A Pop Tiger exclusive - The first look inside Roxanne Somerset's highly anticipated first solo album brand new eyes:
Pop Tiger's finest sat down with the singer-songwriter on the eve of her album release to chat all things music and get the ultimate track-by-track breakdown from the rocker herself.
Written by: Beatriz Fuentes // June 10th, 2010
(covers highly inspired by @partiallypearl <3)
Seventeen-year-old Roxanne Somerset, daughter of two-time Grammy Award winner and frontman of Dec and the Desires, Declan Somerset, anxiously paces around the top floor of Rocque Records in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. She pulls her phone out of her back pocket, taps at the screen to check the time, and lets out a sigh uncharacteristic of those about to reach their first major career milestone.
Q: Expecting a message from someone?
A: *Dry laughter* Not really... More like wishful thinking. But, you've got my full attention - I promise.
Roxanne, or Roxy as she prefers to be called, slips her phone back into her pocket and sits at the end of the long white couch in the lounge area she brought me to, smiling.
Q: Would you mind sharing some of what's going through your head right now? Not many of us can imagine how it feels to release such a personal project to the world.
A: It's honestly hard to describe. Most of it is settling right in the middle of my chest, like butterflies. I'm excited for sure, but I'm definitely going to have to stay offline for a little while until all the hype dies down. Some parts get a little bit messy and the thought of backlash is worrying, but I know my truth. Love or hate the album, I don't need to know how anyone else feels about it. What's most important is the story I want to tell; That's all I'm looking to achieve with my music.
Q: Messy?
A: I've got songs about four separate guys on this one... So, yeah. Messy. But the good kind of messy! The kind that makes these songs so fun to perform with thousands of people screaming the words back to me.
Q: Your first world tour starts in just a few days, are you all packed and ready to go?
A: For the most part! I'm certainly rehearsed out and getting the music, stage, and production equipment in order was enough to make me consider staying home altogether. But, I've lived out of a suitcase practically my entire life until I relocated to L.A. last year. I've just got to remember what that was like and get my wardrobe in order...
Roxy looks down to the floor, threading her fingers together.
A: And, of course, I've got to say goodbye to my friends for a bit. That's going to be the hardest part, I think. My tour ends here in town though, so I'll be able to see them again in a few months. They've all gotten an advance copy of the album, so they better know all the f-ing words.
Q: Circling back to the album, our Pop Tiger readers are eager to hear about it directly from the source. We were hoping to get a track-by-track breakdown; The good, the bad, and the...
Glancing up, the bright lights make her green eyes shine.
A: The messy? I can give you messy. If we want to start with the first song, 'Are You Impressed?' I'm not ashamed to say that one is about my father. It's no secret that Declan is a talented musician - I've learned so much from him, and his connections to the music industry helped me reach where I am today. That being said, the role music plays in his life has greatly affected our interactions over the years.
Admittedly, Roxy's answer shocked me. Not many songwriters are so open about who their songs are about, especially when, like she mentioned earlier, there was potential for backlash.
A: After being in the industry for so long, his taste as evolved to an incredibly high standard. One that *air quotes* 'amateur' writers often never achieve - his words, not mine - so the lyrics reflect that. He's made it clear that the pop-rock songs I write don't do it for him, and for a while, that really killed me, as a musician and as a daughter. It was only until recently I realized I needed to stop chasing his approval and this song became the end result. I found myself trying to impress him with my songs when he wouldn't bat an eye in my direction, so the title reflects the question I kept asking when I was first starting out. Now, it's just a reminder that the only person I need to impress is myself. I'm not interested in following his lead.
The look on my face must have given away my emotions, and the singer-songwriter let out a small chuckle.
A: Don't worry, he won't f-ing read this. I can say whatever I want about him and he'd never, ever know.
Q: Do most of the other songs on the album reflect these feelings?
A: Nah. Just that first one is about Declan - the rest are about other people in my life who have shaped me into the person I am today. For instance, 'we don't talk about it' is a song I wrote after the whole thing I had with Mag McAllister of Brand New Day. Ugh... The media had a field day with that one.
For the beginning of her musical career, Roxy had been in a band of her own design called Brand New Day, founded in 2007. The "thing" she's referring to with lead singer and guitarist, Mag McAllister, went down in February of 2009.
A: Growing up in the shadow of a spotlight was one thing, I didn't really mind the constant cameras while I traveled around the world with my dad because they were usually focused on him. But, fast forward to the beginning of my teen years, I started a band just like he did, and suddenly they're all pointed at me and my friends. As a result, some embarrassing songs I wrote at fourteen got caught on tape and well... Avid tabloid readers know the rest of that story. That d-bag took one look at the most personal song I'd ever written and laughed right in my face about it. Like, who does that? *Laughter*
Q: And that was the catalyst for your solo career, correct?
A: Yup! I already had one man in my life treating me like an afterthought, so I wasn't interested in going through all that again. Kissed Mag's a- goodbye, moved out to Los Angeles permanently, and began to settle into the life I wanted to live. 'we don't talk about it' reflects my feelings about the situation as they were happening in the moment, when I looked into my future and wondered what the band dynamic would look like after that. I was so tired of thinking 'what if things were different?' without realizing I was the one who needed to initiate that change, so, I left Brand New Day. Little did I know that would lead to Mag digging his own f-ing grave.
Q: I assume you're referring to the theft scandal and plagiarism lawsuit you brought against him in March?
Before I even finished my question, Roxy cracked a smile, covering her mouth with her hands as she began to giggle so hard she doubled over. She could barely get out the answer to my question.
A: That stupid f-ing idiot...! The cameras caught it all...! Him taking my journal, recording my songs...! And trying to pass them off as his own...! God, I know boys are dumb but he's got to be the dumbest of all. My favorite part was how he constantly contradicted himself during the hearings; Nothing he said ended up making a lick of sense, and I got to watch as his career went down in flames. The next song 'fire' is all about that. Certainly one of the best times I'd had in the recording booth. The lyrics to that one just poured out of me... I think it only took 15 minutes to have the shell of the song done before I went in for the guitar.
Our other friend Dani Huron left the BND after that- they're doing their own solo work now, too, if anyone was wondering, and it's going to be exceptional when it comes out at the end of this year - as they'd had no idea Mag was lying to them about where all the songs from BND's sophomore album came from, leaving Mag running back home with his tail between his legs.
Dani Huron, the drummer of Roxy's former band Brand New Day, has been teasing their own solo work over the last few weeks. Roxy's given us a clue as to when Pop Tiger readers should be on the look out for their album!
Q: A few of your ScuttButts from this time had gone mega-viral... A personal favorite of mine being 'mag makes me realize that i could and should be hating harder.' At first glance, this attitude doesn't really match the softer image of this album cover. What was the inspiration behind the design?
A: Well, I was practically born in the middle of a punk concert mosh pit thanks to my dad. I bark and I bite, but that doesn't mean I can't be vulnerable and share feelings besides those of anger and defiance. It's my own special version of non-conformity; Releasing an album with the sounds of punk and rock with lyrics more tied to traditional pop. The image of me on the cover was taken by my good friend, Logan Mitchell, during one of my first weeks in L.A. *Pointing down the hall* Right there!
Where Roxy is pointing, from the highest point of the Rocque Records skyscraper, the rest of Los Angeles looks so small.
Logan Mitchell is one of four members of the boy band Big Time Rush. We at Pop Tiger are some of their biggest fans! As we all know, Roxy is, too.
A: I honestly just thought it looked cool, mostly, but the photo was also taken the day I met the person the next few songs are about when the boys and I were just d-ing around with the camera. They were having a Pop Tiger photoshoot, actually, if my memory serves me right. And that day, and the few months after that, I learned I really know how to pick guys...
He - I won't say his name, but it rhymes with Zac Efron - and I ended up meeting by chance that day when we double-booked Studio B to do some recording. Apparently, I really love dudes who want nothing to do with me, because I found out a few months into our relationship he'd been seeing someone else behind my back the whole time. Both 'don't forget' and 'distracted' traversed into my feelings about that... mostly because I did feel like he'd completely forgotten we were together and he was too busy with himself to even think about me. That should have been the first sign I suppose, and the second should have been when he stood me up at one of BTR's parties, but what can I say? I suppose I was a glutton for punishment. *Laughter*
Q: You were?
The singer nodded, confirming her answer.
A: Well, we've only talked about the first half of the album... Chock full of songs about my issues with others... But the back half? That's mostly full of love songs... Perfectly spliced in between with a rock anthem 'riot' I wrote and recorded with my best friend Lucy Stone. If you guys haven't checked her first album out yet, God, you're missing out. She's one talented chick.
Though Pop Tiger has been reaching out to Lucy Stone for an interview, the punk rocker has denied every single invitation. She seems to be at the top of Roxy's recommendation list!
A: I don't think I can sing her praises enough if I'm being honest. To say that I'm lucky to have found her in this town of a few million people is an understatement. She helped me find my voice again after the BND break up; I'd been writing primarily pop songs - which I love just as dearly - but when she came to me one day proposing we write something together this punk song practically poured out of me. It was nice to return to my roots after being away for a while and ended up inspiring the sound of a few of the other songs on here. Just like the song says, she and I love to riot! I don't think I've ever seen anyone go harder on stage than she does, she's like a whirlwind of art, destruction, and chaos up there. I think I've performed more surgeries on her guitars than a doctor does on their patients...
Q: Should we be on the look out for more collaborations between the two of you in the future?
A: Oh, absolutely. Lucy's an absolute dream to work with. Now that we're going to have our riot grrl song out in the world, I've gotta see if I can coax a love song out of her on her next album...
It was hard to miss the way Roxy's eyes widened as her sentence trailed off.
A: N-not because she's seeing anyone, right now, just because - That's what I've primarily been writing these days. Um...
Her cheeks flushed.
A: [If you're reading this magazine] You already know. He and I made the front cover like three times over the seven months we've been together. I had to send my darling, Camille Roberts, an apology for the last cover apperance. It was like prom all over again... *Mumbling* F- this is so embarrassing. He's much better at talking about it.
In October of last year, Pop Tiger had the privilege of breaking the news that Roxy Somerset and rising pop star James Diamond of Big Time Rush were officially a couple after months of unconfirmed rumors. They were featured as our cover story in November 2009, February 2010 for the Valentine's Day edition, and again, last month, May 2010 when they were crowned 'Cutest Couple' by our readers!
A: Anyway, hi, babe, if you're reading this. Sorry about 'that's what you get.' *Laughing*
Q: An apology for a love song?
A: It wasn't one when I first wrote it, if I'm being honest. It came from another place of hurt because I thought I'd been dumb enough to let another guy play me... Turns out I held some of the blame for the situational misunderstanding too. But now, to me, the lyrics that had been penned in a sort of sarcastic 'that's what you get...' tone have taken on a new meaning. As in, that is what I get because it led to something I want. I'd do it again and again too, if I had to do it over, because I know what the outcome ended up being. So... While the lyrics may not sound very lovey, the message you get from reading between the lines makes it lovey to me. The rest of them are pretty self-explanatory though! 'hot' because duh... and 'where the lines overlap' talks about our joint rising fame and how lucky we are to have found each other.
At this point, Roxy was covering her face with her hands, her voice slightly muffled, making it difficult to decipher what she was saying as she shook her head. From my recording of the interview, I believe it was, "He said that one's his favorite. "
Q: From the recording [Gustavo Rocque] sent to Pop Tiger, it sounded like the penultimate song 'bright' was quite the departure from your usual style. Was there anything in particular that led to adding an acoustic song to your pop-rock album?
A: Ooh, you did your research. That's such a good question.
I feel like, anyone who really knows me and my musical style and preference can guess pretty quickly that I don't traditionally f- with slow, acoustic songs. However, the place that inspired me to write this cosmic-themed, raw, emotional song - Griffith Observatory - would only let me write in the facility if I used my acoustic guitar, not my electric. Which is all well and good, writing on the acoustic is no big deal, and I usually hit the studio right when I'm done with my lyrics and melodies to translate it into electric if needed. When I tried that for 'bright' the rock version didn't capture the same innocence and vulnerability the original had been forged over. So, I had to set aside my slow song grudge for this one... And everyone gets to see a new musical side of me!
Q: It's certainly a welcome new side, but the final song brings us right back to traditional Roxanne! How did 'she's so gone' end up taking the final slot?
A: Because we needed a d- break from all these boys...! It is my first album after all. *Laughter* There should probably be a song about me on there. This was another one that came easy to me and, shockingly enough, was the last song I wrote for the album. Originally, it ended with 'bright' but 'she's so gone' just came to me one afternoon while I was taking in the idea of an album of my own design being shared with the world. It's kind of like a promise to myself, in a strange way. I don't want to go back to being the person I was a few years ago, letting myself get walked over, avoiding conflict for the sake of others, not being my authentic self. This is my life and I'm going to live it on my terms!
Roxanne Somerset's debut album brand new eyes is available now!