London-based artist Heff VanSaint has dropped her latest EP, Odes Of Hope For Sad Bois, and the 4-track project is streaming now! Luckily, we got to chat with Heff about all things Sad Bois, including what she’s most excited about performing live and some behind-the-scenes revelations from her music video for ‘Jane.’
The EP was written over the course of a 12 month period. Mainly late at night in my flat in London. I’d come in from a night out or another sh*t Tinder date and start strumming an acoustic guitar on the end of my bed. Sounds a bit tragic but that’s how each song was written! Each of the four tracks on the EP are very different, they tell different stories which don’t really have one overarching theme, but they are about my experiences as an outsider, and as a creative person in these times that we’re living in. I meet them and process them as a gay female and that’s a standpoint that’s unique and distinct. So I’d like people to either be intrigued by that or be able to relate to it.
Heff VanSaint
Check out our Q&A with Heff VanSaint below!
Congrats on your upcoming EP! What are you most proud of when it comes to the EP?
Thanks, it’s been a journey to bring it all together in the way that I envisioned. I guess what I’m most proud of is saying what I wanted to say on each song. It’s never that straightforward articulating exactly what you feel and then finding a way to marry those sentiments with a melody, but when it comes off, it’s a great feeling.
What is your favorite song on the project? What’s the important story behind it?
My favourite song is ‘City Wolf,’ which is all about the cost of living crisis and what it’s like to be young, single, and skint in these current times.
Is there a song in particular that you think fans will gravitate toward?
I think ‘City Wolf,’ it’s very current in terms of the subject matter. I think there’s so many of us out there who never thought we’d be this skint this far on in our lives. But here we are, the casualties of these downturns and big global financial f**k ups. There’s a lot of desperation in that song, and I think that’s how everyone feels these days when it’s still a week to go before payday.
What are you most excited to perform live?
‘Jane,’ definitely ‘Jane.’ It’s the most uptempo and energetic of the tracks. It’s got a driving pulse with the guitar riff that runs through it.
In ‘Ladder Rungs,’ you sing about the difficulties of being an artist in London. How did that song begin? What inspired you to make it?
I think a combination of things. In general, it was just this overhanging feeling of not being able to get ahead. Relationships with producers falling through, frustrations about not finding the sound I really wanted to produce. Just this overarching feeling of not being in motion.
What is your process like in the studio? What does a typical day look like?
A typical day involves starting bright and early and going over initial ideas with my producer, talking about reference tracks and sounds, and then wider discussions about what the song’s about and what vibe I want to get across. Then I’d play the demo and start fleshing out the track with different synths, bass riffs, and drum patterns.
Will there be any upcoming music videos related to the EP? If so, can you give us any hints as to the creative direction you’ll be taking? Or, are there any behind-the-scenes stories you can tell us about the ones you’ve already worked on?
I mean, the video to ‘Jane’ is all filmed in the bath, so there were a lot of soapy frolics going on. Several nip-slips we had to get rid of in the edit.
You’ve said that you make the music you wanted to hear growing up –– how would you describe your sound?
Heartfelt, honest storytelling from a queer perspective.
What or who has most influenced your sound as an artist?
Without a doubt, singer-songwriters like Springsteen, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, and Jackson Browne.
What’s your biggest musical goal for this year?
For as many people as possible to hear the new EP, either through coming to one of my live shows or streaming the tracks.
Make sure to stream Heff VanSaint’s Odes Of Hope For Sad Bois here!
Let us know what you think about Heff VanSaint’s EP by commenting below or tweeting us at @thehoneypop!
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TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HEFF VANSAINT:
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