In Conversation: Kylie V
Kylie V is a young singer/songwriter based out of Vancouver. They released their first self-recorded collection of songs, Lotus Eater at the age of 15, generating a ton of local buzz and attracting the attention of a lot of established artists within the Vancouver music scene. Their debut album Big Blue, produced by Harley Small (Peach Pit) was released on February 28th and named a Cups N Cakes “Pick Of The Week.” Rather than sit down for a conversation in real time, we conducted an interview via email correspondence, which allowed Kylie to offer some very detailed answers, and got me out of a bunch of typing.
<><><><><>
Shaun Lee: You recorded this album with Harley Small, who is best known for his work with Peach Pit. What was the division of labour like between you two? Beyond his role as engineer, what production aesthetic did he bring to the table?
Kylie V: Working with Harley was awesome. I had no idea what to expect, seeing as this was my first proper studio-recorded project, but I really enjoyed working with him. I'm definitely a huge perfectionist and a bit of a control freak about my music, so I would give him really detailed lists of notes and references to other songs for each track so the work on his end would match up with exactly what I wanted it to sound like. He did all the recording and mixing work and he did an incredible job of it, while I would just give him a borderline-annoying amount of details to get him to make each song sound exactly like how I would imagine the ideal finished product. He brought his own share of ideas in too, and during the mixing process added some synths and tambourine etc. that I wasn't expecting until I heard the bounces but I absolutely love it. Harley is ridiculously good at what he does, and I'm really grateful that he put up with my perfectionism and helped me make this album sound good.
Shaun Lee: Your backing band, The Kings, is made up of twin brothers. Did you find there was any sort of “psychic synergy” in their playing?
Kylie V: Yes and no. I feel like since they're bandmates in Sleepy Gonzales and grew up playing music together they definitely have a sort of sync that's really fun to work with. We had to record bass remotely due to Covid so there wasn't a lot that I got to experience but their playing styles blend together really naturally and have a lot of character. We pick up songs really easily together, and the first time we ever played Big Blue live at a show was the same day we learned it.
Shaun Lee: Aside from the single, “510,” most of the songs on the album are pretty sprawling with regards to their running time, especially compared to your previous release Lotus Eater. Was this just a function of having a backing band to flesh them out, or were you consciously trying to write something more epic in scope?
Kylie V: I write alone--the co-writing credits for the twins are mostly from me showing them partially or fully finished songs and asking for advice/edits (which I notoriously don't take a lot of) or just little things that came up in practice. I think my writing longer songs has to do with how I've gotten more comfortable writing since Lotus Eater. I'm still writing songs because I mentally need to, but with time and practice I've realized my current style and taste a lot more which I think contributes to that. Plus, as is obvious from my responses, I tend to write in long run-on sentences.
Shaun Lee: What was your reasoning behind picking the track Big Blue for the album title?
Kylie V: When I wrote the title track it sort of instantly clicked for me. I think it's the most epic-sounding track on the record so it naturally deserved a big spot for me. Besides the fact that this project is so much bigger than my previous work, the meaning of the song kind of covers everything I write about (to an extent). Big Blue is about being neurodivergent and having really big, overwhelming feelings, all-encompassing like the ocean. Sort of ironically, I joke about wanting to just walk into the ocean to take a break from it. That feeling of being really overwhelmed by my own emotions comes up a lot on the album.
Shaun Lee: Before you made your debut on the Vancouver music scene, you were already a well known fixture at gigs for your enthusiastic support for a number of local bands. How do you think your fandom has informed your current career? It definitely seems to me as though there was a real reciprocity from the Vancouver music scene with regards to returning the support that you had given them in your youth.
Kylie V: I definitely think being a sort of superfan of local music brought me to where I am today. I wouldn't have played my first show without the help of my now good friend Tim (aka Tim the Mute) and he's been really beneficial in navigating this industry so far. Some of my favourite local artists that I originally really looked up to (Future Star, the members of Sleepy Gonzales to name a few) I can now call great friends! The Vancouver music scene has generally been so kind and helpful to me building my career. I don't think I would have gotten nearly as far as I have if it weren't for the support of people in the local scene, and I'm endlessly grateful for it.
Shaun Lee: There’s been a real trajectory between the development of your first batch of songs, collected as Lotus Eater and Big Blue. I definitely think you could have kept recording intimate acoustic songs and retained your popularity, but you went for a more expansive, band-oriented feel for this record. Was it always your plan to eventually develop this project into an electric band format?
Kylie V: I started learning electric guitar before acoustic, and I've always wanted to be able to make my songs sound more fleshed-out than just acoustic. I'm going to do more acoustic things on the next record but for this one it was all about figuring out how to build the exact sound I wanted. With a more expansive feel it's more exciting to work with because there are so many variables, but it can also get really overwhelming. I like having the option to bring more into my music than just myself, and I think I did a fair bit of experimenting with that on the first album.
Shaun Lee: How does the persona of Kylie V differ from Kylie Van Slyke the person?
Kylie V: I don't think they're that different at all. I think it's a huge and important part of me, and not really a persona at all unless I'm doing super professional stuff and have to follow those rules. I never really put on any stage persona or try to emulate a character in my writing or behaviour or anything that isn't mostly myself. Maybe the only difference is that Kylie V is sort of a curated artistic persona for the public, and I spend most of my time in my messy room with messy hair and weird interests. It's just the way I present myself as an artist, as opposed to showing every facet of my personality, which would probably just be really intense. I try not to mask that too much either though.
Shaun Lee: Your album cover, shot by Lauren Ray of the band Jock Tears, shows quite a stylistic change in your image from your early days. There’s an aspect of cold, Berlin era glam there, reminiscent of the singer Nico. What was the inspiration for the look and photo concept
Kylie V: We actually went through about 3 shoots trying to get the perfect cover. The first iteration was shot in the art room at Red Gate in Vancouver, and we found this really cool light that made an awesome texture on the photos, sort of reminiscent of light reflecting off the ocean. Then Covid hit, and the album was delayed a lot. I wanted the cover to show the vibe of the finished product, and where I was at after the growth of that absolute hell-year. I ended up going into the water at Centennial Beach in Tsawwassen twice in pursuit of a cover with the full moon on it (it was cloudy during the first shoot). The second time, in late September, when I got home I could barely feel the bottom half of my body and my feet were so cold and pale I could barely discern them from the white floor of the shower. Luckily, third shoot's a charm--and every shoot's a charm with Lauren, she's the absolute best and so fun to work with. The final cover, as well as the covers of 510 and Natural/Solace are edited by my super talented friend Krystina.
As for the concept, the "big blue" refers to the ocean. The full moon tends to symbolize completion and celebration of growth, and that resonated because completing this album was a huge deal for me. My look on the cover was meant to be pretty simple, just a white t-shirt, dark nails and lipstick, and pretty minimal makeup otherwise.
Shaun Lee: Your electric guitar plays a way bigger role on this record than it did on Lotus Eater. How did you develop your lead playing prior to the album? Who were your main influences?
Kylie V: Chris Vanderkooy of Peach Pit fame originally inspired me to learn guitar when I was about 14 (and he plays slide on Cathedral). He's definitely a big influence on my playing, as well as Lindsey Jordan from Snail Mail, Christian Lee Hutson, and Adrianne Lenker and Buck Meek from Big Thief.
Shaun Lee: Lotus Eater struck me as a really personal, self reflective batch of songs, whereas the songs on Big Blue seem to be for the most written to and about other people in your life. Would you agree that this album tends to look outward more for inspiration?
Kylie V: I wouldn't disagree, I've definitely written lines for a lot of my friends on Big Blue. But a lot of the people I sing to on this record are either parts of myself or made up. Adrianne Lenker said in an interview once that a lot of the names she mentions in her songwriting she considers a part of herself, and I relate to that a lot. My songs are usually written about a combination of a few people or scenarios, and in the process of combining them into art I feel like they just become a self-reflection or a part of me, rather than directed at anyone in particular.
Shaun Lee: You’ve always worn your influences really proudly, and have been known for doing some really great covers of bands both famous and local. Is there a particular artist or group that you’d like to model your career after?
Kylie V: Phoebe Bridgers is the first one that comes to mind. I'm a huge fan of her and I really admire how successful she's gotten recently while just being herself. Her songwriting is super personal and honest, something that I try hard to do as well, and she doesn't take herself too seriously. She's also surrounded by really talented fellow musicians (including some of my absolute favourites), like Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes, Haley Dahl from Sloppy Jane, Christian Lee Hutson, and Charlie Hickey.
Shaun Lee: Vancouver currently has a really strong music scene, with a lot of younger bands breaking out and finding an audience. Is there anyone currently in your circle that you recommend we check out?
Kylie V: Definitely! I'm biased since we're great friends but Sleepy Gonzales is my favourite local band, and their singer Ally has a great solo project called Sally. Some other amazingly talented local pals include Future Star, Tim The Mute, Babe Corner, Haley Blais, Club Sofa, Primp, Non La, and The Sprouts, to name a few.
Shaun Lee: Who would you consider the best musical artist in the world right now?
Kylie V: I think Adrianne Lenker from Big Thief is one of the best songwriters of our time. Every song she's written just hits me emotionally in such a specific way that no other artist has. She's just out there doing exactly what she wants to do artistically, and it's captivating.
Shaun Lee: Fundamentally, do you find that there is a grand unifying theme expressed in your music, or any defining traits that govern your writing?
Kylie V: I don't think there's much of a unifying theme in my music, but I tend to write about the same experiences over and over from different perspectives as I go through them. My songwriting style is constantly evolving, but I try really hard to be as honest with myself as possible in my lyrics because I really admire that in other people's writing. I write a lot about my feelings, but I tend to layer sensitive things under metaphors, personal symbolism/associations in my brain, or things that aren't exactly obvious. A lot of people comment on the imagery in my lyrics and that's where a lot of it comes from. Being neurodivergent is also a defining trait for my writing, as it makes me approach my feelings and things that are significant to me differently than I would if I wasn't autistic. I associate things in my brain really strongly which makes for some fun symbolism, as previously mentioned.
As for this album, I think it has a good mix of older songs (On My Mind, Let You Know, Cathedral) and new ones with a slightly different style (Big Blue, One Fluid Motion, A Story) and while that might not be noticeable it definitely marks a sort of artistic transitional period for me.
Shaun Lee: To what extent have you planned your artistic career? Do you have any specific goals or ideas about where you want to take yourself?
Kylie V: At risk of sounding self-obsessive, I think about it a lot. I'm currently doing all my own PR, distribution, and all the other work, so I'm constantly thinking about it or doing little bits of work. I want to be successful with my music because to myself I make music out of necessity. I would probably die if I didn't make music, and now that I have a little bit of traction going it makes reasonable success look attainable. But I'd keep making music even if I had to work a side job for the rest of my life, so the goal is to make it to a point where I don't have to do that.
Shaun Lee: On Lotus Eater, you sing “I am a fire belly toad.” If Big Blue had a similar metaphor, what kind of an animal would it be?
Kylie V: I'm actually not sure about this one! I've been using shark emojis promoting it, but I think the creature is just me.
Shaun Lee: Tegan Wahlgren is all over this record, playing some really tasteful string arrangements. Are there any plans for including them in the live act?
Kylie V: I haven't brought it up to Tegan but I loved working with them and I would love to have them as a live band member! I think they're incredibly talented and having violin in my live sets would be awesome.
Shaun Lee: Are there any b-sides or songs that didn’t make the final cut?
Kylie V: I probably planned out this album a hundred times before actually making it, so there are definitely a bunch of scrapped songs that never went anywhere. By the time we started recording I had definitely settled on 10 songs for the album, and One Fluid Motion was written over summer 2020 and tossed in last-minute. So there aren't any recorded b-sides or anything like that, but there are a good handful of songs that probably won't ever go anywhere now.
Shaun Lee: If you could pick how people listen to this, what conditions would you choose? Like, would it sound best on a car stereo or headphones? Is it a bedtime album, a bath album or a biking album?
Kylie V: I think it's definitely a headphones album, to me the experience of at least mid-quality headphones is better than just out of a mediocre speaker. I like listening to music on walks or bike rides but I have to be in the right mood to listen to a super emotional album in public. Some other ideal places I think would be a bath, a long drive or transit ride in the dark, a forest, your bed, or the ocean if you can somehow make it in there.