Q&A: Poolblood
THEY'RE PAVING THE WAY FOR MANY - and they're doing it without a care in the world. The artist behind Poolblood, Maryam (she/them), is working to find their space in the music scene and make that space bigger for those like themself. As the newest artist on Shamir's record label, Poolblood has been crafting their alt-dream sound to create their upcoming EP, Yummy. Read on to hear more about the creative process behind the EP, their evolution as an artist and more.
LUNA: For those that don’t know you yet, would you mind introducing yourself?
MARYAM: Hi! My name is Maryam! And I write under Poolblood :-)
LUNA: Are there any common themes you’re drawn to writing about?
MARYAM: Hm, l usually write about personal experiences and sometimes, people I want to be! I draw on themes of loss a lot and being in your early 20s.
LUNA: How has your creative process evolved as you’ve developed as an artist?
MARYAM: I am able to write under pressure now! I wrote this EP in 3 days so it taught me a lot about myself as a writer and an artist! I usually take weeks to complete a song because I will have the base sketched out but will wait a bit for more embellishments to come to mind!
LUNA: I would love to hear more about the “Dreamer” music video - there’s a lot going on in it and it’s dope! How did the idea for it all come about and what was it like making?
MARYAM: Thank you! I love 90s alt-rock and I wanted to use the tropes of great 90s teen pop songs/alt songs. I thought of all the great teen movies I grew up on with amazing soundtracks and went from there! I was thinking of the Clueless soundtrack which had a lot of Radiohead, who I love, and 10 Things I Hate About You which had letters to Cleo, another band I love. Making the song was very fun because it transformed right in front of my eyes thanks to Shamir's expertise.
LUNA: What advice do you have for those that are underrepresented trying to find their way in the music industry?
MARYAM: I think it’s important for them to keep working on their craft because there will be space for you. I’m working as hard as I can to make that space very accessible and so is Shamir, who started his label to help people like me!
LUNA: Sonically, what can we expect from your upcoming EP Yummy? How do you compare it to your previous music?
MARYAM: I think just a lot of noise! I moved a bit away from my earlier acoustic stuff because I wanted to experiment with different sounds. This EP is an ode to my love for the 90s and the 90s bands that inspired me!
LUNA: As the year comes to a close, what are your intentions for the rest of the year?
MARYAM: I’m looking forward to my EP coming out as well as more writing! I’m currently working on my first record so hopefully, I'll be busy for the rest of the year!
