motel void

MOTEL VOID: You just released your new EP split. You’re very prolific, with dozens of singles to your name – can you walk us through your songwriting process?

AWFULTUNE: it’s definitely not one process for me. sometimes it starts with a title or a weird voice memo. sometimes i hear a beat and something just clicks. split was written during a strange period of transition both personally and creatively, so a lot of the songs came from trying to translate that feeling into sound. i worked with some magical producers like richard orofino, richie quake, and jacob bugden who really helped bring it to life. i’m really drawn to any process that lets me express myself even if it’s messy. especially if it’s messy.

MOTEL VOID: In 2019, you released the hugely successful single i met sarah in the bathroom, which has racked up hundreds of millions of streams on Spotify. How did that success shape your artistic direction – if at all? Did it give you more freedom or time to create?

AWFULTUNE: that song completely flipped everything for me. no one really cared about it for a year and then it suddenly blew up. it went gold in two countries, which is still insane to me. for awhile after that i chased what i thought people wanted until i realized the music only did well because i didn’t expect it to. i was just being me. now i try to stay in that place. it put some pressure on me yeah, but it also gave me a reason to be myself. hard to believe it’s been six years!

MOTEL VOID: You’re based in New York. How would you describe the current scene you’re part of? Do you have any favorite local artists? And what has your experience been like as a transgender woman – have you faced any specific challenges?

AWFULTUNE: i stay in upstate ny so i’m not in much of a big city scene but people out here are still making cool shit. lots of space to be weird which i love. most of my community is online or through collabs. i’ve met some of my favorite people that way. being trans in music can be exciting because there’s so much connection, especially in queer spaces, but sometimes people can’t see past that. it gets exhausting and it’s made me a little more stubborn and want to make music that shows who i am, not just what people expect. and there are plenty of trans and queer artists doing that right now so stream it!!!

MOTEL VOID: I recently came across your acoustic cover of Grimes’ Oblivion – a few years old now, but still very haunting. What inspires you most these days?

AWFULTUNE: i totally forgot about that cover but i love that song so much. it’s pop but really dark when you strip it back and i wanted to sing it that way. lately i’m actually uninspired and i always get that way after i release a project i’ve been focused on for so long. i think i just try to stay open and let it all hit me. it’s more approachable that way

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