Q&A: CARR’s Newest Single "Loser" Is Inspired By Shitty Men and Miranda Cosgrove
WE’RE IN AN ERA WHERE IT’S OKAY, AND MAYBE EVEN ENCOURAGED — to publicly shame your ex. We saw that with the release of Olivia Rodrigo’s debut album, Sour, where the world watched her detail every emotion of her very public breakup. LA-based artist CARR brings this same energy with her newest single, “Loser,” by mocking an ex through early 2000s-inspired pop-punk music. The song is an upbeat anthem for anyone with a shitty ex who can sing along to lyrics like “Low life, go die.” The exaggerated and brutally honest lyrics have a similar energy to scribbling in your notebook or venting to a best friend, which makes CARR’s music an amazing coming-of-age soundtrack, especially when paired with its early 2000s pop-punk sound.
Her songs read like pages of a diary, whether she’s venting about a failed relationship or reminiscing on past love. Through a classic dreamy indie style, CARR is brutally honest in her lyrics and tells you exactly who she is. The song “Loser” is the first look at her larger project, coming this fall. Read below to get to know more about CARR.
LUNA: Hi! So excited to be interviewing you! How have you been?
CARR: Thanks for interviewing me, I’m excited too :) I have been good!! Time is going by so fast I can’t believe it’s already about to be August.
LUNA: Your songwriting has been described as “diaristic.” Have you always used songwriting as an outlet to share what’s on your mind?
CARR: For sure! I feel like it’s honestly the only way I know how to write songs. Everything I write about is 100% real to my life and I find it just comes out way easier that way — it’s like free therapy for me.
LUNA: Your music seems to be the perfect soundtrack for this generation’s coming-of-age. Do you make music hoping that a lot of people can relate to what you’ve been through?
CARR: Wow, what a compliment — that’s my favorite vibe (laughs). I definitely make music based on my own life like I said earlier, but when other people relate to my own life and are clearly going through the same things I am, that's the best. I feel like it is very relatable because it’s mainly the realness of me struggling to navigate through my twenties.
LUNA: I noticed in your “Shampoo” music video, you have a phone number on screen for a McDonald’s in Alpine, Texas. Do you often use humor in your creative process, and does it help get over the growing pains you often talk about in your music?
CARR: Hahaha. My friend Taylor who directed the video found that number — we were trying to find the most random possible number that people would look up. So I’m glad you caught it. I definitely use humor to get over everything. I feel like it’s the only way. It makes the pain hurt a little bit less.
LUNA: Can you talk me through the creative process of making your new single “Loser”?
CARR: Yes! The process was really casual. Me and my two good friends, Zach and John Michael, were just fucking around in a session one day. We were drinking and listening to Miranda Cosgrove songs and talking shit about men. Then we kind of just messed around and made the song mostly for jokes, but when it was finished we were like, “Wow, we just made a banger somehow.” It was honestly the most fun I've ever had in a session.
LUNA: What was your experience with making the music video?
CARR: Making the video was a blast. I'm obsessed with horror movies, so I was so excited to be covered in blood running around the city. People were terrified and everyone seemed so confused. It was amazing. The girls that directed it from Pond Creative are awesome at what they do so the process was just overall really great and easy.
LUNA: A lot of your music videos have a retro feel to them. Where do some of your ideas come from for your visuals and aesthetics?
CARR: I started out making my visuals by myself or with friends just because I didn't have a lot of money, so everything from the very beginning always had a DIY feel to it. I try to keep that same vibe and everything dark just because that’s what I like visually. When I made a moodboard for this project it had a lot of inspiration from old horror movies and Wong Kar Wai, who's visually one of my favorite directors.
LUNA: Do you have any plans for live performances coming up?
CARR: I do! I think I'd get in trouble if I told you exactly when, but I'll be playing this fall :)
LUNA: Can you talk about any upcoming projects?
CARR: “Loser” is the first song of my upcoming project. Technically I'm not allowed to say when or what yet (boring), but something is coming and I'm so excited for it.
LUNA: Finally, if you could only listen to three albums for the rest of your life, what would they be?
CARR: Oh wow. This is hard and I'm bad at this. I would say off the top of my head Either/Or by Elliot Smith, Wiped Out from The Neighborhood, and Speak Now by Taylor Swift.
CONNECT WITH XX
SPOTIFY
-
weekly tunes playlist has been updated! new tracks from @furtradeband, @pecqband, @garryfool & more! check it out! https://t.co/ToFU0R6YGo -
-
RT @oliviaborch: new @LunaCollective out todayyy shot by @alltookev ✨ @P1H_official editorial design by me ! https://t.co/cvSCKsWB5D
-
RT @rlyblonde: @AnnieDirusso for @LunaCollective shot by me #35mm #portra800 https://t.co/0UUJSCBGcH
