Interview by Brooke Gibbs.

Singer-songwriter and producer WCB has released his new single, Skyscraper, the third single off his forthcoming EP. Describing the release as a love letter to men in politics, we caught up with WCB for an in-depth conversation into what this represents.

FMM: You’re about to release your new single, Skyscraper. How are you feeling?

WCB: I’m feeling great! Busy, but great! Slightly less of a lead up to this one as I really wanted to get another track in your ears before the silly season. 

FMM: Any big celebrations planned? 

WCB: The song actually comes out on my boyfriend and I’s anniversary! Not planned at all [laughs]. We are heading out of town to visit family in Queensland which will be nice. I’m sure there will be Champagne involved at some stage, just because, and my friends and I will likely do dinner and drinks when we are back the following week.

FMM: You’ve mentioned that you’re feeling super proud of this song baby. What are some things about this particular release that you hold so close? 

WCB: I think when we got the master back from Ben Feggans at Studios 301, my co-producer Jordan Leonard, and I got excited. There are just so many cool textures in the production that I’m really proud of, and content wise I had been playing with this concept for a while so I just felt stoked to have it sound how it sounded in my head, if you know what I mean? 

FMM: You’ve described Skyscraper as a love letter to men in politics. Can you tell me more about this and what influenced this political call out? 

WCB: Yeah, the idea of the song had been born out of what I had seen for queer people in politics but, in a wider sense ALL people. Comfort and autonomy seem concepts only available to those with money, influence and political clout. I’m over seeing someone so unlike me, calling the shots for my friends and I. 

FMM: In saying that, what changes would you like to see, and what message do you hope those people take away from listening to Skyscraper? 

WCB: I think the main change is an equal voice for everyone, in some cases a voice at ALL, especially Indigenous people, women and queer people. You don’t get to dictate what and who I am because you believe in something I don’t. We are strong and we aren’t gonna be polite about it any more. 

FMM: One thing I’ve always loved about your music is the production, which is also highlighted throughout Skyscraper. It features a lot of breath and teeth clicking. Can you walk me through your production process for the release, and what these decisions symbolise? 

WCB: So I started with the idea of incorporating ‘ssss’ and ‘tsk’ sounds .. the kind you make when you are fed up or frustrated with someone talking out their ass, kinda the backbone of the song. Then, I weaved in this descending synth or bassline that I wanted to emulate the crumbling of fragile masculinity. I also use my voice a lot in terms of harmonies also to bolster melody lines and create interesting textures. Jordan and I wanted to keep that when fleshing out the track from my earlier demos, creating swelling tension and then moments of pulled-back production with softer vocals to keep the listener on their toes. 

FMM: On top of your production and singing talent, you’re also heavily involved in the art, dance and fashion elements of your projects. I know you also have a day job too, so I can imagine how busy your day-to-day life would be. How do you balance your job and personal life, while also being so heavily involved in your creative projects?

WCB: Oft! To be honest, my brain doesn’t stop. I try to balance everything as best I can. I’m prone to a menty B as a little treat from time to time. I am one of those people who doesn’t know how to relax, so for whatever reason, being busy works for me, and the economy keeps me working .. ya dig *cries into wine*. I am carving out more time for creative work in the new year though as music is what I’m here for so how could I not.?

FMM: Speaking of the art, dance and fashion elements, there is a music video for Skyscraper. I can’t decide if I love the bathroom scenes more or the burning pages scenes. What do these scenes represent for you? 

WCB: So the video was born out of necessity. We had a scheduling issue, so my manager Rebecca ended up shooting and directing me, all on iPhone. She is a crazy talent in her own right. Then, I edited our footage together. First time for everything. We vibed with how it turned out. I wanted the bathroom scenes to almost be a “psyching up” moment, mixed with a kind of self-blame like; get up and do something. The burning book scenes to me represent the unseen; the ‘in the shadows’ dodgy dealings that go on in politics, and also fact that we are in a situation that is not bound by any book. 

FMM: This is the fourth single off your forthcoming EP. So far, all the singles are so uniquely different from one another, so I feel it creates the perfect taste of what’s to come. Without giving too much away, what can we expect from the EP?

WCB: Oh, I appreciate you sensing that! I considered making something a little more ‘same-y.’ but I just found that my heart wasn’t in it. I want to take people on a journey through my brain, which is sometimes chaotic, sometimes peaceful, sometimes full of rage… human. I also gravitate toward EP’s or albums that are exciting, with each track taking you to a different place. I have also considered how the EP will be performed live, taking the audience on a bit of a ride. 

FMM: Do you have an estimated release date for the EP? 

WCB: Hmmmm… I’m gonna say May … but don’t hold me to that hahaha. 

FMM: What do you have in store for the rest of the year? 

WCB: I’m gonna be finishing up the final song for the EP and hopefully squeeze in one more video shoot. Then take a week or so to eat my bodyweight in food and fall asleep on the couch in the middle of the day with no worries, before I have to do it all again.