Cowgirl Clue is one of the most exciting producers and artists to emerge during the last couple of years. A perfect blend of hard-hitting synths, country touches, and a DIY imaginary makes her project one that all the alt pop music fans should check if they haven’t yet. With a new record on her hands, Total Freedom, she has proved again that in pop music she’s an A-grade student.
It’s been a while since you released music. How do you feel right now? What have you been doing in your free time?
I’m feeling excited to have the album out. Before Total Freedom came out last September, I was mainly focusing on writing and touring, but when I have time I love riding horses, making clothes, hanging out with my dog, going to Laguna, or hitting some shows.
Your latest album is full of high BPMs and energetic beats and, in a way, it’s similar to the vibe that you were going for in Rodeo Star. What’s the idea that you had in mind to create it? What do you think it’s the biggest difference between the two?
For Total Freedom, I wanted to make something that felt fresh but was very much a part of my world, even more so than my previous release. I wanted it to be an explosion of sounds that felt psychedellic at times but consistently indie electronic. It’s overall a lot stronger and a more refined release. It’s definitely my best yet to come, in my eyes.
I would say that the biggest difference between these two albums for me was that Total Freedom is representing where I’m at in life right now — my lifestyle living in Southern California. It’s light and free but full of surprises and deep, meaningful highlights. While Rodeo Star was more like, this is who I am and where I’m coming from, if you want to be a part of this, here it is.
I would say that the biggest difference between these two albums for me was that Total Freedom is representing where I’m at in life right now — my lifestyle living in Southern California. It’s light and free but full of surprises and deep, meaningful highlights. While Rodeo Star was more like, this is who I am and where I’m coming from, if you want to be a part of this, here it is.
If I had to describe your music for somebody else, I would say: music for faeries to train at a sports club in Nashville. Wut what would yours be?
I like that description! My goal is to make music that feels like firework or a natural phenomena. Something you will never forget after it disappears and will believe in forever.
In a similar vein, I would like to ask you what’s a song you would recommend to someone who hasn’t heard your music before and why.
Currently, I would have to say Hearts That Run or Ballet Flat$ On The Ga$ Pedal, which is one of the best introductory tracks. It’s essentially candy-coated witch house with indie elements, which covers the landscape well.
“My goal is to make music that feels like firework or a natural phenomena. Something you will never forget after it disappears and will believe in forever.”
The first time I heard your work, it seemed like it was made by someone who knows pop music perfectly and deconstructs it as she pleases. For example, Arrows is an irresistible catchy pop song that could be in the soundtrack of a 2000s coming-of-age movie, but it gets weird, in a good way, at times. Do you get bored of traditional structures?
Thanks! Yeah, if the idea to stylise a track is there, I like to run with it. It’s cool when music has unexpected changes or clever drops that exist and somehow make sense and it doesn’t feel forced when you’re listening to it. I wouldn’t say I get bored necessarily, but I definitely don’t want to be known for making generic songs that sound extremely predictable. I love a good challenge.
The lyrics also have a lot of weight to create mental images in the listener and allude to topics related to liberation and escapism. Would you describe it as a conceptual album?
It’s more like a value I carry through life, so naturally I like to write about it. Music is a form of liberty and a lot of times my survival — life’s about taking risks, so I like to depict the aura of all that and bring it into the art.
You released the album quite quickly after announcing the first single, Hearts That Run. Do you think it made more sense for people to listen to it all at once rather than waiting a long time?
I think however you come across it is cool. There is something for everyone on this album, so I wanted to have a good amount of tracks people were excited to hear for the first time ever after all three of the singles came out.
The album starts on a high note with Total Freedom, which sets the tone really well both lyrically and sonically. When you arranged the track list, why did you think this one should be the first? Is there some kind of narrative in the order of the album?
I thought Total Freedom makes for a nice opening track. I see it almost like a veil for the album. It was one of the last tracks I wrote and it felt so fitting to be the first song to ignite the flame on the record for some reason. There is technically no narrative, but with intent I believe the order and the projects’ entirety has to feel like a complete outfit that I want to repeat.
One of my favourite songs is High Tide, which I feel is like the sister of Picket Fence. Those synths at 1:30 are magical. Would you like to go further down that dark and hard-hitting path in the future?
Thank you! I truly like the synths on the High Tide bridge too. There is definitely a place for dark and hard-hitting tracks within every project I make, but I do believe that a good album typically offers a dynamic range and options for the listener, so I doubt I will only exist in that one particular style. But there’s definitely room to craft more of it.
You compose and produce all of your music, which gives it a distinct edge — it sounds like nothing else I’ve heard. How do you work on your own music? Do you start with the melody or with the beat?
Thank you. Typically I try to start with a spark: an idea, a cool riff, or whatever makes sense in the moment. That will decipher how I start writing. Sometimes I’ll flip through sounds until something sounds fitting to an idea and then start laying things down, whether it’s a beat or a guitar or a sample. Whatever comes through first, really.
“I don’t want to be known for making generic songs that sound extremely predictable. I love a good challenge.”
All the artworks, the photoshoot, and the music videos are perfectly aligned with the music. Do you think visuals and aesthetics are a big part of your project?
Yeah, visuals are equally important to me. I love capturing where I am at in life or how I perceive the connection between my music and self through images. Way before I knew how to produce music, I was taking pictures on cameras I found at thrift stores and making edits for my long lost Tumblr, so I love balancing both. I feel lucky now to have made friends with talented artists that want to be part of this and help me bring my ideas forward, especially with this record.
Is there any person (music artist, visual artist, producer) you would like to collaborate with?
There are a lot of legends I’d love to collaborate with eventually, come what may.
What are you plans for this year and next? Is there any chance for you to come to Europe?
I’m planning to release some new music this year. I’d love to do some dates in Europe, I think it would be cool to make it happen for sure.
