Swsh is writing the tracks we need to get through all of our 2018 heartbreak. Their gritty yet soulful vocals on new single Break The Fall will put you in a state of nostalgic bliss. We got a chance to chat with Swsh and discuss their influences, ambitions, fluidity and, of course, how they stan Ariana Grande.

Has music always been a career path for you, or when did you discover this was the way you wanted to express your art?

For a while I didn’t really think it was a possible thing but I think I knew deep down. It wasn’t until high school my friend Rae Kahlil (another great artist) and I started making music together, and she was like “dude we can definitely do this shit – why not?” I was like “you have a point,” and now I make music for a living.

You have a very soulful texture to your voice, are there any artists that influenced your sound?

Amy Winehouse and Billie Holiday made me feel comfortable in sounding the way I sound. I used to not like my voice because it was really big and maybe I felt small at the time, but I started listening to those two and then something kind of clicked with me. Billie Holiday has this quote, ”If I’m going to sing like someone else, then I don’t need to sing at all.” That really made sense to me, I don’t know.

I’ve had “Break The Fall” on repeat the last few days. Can you tell me about your creative process in making the track?

It took me a hundred years of trying too hard to perfect. I’ve had 3 sets of different drums on it and had a synth instead of piano. Then finally I took everything off except the vocals and piano. Took it to the Avila brothers where they threw on some tasty guitar and bass. Then maybe a couple weeks later I threw some drums on there – kind of an accident, and it was done! The whole creative process of making that song was me trying to figure out how to chill TF out.When I did the song came very naturally.   

How do you feel your writing has evolved since “Soup”?

I don’t know. I’ve been trying to get out of a writer’s block since the summer of 2017, and it’s going okay. I’ve been learning and growing a lot since then and it’s been harder to articulate a lot of these newer lessons, but I’m getting there. In the meantime, I can write love songs about people who I was never really in love with lol.

You are pretty active on Twitter. Can you tell me a little bit about your relationship with Ariana Grande and has she replied to any tweets yet?

Hahahahano she hasn’t *sigh*. I love that bitch though, we stan. To be honest “Get Well Soon” saved my life. I heard that song and Ariana was like “babe you gotta take care of your body,” and I was like “Okay Ariana”. And then I stopped doing drugs.

I know you’ve recently spoken out about sexuality and fluidity. How do you feel about our younger generations rejecting the standard archetypes and barriers of the gay straight spectrum?

Hey man, do what you want. People and their sexualities are much more complex than just gay or straight. I guess younger generations just have more freedom/information to help them explore those complexities. It’s tight asf. 

What is next for Swsh?

Hopefully, I’ll be able to do an album or some sort of project. I have a lot of songs that I think would go really well together and I would love to see that through. Until then touring, a few more singles, and then I might feel like doing who knows.

Follow Swsh on Soundcloud and Instagram.

Interview by Gustavo Oliver.

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