What’s the story behind the song?
This song is about how writing music about your personal life complicates said personal life. There was a time where writing and releasing music was really clouding some of my vision in terms of the real life. Kind of a college thing I think. Because I would see the same people everyday everywhere and then sometimes I’d write songs about them or people they knew and then I’d still see them everywhere. On the other hand, it’s really about distance and separation. Music and iPhone distort view of people. True.
How did the track come to life?
I wrote this song right when the stuff I talk about in it was happening. I don’t usually do that, I tend to kind of let things sit until they eventually come out in a song. But I went into that studio hungry as hell to write this song. I wrote it with Jake Fine and Holden McRae, both of whom I feel sooooo fortuned to collaborate with here. They get it. Then the song sat with that demo for like 9 months. I didn’t think I was going to release it because … see question one … but I just kept coming back to it and loving it more and more. How could I not put out a song I love.
How did you come about the songwriting process for the song?
We wrote this song in a couple hours and it basically didn’t change lyrically/melodically at all after that. I don’t normally think that’s a good thing. I think my best songs come out when I really workshop them. But this song felt glued down for me so quickly. It was easy.
What pop culture moment represents your songwriting process?
2016 clowns. That was really spontaneous and random like it just happened and was fun. That’s kinda how I usually write my songs, like I just sit down and then realize I wrote a song. That’s a stretch but I never miss a chance to bring up the clown era. I love scary pranks.
What did you learn from this writing experience and making the song?
This song reaffirmed what I already knew but constantly need to be reminded of which is that trusting your instincts is so crucial to songwriting. The best songs I’ve ever written are so instinct-driven like I don’t think about them too much I just move. This song felt like that from the day we started it to the day I release it.
What were you listening to while making the song?
A lot of Playboi Carti I remember. And Tate McRae. I think that’s mainly what I was listening to. And Charlie Hickey. They all release albums around the same time last spring that I loved.
What’s a fun anecdote behind the song?
I used to go diving every morning during parts of college which I what the title of the song gets at. I was an acrobat growing up and the diving boards were the only place I could do flips. I usually wasn’t stoned I promise.
What do you want listeners to take away from the track?
One of my favorite things about this song is that I think it packs a certain emotional punch, but I also think it’s hooky. That’s the golden balance I’m always looking for. So I hope people are lulled in by the melody and then kicked by the lyrics. And I hope they think about their ex. That’s the point.
What would be the best way for someone to listen to this song for the first time?
Probably on a late afternoon walk. It’s for sure a daytime song for me. Kind of a spring song too, I guess because I wrote it one spring and it’s kind of about another spring. I never wait very long to release songs, so sometimes it’ll be like a winter song to me that’s released in the summer. But this is fun because it loops back around to spring. This is to say, I hope somebody’s listening experience is springy.
What are some emerging artists everybody should be listening to?
Ryann Barnes and Amelia Kalia are two favs right now. McKayla Twigs is cool. Asher Finlon. So many cool people doing cool stuff too many to list.