Somme emerges out of a sea of deep green vegetation in her new video for her song titled "Long Time." The visuals and music are refreshing, with elements of 1980's dance music and poppy vocals. Beneath the light sheen of the imagery and pop lies a dark web of lyrics. Somme's ability to paint a picture with simple and almost primitive poetry showcases her songwriting ability, the listener feels as if they can visualize the relationship unfolding as the song progresses. The song opens with "You keep saying you want to get to know me, and I keep asking you to stay. This ain't looking like its gonna be a short thing, but I don't want to walk away." Somme's aesthetic and musical style are energizing, original, and intriguing as she is an artist that I cannot wait to hear more from.
How did growing up in Sand Diego shape how you write? What kind of music scene does it have to offer?
The music scene in San Diego is mostly like surf and skate punk rock. Which obviously is not really what my music is like, but I was in a band in high school called traffic bear and we were kinda like your basic San Diego band that was more punk. I would say that where I live now, Echo Park, has defiantly influenced my music more. There is definitely a lot more pop music in LA, well I guess a lot more music in general. I live really close to a lot of music venues so I can just walk over to shows and I feel like a lot of different kinds of music are more acceptable here.
When did you start writing music?
I probably wrote my first song when I was like eight years old. Not that it was any good, but that is probably around when I started writing. I got my first guitar when I was like four, it was a little toy guitar that I just fiddled around with. My mom got me guitar lessons when I was probably seven or eight and I'm pretty sure I only lasted about four weeks with that. Since then I've just taught myself.
Could you tell me more about writing "Long Time?"
So the single is called "Long Time," I started writing it I think August of last year. I was seeing someone at the time but it wasn't really working out. They weren't like fully committed, or really committed at all, but they were still interested and it was all just confusing. It was always like is this happening or is this not happening? That's what inspired the song. Since then I have just been working on the production.
How did you go about releasing your new single?
Around the same time that I started writing the song, I started interning at a little recording studio in LA. Around February I asked the guys, the producers who I was interning for if they would help me record an EP. So I recorded 6 songs with them. They were super generous and whenever they weren't working on their music, they would help me on mine. So it did take a little longer than it would have if I had just hired a producer and was paying a bunch of people to help me. They are extremely talented and smart guys and I was extremely lucky that they helped me out. I did all the production myself. All of the songs were pretty much done when I started working with them and then they just really put the finishing touches on them and made them what they are.
Could you tell me more about making the music video?
My cousin is actually a really successful and talented photographer and she dabbles in video sometimes. So I asked her to help me and she was super stoked and all for it. We just got together and were brainstorming ideas. Then also my good friend is also a super talented cinematographer and editor and I asked her to help out too. They were both just super awesome and they are both incredible artists. Then we had a dancer named Sam Atkins, and immediately when my cousin met him she was like "you would be perfect for this." We shot it at my uncle's house, that's where all the green is from. I really wanted everything to be green, that was one of the main focuses of the video, and there are not a lot of super green places in LA but I immediately thought of his house because it's pretty insane. The night scenes I actually shot in an alley that's like a block away from my house in Echo Park.
Who are Some of your influences?
I would definitely say Lorde is one of my biggest influences, I'm a huge Lorde fan. It doesn't really come through in my music as much but I am also a huge Bon Iver fan. Fleetwood Mac is like my favorite band of all time which also doesn't really come through in my music at all. I think that for those two it's mostly songwriting influences rather than production influences.
Who are you listening to right now?
The new Lorde album melodrama is so.... I'm just so blown away by it. I've had it on repeat since it came out. Yeah I was like really nervous for it to come out, I loved her first record and you never know, the soft-more album is usually like make or break, but I think she killed it, its super good.
Have you faced any obstacles as a performer because you are a woman?
Yeah definitely, ever since I can remember, being a girl musician is like not easy. I remember being like 13 and going into Guitar Center and going to the drum section (because I was starting to play drums) and not even being given the time of day because I was a little 13-year-old girl. There is this thing where everyone believes that you don't know what you're doing and you don't know what you're talking about because you are a girl. Sometimes during sound check at shows, you will ask for something and the sound guy will just act like they don't think that you know what you are talking about at all, and that is really frustrating and upsetting
What is some advice you would give to other singer songwriters?
I mean, it sounds cheesy but like definitely just stay true to yourself and do what you want to do, don't listen to other people. I think that is the biggest thing. You can't listen to other people, you should definitely listen to yourself over other's opinions.
To find Somme more.......
Photos taken from the Somme Facebook and Instagram.
