LØLØ on Breaking Down Her Raw Emotions With Her New EP, debbie downer
Photo by Steph Verschurena
LØLØ’s rise through the pop-punk genre is only getting stronger. Alongside her release of her new EP debbie downer (out September 30th), LØLØ’s emotionally daring EP calls attention to the female perspective of the heavily male-dominated genre. The EP is an inside look into LØLØ’s persona/characterization of ‘debbie’ who we met initially with her first single release for the project, “debbie downer.” After creating “debbie downer,” LØLØ felt as though debbie had so much more of a story to tell. The EP is layered with alternative-punk anthems mixed with raw, emotional ballads - truly giving the listener an honest glance at LØLØ as an artist. LØLØ also walked us through what it was like working with alternative-punk-rock icon Maggie Lindemann with the release of “debbie downer,” and how they created an anthem for the teenage outsider.
[UNPUBLISHED]: As you’re originally from Toronto, and now are living in LA - how do you feel like this transition of location has assisted in finding your sound?
[LØLØ]: It definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone. I feel like when you’re out of your comfort zone, you’re in a different creative mindset. I used to write a lot about boys and relationships. Since moving here, I have taken a deeper look at myself and find it easier to talk more about myself and the state of my brain. Moving here and working with new people also helped expand my creativity because I got to collaborate with so many different people.
[UNPUBLISHED]: What was it like to work with Maggie Lindemann on “debbie downer?”
[LØLØ]: I first got introduced to Maggie when I got brought in to do a session for her album as a songwriter. We met and hit it off instantly. That day we wrote “we never really dated” and i guess she liked working with me so I kept getting invited back, and we continued to become closer. Then when I wrote “debbie downer,” my manager actually was like, ‘oh, this would be great with another feature’. At first we were thinking of a guy’s voice and I was like, ‘no, I can’t have a guy on that song.’ I was thinking it would be really cool with another rock/punk girl and I was like ‘wait, Maggie!’ She was obsessed with it but this was all right before the holidays so she was going back to Texas, and the timing wasn’t working out. So, I was ultimately going to release the song on my own. When it came time to film a music video for it, I wanted all my artist friends to be in the video, and thought I should ask Maggie. So I sent [the idea] to her and then all of sudden it turned out the timing was now good for her to hop on the song. We then got together to rewrite her verse and the rest is history.
[UNPUBLISHED]: As “debbie downer” was the first track you wrote for this EP, did you use the ‘debbie downer’ character at all throughout the rest of the project?
[LØLØ]: I’m usually really bad at planning ahead when it comes to musical projects, but I wrote “debbie downer” almost a year ago and right after I wrote it, I instantly felt that this could be the start of an EP. I felt Debbie had more to her story. (Of course, as I say in the song, Debbie is me. For some reason, it was a lot easier to write this EP when I thought of “debbie” as her own separate person from me. Believe it or not, I’m really bad at talking about my feelings – so writing in the third person just made it easier to take a big look inwards.
[UNPUBLISHED]: What advice would you give especially to another young female wanting to step into a relatively male-dominated genre of the alternative punk rock world?
[LØLØ]: I would just say, keep trying even after being rejected. The amount of times I’ve gotten rejected or felt like I was a loser– I couldn’t keep track. Keep going even after you get so many ‘no’s’, because you’ll end up succeeding for sure if you just don’t stop. Like you said, it is a male-dominated place, but we totally need more of the female perspective in this scene.
[UNPUBLISHED]: Can you walk us through the release of the lyric video on YouTube for “asking for a friend” coinciding with Suicide Prevention Day and why you thought this was an important collaboration for your music?
[LØLØ]: When I wrote this song, I knew it was a heavier topic and I thought it would be meaningful to release this in conjunction with Suicide Prevention Day. I ended up sitting on this song for a while because it felt weird to want to put it out as a single. I wanted the song to make a statement about an important topic, so it felt weird to promote myself at the same time. 2 years later, I finally thought of the idea to only put it out on YouTube with a fundraiser. I was very careful about how I went about it because it is a very sensitive topic and I wouldn’t want anyone to think that I was trying to make it about me. In the end I’m happy that I waited to release it, because I really feel like it now belongs on the debbie downer EP.
[UNPUBLISHED]: The project closes with a more raw, unplugged track “asking for a friend.” Why do you think it’s important as an artist to be vulnerable through their writing process?
[LØLØ]: I think it’s important because so many people think that it’s just them against the world. They’re feeling like they’re the only ones who feel like absolute shit and can’t get out of bed over all these things. I assume this, because I feel like I’m the only person too sometimes. Writing this song and sharing it with others made me realize we might all be having these collective thoughts and feelings. I think it’s important for people to talk about these things so that it becomes more normalized. Just recently I opened up more and got more comfortable sharing my thoughts on mental health, but I used to be way too scared and uncomfortable.
[UNPUBLISHED]: Is there a song from the EP that you are most excited to play live?
[LØLØ]: I’ve never sung “boohoo” live so I think that’s the song I’m most excited for. Especially because it starts off super slow and delicate, and then turns into this monster rock ballad, so I’m really excited to see how that translates live. I’ve also never had a piano onstage at my show, so I’m stoked to incorporate that. Normally, I don’t have slower songs in my sets so it’ll be cool to have an emotional moment.
[UNPUBLISHED]: If you could picture a listener diving into this project for the first time, from front to back, what atmosphere would you picture them to be in?
[LØLØ]: I feel like my favourite place to listen to music would be with headphones on my bed. The EP definitely takes you on a journey. Starting off really upbeat with “debbie downer” and “THE FLOOR IS LAVA!!” and then going through to “boohoo” and “asking for a friend.” So I feel like if they’re sitting on a bed, it would be perfect because you can jump up and down and freak out - then also sit down and start crying.
[UNPUBLISHED]: If this project could tell your listeners one message, what would that be?
[LØLØ]: I mean, I guess it’s really about growing up and navigating those relationships with yourself and others. I’d tell them that growing up is fucking scary and that it’s okay to be different.
