Worried that she wasn’t doing anything that would amount to greatness in her teenage years, Mlbacard¡ has (partially) escaped these doubts and is flourishing in her newfound success. After the release of her debut EP I Love To Do My Own Stunts on November 1st, she has achieved her childhood dream of releasing her very own record. Still having the odd (reasonable) thought that she isn’t good enough, I think it is fair to say that these fears are unjustified and Mlbacard¡’s only worries should be having to keep up with the demand for more music.
Not wasting any more energy on things (or people) she doesn’t like, all of her positive energy has now gone towards the creation of complex and effortless songs. Mlbacard¡ hopes to stimulate our senses, simultaneously linking her listeners through her music, giving us track after track of groovy vibes. So, harness your emotions and your eardrums for this seriously stunning EP.
You’ve recently presented your debut EP. Congratulations! How does it feel to finally get the chance to release your music into the world for everyone to hear? Surely this has been a long-time dream of yours.
I’m exhilarated and relieved to finally be able to release my music. It sure has taken what feels like the longest time to release. Here we finally are. I’ve dreamt of this moment since the age of four but could’ve never imagined ever getting as close as realising my first-ever EP.
How long have you been planning this record? Is the theme of mental health and the loss of childhood something that has always affected you – a topic you’ve always wanted to focus on?
I’ve been subconsciously planning this record my whole life through the accumulation of my life experiences. I haven’t actively been planning this EP; it just happened. Writing about these topics was never a focal point for me; they were purely cathartic in their own rights. Now, thankfully, through the expression of my feelings, people can relate to similar struggles and, therefore, hopefully, feel relief in not being the only ones.
How did you learn to sing? Your vocals throughout the whole album are so smooth and graceful.
Thank you, smooth and graceful are compliments I don’t take lightly! I learned to sing when I started to play the guitar, through composing and writing (inaudible) songs at around 11. I started taking singing lessons at around 12 years of age but never loved the scholastic appeal of it all.
Have you picked up your style of singing from anyone in particular? I can hear some similarities to Kali Uchis, which I love, but is there a certain artist that truly inspires you?
I’ve always loved Amy Winehouse and often covered her songs at school shows. I do believe that her style and music have played a humongous role in influencing me as an artist.
You have mentioned that this album is primarily about the struggles of your teenage years. What was your biggest struggle as a teen, and how did you get over this?
I think the biggest struggle of mine in my teens was not feeling like life amounted to anything, doing things I didn’t like, and focusing my energy on things that didn’t feel tangible; I had a hard time with that. I felt like everything was a humongous waste of time, and I subsequently felt paralysed in a never-ending cycle, prohibited from escaping.
What do you think your biggest struggle is now as an artist?
My biggest struggle now as an artist is questioning whether I’m good enough. Questioning your ability as an artist, is I believe what makes you an artist… the infamous ‘artist complex’.
In the press release, you talk about what “brings back a minimum of our humanity”. What do you think makes us human? Are there any memories you hold onto to bring you back to reality? At what moment in your life did you come to the realisation that you were now an adult, finally having to experience adult problems?
I believe the things that make us human are our five senses, which almost all of us share with all things living on this planet. I speak of the five senses as it is the things that we often take for granted due to their simplicity: vision, hearing, touch, smell, and taste are all things that move us and that are fundamental to our well-being.
The focus should shift to the things that stimulate us, the things that give us personality, the things that differentiate and simultaneously link us with one another. We are so numb to the importance of connection with ourselves and others due to the construct that inhibits us from truly living.
I don’t think there’s anything such as so-called ‘adult problems’. I believe that there are just problems. I believe that everything we experience is relative to what the universe knows we can handle. I don’t believe there are such things as adults; adults are children, to a certain extent, who acknowledge responsibility while accumulating experiences. You realise, growing up, that at the end of the day, nobody really knows what they’re doing; everyone is trying to do their best.
Do you think you have been conditioned by society, or is this album your way of breaking free from the confinements of societal ideals? Do you think it is better to be aware of your conditioning, or do you think people are more happy living in ignorance?
I do believe I’ve been conditioned by society and that this EP is a way of breaking out of societal ideals. Although ‘ignorance is bliss’ is a famous saying for a reason. I personally think it’s better to be aware of your conditioning so you can find happiness by realising the changes you need to make to relieve yourself from societal bounds.
Your songs all portray different emotions. Claustrophobic, for example, is about the roots of sadness, whereas Real explores the theme of love. Which emotion do you think sparks the greatest amount of creativity, or has the most influence on artists/yourself as an artist?
Between love and sadness – I think as an artist, it’s essential to use all your emotions as a tool. That being said, I do believe that writing songs about negative thoughts is incredibly cathartic, and feel as though I have been more prone to feeling most inspired through negative experiences. I have yet to write a happy song without making it sound cringe. I’ve tried, but until now, I have been unsuccessful.
In Real you sing “I’ll learn any language to tell you how it is I feel.” What languages do you speak and what languages do you want to learn? What language is the most romantic to you?
I speak French, English, and Italian! I’d love to learn Spanish; it’s a beautiful language that I’ve never properly caught the grasp of. The most romantic language has to be Italian. The way it sounds is incomparable to any other.
Girl5 rul3 is quite different from the other tracks on the album. What made you decide to do a more electronic vibe?
It’s a song I produced a machete of, which inspired me to write the lyrics when I was 15. My first-ever productions, when learning to use Logic Pro, were always heavily influenced by electronic music. I thought adding it to my EP could be a fun teaser to another side of mlbacard¡.
What was your favourite song to produce? You seem to use a lot of different samples in the backing tracks, was there one that you were most drawn to?
Most of the songs on my debut EP have been composed directly on my guitar; Dann Hume had put all my ideas to life through production. Therefore, I wouldn’t be able to tell you the names of the samples used. When I hear something that I like in the studio, I pinpoint it immediately. Although my early productions days would say 808 was a fan favourite.
How did you feel when you first found out Radio 1 was going to be playing your song on air? That must have given you a massive boost considering they’re one of the most listened-to stations in the UK.
I felt ecstatic, so much so that I still can’t believe that it’s happened.
What are your next steps? This is only the beginning of your career as a singer, and from listening to the album you’re already in a really hopeful position. Have you got any future plans? Is there anywhere you would love to tour once the album blows up?
My next steps are to release more music relentlessly. I have so much I want to put out, and I can’t wait to show what I can do! My future plans are to do a lot more shows and continue writing, creating, and evolving! I would love to tour Australia; I’ve heard amazing things but have never been. I also feel like the Australians would be a super fun crowd to play for. So far, I have never had to say a bad thing about an Aussie.