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Interview
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=Popheads – it’s Grimes and my new album ‘Miss Anthropocene is out now – AMA !! =
So you revealed much of the plot and theming around the album in interviews, I don't think the climate change story really came across in the final product; how do you think your much more honest and open approach effected the final album and the reception? Big fans like me followed your media appearances etc and I feel slightly let down because it didn't live up to the expectations that had been set up
Hey! Good Question.
So in my opinion i think the plot and theme is pretty tight. The album is about the New Gods. Like the Goddess of Suicide (you'll miss me), The Demon of opoid addiction (Delete), The Demon of Apathy (MNID), Goddess of AI (We appreciate power) etc. Each song corresponds to a specific personal or societal crisis and attempts to embody that lyrically and/ or sonically.
A lot of incorrect lyrics were up on genius at first, and a lot of reviews kept pointing to stuff I said a year ago before I'd fully planned everything out rather than referring to my more recent statements, so I think that just caused a lot of confusion about my intentions and execution.
But I also consider Grimes an audio-visual project, so a lot of the Gods were manifested visually like the Warnymph (Goddess of Social Media) or Miss Anthropocene (in the Global warming is good campaign, the "oil bubble" paintings I've been releasing etc.). But this can also be confusing cuz a lot of people just see Grimes as music. I chose Miss Anthropocene for the title because I think this is the most pressing and relevant talking point, and I think the wordplay is strongest just as a piece of art in and of itself.
There was also a lot of stuff planned that didn't pan out due to my manager's passing (LAUREN FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!) and my pregnancy. We had planned a short film with Jodeb that was about all the Goddesses fighting but being pregnant got too crazy to make somethning like that, and a "modern demonology" with Heavy Metal Magazine that would be a coffee table book with all the Gods.
Haha, anyway, long story short, maybe i should have been less obtuse. I just don't like being too obvious, i thought it was cooler to leave a trail of clues and make a wierd puzzle, but I see now that's been frustrating to people. haha and I apologize for that. but yeah! Thanks for listening and reading this long winded vibe haha.
gregorian chant album - when?
yes
Hello! Thanks so much for doing this AMA.
As an aspiring producer and chronic perfectionist, I’m wondering: How do you know when a song you’re working on is finally complete?
TBH i make people stop me. Like my brother or manager or friends,
they just made me hand in Miss Anthropocene, visions, AA, i had no choice. ppl just intervened and took the files
Are you involved in Lady Gagas new album?
haha no, altho my best friend Mike is one of the main people involved so I've been hearing lots of demos and kinda been along for the ride as an observer. It's a truly great album. I wish i could say my fave song but i think the titles are still secret?
Scientists say there's a new Earth moon called 2020 CD3.
What title do you think it should be?
Clair de lune 2
What's your go to Reverb plugin?
VALHALLA VERBS FOREVER
Hi c! I really love the ‘new gods’ concept on Miss Anthropocene. I think it’s fascinating how throughout history, people have created beings and stories to explain the world around them, and the idea of having new beings for a new era with new concerns is truly inventive. As a writer I often draw from ancient myths in my own work. Who are some of your favourite ‘old gods’? Is there a particular myth you draw much creative inspiration from?
i love the pygmalian and Galatea story and like... and how it kinda manifests in modern story telling. if you look at the Metropolis movies (orig and anime), battle angel alita etc. etc. theres this long history of narrative about "men" building "fembots" for lack of a better word. Transhumanism/ robots/ AI is so often manifested in female bodies for some reason and i think this goes back to old myths. I find it weirdly compelling narratively (obviously lots of people do), I can't even say why. but yeah
Hi c! Your story of building a houseboat and sailing the Mississipi river with chickens and 20 pounds of potatoes is legendary. Did you guys just like eat the raw potatoes, since I assume there wasn't electricity? Were the chickens for eggs or companionship? I'd be really down for an in depth memoir or a song about the experience. Maybe even a movie.
we cooked the potatoes in a fire pit haha. The chickens were for eggs and companionship!
Why did you remove anti-imperialist from your bio
i change my twitter bio all the time and at random. I changed it away from anti-imperialist months before ever meeting my boyfriend, but people took screenshots out of context and smudged the dates around to try and create a damaging narrative. I dunno what else to say besides my twitter bio means nothing and i changed it all the time.
How was the algorithm mixes created and what gave you the idea to recreate such remixes?
haha, well, the "Algorithm mixes" are essentially like radio edits. Mixes that are better for the streaming algorithms haha, like shorter and with some the vocals are higher in the mix etc. It just seemed more fun than calling them radio edits
Gurl! What are your real thoughts as far as global warming is concerned?? I love you and your music quite a lot, I must say, but I also think Pitchfork has a point that dystopic nihilism is an elitest stance to take, while people all the world can't really adopt that and have to keep hoping that something will give because their immediate livelihood depends on it. What insight could you give us for technology and principles that might propel the human race forward rather than render it too far gone, if any?
Miss Anthropocene is lovely and I'm still digesting it honestly, but I sincerely thank you for your work. <3
I contest pitchforks take. I'd refer to it as fiction rather than dystopian nihilism.
I obviously have cared deeply about the environment and been involved in environmental activism for my whole life.
But I see people becoming apathetic towards it because its so painful to look at. I have often felt this way too.
I created miss anthropocene the same way JRR tolkien created LOTR as a metaphor for ww1, Rowling uses voldemort as a metaphor for fascism/ abuse etc, Picasso creating Guernica as a super stylized depiction of war etc (not saying im as good as these ppl btw just using examples haha). But yeah, I don't think they're unethical for portraying human suffering in a stylized or fictional way. I think fiction and art can be important tools when it comes to digesting painful concepts.
Climate Crisis is especially difficult to consume, because it's abstract. It has no face or name or specific date. I'm attempting to find ways to portray climate change that make it more consumable for the human brain - which evolved to be far more attuned to identities than to abstract concepts.
Granted, i knew this would be jarring and controversial. I understand I might be wrong, but I think its always worth trying. I am emphatically not a nihilist. I believe that trying to make the world better is possibly the point of being alive, and I'm experimenting with ways to do that through art.
Fiction is the oldest and most populist form of art, because all you need is words.
Hi Grimes! Hope you’re doing well today. The album was amazing!
I want to ask, what is your favourite song on the album? Also, if you could work with any artist on a track, who would it be?
And last but not least, have you streamed Stupid Love?
Thank you for coming by today!!!
My favourite song at the moment is "you'll miss me when I'm not around"
If I could work with any artist it would be Vangelis, doja cat, Sza, Swae Lee, Rosalia, Ashnikko, Boris Brejcha, Blackpink, or Lana
and I have indeed streamed stupid love!!!
Thanks for the questions
Hi Grimes!! you're a legend for doing this here, thank you 😊
when you're not making music, what do you do to pass the time?
also, how do you discover the obscure artists that you feature on your album?
I love eating and going to restaurants honestly
Heyy grimes! I love Miss Anthropocene, so ethereal and stunning!! I have a few questions:
Do you think you’d explore more of the folky/acoustic sound of delete forever? It’s so beautiful, definitely one of my favourites on the album.
If you were to make the soundtrack to a movie (using any of your albums or a future project), what would it be about?
I definitely want to make more acoustic stuff!! But atm i wanna make twee
cyber-twee specifically
If I could do any soundtrack I'd wanna make or music direct for Dune
If i was directing it would be all Lorn and Burial and stuff
you’ve had some past problems with media outlets twisting their articles/interviews with you. do you have anything to say about anything you’ve read which you’ve thought has gone too far? aka multiple news outlets are talking about your unborn child and it’s gender
They go too far a lot honestly haha, its just normal to me at this point
the controversy is probably good honestly? i dunno tbh.
it has forced me to get into meditation, and i think go through some important reflection and ego death. Now I am calm and i accept whatever comes my way.
Peace to all!!
There are several mix engineers credited on Anthropocene after just Spike Stent was credited on Art Angels - how did you make the decision to have several?
For Miss A i think each song is a mini world/ personality whereas AA is more of a cohesive statement. So some songs just required specific personelle to finish. Like with So heavy, its such a wierd song production wise, i needed someone who could keep the bass heavy but bring the vocals up without losing verb and without muddying the mix, which is why Illangelo was the only option to mix. He's worked extednsively with the weeknd and i think a song like the hills is one of the only songs that has lots of reverb on the vocal and still bangs.
Hiii C! I'll try to keep it short. What is your outlook on our future? Does the future look grim to you or is there still hope?
Do you think our entire existence will eventually become digital or will it be threatened by our very own technological advancements?
Which song was the hardest to make and felt the most rewarding when you finished it?
How did "the leak" affect Miss Anthropocene and the creative process behind it? Did you have a different outlook on it after seeing people's reactions?
Is there a possibility that we will see unreleased Miss Anthropocene songs (e.g Death Angels) in your next album?
Thank you so much for doing this AMA! 💙
I think the future could be beautiful if we're careful. I think if AI is well regulated it could solve a lot of our problems for example. but if its not carefully executed it could be our downfall!
I think its true our future is threatened by our technological advancements, but i also think humans were born to create and born to develop into a species that augments with tools. So again, if we're careful, hopefully technology can save rather than hinder us. Sustainable energy, bio-degradeable cutlery etc.
The hardest song to make was prob 4am or MNID! haha god, lots of head banging and weeping on those ones.
The leak was hard. I really wanted to drop the album when it leaked but my label really wanted to do it the proper way so thats why that went on so long. the leak was also a lot of crappier demos and unfiished songs so, always a bit embarassing haha.
i want to start a new album so things like deth angels and Darq souls wont be on that but id like to release those songs eventually just for fun cuz they're some of my faves haha.
thanks so much for taking the time to ask me questions and listen to my music <3
I'm signing off!!! Thank you so much to everybody who listened to the album or submitted questions or whatever. I hope everyone has a nice day!!!!! <3 Love forever - G
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Category:InterviewCategory:2020