With vintage alt-pop sounds and dreamy indie-pop vibes, emerging artist Litany has been channelling ‘90s pop, gaming and youthful romance’ into a stream of incredible release. Possessing a gift for crafting songs, which are both acutely personal yet universally understood; Litany’s rise continues as she shares her brand new track Starsign which was released last month. Representing her first new release since her sophomore EP Single Player Mode last year, Litany is back and better than ever. Following the release of the single, we sat down with the songstress to chat about the new track, her musical influences, and life during 2020. For the full interview with Litany, keep on reading!
BM: For those who don’t know you already; introduce yourself, and tell us a bit more about your music.
LITANY: Hello! I’ve been making music as Litany for 5 years or so as a form of escapism from this ever crazier reality we’re all living in. I create nostalgia-ridden music that’s boppy, poppy and sometimes soppy.
BM: Back with your first release of the year, you just dropped your brand new single – Starsign. What was the overall message you wanted to project with the track?
LITANY: Starsign is a summary of the painstaking 5 years (ish) of being a single, career driven woman. I’d go through crippling yet fleeting periods of loneliness and in the height of feeling sorry for myself, would often download an online dating app. Most of the time, it was a sack of shit and would delete it after mindlessly scrolling for two hours whilst sobbing into a glass of wine. Other times, you stumble upon an Adonis. I’m talking tens across the board but you end up fucking it up because ultimately you’re not ready for commitment – and that’s ok!
BM: Starsign marks your first release since you dropped your second EP – Single Player Mode – last year. What made you feel that Starsign was the right choice for your next release?
LITANY: Well Starsign was written at an almost similar time to my Single Player Mode EP and was due to come out earlier this year but then you know what happened and ruined everyone’s best laid plans for the foreseeable. That said, it feels like it’s come out just at the right time. I know I definitely needed a pick-me-up and my fans did too.
BM: What made you settle on Starsign as the single title?
LITANY: Believe it or not, I wrote this chorus in a dream. There’s a voice note on my phone with a very groggy me at 4:30am humming the melody and when listening back the following day, the only word decipherable was ‘Starsign’ and immediately I knew that was the title and set to writing around it.
BM: Since your debut release, Work This Out, back in 2015; how would you say your sound has changed and developed over the last 5 years?
LITANY: I think its changed a lot in 5 years, it changes with every writing session I do really! *laughs* I’ve always been really into tasteful pop music but my love has grown immeasurably over the last couple years and I think that’s had a massive impact on my latest body of work. My earlier work is a lot more, ‘chill’ and at the time that was what I wanted to make but I feel my confidence has grown in my writing and vocal abilities and I think my natural instinct is to create music to showcase that.
BM: During this crazy and unprecedented year, how have you managed to stay creative and artistic? How has your creative process changed?
LITANY: I’ve actually really struggled to stay creative during lockdown. I found it incredibly difficult for my get up and go especially seen as my tour got postponed (and now ultimately cancelled) two days before we were due to go out on the road. I felt as though I was grieving for most of it but definitely have my boyfriend to thank for helping me get out of the funk. Whilst the world was baking banana bread, we decided to start writing a cookbook to document our culinary triumphs during quarantine. I was certain that my skills peaked at pesto pasta but a couple of phenomenal curries later, it seems I massively underestimated my talents in the kitchen.
BM: Who are some musicians and artists that have influenced your unique sound, and inspired you over the last several months?
LITANY: Over the last year or so, I have referenced Robyn and Metronomy perhaps most frequently when in writing sessions. Robyn is the queen of left-field pop and Metronomy her court. I am so inspired by the soundscapes Joseph Mount creates and the whimsical nature of the music he produces. When that was paired with Robyn’s visions on ‘Honey’ it flicked a switch in my brain and opened my eyes to a realm of possibility in my own writing! ALSO I cannot begin to express how much I love Caroline Polachek. I got to see her live just before the chaos started and she performed her album ‘Pang’ from start to finish and it well and truly blew my mind.
BM: How have you managed to stay connected with your fans during quarantine?
LITANY: Well as I say, I wasn’t really connecting with anyone for a good chunk of it. I kinda went a little AWOL with the odd instagram stories appearance when I wasn’t feeling crappy. I’m the kind of person that feels their best when they’re busy!
BM: What can we expect from you, musically, for the rest of 2020?
LITANY: Without giving too much away… The next single I put out this year is probably my favourite I have ever written and it’s just a smasher. Can’t wait for everyone to hear it!
Such a pleasure to chat to the incredible singer; to keep up with Litany and her musical journey, head over to her socials for all her latest releases and news @litanymusic
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