Indiana first hit our radar with her sweetly lugubrious cover of Frank Ocean’s “Swim Good”. The UK based artist next captured our attention with the deftly evil bassline and minimalist tense push-pull production of her track “Bound”. Most recently, Indiana has been a buzz with the forthcoming Mess Around EP, expected November 3rd. B3SCI feature correspondent Brian Litwin recently caught up with up the young star to discuss the origins of Indiana, her sound, family and (of course) time travel.
B3SCI: Please introduce yourself to the B3SCI audience.
Indiana: Hello I’m Indiana… the girl. Not the state.
B3SCI: Have you ever been to the state of Indiana in the heartland of America?
Indiana: No but maybe they will invite me soon?
B3SCI: The name Indiana is an interesting choice, what made you want to go as that? Do you think you win the war in most unGoogleable artist names?
Indiana: Perhaps, but I’m working my way up the google search list. It comes from Indiana Jones, it was something i watched as a kid.
B3SCI: How would you characterize your sound and what are some of your influences?
Indiana: Menacing and emotional electronica with 80’s inspired synths and haunting vocals. Amongst my biggest musical influences, I would count The XX, The weeknd, Frank Ocean, Portishead and Gary Newman.
B3SCI: Your music has a great sense of space coupled with your beautiful voice, but looking closer at your lyrics, there seems to be some emotional inclinations towards pain in your tracks. What inspires these border line eerie songs?
Indiana: Some of it comes from dark places inside, but most of it is completely made up. I like to think of myself as a storyteller and I love immersing myself into the role. It lets me say things I wouldn’t in real life, push boundaries. It’s fun and so much more interesting than the crap girl loves boy, boy hurts girl lyrics you hear in the charts.
B3SCI: Going through your different social media accounts, it seems your child, Etta, and your cats are the focal point of your pictures. How has that helped out with connecting with your fans? Do you feel a closer bond with those who follow you online?
Indiana: I think that may have been in the last few months of my pregnancy. I was in hibernation mode and literally had baby brain. I know my fans connect with my situation and I hope it inspires other women with creative careers. It doesn’t have to be one or the other, you can have a family and achieve your dreams. I performed Glastonbury at 8 months pregnant. Hopefully now I’ve had Etta and I’m back in the studio, my posts are a little more career driven.
B3SCI: The Le Youth reworking of “Mess Around”, is straight fire and a true club track with a nice upbeat new disco groove. How did that remix come about? Were you at all hesitant to have your work seen a different light or do you welcome the new take?
Indiana: I wasn’t hesitant at all. I love to hear how people interpret my music. Any genre is welcome.
B3SCI: Not going to lie, in a few pictures we’ve seen, you look like Madonna. Have you been compared to any other celebrity?
Indiana: I haven’t actually. When I was younger I remember some spanish guy on holiday calling me Britney cos he thought I looked like her.
B3SCI: Real deal, we’re hooking it up. Free ride on the B3SCI time machine, where, when and why?
Indiana: Do I go silly here or totes emosh… Really though it would have to be back before my Dad died. I miss him.
B3SCI: Nottingham Forrest or Notts County?
Indiana: Forest 🙂
Interview By Brian Litwin
Tour Dates
12/4 – NOTTINGHAM, BODEGA
12/5 – LONDON, OSLO
Reviewed by b3
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