CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS 143: SALTY ON HER DEBUT EP, THE OTHER SIDE

Interview by Brooke Gibbs.

FMM: Your debut EP, The Other Side, is such a personal one for you because it touches on life lessons you've learned over the last five years. What have you learned about yourself through writing and recording this project?

Salty: I think I had a really big realisation yesterday. I feel like it's really healed my inner child. That's so spiritual to say, but it's very coming of age. It's very me reflecting on my characteristics and personality over the five years, how that's changed, who I've changed, who's changed around me and who I'm surrounded by. I feel like it’s just part of growing up and it feels super personal. I think making the intro of the EP and having baby videos of me was really nostalgic. It's my parents wishing me happy birthday and I had this realisation that this whole journey, this release rollout, all these visuals, content and intro is me healing my inner child. I feel like a weight’s been lifted off my shoulders in a way. It's really nice.

FMM: It sounds very healing and that also comes across through the title. You’ve named the EP The Other Side, which represents that healing journey and you now being on the other side, literally.

Salty: Yes, yes, definitely. I'm so glad. I was worried that people weren't going to connect that, but it made sense to me, and I feel like it's been translated correctly because, people are understanding, which is good.

FMM: I think it does translate well. Do you have a personal favourite from the EP that was very healing for you?

Salty: It’s crazy because you write songs for years and they're done for two years and then they come out the year later. It’s like I'm already writing for the next thing, so it's so crazy that people haven't heard all these songs yet. It's a weird concept.

My personal favourite right now is probably See U in 3. It just holds such a big space in my heart. That was one of the first songs I wrote where it was kind of clear sonically, what sparked fire in me as a listener and as a writer, so that's always going to be really special. But, I think right now, BOY BYE! is my favourite. I just love the 'fuck you' to men vibes about it. I love the Maneater, Nelly Furtado energy. That was something I wanted to establish on the EP, especially being my first body of work and the dancing and the girls are better and all that stuff, so I love that song. It’s so fun.

FMM: I hear what you’re saying about the concept being weird, because by the time these songs are released, you’ve probably had so many new experiences you could write about.

Salty: Exactly. What I found doing interviews and talking about it, you have to really cut back into that time and it's crazy. I'm just learning a lot now for the first time as well because I guess it's the first big project I put out. I’m really doing this seriously and having to talk about it is therapeutic.

FMM: As you said, this is your first big project, and the singles you’ve released have already received such great Australian and international attention. You got invited to the We Found New Music showcase. What was that experience like?

Salty: Yeah, that was really fun. I knew when I went back to the US this time, playing some kind of showcase or a show was a goal I wanted to tick off and it was really cool. It was super last minute, but still fun. It was really confronting to do a show without my dancers because obviously, I've been doing the amount of shows I've done so far with my dancers, so I felt like it wasn’t enough. It was funny, because I felt like I was boring in a way because I didn’t have all the dancing, and all the added bells and whistles. But it gave me more of a way to connect to the audiences because I find when I’m thinking about the steps and the show and how I’ve rehearsed it and what’s next, I forget there’s people standing in front of me. I like to be present and have conversations with them, and have that stage crowd banter. That’s a lesson I learned during that showcase for sure.

FMM: You have a song on the EP called Cut U Off, which is about ending a professional relationship. With the international attention you’re receiving, how do you approach new relationships with professionals such as producers or artists who may want to work with you?

Salty: Great question. I think I'm always the type of person who is not going to have an issue with anyone unless I've had a personal experience with them. I'm never ever going into a room being like, this person did this to this person. I think I always look at new relationships as a clean slate. Like, this is me and you, our relationship. I’m not going to base it on someone else. I think when I wrote Cut U Off, I was in a headspace that was maybe a little in the heat of the moment of how I felt. I think looking back on that whole situation, everything, especially in business, it's like you learn, you grow, you add extra tools to your box.

There's going to be hard conversations. There are always hard conversations. I hate confrontation, and I think as I get more into the industry, it’s like you have to be so honest with the people you’re working with. You have to be upfront and super honest. If you’re not, it just comes back and it bites you. It’s a learning curve.

FMM: I love the music video for Cut U Off. It looks like it was really fun to film. I saw some of the behind-the-scenes photos and they just look spicy and fun. What were some of the highlights?

Salty: So fun. I love this video. We were planning a lot of it when I was in the US, so my best friend who's been the creative director on both See U in 3 and the Cut U Off video, was taking the lead with it and we would go back and forth, and it was a really fun world. The shoot day was really stressful. I'm always the worst on a shoot day. Sometimes I’m unbearable, but that’s because I want things to be the way they are in my mind. We’re all here, we’re all working really hard, and it was stressful, but we got there. It’s amazing and I’m so happy. She came on board and choreographed the video and it’s just exactly what I wanted for the song. I feel like it's got that quirky circus vibe, kind of like Funhouse by P!nk. I'm kind of getting that vibe, which I love.

FMM: When you write and produce songs, are you always thinking about how it’s going to look visually and when you perform it live?

Salty: Probably the first thing I think of in a session is this is what it looks like now, and this is what it has to be, and it will usually always evolve. Sometimes, I’ll obviously have to chop and change what happens and what’s possible. I remember when I wrote hollywood baby, I originally wanted it to be on the plane, but I knew that wasn’t going to happen for me right in this moment, but there’s always ways around it. With writing, I love being the artist and the creative, so my favourite thing is figuring out what the cover art is going to be, and details like Easter eggs. Visuals are super important, especially because of dancing. It’s the number one thing I think about after the song’s written.

FMM: You worked with four different producers during this EP and some of the collaborations came from the LA writing trip you did. How did these collaborations come about and what are some of the main differences between writing in Australia and LA?

Salty: With a lot of the songs on the EP, because that was the second trip I went on to the US for writing, it’s usually like blind dates; first dates when you go there for your first or second writing trip because you’re still trying to figure out who works, who doesn’t work, or you want to try new writers. It’s definitely like blind dating. It’s like starting over because I know here, I have my people I want to work with because I know it works, and they’ll understand the project. I think when you go to the US, it’s kind of like you’re treading new water and territory. It’s blind and there’s just so many people. I’m saying yes to every session because I’m this new girl on the block. I want to say yes to every session. After that trip, I wrote hollywood baby and Cut U Off and those two producers, Jordan Sherman and Nigel are so a part of my team now. My last trip, we did so many days together and they completely understand. I feel like I’m adding and building my team over there, which is so fun and amazing.

I really am in two minds because when I’m in LA, I’m writing and I’m so in artist mode. I don’t have to think about anything else. My responsibilities are not there because I’m on a holiday, but I’m actually working. I get to focus on writing, which we did six weeks of last time, which was a lot. I don’t think I could do that long again. It was definitely a challenge, but I think it was good because I don’t really write that much when I’m here. I’m normally in release mode and doing creative stuff, so it’s cool to go there and focus on that.

That's my structure. I don't want to get too caught up in it because that's really rigid of only writing when I’m in the US, but usually I’ll write there, come home, pick the songs that are going to be in the next project, and finish them.

FMM: It sounds like you have so much love and support around you before you’ve even released your debut EP, so how does that feel personally?

Salty: I really have. have gotten a lot of support, especially from the media in Aus, and I haven’t really had that prior. I was putting out random singles and didn’t really have a clear direction, so I now understand why it’s so crazy. You just realise things after they have. Anyway, I’m on a spiritual journey right now, but I’m really grateful and I think it’s really important we continue that. There's just so much talent here and we all need support and I am just really grateful for my little community. I’m building and growing. I’m excited for what the future holds. I’m excited to write more. I’m really excited to do show. I just want to go on a world tour, but that will happen one day, I’m sure.

FMM: You’ve got some shows coming up in February and March next year. How are you preparing and what do you have in store?

Salty: How am I preparing? I haven't really. I mean, I am thinking about them, but because of the release, there’s been lots, lots, lots of stuff, so I think I’m gonna start preparing at the start of December. I need to run and sing. I want to train for these shows and get my cardio in because when I’m dancing out there, it’s hard work. It’s hard to hold the tune when you’re dancing that much.

I went and saw Tate McRae's show and she's so choreographed with her mic and choosing where she sings and where she doesn't sing. I just see what I’ll sing on the night and then I usually freak out and just sing to my fullest potential and dance and just make it so hard for myself. I want to take step back and choreograph what's happening at all points of the show.

I've got some fun supports joining me and have a new reimagined version of my show which I can update some of the dance moves.