Q&A: Venus as a boy on the Emotional Rollercoaster of “When you were so low”

Q&AMusic

Nov 14

☆ By CARSON HUFFER ☆

NO PLACE BRINGS ABOUT UNRESOLVED EMOTIONS LIKE A CHILDHOOD BEDROOM - and in Venus as a boy’s newest single “When you were so low,” we ride the wave of feelings so personally attached to the people and places of our youth.

As a jazz school drop out who has now gone on to create innovative new sounds, Venus as a boy intimately understands the way paths can grow and change. His latest single “When you were so low” explores this truth that comes with personal growth, intimately handling the loss of former self and the impacts that can have on you and the people around you. Produced and recorded entirely in his childhood bedroom, Venus as a boy has shown his vulnerability by juxtaposing fleeting lyricism and expansive bass drops, creating an honest and relatable symbol of the joy and pain that comes with any life change.

Read below to catch up with Venus as a boy on the new single and his evolution as an artist.

LUNA: How has this fall season been treating you?

VENUS AS A BOY: This fall season has been a real roller coaster! I recently moved out of my parents house and ended an almost 3 year relationship, so I’d be lying if I said it was smooth but it’s most certainly been a time of a lot of growth and change for me which I think is a good thing. I feel a bit like I’ve found myself starting over and in a lot of ways that feels really good. A very bitter sweet feeling I guess.

LUNA: Take us through the creative process for "When you were so low.”

VENUS AS A BOY: I wrote this song in my childhood bedroom earlier this year, like around April. I had just gotten into kind of a spat with my parents about going back to college and finishing my degree. A couple years ago I dropped out of Jazz school and haven’t looked back hahaha. So I would say this song was definitely coming off the heels of processing those emotions and frustrations. We’re all good now, but you know family is family and conflict is kind of inevitable.

The way I write songs lately has been just starting with guitar and vocals, recording it basically just into my MacBook computer mic, I think the guitars that ended up on the song are the same ones that I recorded the very first time on my computer mic. I’m still pretty slow at songwriting so in that first day I’m pretty sure I only got to the first drop and then the next day I made the rest of the song.

LUNA: Which set of lyrics are you most proud of?

VENUS AS A BOY: Writing lyrics is still pretty new to me, but I’ve really enjoyed how you can express yourself with like the perfect combination of lyrics and melody. Recently I wrote this song with these lyrics:

All of this is dumb

I’m fucked for sure

Can’t seem to see why you stay on my mind

All this reckoning is changing me

So plain to see

All the way home now stuck it through

My eyes are heavy

And so are you

It’s not finished yet so we’ll see what happens with this one, but I feel like it captured how I was feeling at the moment.

LUNA: How have you seen your music, in particular the production side, evolve this past year?

VENUS AS A BOY: Hmmmm that’s a good question. I honestly haven’t been as focused on getting my production skills up as I’ve been trying to learn how to write and sing songs. It’s been fun but I know I still have so much to learn, I’ve honestly just really enjoyed trying to figure it out. I would say though that in the last year I’ve been gravitating a lot more towards organic sounds, things that feel alive or like captured moments. I think it’s really cool when you have electronic sounds that feel really organic too. Lately, I’ve been trying to record my drum kit more as opposed to just using samples and I’ve also been really into Ableton’s granulator, both things that feel like they bring a more organic energy to the music. So many cool possibilities!

LUNA: Where does this new single stand with upcoming music? What can we expect from you in the upcoming months?

VENUS AS A BOY: This is my second release that I’m sharing with my voice on it and this whole foray has been super scary. I’ve only just begun writing and singing songs last year, whereas before I’ve was just “making beats”/producing for others. Since I’m kind of pushing myself to release this music while also still very much learning to how make it, it’s a little unsettling and I still have so much to learn even about my own process and how to get from the beginning to the finish line with these songs. But all I can say is expect more music! I also write and produce for other artists and I’m really lucky to work with some very talented people so definitely look out for that as well!

LUNA: Aside from music, what's been bringing you joy these days?

VENUS AS A BOY: Lately I’ve been trying to learn how to skateboard and play chess. So much chess, I’m honestly pretty trash at both but I’ve been having fun trying to figure it all out. Most recently I figured out how to do a 180, like an ollie which is a jump and then turning myself around 180. Right now I’m trying to learn how to kick flip, I can get the board to flip and land one foot on it but I can’t get both, if someone wants to teach me that’d be sick hahaha. Don’t ask me anything about chess or chess openings or all of that, but hit me up let’s play! I’m theodoreflee on chess.com.

LUNA: As we start to wrap up the year, what intentions do you have for the upcoming months?

VENUS AS A BOY: I think it’d be nice to take a step back and connect with friends, family and nature more. That’s something I’ve neglected a lot in the past year or so. Recently I went camping with some friends and it was nice to be so far away from everything. We did what they called cowboy camping for one of the nights, which is basically just sleeping without a tent and it was amazing. Sleeping looking up at the stars and then waking up to the sunrise was really amazing. I’d really like to make more time for things like that.

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We couldn’t be more stoked to have Suriel Hess as our new headliner for our upcoming LA show 🤩 🫶 Not gonna lie, us & Notorious Noise kinda went OFF with this line up & you’re not gonna wanna miss it - ticket link in bio 🎫