Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: Though I’ve been writing songs since childhood – my musical direction was shaped most significantly by studying architecture in college. There, I was forced to use a computer instead of relying on hand drawings. (And in that same regard that’s when I ditched my guitar.) I still talk about music production the same way I talk about architecture – in textures, lightness, etc while thinking about DAW’s like 3D generation.
Q: Can you describe the musical style of Irene Wilde in three words?
A: Uninhibited. Unabashed. Woman.
Q: How do you stay connected with your fans, and what role do they play in shaping your musical journey?
A: I’ll be honest, I’m just beginning to figure that out. I’ve had numerous conversations with male peers telling me that prioritizing finding fans is a sign I’m in it “for all the wrong reasons” like we are all on a musical rendition of The Bachelor. So I spent years focusing instead on honing my craft and building a catalog that I am proud of to “prove my seat.” I created my art to generate conversations I didn’t have and still desire. But I will say to any other femme musicians out there getting advice from other “music purists”: finding community is not vanity. Tiny ideas keep even tinier gates closed. And all love – including your art – deserves encouragement anywhere you can find it.
Q: You have just released your new album, ‘Pyrrhicae (Narrator’s Edition)’. Is there a story behind it?
A: Pyrrhicae was originally intended to be some bittersweet conclusion to Melancholia and Spleen. That changed when Mississippi first came for Roe v Wade and I impassionately wrote “Righteous virtuous woman.” I realized my core trauma wasn’t stated within a trilogy that was about acknowledging what hurts us is real and exists. So Pyrrhicae – the final act of “The Blackest Bile” – was in some ways, my most reluctant work and my most healing.
Q: What is your favorite track from the album and why?
A: “Weak as me.” You can divide the album between the songs that are direct about the trauma experienced and those about accepting love back into your life knowing that particular context. “Weak as me” is about autonomy. It’s a song that is literally flirting and expressing sexual desire within an album about SA. It literally states “I am not a victim, I am a powerful being.” telling the object of my affection that yes, I’ve been hurt but I am still a full being and that my hopes, dreams, and desires will not be taken away from me.
Q: Can you walk us through the creative process of producing the album, “Pyrrhicae (Narrator’s Edition)”?
A: I went into this album with about half of it written and field notes. As an openly Bipolar I person, I want to refrain from saying it was manic – but it was most definitively an inspired exploration. The production doesn’t make sense, it’s convoluted and messy and it could be 100% cleaner and crisper – but then it just wouldn’t be “Pyrrhicae.”
Q: What has been the most memorable concert or performance for Irene Wilde so far?
A: I played a small basement show recently that just really hit home for me. I was just amongst the crowd, singing my songs and it just felt so intimate. I wasn’t worried about working a stage or what I was wearing, it was just about being present with others and I didn’t realize how much I needed that.
Q: Reflecting on your body of work, each song holding its unique significance, could you share a particular track that stands out to you personally? What makes that specific tune special, and why does it hold a place of pride in your musical journey?
A: Ooh, gotta split the baby on this one. I’d probably say “Captive” from Melancholia. It was the first song I had ever written that actually expressed my mental state. Prior to that I was just doing the whole singer-songwriteress circuit with love songs.
Q: Exploring the diverse creative processes within the music industry is always fascinating. Could you provide insight into Irene Wilde’s unique approach to crafting music? From the initial spark of an idea to the finished song, how do you navigate the creative journey and bring its musical concepts to life?
A: First, I view them less as songs and more like individual arguments. Second, for better or worse, I wrote and produced these 3 albums without guidance or instruction – but also no restriction. I have no idea what I am doing right or wrong in terms of music – but I can tell you it absolutely feels right and that I feel compelled to keep playing and making a mess of things.
Q: As we wrap up our conversation, looking ahead, what aspirations or dreams do you have, and what message would you like to share with your fans as they continue to accompany you on this musical journey?
A: “The Blackest Bile” is about expressing the parts of our lives we tend to hide. It never demanded the audience also be outspoken, but it did beg you to understand that when I sang “you are not alone in feeling” I was speaking to both of us. Music to me is about creating something that makes us both feel seen and heard and safe even in our messiest emotions. It’s kind of like the word “sonder” – a newly invented word for an ever-existing, forgotten reality. I will continue, as so many artists before me, to express things as honestly as I am capable because I trust in my audience that they are just as capable, just as deep and rich and deserving in this life as I.
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