NXTSTYLE’s 2020 Songs of the Summer: Halo Kitsch “f l a w l e s s” & “(Wasted) on the Moon”
INTRODUCING NXTSTYLE’S ‘SONGS OF THE SUMMER,’ HIGHLIGHTING OUR FAVORITE TRACKS WE’VE DISCOVERED THIS SUMMER. OVER 70 SONGS FROM NEW AND INDEPENDENT ARTISTS FORM OUR SUMMER 2020 SOUNDTRACK. TODAY WE SPOTLIGHT SINGER/ SONGWRITER HALO KITSCH. THE L.A.-BASED ARTIST HAS TAKEN AN ORGANIC APPROACH TO HER MUSIC THAT HAS MADE US BIG FANS OF HERS. LEARN MORE ABOUT HALO’S TWO SINGLES RELEASED THIS SUMMER AND MORE IN OUR FEATURED INTERVIEW.
“(WASTED) ON THE MOON” CAUGHT OUR ATTENTION EARLIER THIS SUMMER. IT’S SO IMPRESSIVELY WRITTEN AND HAD ME REALLY LOOKING DEEPER INTO THE LYRICS. TALK ABOUT THE CREATIVE PROCESS BEHIND THE SONG AND WHAT DO YOU HOPE FANS CAN TAKE FROM IT?
Hi! Yay! Thanks! Glad! (W)OTM started with a feeling. You know when you step out of the bar at the end of the night and whoever you were waiting for never showed – so you get out your phone and you call and end up leaving a voicemail like “well this happened and you missed this and blah blah blah and by the way, just wondering, where the hell were you?” It was kind of like that. Only I was stepping out of a year or two of my life instead of the bar. And looking back at all the chaos and just thinking like – I miss him, I invited him, what happened. Sad face. I wanted to trap that feeling and yell about it.
“F L A W L E S S” IS YOUR LATEST SINGLE AND ONE THAT SPEAKS ABOUT THE INNER SELF. HOW THINGS MAY SEEM SO PERFECT ON THE OUTSIDE BUT IN REALITY THAT’S NOT THE CASE. HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO SHOW VULNERABILITY IN YOUR MUSIC? WHAT ABOUT THIS SONG MADE YOU FEEL SO CONNECTED THAT IT BECAME YOUR NEXT SINGLE?
Actually – I like to pretend that I’m such a dam badass in real life (Ha) x so I find it much easier to be more truthful about my emotions through my music. It’s kinda where all my secret feelings go. “f l a w l e s s” specifically is like a big old caution sign displaying all my guilt and shame and warning my lovers that sometimes I worry I’m unlovable and all the reasons why.
Actually, “f l a w l e s s” was the first song I ever ever finished. It was like there was this dam right? and once I finished “f l a w l e s s” the dam just broke and words came tumbling out all quick like water. Boom boom boom. That was almost 5 years ago. Or something. So even though it feels sorta past tense to me there is a nostalgia to reminiscing; its weird to see how I’ve grown since… also how I haven’t. And I felt like I was in debt to the song, if that makes sense. Like it gave me access to all the others that came after and I owed it it’s due and it’s worth. So that why I was compelled to release it in this first “batch”.
WHAT WOULD BE THE ULTIMATE SYNC PLACEMENT FOR “WASTED (ON THE MOON)” AND “F L A W L E S S”?
Grey’s Anatomy!!
YOU’RE NOW FOUR SONGS INTO YOUR CAREER AND HAVE BECOME AN ARTIST THAT I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM. YOUR SINGLES HAVE AN ORGANIC ALTERNATIVE SOUND THAT WORKS SO WELL WITH YOUR VOCALS AND LYRICS IN ADDITION THE SONGS THEMSELVES HAVE A COHESIVENESS AS IF THEY WERE ALREADY AN EP. TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS OF FINDING YOUR SOUND AND STYLE AND WHY YOU FEEL SO CONNECTED TO IT. ARE THERE ANY ARTISTS THAT INFLUENCE YOUR APPROACH?
Cool compliment, thanks. It’s taken me forever. I’ve had to sweat about it and step back from it and then come back to it and all the things artists do while they’re driving themselves crazy trying to get it right. I mean, we’re still growing. There is no endpoint: no destination. Just the desire to get better and better and better.
Finding my producer now, mr. Ben Zelico – was life changing. It’s like he is fluent in my language and it was fun and easy and my aspirations feel possible now. But it’s taken me a decade, literally, to find clarity in my vision, and my sound. Everything is inspiration. You have to learn what you don’t want as much as what you do want. I think everything and everyone I’ve ever heard since I was a kid has played a role in creating what I’m aiming for now.
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IN MY DEEP DIVE OF HALO KITSCH I HAPPEN TO COME ACROSS THIS POST. WHAT DO YOU FEEL YOUR PURPOSE IS AS AN ARTIST IS AND WHAT REALLY DRIVES YOU TO MAKE MUSIC?
Ha, yes. That was high praise, although I laughed initially at the thought of my music making someone “feel in love again” as my usual topic is shitty relationships and break ups and bad behavior. Getting a response from people relating to my music is such a high.
When the first person reached out saying that my music had helped them in their own journey I thought, “Cool. That’s it. I did it, I’m done.” But then I wanted to do it again. And again and again. You get a craving for the comfort of being understood. I’m lucky. Because even if people hated my music, I can’t stop making it. It’s my only outlet, it’s inevitable, it’s natural to me, I HAVE to do it. Otherwise I think I’d pop like a bottle of champagne. Or exercise too much or something. The fact that others like what I say is such a bonus. Such a beautiful bonus that sometimes I still can’t wrap my thick skull around. So yeah, I’m lucky.
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WITH THE CHALLENGES THAT 2020 HAS BROUGHT, HAS IT CHANGED YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE AND RELATIONSHIPS? HAS THE EVENTS OF THIS YEAR INFLUENCED YOUR SONGWRITING?
Ahhhh, of course. But in a way that I find difficult to verbalize. I guess I’ve just really only begun to notice what matters in life and what is delicate and what is sacred. Noticed seems too casual of a word. But I do feel as though my attention has shifted in an organic way. On the contrary, there were people, places and things that I actively chose to prioritize differently. Either way, and in both ways, yes – my perspective is renewed.
As for songwriting – the silver lining is, time is a gift. I’ve had time to write and create and focus on my music in a way that I’ve never really had such an abundance to before. And yeah, I have started to attempt expanding my musical “statements” to a platform more meaningful than just mere “love” (Hahaha) but it’s complicated. I feel more entitled to writing my personal story, I’ll never try to speak on something I can’t relate to or fully comprehend. So I’m still sorting through my feelings to be really sure of what my place is and what I want to say as I navigate the Now, and I find it intimidating. I don’t force my writing. When I’m ready it will come naturally.
OF THE TALENTED ARTISTS, SONGWRITERS, AND PRODUCERS OUT THERE IS THERE SOMEONE YOU WOULD REALLY LOVE TO COLLABORATE WITH?
I’m kinda head over heels already with the people that I’m starting to meet and get to know and who we’re discussing collaborations with. Heck! I’m flattered anyone sees potential in my silly self enough to work with me so, I don’t need to dream further than that right now. I’m pinching myself a little.
WHETHER IT’S AN ALBUM, BEING AROUND CERTAIN PEOPLE, OR AN ACTIVITY, WHAT IS ONE THING THAT HAS HELPED YOU MOVE FORWARD DURING THE PANDEMIC? ANYTHING YOU CAN SUGGEST FOR OTHERS?
Music, yeah. Headphones and an old fashioned bedroom dance. Tequila, but I wouldn’t recommend that. Haaa. I watch a lot of Grey’s Anatomy. Like a lot. I read a book. My dog! I suggest getting a dog. Or a fish or a plant or something buddy-like.
AS WE HEAD INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR WHAT CAN FANS EXPECT FROM YOU FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2020?
Tricky! What can anyone expect out of the rest of 2020? What I can promise is more music. The rest is wilderness right now, obviously. Be safe. X
IS THERE A CHARITY THAT MEANS A LOT TO YOU THAT YOU URGE OTHERS TO LOOK INTO? ANY PARTICULAR CONNECTION YOU HAVE TO IT?
320! and Mercy for Animals!
HALO KITSCH’S
SONGS OF THE SUMMER
- 1) Tessa Rae “Disposable Film”
- 2) Maude Latoure “Furniture”
- 3) Chlsy “Cowboy”
- 4) Zsela “Drinking”
Listen to all of our featured artist’s favorite songs of the summer on our special Spotify playlist.
Discover New Music
THE ‘NEXT IN MUSIC’ PLAYLIST
Discover a wide range of new music we love from artists located all across the world. Follow the ‘NEXT in Music’ playlist on Spotify, Apple Music, and SoundCloud.
MUSIC IN 2020 INTERVIEW SERIES
WE INTERVIEWED MUSIC PROS AND TASTEMAKERS TO GET THEIR PERSPECTIVE ON WHERE MUSIC IS HEADED AND TO DISCOVER WHAT NEW MUSIC THEY’RE LISTENING TO.
