sweetness follows
Hello hello -
It’s full blown summer and I’m emerging from my respite. I’m writing to you from a hotel in Minneapolis. The heat has finally broken right when I really wanted it to. I think of myself as someone who has a light fascination with contradiction. It’s naturally occurring in all of us all of the time. My album is full of it, fully on purpose. It’s why I love wearing ugly shoes with beautiful clothes. Anyways. Something in me always looks forward to summer and then when it’s happening I’m inconvenienced or marred by so many things about it. I’m currently sunburned, bug bitten and wishing the sun would go down already at 9:04 pm. I’m craving nighttime and briskness.
I saw the Pixies play last week and it was honestly something I didn’t realize I needed so badly. Four people on stage, four elements only, playing these strange, simple classics. I felt like I was seeing the Ramones. Highly recommend catching them on the tour they’re on. I saw them in 2004 on their reunion tour and it’s a show I think about a lot. Peyton sent me this great video of REM’s set at Glastonbury 1999 which I watched in its entirety and was then led down a Pixies 2003/2004 reunion tour Youtube wormhole. All of it feels very inspiring to me, these moments of people who have really landed on something original wield their fullest and most concentrated power. I saw REM and Sparklehorse in 2003 which is also a show I think about a lot. Maybe I’m reconnecting with my inner 15 year old. I feel so lucky I got to see some amazing shows when I was so young and soaking everything up like a sponge.
I read this interview with Daniel Nigro in Billboard because I, like everyone else, am obsessed with Chappell Roan and wanted to hear his thoughts and stories about working with her. He said this really cool thing about her success being organic or old fashioned (forgive me, I’m too lazy to look for the exact quote) because people are seeing her live and understanding then just how talented and great she is. I saw her live in February and can concur. I fell head over heels in love with her songs from the moment she started singing. It’s so rare for me to go to see someone I’m unfamiliar with and leave literally looking up every song I heard but I did. The lyrics are so clever, the hooks are so massive and her voice is powerful and she makes CHOICES with it, which I just adore. I’m really excited by her meteoric rise to the center of the zeitgeist.
What else can I tell you before we discuss business? I was influenced by Laura Reilly to buy jelly flats and I’m so into them. Photo below. I went to the Culture Awards a few weeks ago, sang a Mandy Moore song to Mandy Moore and watched Julia Fox take a photo with Cole Escola as Mary Todd Lincoln, among other highlights. It was amazing and I just love Matt and Bowen so very much. While I was in NYC I saw my dear pal Jake aka MJ Lenderman who has a new single out called “She’s Leaving You” and an album on the way. I’ve listened to it religiously and I can already tell you that Manning Fireworks along with Brat are AOTY for me. Yes, I too love Brat obsessively. Yes, people have sent me the “365” memes. I’m truly honored to have momentarily entered the same creative airspace as Charli.
That’s about it, y’all. I’m going into the studio this week with Brad and Jake, more on that soon, and then the European leg of the Tigers Blood tour starts! We leave this weekend and tour starts on 7/11 (or should I say 11/7) in Amsterdam at the legendary Paradiso. My dear friend Anna St. Louis is opening. I’m really excited for this tour. I need a little European adventure. Tickets are on sale here.
The second North American leg of the Tigers Blood tour is also creeping up on us! It starts 8/16 in Vancouver at the Orpheum and goes all the way into early September. We’re doing shows with Woods, Tre Burt, Toody Cole (!!), Tim Heidecker (!!!) and Snail Mail (!!!!) Super fun. Tickets are here.
Sending love and looking forward to singing for you soon,
KC