Interview by Miriam Cadoni
GIRLPUPPY – An Interview with Becca Harvey
If for some band and artist the pandemic has damaged the essential livability of themselves, for some other this triggered the creativity to finally complete something started a time ago.
That’s the case of the indie rock singer-songwriter Girlpuppy with her EP “Swan” out now via Royal Mountain Records. Enjoy!
Hi Becca, welcome to Femme Metal Webzine. How are you? And how these precarious times are treating you?
Hello! I’m doing as well as I can right now, just wishing COVID away just like everyone else, trying to stay safe and healthy!
For the readers that are not familiar with you, when and how your musical journey started?
Well, I started writing songs when I was 8 or 9, but I didn’t start making music until last year.
Recently, you have released your debut EP “Swan” via Royal Mountain Records. What insights can you share about its production?
Indeed, “Swan” was produced by Marshall Vore at his studio in Pasadena, California. I was lucky enough to co-write with him on all the songs and co-write with Charlie Hickey on “Hideout”.
Ruby Henley helped writing some of the songs too. We also had Mason Stoops play on some songs and Cole Peterson drum on 2 songs, who both live with Marshall, so it was a very family-like collaborative space. Marshall is a close friend of mine so making this EP with him was so much fun. Since we listen to the same music, we both share the same vision for it, and it was much easier to execute.
The lead-in single “For You”, which is not present on the EP, is an amazing love-song. Beside being the first published song, what represents for you this song?
Thank you so much! I had a lot of fun making that song. It represents so much for me because it was my first time writing an entire song and immediately feeling proud of it and inspired by it. Also, it represents how much love I feel for the person I wrote it about, so it’s nice that that love will live forever in that song.
GIRLPUPPY – An Interview with Becca Harvey
The EP was produced together Marshall Vore. What did you learn throughout this experience? And which is the most important lesson that you have achieved?
I learned so much!! Since I’m someone really shy with my music, however working with Marshall showed me that I shouldn’t have to be. That was my first time really collaborating that intensely with someone on more than one song, so I learned how to use my voice and share my ideas within music.
And if you’re in a comfortable environment it can be so easy and fun to write with people and show them what kind of music you want to make. The most important lesson I learned is to just be confident with your ideas and stand your ground about the music you want to make.
How has the global pandemic impacted on you as an artist and on your release “Swan”?
I think, just as it did with everyone, it made me feel a lot more hopeless! Which in turn made me depressed, which helped me write a lot of these sad songs. On the bright side, I had so much free time because of quarantine that I was able to really focus on writing and building my sound.
In support of “Swan”, the new single “As I Much I Can”. What details can you offer about this song and its video?
I shot the video for “As Much as I Can” video with no budget in one day with my best friend Savanna Hughes. We borrowed a camera from my boyfriend’s roommate. And just went to locations around Atlanta that we already liked going to.
The rooftop scenes in the video were inspired by the Mazzy Star performance of “Bells Ring” at live on The Beat in 1994. The song is a bittersweet shoegaze-y love song, about people in your life that can make it difficult to love them.
Despite the pandemic, what is it in the pipeline? Which is the thing that you are more looking forward? And which are your next plans?
Hopefully just lots of touring! I’m looking forward to my headlining show in Brooklyn, New York on November 8th. But I’m so excited for the entire tour with The Districts. Additionally, I’ve started writing songs for my debut album. So I can’t wait to get into the studio to start working on that too.
So, Becca, we’re almost at the end. Please be free to say hi to your fans and listeners. Thank you so much for this interview.
To everyone that’s ever listened to my music or reading this – thank you, I love you, I hope I play a show in your city. Thank you for having me, Femme Metal!