Q&A: awfultune "Dear Sarah"
☆ By SAACHI GUPTA ☆
WITH OVER 1 MILLION MONTHLY LISTENERS ON SPOTIFY ALONE - awfultune's music has become a safe haven for the LGBTQ+ and trans community all over the world. Layla Eden, who releases music under this name, has five stunningly vulnerable albums out for the world to see, and a deep two-way connection with her listeners.
The singer and musician started creating music as — in her own words — “a sad teenager”, and has now grown into a happier adult. This process of “healing and getting better”, she believes, is something that the media never showcases, but is extremely important. Her own music has begun to portray these feelings of happiness and euphoria, as she flourishes.
Her newest EP Dear Sarah, out now, continues the story of Layla's bolder alter ego Sarah from the popular “I Met Sarah in The Bathroom.” The record, consisting of five alternative/indie tracks, is dreamy and honest, quintessential awfultune. Met the Sarah by listening to the new EP and read below to learn more from Layla regarding the EP, her creative process and more.
Luna: Congrats on your latest EP Dear Sarah! How are you doing lately? How do you feel about this release?
EDEN: Thank you so much! I’ve been doing pretty good. I’m very happy these songs are finally out! It’s so cool to see the entire story put together in a little album. I really hope the fans enjoy it!
Luna: The EP is a mix of some of your previous work from michael and layla. Can you share a bit about the making of the project and the process of putting it all together?
EDEN: For sure! I think what’s so cool about the Dear Sarah EP is that it’s not only a continuation to the first part but it has little interludes that tell more of the story and joins all of the parts together to the very end.
Dear Sarah came so naturally, believe it or not. I always had an idea of where Sarah and Layla’s story ended up after the party (“I Met Sarah In The Bathroom”), but it’s really incredible to put it together and see it take off.
Luna: Sarah represents your bolder, uninhibited alter ego. What did you like about creating a character to write about?
EDEN: I actually used to make stories and draw little characters in middle school and early high school, so all of this came pretty natural to me. I really enjoy making up characters and it's definitely one of my favorite things to do. Sarah’s character was especially fun because she was the exact opposite of Layla and I had a lot of things to play around with!
Luna: How often are you thinking of the listener when you’re writing?
EDEN: I think it’s different for every song or project. For me, sometimes if I’m trying to make a statement or writing inspirational content that I know is going to resonate with others, the listeners are on my mind. If I’m making a song that’s pretty vulnerable and about personal experiences, I usually am writing from a place where it doesn’t really matter what other people think because it’s for me. It all depends.
LUNA: michael, layla, and Dear Sarah are definitely standout bodies of work in your discography. You are also very transparent and present with your fans on social media. You don’t hide, even when it hurts. Your fans have grown with you, and on that note you say that every version of you represented in these releases is a version of you coexisting with a version of you that you are or that you are becoming. Can you explain your thought process when sharing these intimate moments with the world? I imagine it can be terrifying!
EDEN: You’re right! It is completely terrifying. Sometimes even downright uncomfortable. It’s like a diary entry that millions of people are reading. That kind of vulnerability is what resonates with people most though. I find if I were to write a song about something I wasn’t passionate about or experienced myself, then it wouldn’t be as authentic. I’ve grown and changed enough to the point where I’m not afraid of who I used to be. Every version of myself is my truth regardless even if I’m not attached to that person anymore. I’d rather face it than run away from it.
LUNA: From our phone call there were two things you said that moved me and were super quotable! “Evolve or repeat. Those are the only options.” And that your project is about not just your literal transition but your “transition to becoming happy.” People don’t really talk about the process ... everything is perfect or everything is messed up and you're at rock bottom! Can you tell us about the middle of that spectrum though?*
EDEN: I think a lot of media showcases the bad and the ugly above all. It’s relatable! Everyones been here before and this will do great! Sure yes, everyone’s been sad and hit the bottom before but like exactly what you said, I really think we need to start normalizing healing and getting better. I started awfultune as a sad teenager and over time grew intensely into a happy adult. It’s really easy to sing about heartbreak and be cynical, but with projects like layla and my unreleased music, I really don’t shy away from the topic of getting better and being more confident, even if that’s not what's particularly ‘in’ right now.
LUNA: In addition to this EP, you’ll be releasing a mini documentary that touches on your journey as an individual and artist. What can you share about this documentary?
EDEN: The documentary film is more based around my facial feminization surgery I got earlier this month. It’s basically just a peek into the FaceTime consultation with Dr. Jeffrey Spiegel and little vlogs of the pre-surgery process and recovery process. It’s really cool and I think it would benefit a lot of my trans listeners that are interested in these things.
Luna: You keep a really open relationship with your fans and listeners online which is great. What do you want people to take away from this EP?
EDEN: I think they should take whatever they want to take from it! I feel like once I put out for my art, it’s completely up for interpretation. I just hope they aren’t too upset with the ending!
Luna: Aside from music, are there any other creative avenues you’d like to explore more?
EDEN: I would really like to dive into photography and filmmaking more when I get the chance. Music definitely plays a huge role in my life so it would be really fun to blend the two!
Luna: A fun one: share the last photo in your camera roll.
EDEN: Don’t ask me the reason... I have none. Just a really beautiful photo.
Luna: As the year winds down, what do you hope the upcoming months have in store for you?
EDEN: I’m really pumped for the unreleased music to be out there! That’s a really huge one. I wish live performances weren’t so difficult to do these days because I’d love to get into that. I guess we’ll see! Only time can tell.
*Question by Jenny Hossain
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