Transcription
[Music]
Hi everybody, hello everybody in the room, everybody watching at home, or wherever it is you're watching. Thanks for coming out here. Melanie, thanks for coming out here. Thank you for having me. They're, they're, they're screaming for you already. Seems like you're, you know, coming in in a good spot. So, you had the big, the big New York show last night. Uh, how did, how did everything go?
It was definitely surreal. Um, just being home and seeing family and friends and playing for so many people. Uh, it was really awesome. And yeah, there was a lot of energy and and passion last night from people who came to the show. So it was really fun and exciting for me.
Is it different playing in New York than anywhere else?
Yeah, because I've been playing here for so long. Um, I think, you know, the same people have been coming to the shows and it's just, you know, I feel like I have like, like a small, like group of friends that's just like getting bigger and bigger, which is really awesome.
Uh, how's the adjustment to the, you know, the, how's the touring lifestyle treating you?
Um, it's interesting. Uh, the traveling is kind of hard. Uh, with creating, I'm kind of unable to, um, write or, um, you know, think of like music video ideas, uh, as often as I would like to. Um, but I'm definitely working on, you know, the balance and finding a way to be able to create on the road.
So, well, I was gonna, I was going to ask that question, but other than the, the, the, the obstacle of the road, I mean, you, are you somebody who writes all the time? Are you somebody who, left to your own devices, is always spinning stuff out?
I just love staying in my little bubble and love writing. Yeah, every day or whenever I can.
So, let's go, I guess, as far back as one can go. Tell me, what, what's the, what's the first music that you remember hearing? What's the first thing that made an impression on you?
Um, I mean, my dad played all sorts of different kinds of music, but, uh, he really loved playing a lot of old school hip-hop. And I, he also played, um, artists like Brandy. And, uh, I don't know, just, I also, when I was younger, I, I loved a lot of the pop female, uh, singers and artists. And yeah, so, but as I got older, um, I think my music taste changed a little bit. And right now, I mean, I listen to all sorts of stuff, but, um, I'm more focused on writing my own music now. So, yeah.
Bring up listening to your dad's hip-hop makes me feel older than I would like to feel. This is where we are now. Um, and when, so when, when and how did you start to think about this as something to give your life to? When did it start to come into focus that music was going to be the thing?
Well, I always loved, uh, singing since I was really small. And I wrote a bunch of poetry growing up. And then when I was 14, I taught myself how to play guitar, um, just so I could write songs, 'cause I really wanted to. Um, so I kind of just turned the poems into like little songs and started writing that way. Um, and yeah, so I guess like when I was maybe like 14, 15, is when I really like was getting really into it and started thinking about it as an actual, like career, rather than just like a hobby.
What's the, tell me the, the moving from writing from writing poems from writing words to thinking of that as as songs as music. I mean, was that a, was there a progression in that, um, shifting that into a different kind of focus?
Yeah, absolutely. Um, I mean, when I was younger, I just wrote poems, like really silly poems about, um, really just anything that I could think of. Like, I loved, and I still love, like lemonade, so I wrote like a poem about lemonade and how much I love it. And like, that was when I was like, really little though. Read that. Um, and if I like didn't like a teacher, I would like write, I wrote like a poem once about like me, like being upset at my teacher and hoping that she steps on gum or something funny like that. I don't really, that was, yeah. But, um, but yeah, it's definitely different writing songs. And I mean, but it's similar in a lot of ways. I love focusing on the lyrical content and making sure that, um, the music is telling a story from beginning to end.
So, tell, let's talk a bit about this about about the record and about, you know, tell me about sort of finding the theme, the character, and the sort of through line for what became Crybaby.
Um, well, I was really inspired by toy sounds. And I think that's kind of what started everything. Um, and then, you know, just in my own personal life, like I love collecting vintage toys from the 50s and 60s. And, um, love pastel colors. And, uh, a lot of vintage, you know, like kind of baby doll clothing and stuff like that. And like, so it's interesting because I feel like, uh, it kind of reflects in the music and, uh, also the art. Um, but with Crybaby, really, Crybaby was, uh, this nickname, um, that I took as an insult when I was a kid, 'cause I took everything super personally and was very, very emotional, and still am. Um, and I always looked at that as like a weakness, just because that's how everyone looks at, like being emotional or being set, it's kind of like you're being weak. But eventually, um, I realized that being emotional, or overly emotional, or whatever you want to call it, um, you know, can be something that is not a bad thing, but, uh, a good thing. Like, I'm, you know, in touch with my emotions. And I, I think that writing the album really helped me kind of, uh, feel a little bit more confident in myself and who I am. And, um, so yeah, but the album was very inspired by toy sounds. And so that's kind of like the starting, that was like the start of it all. And then, um, I really wanted to tell a story from beginning to end. Um, and basically, like, after writing all the songs, and what I would do, like the writing process was really just listing like a bunch of titles that related to a childhood, you know, childhood theme or whatever. And I would try to add an adult situation to give it the contrast between, like, the light and the dark. And so that was kind of the process every time with writing. And then, um, and I was writing about personal experiences. And, you know, some things are just made-up stories that it's really fun for me, actually. It's like one of my favorite things to do is kind of just, uh, add a little bit of whimsy and fantasy into the music by like, you know, making up stories. Like, um, you know, like in Crybaby's story, she gets kidnapped by the Big Bad Wolf and she escapes by poisoning him with milk and cookies. And, you know, that didn't happen to me, didn't happen to there. A documentary. But, um, but it's just fun to, you know, really explore ideas like that and to kind of just really have fun. So.
But you knew going in that it would be a full theme and a full, I mean, that was where where you started?
Yeah, the theme was really in the beginning. The theme was wasn't like the story itself, 'cause I pieced that together after writing all the songs. I kind of, with the track list, figuring out the track list is when I really started to see like a beginning to end, which was interesting. Um, but yeah, it was definitely, you know, the whole idea of the album was for it to be childhood themed, but to have, uh, an adult message and mature, like content.
I mean, that's to go in with titles or ideas or whatever it was that was going to move it through and then write to those ideas. Is it, is it an, it's kind of an inside-out way to do that. Was that a harder challenge? I mean, was it, it could be good that you set yourself sort of parameters to work with and do that, or you could go crazy saying, but that's not what this song wants to be, this wants to be something else.
Yeah, I mean, whenever the song is turning into something else, I kind of let it turn into something else and then it turns into a different idea. But I definitely, uh, always start out with like a title. And it has to be super visual for me to feel connected to it for some reason. It's like really hard for me to write or finish writing a song if I can't see a music video in my head while writing it. So that's really important to me.
Was there one song or even one moment in a song where you could sort of feel it lock, where you could feel it come into focus? I mean, was there something where you thought, like, oh, okay, now I can see what this is actually gonna turn into?
Um, yeah, I mean, like during, it's different for every song. Um, but I definitely have that kind of like moment, you know, during, like the, you know, beginning, definitely the very beginning when I'm like, done with like, first verse or something, going into like a pre-chorus or whatever. I'll just, uh, yeah, I'll definitely know by then for sure.
But for the whole, for sort of the big picture of the album and the whole project, was there something that was kind of a, a turning point for you where you could feel what this, what this whole thing might add up to?
Um, I was it just knocking out each, you know, it was just really just focusing on like, what, what I was doing in the moment. And then eventually, I saw it all together as what it is now.
And then, tell me the, the sound of the record, which is obviously a distinctive and very, you know, intentional thing that you're going for. I mean, you said you started from these toy sounds, but how do you start, how do you take something like that, the idea of toy sounds, and then expand that out to be, you know, 45 minutes of a record? I mean, what's, where does, how does that seed kind of continue to grow through these these songs for you?
Um, I'm not really sure how it happened, but it's, it's interesting because, uh, not every song has toy piano in them, but they do all feel connected in a strange way. And I think that that's probably just from the visual and like the concepts and the themes. And to be honest, like, I, it's interesting because, you know, whenever people ask me like, like, how would you describe the sound of, you know, the album, I, I can't ever answer that question because for some reason, I just, um, I'm just so focused on the visual when writing it and like the melodies and the, you know, the actual music is like, it's just like, I don't know, it's, I always wanted to feel connected to the visual and I'm always thinking about the visual first. So it's, yeah, it's a little.
Well, tell, I mean, that visual, as you said, there's, you have these references and these things that you like and these things that you draw from, but how do you, how did that, how did you kind of refine that into your own, what your own style tends to be? And then for video, for stage, I mean, what's the, how do you kind of take all of that and turn that into an idea, an, you know, a, an aesthetic that you, that you're making stuff out of?
Um, I don't, I don't really know. I don't, yeah, I don't know. Um, it comes first. I mean, you're saying that that's the, yeah, the visual. Yeah, the visual is always first. Yeah.
And so, tell me about the, you know, as then you've, the visual pieces of that is the videos. Well, I guess first is that becomes then the video part. Um, you have that, that's all fully in your head at the beginning, and then it's just about making that come true.
Yeah, I mean, my ideas definitely change over time. Um, I mean, I wrote all of these songs so long ago, and I'm just now like actually sitting down and writing, you know, the full video treatments for, you know, the rest of the songs on the album. And also the ones that I already put out, like Crybaby. Recently, like for that one, like that one, you know, was like later inspired, uh, a little bit more by this movie called Alice and it's from like the 70s, I think. And it's really awesome. It's all like stop motion and like super creepy and really cool. Um, but it was just super like inspirational for me. On tour, I was watching it and I thought that there's this like one scene where she, like, she's like a little girl and she's like in a small room and she just starts crying. And like, but it's like, it's interesting because you could just see the puddles coming from her eyes and stuff and it looks like so eerie and like weird and she fills up the room. So that was the inspiration for, um, the music video. But yeah, like things like that, like I'll think of ideas here and there or get inspired by certain things that I will, you know, incorporate later on. But it definitely is kind of like the same idea from when I was writing it and originally what I saw in my head.
And then, how about taking all of that and then putting it on a stage? Um, what's the, it's bringing it to to life in a different way?
Um, well, more recently, I've been able to do that just because of, you know, like production and stuff with like the lights and like the crib. Now, the stage setup is, you know, all, it's supposed to feel like Crybaby's nursery. Like that's the vibe that I wanted to give off for the whole tour. Um, so yeah, that was really just the inspiration for it was just wanting to make it feel like you were in her world and like in her room. So.
And is that, is it as fun? More fun? I mean, what's the different challenge of doing that, having done it through getting the song made in some cases, having done it through the video, or starting the process of the video and then putting it live in front of people? What are the, what's the different challenge of that?
Um, I mean, I don't know. I think with music videos, obviously, it's easier to, like, for stage, like, you know, if there's like one set, I can't like change sets and like do as much as I would like to do. Um, but I don't know, like, I'm, I just like want to always make sure that I'm telling the story of the album, um, live from beginning to end, always. And like, you know, I want, you know, the viewer, whoever's at the show, to like feel like they're really in the world, you know, in Crybaby's world. So, um, I don't know, yeah.
Are there any of the songs that have that, the response has surprised you? Um, anything that especially on a stage where you can, where you can see it and feel it, that either went somewhere you didn't expect it to go, or, you know, bigger or different emotion than than what you might have thought?
I mean, Pity Party. Playing that song at shows is like incredible, just because everyone screams at the scream. And it's so, it's like the craziest feeling hearing like a room full of, you know, people scream it. It's the weirdest thing ever, but also really cool. Um, so yeah, I think, yeah, Pity Party.
When you, and obviously you're, you're in the middle of this one and will be in the middle of this one for a while and keep growing and keep going and all of that, but as you think about going off to try to write the next one, starting into the next thing, do you, do you think of it as it'll be an extension of this character and this story, or do you want to be in a place where each one is kind of its own chapter? Or how do you think about how this is going to roll out to the future?
So, my plan, master plan, my plan is, um, to have all of the albums connect and tell a bigger story, um, at the end. And I would love to, like, my biggest, you know, dream is to, um, make like a movie telling the full story from beginning to the last album with Tim Burton. Um, I'm just, he's literally my favorite, so that's like my biggest dream. Um, but, but yeah, like, surpr, but for, for the next album, though, um, I've already started writing it, but it's in the very beginning, early process. But, um, I want it to be, uh, I want Crybaby to remain a character in this kind of world, but I want it to be less about her family life and about her and about her love life. And I want it to be more about her really just telling the story of like, different characters in this one place in the town that she lives in. So, it's the next album is about this one place in this town, and she's narrating, kind of just like going through each character and like their stories.
And do you have that mapped out? You know, not further down the road, or you're, you're taking it each step, each step?
Yeah, each step as they come. Um, so I don't usually, I mean, usually these questions are a little silly to talk about, you know, influences and inspirations, but I'm curious since this is such a, you know, specific and focused sort of a creative path you're on, is there anybody that you look at and think, they've done, they've, they've done it the right way? Is there anybody whose career you look at and think, like, man, that's the way you, that's the way you go out and do this, musical or not musical?
Oh, well, I mean, I think, I mean, Mark Ryden is my favorite visual artist, and he's a huge inspiration, uh, for the album and just me in my life. Um, but yeah, I mean, his artwork is really incredible, and I really respect him as an artist. So I'd say Mark Ryden.
And musicians, again, not in terms of influence necessarily, but just as somebody who's kind of set a, a, a road map a little bit, um, I'd say, York. That's a, that answer makes sense. That I can see that one will work. Okay.
Um, well, thank you. What I see is we're at the end of the time for us up here. So we're going to go to questions from you guys for a few minutes. Um, we're starting in here, or from, from, we're starting right there. Thanks for coming.
I love your music and your style. And Dollhouse, for my group of friends, has almost become a catchphrase. You know, we'll be out, a couple be fighting, and then we see them post a picture on Instagram and it's like, Dollhouse. What did that, how did you come up with that concept? I just love it. And, you know, I'm not trying to reinterpret, maybe if that's not what you meant, I'm not saying that is what it means, but I just love the idea of how perfect the dollhouse looks, or how perfect people's lives could look when they're not. And where did that kind of come from?
I mean, really, just, I think that we all can kind of relate to that. I mean, we all have, you know, things that we keep to ourselves and we bottle up and we don't necessarily, like, post online or, you know. So nobody really knows that part of our lives, but, you know, there's always like this like perfect, you know, like picture on the outside. So I, I really just wanted to, you know, focus on that.
Hey Melanie, TGF. Um, it's true, it's Friday. Come on, guys. Um, first and foremost, uh, I always appreciate when somebody puts an outfit together that's a little bit different from what everybody else is doing. It's very easy to blend in, but to make a statement, I think that, uh, deserves some props. So, respect. Thank you. Um, is there a particular way that you put a certain style together for yourself? Do you wake up one day and go, okay, this is something I want to do, or does it kind of random?
Um, it's always a random, but I love vintage, uh, clothing. I really do. Like, um, this isn't vintage, but this underneath is, and this is, and the hat is, and the boots are. But, um, yeah, I don't know. And I love pastel colors. So it's really just whatever catches my eye, I'll just throw on, have fun.
Um, hey Melanie, uh, my question is, is what is your inspiration for your hair? Like, what, what like inspired you to do it? I hope we've got the reverse angle into the audience on, uh, Cruella de Vil when I was 16, actually. Actually, when I was 16, my mom never let me bleach my hair. Um, so I, I don't know, I wanted to do it anyway. And I was watching 101 Dalmatians and I told my mom I would dye my hair like Cruella de Vil. And she was like, no, you're not. And I was like, yeah, I am. And then, and then I called her, uh, while I was getting done. I was like, I'm just letting you know, like, I'm coming home with half of my head bleached. I hope that's cool. She was just like, she's like, I don't believe you. And then, then she didn't believe me. And then I came home and she didn't talk to me for like a week. But, but I mean, she likes it now, but it's, it was just funny in the moment. Yeah, that's awesome.
Um, hi there. Hi. Uh, you're inspired by Mark Ryden and Tim Burton and so many other amazing surreal artists. Um, how does it feel knowing that you are inspiring others with your work?
I mean, it's crazy because I literally, you know, I don't really know that to its full extent. Like, I don't really know exactly, you know, who I'm inspiring. So I don't really think about things like that. But I mean, it is really special. I, I definitely, you know, encourage everyone to create. And if they're inspired, you know, by me, I think that's really cool and awesome. Thank you.
Is it, is it a thing that you hear, you know, as you're out in the world and and doing stuff? I mean, is this, this sense that you have an impact that people are taking something from what it is that you're doing? Is this, uh, is it, did you expect to be hearing that? And and how is it to be?
No, it's, I mean, it's weird. I'm literally just like, I'm, I don't, you know, necessarily understand it because I obviously, you know, think of myself differently than someone else would think of me. You know, I, yeah, so I don't really know. I didn't expect it at all. Um, but it is really cool, you know, meeting people and hearing how my music has helped them in some way or another, or inspire them to create something. I think that's really cool.
We can do one more right there.
Hey, you performed great last night. Thank you. Um, I'm just curious if you were, if your intentions were to make another soap video like you had a first one, but then you made another one. Did you plan to do that?
Okay, so if you want to know the actual story, um, originally we were supposed to shoot a soap video and then it didn't happen and wasn't, we couldn't get it to happen in the beginning. Um, so I just decided to take it into my own hands and kind of just have some friends over at the hotel and like make a visualizer for it until I knew was time to actually make a full, like soap video. And also like the soap and Training Wheels, uh, the two songs together in a video. I think, um, I really just wanted to make a double, you know, music video with those two. And there, there's a couple others in the album that I want to make another double feature for too. But yeah.
Everybody, thank you in the room. Thank you for watching at home. Thank you, Melanie Martinez. Thank you, Crybaby. Get it. Love it. And we'll see you soon. Yes.