Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: I’m from London and have been lucky enough to live in both New York and Los Angeles, so consider myself a true transatlantic artist! I grew up in London and both my parents had a love of music, with a very eclectic record collection. They also loved live music and going to clubs such as Ronnie Scott’s and The 100 Club in the west end of London. So music was always around and I grew up on the classics from Elvis and Frank Sinatra to the post punk new wave of Blondie and Talking Heads, and then onto more indie rock. There was never a quiet moment and I feel I took all these influences and started creating my own world of music.
Q: How are you planning on growing your fan base and sharing your music with the world? What message do you have for anyone who is about to discover “Louise Aubrie”?
A: When I was living in New York I would play all the time in the downtown clubs and that was a wonderful way to grow any audience! Since Covid, a lot more has been online, but I think that also can be an amazing way to share music, so I love sharing clips of videos, some behind-the-scenes footage, photoshoots etc to give people a taste! For new listeners, my message would be to get on board with some indie rock with a swing-post-punk-new-wave twist!
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A: I largely take inspiration from my own experiences of living in different countries and experiencing different cultures and relationships, but that’s not always the case. I have a passion for movies, and I wrote a whole album based on Cary Grant movies, so it’s great to take a different jumping off point outside of the norm. With my latest record, a lot was influenced by old-Hollywood and the whole environment of movie stars.
Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the song, “Vienna.”?
A: Yes of course! Vienna is inspired by two main themes:
Firstly, the mythology of Hollywood and the legacy of those who built the industry. Lines such as ‘I’m the featured star of your technicolor dream and now I’m beautifully lit’ and ‘Waiting to see the fruition of everything that came from the shows and flicks and hits and stacks and soundtracks’ speak to the emotional shift of moving to a new city and the heightened drama of Los Angeles itself.
Secondly, the hook ‘Crying at Vienna’ was sparked by Billy Joel’s beautiful song ‘Vienna’, which talks to taking your time and enjoying life’s experiences rather than rushing into everything. I felt a deep connection to this song, remembering not to be overwhelmed by being in the amazing city of LA but to take time to enjoy it. Furthermore, both Billy Joel’s and my own families have close personal ties to Vienna which made it such a special connection.
So these two themes wove beautifully together to create Vienna, and are at the heart of this tribute to the US and Europe, wrapped up in a love song addressed to the person you love.
Q: How would you describe your sound in one word for potential listeners?
A: Passionate
Q: Did you face any challenges while writing or recording “Vienna”?
A: I’m lucky to say no! The song itself came very naturally as mentioned above, being influenced by both Hollywood and by Billy Joel. Recording was a dream. We were at East West in Hollywood with an amazing group of musicians and staff.
Q: What is the message of your music? And what are your goals as an artist?
A: I don’t think there is a direct message to my music and I really love the idea of people taking whatever meaning they personally feel from songs. I know I do that a lot with the songs that I love and often find that the writer’s take on it is quite different! But that’s what makes music so powerful and beautiful – that everyone has a unique understanding of it.
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with? (dead or alive)
A: Frank Sinatra
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A: I would say that it is the most wonderful thing to be able to create and play music. As a career, make sure you are doing it for the right reasons i.e. the love of it, because it can be a difficult path and be rather tumultuous!
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A: To not worry so much about other people’s opinions and be true to yourself – that is all that matters.
