‘The Crime’ has been one of those songs that has just really stuck with us. From the visuals that perfectly tell the heartbreaking story to the lyrics that chronicle such honesty and bravery on Taylor Bickett’s part. We knew after listening to this song that we had to chat with Taylor Bickett and break down what this song means to her and why now was the time to release it. We also chat about Taylor Bickett’s earlier music, her upcoming tour, and more!
Stream ‘The Crime’ here!
Hi Taylor! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us! Before we dive in we always like to ask, if there was someone tuning into your music for the first time, how would you describe your sound to them?
I would describe my music as narrative and confessional. I don’t hold back—I’m a self-proclaimed “professional oversharer.”
‘The Crime’ is your latest release! This song is as lyrically heavy as they come! What went into the decision to put such a personal experience out into the world in this way?
Writing ‘The Crime’ was how I processed a traumatic event. As I began, it didn’t cross my mind to release the song. It was purely cathartic. Once I finished the song and showed it to some family and friends, though, their reactions helped encourage me to share it with the world. I realized how common the feelings I wrote about are and how many women are scared for their lives every single day. Most women I know have experienced some form of assault or harassment from men. It’s not something we talk about nearly enough; it’s something we unfortunately have come to expect. Through sharing my experience, I wanted to start a conversation and to make other women feel heard and understood. I also saw it as an opportunity to partner with a charity and do something meaningful with the money the song generates, which is why I decided to donate 30% of the proceeds to The Circle, a global feminist organization started by Annie Lennox. The Circle focuses on economically empowering women and girls and fighting gender-based violence, particularly in underserved communities.
And kind of going off of that, with releasing a song that touches on something so personal and that holds so much weight, that comes with people seeing themselves and their situations in ‘The Crime,’ were you prepared when releasing this song for the stories you would hear? And for the weight this song would carry for people?
When it came time to release ‘The Crime,’ I hoped that it would encourage people to share their stories. I think that stories are the most valuable tool we have for creating change. I definitely had to mentally prepare myself for the weight that these stories bring because it’s absolutely devastating to hear about the trauma and abuse these women have been through and how their voices have been silenced. But while it hurts to hear, I know that there is such power in sharing our experiences and connecting with each other. I so badly want to send love and healing to every single person who has commented or messaged me about this song.
The visuals for ‘The Crime’ really brought the story the lyrics were telling to life so beautifully and tragically. How did you decide how you wanted to present this track visually?
I always knew that I wanted to create a music video for ‘The Crime.’ To visually portray the fear that often comes with being a woman is so much more powerful than just singing about it. I also wanted to show that it’s not just my story, not even close. We worked really hard to bring together a cast of diverse women to tell the story, and the video was created by an entirely female crew. No Storage Productions perfectly executed our vision, and I can’t watch it without getting emotional.
‘Break My Own’ and ‘Just My Type’ both came out in 2021, four years ago. When you look back at those tracks and you compare them to the music you are making now, what do you see as the biggest area of creative growth?
It’s hard not to look back at my first few releases and cringe. I’m just naturally hard on myself, and I do believe that I’ve grown so much as an artist since then, but those songs will always have a special place in my heart. I wrote them at the height of the pandemic in 2020, and writing music was what kept me sane during that time. My creativity was really blossoming, and I learned so much about myself. I would say that my biggest area of growth is the sonic world that I’m building. I feel like I really know my sound now, whereas back then I was still figuring it out. I also just think I’ve grown as a person. I write more thoughtfully and maturely.
With ‘The Crime’ being such a personal song, what was the experience of writing this track like? Did you find it to be a heavy experience? Or on the other end, was it more cathartic?
Writing ‘The Crime’ was incredibly cathartic. It was definitely emotional, and tears were shed, but it’s what I needed. I can’t even say it was heavy, necessarily, because I feel like my natural resting place is one of emotional depth. I don’t know how to turn off the tap. I’m sensitive. I feel things deeply, and writing is my way of getting it out.
TikTok has been such an incredible tool for people to find your music! What was the first song of yours that you can remember seeing catch on online? And what was it like figuring out how to use that platform to find your audience?
I started out posting covers on TikTok, and I began to gain traction for those, but what really took off was my first single, ‘Break My Own.’ It was one of the first original songs I ever posted on the app. I knew so little about the internet and what it’s like to go viral at the time, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t extremely overwhelmed. It felt like a lot of pressure, especially since I had shared an unfinished song, but it was also an incredible opportunity. I realized that I could reach millions of people all over the world with zero budget or connections. Just posting from my childhood bedroom in Indiana. That was a game-changer.
You’re about to play some headline shows! (We will be at the LA show!!) What goes into preparing for a run of headline shows?
I am so excited to be playing my own shows. It’s been a long time coming. These shows are super intimate and I’ll be playing solo acoustic, so I’ll definitely be doing a lot of practicing beforehand. I’m choosing some of my favorite songs that I’ve released so far, as well as some brand new ones. I’m looking forward to reimagining and changing them up a little since it’ll just be me onstage—the world is my oyster, I suppose. I also have yet to pick my outfits. I’ll spend way too much time doing that, for sure.
Once again, thank you so much Taylor for taking the time to chat with us! Before we let you go, what’s on the horizon? What can fans look forward to this year?
There is so much new music coming! Like I mentioned earlier, I feel like I’ve finally found my sound. I know now what I want to say and how I want to say it, and I just know myself better. I’m in the process of writing my debut album, and I can’t wait to start sharing it.
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