Photos by Elijah Wells
Last Wednesday, close friends Land of Valen, Elijah Wells, RobinAugust, Nora Belle, and Effy Marella took the stage at Baby’s All Right. Though they live across the country—Elijah and RobinAugust in LA, Nora in Western Massachusetts, Valen in Florida, and Effy in Brooklyn—the musicians came together in NYC to celebrate each other’s music. Talking with each artist on the bill, it became apparent that to this group of friends, creating community is one of the most important aspects of music-making.
Elijah Wells
Photo by @manic_pixie_dream_giirl
Your single, “Girls Like Us,” released today.
Elijah Wells: It did.
So, what was the inspiration for this song?
EW: The inspiration for this song was wanting to capture a feeling that was specific to my brain. A feeling of hanging out with my friends in a way that reminds me of being younger, and a sense of belonging, one that is sort of intentionally simple. I was inspired by the song “Marigold” by Frost Children, which is the least Frost Children sounding Frost Children song, but I wanted to capture the warmth of that song.
Listening to the song, there’s a lot of electronic elements. How are you bringing those into your live performance?
EW: I love the computer. I feel like the more that you treat the computer like a collaborator, the more fun you have. I grew up playing instruments, but the computer is so limitless. Tonight, I’m using an MPC for tracks and some sampling, which I want to do more of. It’s so fun, whatever you can think of, you can do.
When you perform, it’s just you and a synth player on stage, so how do you make your performances feel full?
EW: I think I make my performances feel full by pure desperation and fear of embarrassment.
That’s a good thing. When there’s a lot on the line, you have to give it your all.
EW: I know in my left brain there’s nothing worse than looking embarrassed or afraid on stage, so I just full send it.
Sometimes mistakes are awesome, though.
EW: Yeah, once when I was playing guitar for RobinAugust, about a year and a half ago, I completely fell off the stage so badly that the entire audience gasped and RobinAugust stopped singing and asked, “Are you okay?” I was okay. But, I was so embarrassed after the show. Then, I realized that was everyone’s favorite part of the show. That was the day that I learned mistakes make a show better
Photo by @manic_pixie_dream_giirl
On a final note, will your project be releasing any new music soon?
EW: Yes, I’m trying to release a song about every six weeks.
Would you put out an album at any point?
EW: Definitely at some point. But, I’m not going to do an album for no reason. Right now, I definitely want to do some more concept stuff.
RobinAugust and Nora Belle
How did you guys meet and how long have you known each other?
Nora Belle: My mom owns a dance studio in East Nashville called Dance East. I’ve been dancing there since I was four and Robin August has been dancing there since she was five. So, we met right around then.
RobinAugust: We met dancing together and then stayed best friends.
NB: We ended up going to high school together at Nashville School of the Arts. She was in the guitar conservatory and I was in the literary arts conservatory.
RA: We were lowkey each other’s only friends. We’re also in a band together, called Eve’s Curse.
Is music an important part of your friendship?
NB: Yeah, definitely. We’ve been singing together since we were little kids and writing together since we were teenagers.
RA: We’d improvise songs on walks. Yeah, I think it’s a big part of our friendship. We’ve been writing songs for forever…
How does the music scene in Nashville compare to where you live now, in LA and Western Massachusetts?
NB: Western Mass is a largely hardcore-based scene. That’s mostly what I’ve been involved in and gone to shows for in Western Mass. There’s not a huge indie rock scene. It’s definitely super different from Nashville. Nashville, I feel like, is really all over the place, there’s a niche for everyone there.
RA: I don’t know, I used to think that. But once I moved to LA, I realized how many niches there are. I feel like going there, there’s so many different types of groups, and different types of people that you can never really know everybody. Where in Nashville, it’s small and everyone knows each other. That’s one of the reasons I had to move. Nashville is more about the community and the actual music itself.
Is there a strong DIY community in Nashville?
RA: I would say it’s pretty much mostly DIY. Especially among the people we grew up with.
NB: It’s kind of looked down upon to be involved in labels and music industry stuff. You’re viewed as selling out if you do anything like that.
RobinAugust, can you describe Nora’s music? And Nora, can you describe RobinAugust’s music?
RA: Nora is literally my favorite songwriter. I put their music on at the thrift store I work at all the time. It’s very comforting.
NB: Any genre terms that come to mind?
RA: It’s folk music. I feel like it’s music you listen to when you’re outside drinking coffee with the person you’re in love with. Or, if you’re in a cabin with someone you want to fall in love with, but they’re going to fuck you over. It’s very comforting, but also really deep. It makes you think.
NB: RobinAugust, I think your music is definitely rock and roll. I’m trying to be as poetic as the way you describe my music. I don’t want to say that your music is fun that sounds like a condescending word.
RA: No, it doesn’t.
NB: Your music is really fun, but it’s also angry. You definitely are able to be political while also making dance music. I think your live sound is super strong. My favorite thing about your music is being at a show and dancing. I always get really excited when you play. My boyfriend is here tonight, and I’m so excited for him to hear you live. You’re an amazing performer.
Effy Marella
This is your first time playing Baby’s, how are you feeling about the show?
Effy Marella: I’m excited. Honestly, I’ve wanted to play Baby’s for a long time.
You’re working on a new album that’s coming out in September, can you describe the album for me?
EM: Yeah, so the album’s called Beating a Dead Horse, and it’s about one of my breakups where it went on way too long, and now me and my friends talk about it 24-7 over and over again. The whole project is centered around the idea of not knowing when enough is enough and continuing to cycle back. I finally feel like I have escaped that relationship, but now there is a different dead horse and I’m beating that one. That’s just the way life goes, I guess.
Will this be like your first release, or have you released other music before?
EM: I released an EP called Bleachers two years ago, and then I’ve released like a couple different singles, and I’ve done some singles off of the album, but yeah, I’m really excited about it as a whole project. I’m co-producing pretty much the whole album, which is cool too.
Who are you working with?
EM: I’m working with my friend Teddy Walsh, who’s awesome, and then my friend Christopher Norman also worked on one or two of the songs. I play guitar on most of the tracks and I play some keys on some of them, but for the most part I’m doing guitars and backing vocals, and then my friend Donna Van Milner, who’s playing with us tonight, is playing guitars on a lot of them.
Land of Valen closing the show at Baby’s