Clairo, the songwriter behind “Pretty Girls” discusses her process, and growing out of “bedroom pop.”
For most artists, the breakthrough to success can be a slow process. For others, it can happen overnight. But those who shoot to fame at lightning-speed often fear having to live in the shadow of their debut hit the rest of their career. That first song is their first impression to the world, and considering the obsessive nature of fans, "stans," the internet, and media outlets, it’s easy for people to define a musician by their first impression. Clairo, the young artist who went viral last year for her hit song “Pretty Girl,” now faces this challenge of breaking through her debut buzz.
“An artist doesn’t have to have this crazy image...People
don’t realize that being able to make a song doesn’t mean that you're really good at doing makeup or performing."
One of the things that’s appealing about you is that you’re what a popstar isn’t supposed to be. You’re like everyone else but also make make music.
I’m with everyone but also make music, ‘cause that’s exactly how I feel. I don't feel like I'm ever going to feel like someone who’s super unrelatable or anyone that’s trying to be untouchable. I like people, I love being around people and experiencing what they are experiencing and being with them. I like being just a person that also makes art and shares it with other people. I don’t ever see myself becoming this image that no one can ever achieve besides me. I think I’m a version of a lot of different people that achieve a lot of different things. [laughs] I don’t want to sound generic but there’s a lot of people like me that don’t have this platform. So it's cool to be able to talk to them and use my platform to bring up whatever else is talking about.
Yeah, for instances, the beauty of “Pretty Girls” is what you're describing. You were in your room and did it because you wanted to put it out there on your YouTube channel. I think your appeal is truth.
I just think an artist doesn’t have to have this crazy image. You can still make art that’s great but that doesn't mean so many things have to come with it. People don’t realize that being able to make a song doesn’t mean that you're really good at doing makeup or performing or really good at all these other things. They are all separate skills that you learn after or before or other times other than making the art. It's not to not worry about what I look like ‘cause I want to put the energy into [art]. I like play around with style, that’s my thing, but I don’t really put on makeup or do my hair. That’s something I would learn later on, yes.
“I’m definitely not the first person to have their own home studio. But I don’t really like having that as my genre.”
What’s the recording process like for you?
So I just recently started getting into the studio when we recorded the EP. It was the first time that i’ve taken a real song...like “Forever” I wrote that the night before I left for Syracuse [University] and I just finished my year. It went from being a proper demo, which is something I would’ve released a year ago because I didn’t have access to a studio but then we took the time to make it what it is now. Make it into an actual well produced thought out song. That song is the first song where I feel like, “That’s my baby.” It was an idea that I’ve been brewing for a long time. I definitely want to shift my process into doing something like that instead of putting out whatever I’m thinking. Because I think a lot of my old stuff I could delete and morph into something bigger and better.
If I say “bedroom pop” what pops in your head?
Yeah, I’m not sure either. I get it, I get why people say that because most of these people are making music in their bedroom and its its super relatable and whatnot. I’m definitely not the first person to have their own home studio. But I don’t really like having that as my genre. The more I progress, the more I go into the studio, people are going to be disappointed if I’m supposed to be bedroom pop and if I’m supposed to sound lo fi or whatever and I can’t progress or grow. I’m just scared of not being allowed to grow because that’s the one thing that I have. Just being able to evolve as an artist. I’m almost just reluctant to have any genre at this point because I’m so all over the place. It's cool to be in the bedroom pop scene. All the artist that I met through it are incredible and so sweet. We met and all become friends because we’re all confused about why we’re being called this. That’s like the best part.
When you get dubbed a label and fans gravitate to you for a particular sound, it has to be tough for an artist to evolve right? You’re kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Totally, my problem is just the production quality I guess because its always been very lo-fi, not on purpose. If I had studio quality stuff, I wouldn’t of tried to be making that. I had to use what I had. I had like a Rock Band microphone I one point. [laughs] That’s not good but people like that, which I get. And I totally understand; I’m not abandoning it but it's cool to finally have the opportunity to really go into a studio and really work and see my full potential. Some people don’t want that, and it's okay, but some people are just fine with it all and it’s all I can really ask for. Those are the people that i want listening to myself. I want them to see the journey rather than pick a part that they like then discard everything else.
At the instance of YouTube fame, the then 19-year-old Claire Cottrill went from being a regular high school student with a synth found at a flea market to the darling of “Bedroom Pop;” turning the world of Popular music upside down with her lo-fi sound. However, having your song labelled as “Bedroom Pop” can carry a connotation similar to “SoundCloud Rap.” The term tends to undermine a person’s talents, and places an invisible box around their creative scope.
Her latest EP, diary 001 which debuted in May of this year, is an exercise of artistic evolution. The new tracks are comparatively polished to “Pretty Girl,” but maintain the same endearing quality that first charmed her new wave of fans. With this project, Clairo is not only proving her doubters wrong, but making a case for artistic growth whether or not that’s what the people want. We sat down with the breakthrough singer/songwriter to discuss her rise to fame, her challenges, and process.
WHAT COMES AFTER FIRST IMPRESSIONS?
CLAIRO, the songwriter behind “Pretty Girl” discusses her process, and growing out of “bedroom pop.”
