’s a tough cycle.
Q: What’s your perspective on using music as an outlet for sharing deep personal struggles? Some of the best music ever made across all genres has to do with personal struggle.
Q: Does vulnerability play any role in your creative process while writing songs. I think any time you express yourself you are vulnerable to some extent.
Q: How do people stay real with their music despite external pressures and distractions? I can only speak for myself, but I would say that one has to care about the music and their own relationship to it more than those external pressures or distractions. You have to devote yourself to it, spend time with it, and believe in it. It takes time and strain, but if you really want it, I do believe it will come to you in one way or another.
Q: How does the fear of dying influence this aspect of your creative work? You wanna get out something good before then.
Q: What type of emotional reaction are you hoping to elicit with “Preoccupied” as a song? People to feel less alone.
Q: Where does “Preoccupied” fit within the larger scheme of things and how do you think it plays into your artistic vision? As this project continues I think this album and song has been a good point in figuring out the level of self-reflection that is a appropriate in a track. Like I said before, it’s about balancing the honesty with the good tune. It is something that I have more work to do on, but that I think I have made good progress with.
Q: Were there any specific experiences or instances that influenced the lyrics in this song directly? I think it was more general reflection on the last few years of experiences. There were plenty of ups and downs as with anyone. I was in college at the time of writing it and there wasn’t a day that went by that didn’t have me considering dropping out. While I met some great people and had some cool experiences, I really did feel like a fish out of water for almost that whole time.
Q: How do you deal with audience reception towards your more self-analyzing and open songs? Everyone is entitled to their own experiences and opinions.
Q: Do you have any personal experiences that stand out when working on this song, both in terms of writing and recording it? I had three roommates at the time of making the album but they were always out and I am more of a home-body. I was on the top floor of this house blasting my music off my speakers. It was cool to have such a space to work, likewise, my roommates were supportive of my endeavors. Records come from people in a certain time and place, and this album couldn’t have been made without the space I was in and the people that I had around me.
