If you don’t know Slayyyter, you should. Her new album, WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA (Columbia), is the record Catherine Grace Garner, known as Slayyyter, has always wanted to make. It’s honest, personal, and unapologetically her. Free from the pressure of trends or hits, she blends electronic and live instrumentation, explores her full vocal range, and builds songs shaped by the playlists she once looped on her iPod. Drawing from her Midwest roots, alongside references to fashion and film, the album moves fluidly between sounds and moods, with one clear intention: to make you feel something real.
When I first listened, I wanted to throw on the tiniest metallic top from Jaded, jump into a taxi, and head straight to the nearest club. Dance and smoke Marlboro Golds until collapsing. Sorry, Mum! This St. Louis diva delivers exactly what she promises. As she puts it, the album is “two parts euphoric, one part chaos,” and she’s not wrong.
Speaking with Slayyyter, she comes across as grounded, self-aware, and deeply hands on. A true DIY artist at heart. WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA marks her major label debut with Columbia/RECORDS, expanding her reach while keeping her creative control intact. With performances at Coachella and Governors Ball ahead of a global tour, she’s ready to bring this world fully to life.
First of all, how are you? How’s the week going? Is it very busy?
It is really busy. I’m stressed about like twenty million things, but honestly it feels nice to just sit down and chat. I feel like I get to escape from all the boring work.
I have so much computer stuff to do lately — planning, editing, treatments. I do so much stuff myself that I’m always like, I want to do it myself, and then I have to do it all myself and I’m like, oh god.
It’s that thing of like, if I do it myself it’s going to be better than if I just tell people to do it.
Yeah. But it’s all good. It’s visual stuff, planning, editing, so it’s fun. No complaints.
How are you feeling about the album?
I am so, so excited. I feel like it’s my favourite thing I’ve ever made. I made it from a place of being like, fuck trying to make pop star music — that’s not me. I just wanted to make what I want and thought maybe everyone would hate it and it would flop, but I’d be relaxed about it.
I feel like when you actually make what works for you, when it comes from the heart, that’s when the best projects happen.
Absolutely. I think when you listen to too many external opinions about what’s going to make you popular, it can really sway you. I used to think, I need to make a song that hits, but you’re never going to do that by trying to force it. So, I went into this album like, maybe this is the last project I make — what would it sound like?
Wow.
And I treated every session like that. The end result is something I’m so proud of. And people have been responding more than I expected, especially because I started it before even signing to Columbia. It doesn’t feel that commercial to me, so the response has been really cool.
I have to tell you, last weekend I had a house party and we were playing Dance... again and again. You have the gays enamoured.
Thank you. That’s really fun (laughs).
We sure did have fun! I wanted to ask, when you’re working on a song, what makes you feel like, “This is me”? What defines your sound?
A lot of it has to do with production — kind of a rugged, fast energy. But mostly it’s my vocals and vocal inflections. I feel like I have two sides: a more rap, spoken delivery, and then singing. I love emotional vocal performances. I think my voice is what really makes things sound like me.
Do you feel like you’ve explored more of your vocal range on this album?
For sure. There are songs where I’m singing really low, and others where I’m hitting almost operatic notes, like in Saint Loser. Then there are rap songs in between. It really depended on how I felt that day.
Yeah, I feel like that comes across, there’s a lot of variety. I also wanted to ask about the fact that you’ve described your vibe as “iPod music.” I love that concept but I’m not sure what it is. What does that mean to you?
To me, iPods were like the last era where people used them as their main way of listening to music: around 2008 to 2012. You had to be intentional with what you put on them. It wasn’t like streaming where you can access everything anytime.
You’d have everything mixed together — Lady Gaga, Gorillaz, Chief Keef — all in one place. It wasn’t separated into vibes. You’d shuffle and go from something loud and chaotic to something soft and indie.
Yeah, not like now where everything is algorithmically sorted.
Exactly. And I feel like this album reflects that: jumping between very different sounds.
I feel like we’re such a nostalgic generation for that moment just before everything became hyper-digital.
Yeah, and as things get more advanced, people crave the opposite, more intentional ways of experiencing things. That’s why vinyl is so big again.
Exactly, like with analogue cameras, every photo matters more.
Yes, that’s what I mean.
I also wanted to ask about the mix of electronic elements and real instruments. When you’re layering, is it trial and error or do you go in with a clear vision?
It depends. A lot of songs started electronically, then we added live instruments. This is one of my first projects with a lot of live instrumentation. Sometimes it was real drums and bass, which was new for me, I usually record over beats.
Nice. Moving into visuals, your videos are so iconic. How do you decide the direction visually?
Honestly, as soon as I’m making the song, I can see the video in my head. Like clearly, down to camera angles. If I can’t visualise it, sometimes I feel like the song isn’t special enough.
Interesting!
Yeah, the hard part is actually executing what I see in my head. That’s why I’ve been directing more, it helps keep the vision intact.
And how hands-on are you with styling and everything?
Very. I’ve been directing, sewing, and making costumes myself. I love being hands-on. I love David Lynch because he did everything — music, props, visuals — and I think that’s what made his work so distinctive.
If you had to define the album visually in one aesthetic, what would it be?
I’d say it's like a dreamy portrait of the Midwest. That’s what it is, my life, how I grew up.
Are you still based in Missouri?
No, I lived in LA for five years and just moved to New York. But I love Missouri, I’d move back and get a farm in a heartbeat.
Do your roots influence your music a lot?
Definitely. Being from the Midwest can feel unremarkable, so you become more creative. You kind of have to build your own world.
Yeah, you have to discover your own coolness.
Exactly. Dressing crazy there makes you stand out, you feel like a little freak sometimes, but it pushes you creatively.
You’ve cited Brittany Murphy as a reference, what draws you to her?
Her story, her style, everything. Uptown Girls is my favourite movie. I relate to her a lot — her vulnerability, her struggles, the pressure she faced. She was so talented and I feel like she wasn’t respected enough.
If this album were a movie, which one would it be?
I’d make my own. I feel like all the visuals connect; I’d love to turn it into a full film.
I’d watch that. When it comes to visuals, do fashion or film influence the music first, or the other way around?
It depends. Sometimes I see the outfit first, sometimes the sound. Fashion is a huge part of it though. I pull a lot from vintage, archival pieces rather than new runway stuff.
That’s pretty iconic. You’re playing Coachella, how would you describe your live show in three words?
Euphoric, chaotic, and moshy. I want people to feel inspired but also go crazy.
Final fun one, any guilty pleasure songs?
Honestly, I’m not guilty about anything I like. But I love U2, people wouldn’t expect that.
Fair, U2 is class.
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb is one of my favourite albums ever. I feel like some of my vocal inflections are actually inspired by Bono, even if no one would notice.
That’s such a good reference. Before we wrap: anything you want people to take from the album?
I just hope people feel something, even if they hate it. I love discourse. And I hope people feel inspired creatively, you don’t need a big budget to make something cool.
Amazing. Thank you so much, such a pleasure!
Thank you, such a pleasure talking to you.