Q&A: The Power of Lyrical Release With SEYMOUR’s “Voicenote Monologue”
☆ BY SHARON LAZO ☆
USING HER SONGWRITING AS A FORM OF CATHARSIS — SEYMOUR releases her moody new track, “Voicenote Monologue,” showcasing the emotional whirlwind of betrayal. Through bewitchingly, raw lyrics, the London-based artist constructs the delicate nature of being hurt by someone who you believed was an honest friend. Through music, SEYMOUR depicts the feeling of ultimate release.
Despite being completely distraught about this very personal situation, SEYMOUR turned her pain into something greater. With the power of songwriting, she was able to showcase a genuine perspective that many can find relatable.
“The song talks about my experience with a friend who I had spent years opening up to and supporting only to find out they'd been talking about my private life to other people,” she shares. “The lyrics discuss how I felt betrayed yet stupid for falling for their years of manipulation, and how much I regretted all the energy I had spent supporting them over the years.”
We have all placed our trust in a person — platonically or romantically — seeing the good in people and being so blinded by their malicious manners that we end up hurt.
Sometimes you won’t know why that person did what they did — you can only choose how you react to it. In the case of SEYMOUR, she created “Voicenote Monologue” to help her cope and conceptualize how life moves forward. Through her lyrics and production choices, she eloquently constructs a narrative that builds, leading to a crash and ending with a serene tranquility of the mind and spirit. Sometimes the best closure can be the art you create after a stab in the back.
Continue reading below to find out more about SEYMOUR, her musical influences, the importance of honest songwriting, and what upcoming projects she has in the works.
LUNA: Coming off your previous release, “Blood on My Hands,” how does it feel to have “Voicenote Monologue” out in the world?
SEYMOUR: They’re very different vibes, which I like a lot. I feel it’s really important to show people the different sides of my songwriting. I feel “Blood on My Hands” was quite upbeat and poppy and had influences like The Neighbourhood, whereas “Voicenote” is way more influenced by alternative rock. It feels really great to have a song out there that has that cathartic emotional feel, and I think it also gives listeners a feel of what I sound like live.
LUNA: Can you tell us what inspired you to write the song?
SEYMOUR: The song was written during a time when I’d realized a friendship was coming to an end. They turned out to not be the kind of person I thought they were, and I really wanted to write a song about it because I needed some way of releasing all the emotions I had towards this event. I was also going through a phase of listening to bands like My Chemical Romance and Arctic Monkeys and I really wanted to show all my musical influences combined.
LUNA: Being that your lyrics are so raw, how important is it for you to use your writing as an outlet to express your feelings so honestly?
SEYMOUR: I feel it’s the only way I’m able to express my feelings sometimes. I’ve always loved poetry and abstract lyrics a lot, and I feel sometimes it’s easier for me to understand my emotions through metaphors. If I wasn’t able to write, I’d still have all of these feelings building up inside me.
LUNA: When you create a song, are you ever nervous thinking about how it’ll be received? Or are you confident in what you’ve created?
SEYMOUR: Honestly, deciding to release a song is a very difficult decision. Especially when you know your friends and family are going to understand what the song is about. It used to be a bit of an insecurity of mine as a teenager, which is another reason I write using so many metaphors. I didn’t want anyone I performed to [knowing] what I was talking about. Now that I’m older I feel better about it knowing that a lot of people will be able to relate to my lyrics and feel seen and understood.
LUNA: Sonically, “Voicenote Monologue” is an indie track, but what makes it unique are the hidden notes of jazz and rock. Who or what artists/bands have inspired you to produce music this way?
SEYMOUR: I’ve always loved jazz, funk, and soul a lot, which is why I have other songs that sound more funky, like “Knuckles.” I feel indie is definitely my genre because it manages to encompass many other genres too. Writing indie music is the best way I can show all my influences. In terms of jazz, I find Otis Redding and Ella Fitzgerald's music really inspiring. As a teenager I used to listen to a lot of rock and punk rock like My Chemical Romance and Pierce the Veil, and I also loved grunge bands like Nirvana. I find having rock influences in my music is the best way to show my anger towards things I’ve experienced, and then the jazz influences add nostalgia.
LUNA: Being based in London, where such amazing art has come out of, how does your environment shape you to create the work you do?
SEYMOUR: The great thing about being in London is there is so much live music and so many new independent bands to support. I’ve had so much fun recently going to see bands such as In Albion and Human Bean Juice perform. There’s so much live music to be inspired by and such a big creative community. It’s also just so great how so many independent musicians support each other and come to each other's shows. Seeing people perform live motivates me to work as hard as I can.
LUNA: Before we let you go, anything we can look forward to from SEYMOUR? Any new projects in the works?
SEYMOUR: I’m hoping to release more music over the next few months, which is really exciting, as I think they’ll show a side of my music people haven’t heard yet! I also have a show coming up at the Cavendish Arms on the second of May and more shows to announce over summer, so lots of exciting things to come!
