INTERVIEW: Athena Joy releases first single since debut EP Blue
Gold Coast indie-pop songwriter Athena Joy just released a new single titled ‘Just Like You’ which speaks on the topic of overcoming adversity. This is her first release since her debut EP Blue which earned her a Queensland Music Award nomination for the track ‘Blue’. We talked to her about her songwriting process, musical influences, and much more.
‘Just Like You’ is your first release since your debut EP Blue. Did you approach this track differently than your previous EP and was there anything you learned from creating Blue that had any affect on the songwriting process behind it?
The songwriting process for that EP was interesting because I was really trying to capture very specific moments that happened in my life at that time. Like each song on that EP I can kind of specifically tell you what I was capturing and how everything in the lyrics and all the production choices reflect what inspired those songs. This song feels a bit more angsty, introspective yet unleashed. This is a song I wrote not really with the intention of showing anyone or really trying to do anything specifically it just kind of poured out of an emotional place. I feel like in a weird way it makes it a bit more authentic.
‘Just Like You’ embodies themes of overcoming adversity and not succumbing to the challenges that are presented to you in life. People often find solace in music when they are feeling lost or defeated. How do you think music plays a role in peoples’ lives when they turn to music for answers and what kind of impact do you think your song can have to inspire listeners?
For me I think different music serves different purposes in your life. From like pop/club tracks that kind of become the soundtrack to a fun night out, to more emotional songs that obviously capture a feeling and thought process more. I think depending on where you are you can find solace in music for a range of things whether it be you need to stew in your feelings or completely avoid them or even feel strong. I like to think my song kind of will do the latter, I want people to listen to it, relate to that feeling but feel also like “I can do this”.
One of the most compelling lines in your song, “My bruises are making me brave,” cements the achievement of you understanding your pain and powering through it. Is there a story behind this track based on any personal-experiences? Do you have any additional advice for people who find themselves defeated and either unwilling or confused on how to approach certain challenges or setbacks?
Honestly there's a lot of stories that led to this song it’s hard to kind of pin point them all especially when a lot of them are difficult to talk about but essentially the straw that broke the camel’s back so to speak was leaving one of my day jobs to focus more on music and life throwing more curve balls at me. It sucked because I was honestly unhappy for such a long time and you start to kind of think “Oh, this is the thing that's going to make everything better,” and then you get hit with another low blow and you sit there and ask the world “Really?”
When I sat down at my keyboard to write this I was just so over everything. I was looking back at the last few years of my life and all the situations I’d been in where I felt like this and was really heavily drowning in self pity and I just wrote it wanting to feel stronger than I actually felt. I feel like I’m still navigating it honestly so my only advice would be find a way to channel the energy so it doesn’t defeat you. I honestly still feel like I’m learning that.
Who did you collaborate on the single with? Who were the producers and who mastered it? Is there anyone else you would like to thank or who helped contribute to the final product of ‘Just Like You’?
I wrote the song myself and produced it with Jared Adlem. We both had so many different versions of the song before we settled on this one I remember feeling very overwhelmed by it haha. We both were just sitting in the studio in the end like “I don’t even know anymore”. Really happy with how it turned out though, so thank you to Jared for putting up with my indecisiveness and thank you Paul Blakey for mastering.
You received a Queensland Music Awards nomination for your single ‘Blue’ which was featured on your EP Blue. How did it feel to garner the reception that you did for that single and the effect it had on you and how far you have come?
It was a really big confidence booster at the time honestly. It was my first proper single at the time and I was still at uni and just figuring things out, I think I even remember saying to someone at my table “I’m nominated but I’m nobody” Haha. To be nominated alongside Amy Shark kind of before she really blew up as well and to be able to watch her career evolve over the years has been awesome - especially as she’s also from the Gold Coast. Kind of a good reminder anything is possible.
You’ve drawn comparisons to musicians such as Florence and the Machine and Sia and have been described as apart of the ‘dark-pop’ genre. Did you have any musical inspirations that have influenced the way that you create Athena Joy’s music?
Both of them have inspired me a lot honestly as well as artists like Lorde, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift. The band Daughter as well I often use them as references in the studio. Basically anyone I’m a fan of and listen to a lot has inspired the Athena sound.
Are there any current artists you are listening to? What’s next for Athena Joy in the upcoming year of 2020?
Currently I’m listening to Poppy’s new album religiously, Selena Gomez’s as well actually. I have an EP of stuff recorded so I’m hoping to release that relatively soon and hopefully do some more shows with the band as they’re my fave.
