Q&A: Delving into Timberly's Deeply Reflective World of "Intoxicated Virgo"
TIMBERLY HAS AN IRRESISTIBLE CHARM THAT CAN LIFT ANYONE’S MOOD — and the majority of our interview is filled with continuous compliments and heartfelt gratitude. The first time I saw pictures of Timberly I was struck by their fierce and cutthroat look that I expected them to be as intense in conversation. Their gentle and delicate manner was an intriguing contrast to the persona behind the stunningly haunting Intoxicated Virgo.
Timberly is a Swedish indie-rock, pop-punk and shoegaze artist who grew up wanting to combine elements of pop and funk in their music but was discouraged by their genre-specific peers. Instead, Timberly discarded labels and sought out alternative musical influences such as Mitski, Cyndi Lauper, and Black Country and started to combine different sounds ranging from nostalgic 80s drums to overdriven guitar tones. Their experimentation extends to their storytelling, which chronicles their journey to exploring and expressing their gender and sexual identity.
There is a beautiful intentionality to Timberly’s that makes it difficult to attempt to categorise their sound, themes and overall artistry.
Intoxicated Virgo is a shimmering and inspired odyssey, exploring the contours of their heart and experiences as a queer person. The five track project showcases the musician’s ability to curate a compelling narrative thread that combines different perspectives that are not just solely about Timberly, but their relationships with the people in their life. This makes for an introspective project that considers how an individual’s context shapes them.
There is so much about Intoxicated Virgo that is resonant and complex, and this emphasises how connected Timberly is to their music. No one song on this project sounds like the other, “Floating” is a melancholic with a down tempo guitar and slowly we hear Timberly voice rise as their frustrations culminate and then later subside when the track ends. “That’s Not Love (Beach Party Version)” is a vibrant summer jam that you could hear in a coming-of-age movie about highschoolers. Moreover, the subject matter changes often but the boundary pushing, passion and self-awareness of this electrifying performer is the heart of the EP.
I had an in-depth discussion with Timberly about the intricacies of the storytelling in this EP, the reasoning behind the title ‘Intoxicated Virgo,’ and their journey searching for a way to express their gender and sexual identity.
LUNA: What draws you to Mitski and Cyndi Lauper’s music, and how have their songs influenced your own creative journey?
TIMBERLY: I grew up listening to a lot of Swedish female artists and it has influenced my perspective on how I see gender — whether it be femininity or masculinity. Artists like Mistki and Cyndi Lauper both play around with gender and gender expression, and I have always looked at them as influences in both my music and fashion. They are both so different. Mitski produces this sombre and talks about heartache while Cyndi talks about the same things but with an 80s glam chic.
LUNA: There have been discussions in the music industry about the rise of queer artists in more mainstream genres like hip-hop with icons such as Lil Nas X at the forefront. How do you feel about the queer representation and further your place in the genre that you are in?
TIMBERLY: A lot of the queer artists that I looked up to such as Freddie Mercury and David Bowie who were definitely affected by the period in which they were working in a sense they were the benchmark, and they set a perception on how a queer person should look. It is unfortunate that queer artists that came to our mind are all men when a lot of the newer artists I love are non-binary people, women like Chappel Roan who I just think is just amazing. But also, artists who are also just not white. I connect with artists who have something new to say and they make me want to be honest, true to myself and push boundaries.
LUNA: While listening to some of the more upbeat songs on this project, I felt that this EP felt like what it is to be really sad at a party. What themes are most present in your storytelling on this project?
TIMBERLY: What motivated me most in making this project was me trying to find some way to label or identify myself — and it wasn’t just about my gender and sexuality which I am still figuring out, more so my religion, my beliefs, how I was raised and who I want to be in my relationships. Am I more dominant or passive? Do I want to be the person who leads or follows? The point of this EP is that you don’t need to do any of that. You can be a sad person who sits in the corner at a party and wants to be sad, that’s fine, I do that sometimes. Other times I want to channel my inner Cyndi Lauper where I want to jump around and have pure fun. They are both okay and they are both you.
LUNA: As you said you were looking to explore and define yourself and there is a lot of frustration, heartbreak, love and loss present in your sound and lyrics. Are these the feelings you have only towards yourself or others?
TIMBERLY: The song details how the last four years impacted me. “That’s Not Love” is one of the most honest and straightforward songs I have ever written. That track is about me still living with my family and exploring my identity. I am so grateful that my family is so loving and accepting now, but it wasn’t easy at the beginning. I often had to hide my heels under my bed and lie to my brother that I kissed a girl when he would ask about the traces of lipgloss left on my lips. I wondered why I could not be more like my brother who was so masculine and tough, and I felt like I was disappointing everyone for not being like that. It wasn’t so much that they were trying to hurt me but the way society and the family is structured made it difficult for them to adjust. Yet, I am so happy now that my family has opened up and encouraged me to be myself. However, other songs like “Jacqueline” were specifically for an old friend I had in middle school who was severely bullied and was the first person in my life that I stood up for. After a while I could not stop thinking about how no one helped her or was there for her, I was caught up in it without realising that I was angry that no one did that for me. No one stood up for me. It is a letter to my younger self to say that things will get better and the people who hurt me then will forever remain in the past.
LUNA: It is a very precious thing that you use different subjects to speak about your experiences. There is so much of you in your music. Can you expand on your choice to title your project Intoxicated Virgo and what it means to you?
TIMBERLY: I have never been spiritual but I have always wanted to be. In my toughest moments I would always pray to the universe to be there for me, it links back to me wanting to find my spiritual identity. I love that my star sign Virgo has so much femininity tied to it, but I can’t say that I believe the stars have had an effect on me but I find so much comfort in it. The intoxicated aspect of it refers to how I intoxicated on love and alcohol which I have struggled with. It is a struggle between who I can be and what I want to have. “Midsummer Sagittarius” is a love song about someone who was so spiritual and rooted in their beliefs about astrology and when it ended, I found myself screaming to the universe too. She did not think we were compatible and that's why I mention “she looks to the stars” because I was doing the same, begging to the universe for a sign that I was doing the right thing or heading in the right direction.
LUNA: You make such deliberate choices in your creativity and I would like us to explore the intricacies of the making of this EP. Can you go into detail about the production and your creative process?
TIMBERLY: I started working on this EP three years ago and I always wanted to make something bright and vibrant, and with the aesthetics of pop-punk and summer rock. I incorporated elements of acoustic guitars and strings and a lot of the music I listened to during the summer. I started working on it when I was studying at my school. All the instrumentation is done by me. I always try to make the sounds myself as much as I can. I wanted to use samples as little as possible so the music could be as unique to me. I am hugely influenced by The Cure and a lot of the acoustic guitar is intentionally made to sound like the guitar Robert Smith would play.
LUNA: You mentioned how discouraged and displaced in genres like metal, pop, funk and electronic and it encouraged you to venture out and not be so restricted in a genre. Your EP has a combination of genres and subgenres that often conflate with one another. How do you think your choice in exploring or defying the expectations of these genres informed your soundscape?
TIMBERLY: I never want to pigeon hole myself and I always want to explore but that's a bit difficult when you are a musician trying to find an audience. I have explored all these genres but every song I find a new fan but that person might not enjoy my next song. The important thing for me is to find a texture that all of the songs stick to. I record the songs on the same acoustic and electric guitar, I use similar drums and the ambiance of every song I make is so important to me.
LUNA: Your music has a lot of texture and there is this interconnectedness because of the sound.
TIMBERLY: There are a lot of connections to water on the EP and there are sounds of water droplets, the beach, a beach part. I come from the world of making sound design for films and video where ambiance and a soundscape that has nothing to do with music is so important.
LUNA: Could you give more detail about your technical and academic background in sound design and film?
TIMBERLY: During my teenage years I studied film and media, and after that music production. Sound design and video production have always been important to me. The visuals I make should perfectly match the sound I create and I would not be able to do that without the background I have in media and production. The songs are good, but the music videos just elevate them.
LUNA: Your love and experience in visuals and music is clear in your storytelling. Do you have any favourite films and original soundtracks that influence your artistry?
TIMBERLY: A lot of Quentin Tarantino’s latest films, Hans Zimmer, but mostly horror soundtracks which I listen to almost on a daily basis. My favorite film of all time is Silence of the Lambs. Midsommar also influenced the soundscape and aesthetic of this EP because I appreciated how it displayed the beauty of Sweden amongst other things. Sweden is known for having produced so much amazing pop and heritage has definitely played a role in my development as an artist.
LUNA: What does the future look like for Timberly? Your visuals, next project, and performances?
TIMBERLY: I will be releasing a music video for “Afraid I Might Like It.” I will be looking forward to shooting other videos on film and VHS. The most important thing to me is making the video look how the song sounds. I am currently on my debut album which will be released through the label I signed to, Bark At Your Owner. The album is a lot more electronic, and aggressive but also a lot more pop-friendly. I have a lot more collaborations coming out in the summer, I want to branch out and work with artists and explore sounds that I never have before.
