There’s a softness to girlpuppy — both in her voice and the way she looks at the world. Her songs capture fleeting emotions with disarming honesty, floating somewhere between melancholy and lightness. With her latest album Sweetness, she continues to explore love, growth, and all the fragile beauty that comes with becoming yourself.
We met in New York last October, and it felt like her music already carried the rhythm of the city, gentle, introspective, yet full of movement.
Interview and Photography by Kimberley Ross
instagram.com/kimmika
www.kimberley-ross.com
You’ve recently moved to New York — how has the city started to shape your days, or even the way you write and think about music?
I definitely listen to a lot more music here. I’m going to a lot more shows and doing a lot more walking with my headphones in. I feel more inspired with that time too.
Sweetness felt like a turning point: more direct, self-assured, even playful at times. Looking back now, how do you see that record in relation to who you are today?
I think I was over the feelings I wrote about in the record before I even recorded them- but I think they’re still a great representation of who I am. I am very direct and playful and those are traits that I hope to always carry into my songwriting.
“I don’t think I’ve ever truly let go of anything I’ve written because I always relive it when I’m singing the songs live.”
Your songs often feel like fragments of memory — moments that might have slipped away if you hadn’t written them down. Do you ever use songwriting as a way to hold on to something, or to finally let it go?
You know I’ve actually never thought about it in this way but it’s very true! I think it depends on the song. There are definitely things that have happened that I’ve written down and used in a song because I knew I needed to remember it. I don’t think I’ve ever truly let go of anything I’ve written because I always relive it when I’m singing the songs live.
You’ve spoken before about learning to trust your instincts more during Sweetness. Has that carried over into your life outside of music, too?
I wish I could answer yes but I am constantly getting myself in trouble by never listening to my instincts. (laughs)
Touring can be both thrilling and exhausting, especially for artists still carving out their own path. How has being on the road shaped your relationship with your music — and with yourself?
My first tour completely reshaped the way I approached music and every tour or show I’ve played afterwards does the same thing. Before I ever played a show I had no interest in playing any shows at all because I had such horrible stage fright, so I was never writing music and imagining how a crowd would react to them. Once I started playing shows I realized that I had more fun playing music with heavy guitars and dancing around more so I try to write a good bit of fun songs now instead of all sad. As for how it’s shaped my relationship with myself- it’s definitely made me appreciate my alone time more. It’s so important to have some space when you’re on the road for so long. I try to spend as much time alone as possible in the mornings when we’re just waking up- that’s where I always found the most peace.
“Alone time is sacred — mornings on tour are my peace.”
When you’re playing smaller or more intimate shows, there’s often a stronger emotional exchange with the audience. Do you find that closeness energizing, or does it ever feel heavy?
It’s always nerve wracking at first because most of the time those shows are much quieter. I appreciate them the most because it means a lot to me if I can tell a crowd is paying attention. It makes me sing with more emotion and conviction which I think is whenever we play the best anyways.
Are there any upcoming shows, festivals, or plans to tour that you’re especially excited about right now?
There’s a tour I am very excited about coming up but it’s not announced yet. (smiles)
You have a very cinematic way of writing — scenes, moods, textures. Have you ever thought about expanding your work into film, whether through acting, scoring, or visual storytelling?
I’ve thought about it, definitely. I love movies and tv and they inspire my music so much. I would love to curate a soundtrack for a movie or write songs for any piece of media.
“If I had to describe this chapter in one word: progress.”
Beyond music, what’s been inspiring you lately — books, films, visual art, small moments?
Movies!! When it gets cold outside all I want to do is stay inside and watch movies. I’ve been watching a lot of scary movies specifically. It makes me want to make creepy music. (laughs)
And finally, if you could describe this current chapter in a single feeling or image, what would it be?
I think “progress”.
www.instagram.com/girlpuppy
