An Interview With the Brooklyn-Based Songstress, LADYCHILD!

Like a breath of fresh air, Brooklyn’s LadyChild, deliver an inspirational collection of moody jazz-pop and indie-rock inspired tunes today, with their debut, self-titled EP! PopDust hosted the premiere stating it’s a “showcase of extraordinary indie material that mixes classical training influences with a more in-depth soul searching.”

Weaving an intimately personal and sonically captivating mixture of influences and sounds, Ladychild gives notable nods to pop, soul, indie-rock and jazz influences throughout the five track release. Dynamic vocal work and soulful pop melodies, are supported with a backbone of indie rock drive and energy, for a truly one of a kind immersive experience. Genevieve Faivre, the lead singer and songwriter of LadyChild, shared, “This EP was a sonic soul search for myself. It describes my experiences over the past six years, set to the sounds that have most inspired me. Even though each song is based on very personal moments in my life, they’re written in a manner in which anyone can relate to them. Instead of limiting LadyChild’s sound to genre boundaries, I decided to just incorporate everything that inspired me. By taking a less restricted approach I was able to write an EP that was experimental but accessible.”

Coming as the band’s debut release, Ladychild provides a powerful step forward for Faivre and her bandmates, both as a group and individuals. “It’s very difficult to interpret what it is you’re trying to do when you’re first starting off,” Faivre reflected. “Everyone is on that journey to define who they are. Every journey has a beginning. This EP is LadyChild’s beginning.” While the group may be relatively new, their debut shows no lack of talent as they have already developed a beautiful meshing of original sounds.

Ladychild was produced by Michael Abiuso (The Venetia Fair, Kiss Kiss, The Gay Blades) at Behind the Curtains Media and recorded at Behind the Curtains Media and Mighty Toad Studio. It is available for purchase and streaming now on Spotify, iTunes, Bandcamp, and all major digital retailers today.

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Learn more about Ladychild in the following All Access interview:

Thanks for your time! So where does this interview find you? What’s on tap for the rest of your day?

I’m in between shifts currently. I had a rehearsal this morning and I have a gig in Harlem (NYC) tonight. So right now I’m finishing up this interview and laying low until I have to jump back on the grind.

Overall, how do you think 2017 was for you and your career? What are you most excited about for this year? What is one big goal you have for 2018?

2017 was life changing in many ways. I went from having a stable 9-5 job in a cozy office to freelancing as a singer for various projects all over NYC. It’s been tough learning how to balance multiple gigs at once as well as keeping track of my finances but I am so proud to say that I make my living as a professional singer.

2017 was also huge for me in terms of my original project LadyChild. I finished my debut EP, filmed two music videos, and had my first LadyChild show with a full band. The hard work in 2017 has led up to so many great things planned in 2018. I am most excited to expand my fan base with new listeners and get to play some new venues.

Growing up, did you ever think that this would be the kind of life that you would have? Has music always been a big part of your life? Can you recall your first ever musical experience? 

There was never another option besides singing in terms of what I would be doing with my life and career. I began training in music and voice at 12 years old. All my musical studies and performances led me to the realization that this is what I wanted to do.

My earliest music memories are from when I was about 3 or 4 years old. My mother always had a really hard time putting me to sleep and her colleague suggested that she put on music to soothe me. My mother chose to put on the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack and not to anyone’s surprise; it did not put me to sleep. Actually quite the opposite happened. I loved the music so much and I just stayed awake singing along as loud as I could until the soundtrack was over.

How do you think growing up in your hometown has influenced your sound and who you are as a musician?

I grew in the Westchester area outside of NYC. The city heavily influenced the music and art programs that were available to us in school as well as in the surrounding communities. Because of the easy access to Broadway, musical theater is taken very seriously in Westchester County. I was sucked into the musical scene at my school and community theaters. This definitely influenced my sound as a singer and songwriter. My vocal technique has a foundation built in classical training and my songwriting can be very theatrical and dramatic.

Where did you come up with your artist name? How do you think it sums up who you are as an artist right now?

It took me a while to settle on LadyChild as my artist name. I was uncomfortable using my name because I didn’t want to come off as just a singer. I write music, I play instruments, and I like to have a close connection with the musicians around me. I tried to pick something that represented my personality and artistry and was easy to type into a search bar.  Even though it’s a made-up word, I always feel like a ladychild. I am adult (technically) with adult responsibilities and all that jazz, but I am constantly drawn to my childlike instincts. Sometimes it can be frustrating because these instincts are distracting but most of the time I embrace these qualities. It’s something I hope to never lose in myself and it is essential to making good art.

What did it feel like finally recently releasing your self-titled debut EP? Did anything surprise you about the overall process of putting it together? Can you remember the first time you heard the whole collection? What was that like for you?

Releasing the EP felt like a huge weight was lifted off of my shoulders. I had been slowly putting it together and keeping it hidden for about two years. I was dying to put songs out as we finished each song but I was advised not to. It was frustrating at times because I felt like nobody knew what I was up to and that I was (very seriously) pursuing music.

The collection of songs on the EP were recorded out of order. I was sort of making decisions as I went in terms of what songs I wanted on the EP. My producer suggested I record 5 and so I went with that. 4 out of 5 songs had been fully written by the time I started recording and only “Just Fine” was written for the EP. After everything had been recorded, I started to think about the order. Each song has its own voice and character so I placed them in an order that I thought flowed most smoothly. I am really happy with the sequence of the songs. I love that it starts with a bang and progressively transitions to a more mellow sound and leaves the listener on a very low, contemplative note.

What was the inspiration for the songs on this EP? How did you go about choosing “Out Of Breath” to be the lead single? How do you think it prepares listeners for more music from you?

Each song on the EP is a personal experience of mine from the last 5 years. A lot has happened I felt it was time to record these songs before they were lost forever. Sonically, so many artists inspired the EP. I’ve been exposed to a lot of music since I began writing these songs, so when it came time to record we did a lot of sonic soul searching and experimentation to see what exactly they were meant to sound like.

“Out of Breath” was the last song recorded, actually. I originally wasn’t sure if I wanted to put it on the EP, but my brother convinced me I should. Once the song was finished I knew it had to be a single. It was the most definitive song in terms of genre on the EP. “Out of Breath” is much more intense and stands out from many of the other songs. I didn’t want people to categorize LadyChild solely as an indie-jazz band. I wanted listeners to know that LadyChild could kick ass. I also wanted to catch people’s attention with a big entrance onto the scene and “Out of Breath” was a great song for that.

What was it like shooting the video for “Out Of Breath”? How creatively involved were you with the making of it?

Shooting the video was a blast. It was basically one big party of musicians and film kids. All the guys in the band gave me every single ounce of energy they had. We were exhausted but in the best way. It was the epitome of the Brooklyn art scene. There were musicians in and out of the building all day, people in the hallways discussing the concept of their albums, recording sessions, rehearsals and photo shoots on the street outside. And then there was us right in the middle of it; a large group of 25 year olds with lights, cameras, fog machines, drinking whiskey all day, throwing glitter and calling it art.

I was very much involved with everything in terms of pre-production but you never know how things are going to turn out the day of the shoot and in post. It looks even better than I had imagined because of all the talented people that worked so hard on it.

How do you keep up with all of your social media accounts? Do you struggle with posting often or have you learned how to stay active on it all?

Social media will be the death of me and probably us all! It can be a lot of fun when you have something worth posting but it’s a struggle on the days when you’re just keeping up appearances. I like posting to Instagram the best. I have a good understanding of how to gain followers and create good content. Facebook is very difficult in terms of gaining real followers. I use it mostly for event planning such as promoting gigs. I have been getting into my mailing list lately. I find that it’s a better way to promote news and connect with fans.

Where do you find that you sing the most these days, in the shower, in the car, in the studio or elsewhere?

I sing mostly on stage these days. I sing in a bunch of different bands in NYC including my own. Between performing and other odd jobs I do during the day, I don’t have as much time as I’d like to sing around the house. But when I am singing at home, it’s in the shower. The steam is great on my vocal chords when I’m warming up.

We are living through a very trying and politically charged time right now so I am curious how you think being a musician gives you the most joy in life today? How do you think that music is going to reflect these challenging times?

The most joy I get from music and performing is connecting with people. Whether it’s my fellow musicians or strangers in the audience, I love being able to share a human experience with someone through music especially in the age of social media. I often get frustrated with humanity and politics whenever I am only engaging with people on social media platforms. Sharing music and going out to perform reminds me that people are kind and we’re not so different from each other.

My music takes not only a feminist standpoint, but also a feminine one. I am a white millennial woman writing about white millennial woman experiences so obviously feminist ideologies trickle down into the substance of my songs but I wouldn’t say my EP is a political statement. I have seen a lot of other artists go in a political direction, which I definitely enjoy. But I think it’s too soon to tell what effect our current political situation will have on music over the next 5 years. Honestly I think current politics are hindering the creation of art and that has to do with the influence of social media. People are very distracted and stressed out by the media and politicians and I know it has been difficult for myself to pull my head away from the poison being spewed. It’s hard to yield creative impulse when those impulses are being suppressed by constant engagement on smartphones.

Who are some of your favorite artists or rather, what musicians have continued to inspire you and your music? What musicians would you absolutely still love to work with in the future?

There are so many artists that have inspired me either sonically or in other artistic ways. I’m a huge fan of Radiohead, Bjork, Grace Potter, Janis Joplin, and so many others. But what I’ve been finding most inspiring these days are the amazing underground artists of New York City. I’ve been watching my local musician friends put out some amazing work this last year. Hearing an incredible piece of music written by someone you know personally is the most inspiring thing there is!

At the end of the day, what do you hope your fans take away from your music?

I’d love my fans to feel as if they’ve heard something fresh and unique not only regarding the sound of my music but the substance of the lyrics as well. I strive to write songs about things that most people may not feel inclined to write about. There are a lot of obscure messages throughout my songs and want my fans to have a good time trying to figure out what it all means.

Is there anything else that you would like to share with our readers about yourself and your music?

The true inspiration behind any music I write and perform is my deep passion for singing. I want someone who listens to my music to understand that my voice is not only the forefront of my sound, but embodies everything that I am.