Q&A: Boyish Captivates Nostalgia and Melancholy With “Howls”
JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF MELANCHOLY WITH SWEETNESS — Boyish — the Brooklyn-based queer indie duo with singer-songwriter India Shore and guitarist Claire Altendahl — is creating music meant to resonate nostalgically. Their sound combines mellow guitar notes with smooth and sweet vocals that completely transport you to your own little world of memories.
Their most popular song, “Fuck You Heather,” which has reached nearly 1 million listens on Spotify, starts off gratifyingly with a slow guitar melody before introducing the smooth vocals of India Shore. The track includes a little unique noise and empowering drums to create a feeling of anxiety mixed with a bittersweet frustration as you get to the 2:18 mark, where Shore’s scream cues the powerful outro.
On another side of Boyish, their single “Superstar” is a honeyed tune with hints of pain, combining relatable lyrics and indie cinematic-sounding melodies that create a sense of empowerment that a protagonist would feel in a significant part of a movie. With so much contrast but so much uniqueness, Boyish will make you feel like your world is a cinematic masterpiece.
Their new single, “Howls,” — inspired by the Studio Ghibli movie Howl’s Moving Castle — is the perfect example of all the elements that the duo can incorporate into their music to create their unique sound.
Read down below to see what inspired this new single and dive into the world of Boyish.
LUNA: To start off, how are you guys? How is 2021 so far for you guys?
BOYISH: 2021 is going a lot better than 2020, though we do miss sitting on the couch playing Sims all day.
LUNA: I listened to your new single, “Howls,” which I love so much. It’s full of sweetness but also a bit of melancholy. Your music overall is just the perfect balance of bittersweetness that you can get lost in — what inspired this specific sound?
BOYISH: We love to write from a place of nostalgia. Over quarantine when we were writing this new EP and “Howls,” we didn’t have a lot of current life events that were inspiring, so we were left to look to the past for emotions and experiences. Those memories felt kind of heavy since the world has changed so much, and I think that translated into the bittersweet sound.
LUNA: You guys have an upcoming EP! We're all gonna die but here's my contribution which is already an interesting and captivating title. What are the elements that this EP will explore? Both personal and sonically.
BOYISH: This EP is about queer love, fandoms, shitty jobs, long-distance relationships, and a whole lot of other stuff mixed in. The title of the EP is about how nothing is forever but the work you put out will outlive you, so even though it all feels a bit pointless, this EP will be our contribution to society and our place in history. Sonically we explore more of a shoegaze-y vibe. The EP seems to have revolved more around guitar parts in alternate/open tunings.
LUNA: We're all gonna die but here's my contribution has been something you have been working on for a while now! Are there any significant moments from making this EP that have stuck with you?
BOYISH: We started recording it in July of 2020 in the middle of the pandemic, while India was in Minneapolis. We were just recording it in my (Claire) childhood bedroom. One of my favorite things about recording at home is that my dog Leo is in on every recording session. He is a big golden retriever and he loves to hear us work on music. You can always tell if he likes a song because he will start thumping his tail after you’re done playing, so I always double check for his approval before anything is released. He was there from the beginning of every song on this EP and loved to lay right at India’s feet while recording vocals. I think his favorite song was “Howls.”
LUNA: Touching more on inspiration, “Howls” was inspired by the anime film, Howl’s Moving Castle, which I am a big fan of as well, so it’s really cool to see a song about this. You guys created this song to sonically feel like you’re in the meadow with Howl as he eats a fallen star, which makes the song ten times better if you’re a Howl fan. Do you guys often draw inspiration from other creative formats like films? What does the process after that look like?
BOYISH: This is the first song we’ve actually written based on a film. We wrote it because we were so bored in the pandemic that we watched a lot of movies and found inspiration in the emotions the characters went through. The song is less about the plot of the movie and more about the relationship between Howl and Sophie. They are such complex characters and have such a beautiful connection, but their relationship takes a lot of turns. “Howls” was interesting because we basically fused two songs together to make the verses and choruses. India had come up with the idea to write about the movie and we both took off with two different songs that somehow fit together very well.
LUNA: Sonically, you guys have done almost everything. Implementing new sounds, genres, and different tempos in both vocals and beats. Is there anything you guys want to try out in your music?
BOYISH: I think something we want to really play around with next is form. I love songs that don’t follow the traditional verse, pre-chorus, chorus formula, and I feel like it’s becoming more and more popular in music today to get rid of that and write in a way that feels right for that specific song. I feel like it could be a really fun challenge to do away with form.
LUNA: You guys are based in Brooklyn, NY, and I know New York has an interesting music scene. There is always something different and new going on. How would you say that the NY music scene has inspired you guys?
BOYISH: I think it is so inspiring to just see what people in New York are coming up with and how they translate it into a live setting. Every time I see a live band in New York, I leave the show feeling inspired and curious!
LUNA: Looking back at your first project, Carnation, to your upcoming project, We're all gonna die but here's my contribution, do you feel that a lot has changed? Both sonically and personally.
BOYISH: Yeah completely. I feel like both Claire and I are just entirely different people than when we started making music together. Over time people just change whether they want to or not! We also figured out what we wanted to sound like, which took us a really long time! Beyond just figuring out what we wanted to sound like, we had to figure out how to actually create that — in terms of production and writing. I think we’ve become way better producers and writers from Carnation to now (I hope). I’m still really proud of Carnation and Garden Spider — they represent the best we could do at the time we made it, so it’s cool to listen to our music evolve.
LUNA: I know that the two of you coming together to make music happened by chance. India needed a guitarist for an audition tape and Claire volunteered, and you soon realized that you guys are compatible in music. Do you guys have any advice to young artists wondering how they can find a creative partner?
BOYISH: I think Claire and I were super lucky, just because we clicked so fast. But I would say work with as many people as possible, and figure out what works best for you! I also feel like trust is the main thing you need with someone you make music with. If you find someone you trust with your ideas, or trust not to make you feel dumb, or trust to listen to you, they’re a keeper!
LUNA: On a more fun(ish) note, I like to ask this tough question a lot, but if you guys were stranded on an island and could only have three records with you, what would they be?
BOYISH: That’s such a hard question.
INDIA: Melodrama by Lorde, Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers, and if i could make it go quiet by girl in red.
CLAIRE: Melodrama by Lorde (laughs), Boys and Girls by Alabama Shakes, Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes.
LUNA: Wrapping it up, I’m really excited for everyone to listen to We're all gonna die but here's my contribution — is there anything else we should expect from you guys in 2021, and how do you hope the rest of the year will go?
BOYISH: Ooooh we’re working on new music, so that should come out at some point — not sure if it’s another EP or an album or some singles yet, but definitely new music! We hope to play lots of live shows this year!!!
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