Spotlight: Mini Trees 'Slip Away'
Photo By Jeremy Leasure
WITH VULNERABILITY AT THE FRONT - Los Angeles-based artist Mini Trees pulls out all the emotions with her music. Lexi Vega, the lovely lady behind Mini Trees, writes songs that are both deeply personal and highly relatable, touching on subjects such as anxiety, confidence and the search for happiness; her sound is melancholy yet comforting, like talking with a good friend after a bad day. This introspective lyricism is highlighted on her new EP Slip Away, as well as her smooth, emotive voice and skill for crafting gorgeous melodies. Read below to learn more about the project, her self-care during the Covid-19 quarantine and more below.
Illustration Design by Alice Henry | Graphic Design by Tom Goulet
LUNA: Congrats on your latest release! Slip Away is a really solid sophomore EP and definitely reflects your growth. What are the some of the main ways you’ve seen your sound evolve with the EP?
VEGA: Thank you! I think the sound evolved a bit just from trying things outside of my familiar comfort zone, like a chord progression that takes an unexpected turn or even just introducing woodwinds and horns to the mix. They're small changes that might not even be that apparent to the listener but sometimes felt like big jumps during the songwriting process.
LUNA: Slip Away touches on self acceptance and happiness, can you talk a bit more about what lead to you exploring these themes?
VEGA: While writing this EP, I drew a lot from a particular season in my past where I felt like the more honest I became with myself the more I realized I didn't fit in to the community I was part of, which led to a lot of feelings of rejection and self-loathing. In a way that experience has never really left me, so the EP also explores this frustration and tension of still struggling to be happy today even though circumstantially, and on the surface, things are good.
LUNA: Since your writing it truly just coming from yourself, how often are you thinking about the listener when writing? Is is it ever difficult to fully open up knowing everyone will be able to listen?
VEGA: In the moment I usually forget that what I'm writing will probably be heard by others, haha. I feel like it's a blessing and a curse because it allows me to be more personal in my writing but then after the fact it kinda hits me that I just shared something really private in a very public way. I tend to be a bit vague though, intentionally writing in first and second person to preserve that anonymity. I also want it to be relatable and open to interpretation.
LUNA: You worked with producer Jon Joseph on the EP, what was that collaboration like? Any favorite memories from the creative process as a whole?
VEGA: Jon's produced all of my releases so far and it's hard to imagine the project without him. I'm really grateful that from the start he really understood the vision and sound I wanted to create. It really helps to have a collaborative partner who can affirm my ideas and also bring a different perspective.
One memory that comes to mind from this last EP is with my song "Honestly", Jon discovered that the floor tom tone that day would make a really good kick sound, so he forbade me from using the kick drum with my foot like a normal person, and instead I had to play the kick drum patterns on the floor tom with a stick which really screwed with my brain. This is probably really nerdy and disinteresting but it was funny to us.
Photo By Alex Free
LUNA: For this EP in particular, were there any sonic elements, artists or individuals that shaped its feel?
VEGA: I was listening to a lot of Andy Shauf's "The Party" which is a record I've been in love with since it came out in 2016. That album definitely influenced some of the woodwind melodies, probably most obvious in "Want Me to Stay". I was also listening a lot to Big Red Machine, Clairo, Jay Som ... I'm sure it influenced the writing/sound but can't point to any specifics at the moment.
LUNA: Which track means the most to you & why?
VEGA: It's hard to single out one track because I think the whole EP is really close to my heart, but if I had to I'd probably say "Garden". While the other tracks are more focused on myself and inner turmoil, Garden is about observing that in another person. It's about watching someone I love struggle with intense anxiety and wishing I could make it stop or take it upon myself instead. There are a lot of themes related to mental health and depression/anxiety on the EP.
LUNA: On the other end, which track was the most difficult to finalize? Why did you stick with it?
VEGA: I had the hardest time finalizing "Want Me To Stay" because initially it felt so too different from the rest of the songs. It was really bare and mellow to start, and went through a cycle of being shelved, revisited, and rewritten, until finally landing on something I was really excited about. I think now I realize it isn't as far off from the "Mini Trees sound" as I originally thought it was.
LUNA: What message are you hoping to get across with Slip Away? (or your music in general)
VEGA: While a lot of my music is melancholy, in general I just want it to be relatable, and for the listener to feel a little less alone for a few minutes. I've always turned to music for those reasons and have so much appreciation for artists who go to those heavy and vulnerable places in their writing.
Photo By Oshin Tudaya
LUNA: Are there any plans for some visuals to accompany the project?
VEGA: So far we've done one music video, for “Slip Away”, and we're trying to work on another within the restrictions of quarantine. With shows and touring on hold, I'm trying to focus more on visual/media type content so hopefully we'll have more things for people to watch soon!
LUNA: Things have been really crazy but it’s so important that you’ve moved forward and released this project. How are you taking care of yourself lately?
VEGA: I've found it helpful to try to find a balance of using quarantine time to be creative, but also letting myself lounge on the couch and play Animal Crossing for a full evening, haha. Initially I put a lot of pressure on myself to be productive (which is what I do under normal non-quarantine circumstances too), but have found that it's important to give myself breaks, especially since there is a lot of emotional stress involved in this strange, heavy time we are all experiencing.
LUNA: Now that the EP is out, do you have any upcoming plans or goals you’d like to share?
VEGA: Originally we had shows and tour dates we were really excited to announce, but of course that's all on hold so for now we're just getting back to writing and working on the next record! So, hopefully more music soon. But in the near-term there will also be livestream shows, video content, and vinyl/merch to stay tuned for. :)
