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Eclipse artist Doll Knight on creating in challenging times, “We control what we can. For me, that means sitting down to write every day, even when nothing makes the page. Every day is an equally important piece of the patchwork, and it will come together with time.” Revel in the timely, hopeful reflections of this powerhouse vocalist and songwriter in her full artist interview.

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artist interview: doll knight

Doll Knight is an award winning artist and songwriter in Los Angeles, CA. On Eclipse she and her partner Dallas Kruse reimagine two songs, “The Hits” and “Coffee at Sunset.” 

 how’s it been making music from home? 

Actually, Dallas has a beautiful studio in Costa Mesa called Zion Studios, where most of the tracking took place. We would send each other ideas and notes virtually. We make a good team and have spent so many years making music together, that it feels pretty seamless working remotely with each other as well. 

 what drew you to your song selection? 

I am a sucker for songs that have melodies where you can dress them up or strip them completely down and they are still powerful and effortlessly good. Melody is king. I felt like the melody and pop sensibility in "The Hits" was a no brainer... just SO fun and beggin' for some 4 on the floor ;). "Coffee at Sunset" struck me immediately after, especially considering the state we are in, globally. It paints such a gorgeous picture of love. In a time when we're all aching for touch, connection, and reminders that everything we left out in the world will still be there for us when we return. "Where there is air, there's my love" feels like that reminder. We can hold on to all of the passions and people we love, even in the midst of chaos. Just find some light, and there it is, lean in. 

 when you cover a song, or do it in your own voice, what does that mean for you? Do you try to interpret an original meaning or do you imbue it with your own? 

To me, the mystery of a song is a big part of its magic. Never knowing everything about how or why it was written means that it remains the listener's to do with as they please. I like to think about what the meaning or story could be, and give the audience a different narrator and find different parts to italicize. I don't think my job is to tell their story, because nobody can quite like them. I don't even really think it's my job to tell my story with my music. I tell a story. Hopefully, the listener will never know the difference. 

 any words of wisdom around making stuff / being creative in challenging times? 

I don't have advice. I'm a fraud. But - a personal challenge I think any artist could benefit from is to show up to work every day. So much is uncertain, and feels very doom and gloom at the moment. A ton of us have lost our sources of income and are terrified the industry is being set back irreparably. So we control what we can. For me, that means sitting down to write every day, even when nothing makes the page. Every day is an equally important piece of the patchwork, and it will come together with time. Last - somebody recently told me that I should do absolutely WHATEVER I feel I need to, to get through this period. I've started taking that to heart, and it helped. In essence, I've significantly contributed to keeping Ghirardelli and the Four Roses Distillery in business. 

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Doll Knight is an award winning artist and songwriter in Los Angeles, CA. She is currently writing songs for her own personal project to hopefully be released later this year as well as continuing to write for film and television. Doll can be heard on many TV shows writing and performing songs for shows such as Hemlock Grove, Parenthood, and more. She continues to perform live and manage cover group project "Dallas & Doll", where they play approx. 100 events a year. 

 Dallas Kruse is an award winning producer from Orange County, CA. With GRAMMY and Billboard #1 artists under his belt, Dallas produces out of his studio, ZionStudios and also works as an arranger, composer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is the MD for the project "Dallas & Doll". 

 The two have worked together and collaborated musically for over 10 years. They have also been in love for 10... but only mustered up the courage to tell each other 6 years ago ;) They have been in quarantine apart, and look forward to aggressively cuddling when this shiz is over.

Official Websites http://www.DallasandDoll.com | http://www.DallasKruse.com

Instagram @Dollabillz @DallasKruse & guitarist @justinburrow (who features gloriously on both tracks)

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Eclipse collaborator Stevie Subrizi on creating during these times, “Only your oppressors are going to come down on you for not being productive during a crisis, so my advice is not to be upset with yourself if you're not producing your masterpiece while trying to figure out how to survive.” Read the straight fire from this powerhouse poet and songwriter in their full artist interview.

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artist interview: stevie subrizi

Stevie Subrizi is a genderqueer singer-songwriter and poet living in Allston, Massachusetts. On Eclipse they reimagine two songs, “Granite & Evergreen” and “The Hits.”

 how’s it been making music from home?

It's brought me back to my DIY roots, which is kind of a silver lining. I'm planning an album that's just my electric guitar, the mini synth that's been sitting in my closet for years, and a tambourine. That's a kind of sound I haven't really thought about exploring since my early 20s when I was going to open mics and selling home-burned CDs folded into printer paper.

 were you already set up to record or have you needed to improvise / get creative?

I've got GarageBand and a Blue Yeti that I usually use for demos, so that's more than enough for punk rock.

 what drew you to your song selection?

To be honest, "Loving me was such an awful thing to ask you to do" is a line I'm kind of pissed off that I didn't write.

 when you cover a song, or do it in your own voice, what does that mean for you? Do you try to interpret an original meaning or do you imbue it with your own?

First, I think about what it would mean for somebody like me to cover the song in question, as opposed to what it meant for the original artist to perform it in their context. After that, I just pretend that I was the one who wrote it and go from there. I like to make sure I have an understanding of all of the lyrics, regardless of whether it's the actual writer's intended meaning, and I do the sorts of things that I would do to be true to that meaning. And I also make sure I'm not hearing the original instrumentation in my head as I play it, which often means playing with the feel quite a bit.

 any words of wisdom around making stuff / being creative in challenging times? maybe a good quote?

Only your oppressors are going to come down on you for not being productive during a crisis, so my advice is not to be upset with yourself if you're not producing your masterpiece while trying to figure out how to survive. And it's an especially tall order to have something salient to say about a catastrophe while it's still unfolding. So if you do manage to create anything at all, then mazel tov, but if you don't, you're still enough.

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Stevie Subrizi is a genderqueer singer-songwriter and poet living in Allston, Massachusetts. They were once the other half of Kirsten's duo the Crazy Exes from Hell. They are also a former cohost of the Boston Poetry Slam at the Cantab Lounge. Their poems have been published in literary magazines including NAILED, FreezeRay, and Neon, and their latest EP is now available on Bandcamp. Their music has been compared to Jonathan Richman, Morrissey, and Lou Reed, but they hope that their personality would only be compared to the first of those.

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter 

Support this artist on Bandcamp! They’ve got a new EP out called Nails and it’ll shake you up in a great way.

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Eclipse collaborator Kristen Ford is Nashville based and non stop, typically performing over 200 shows a year supporting her records. Her eclectic sound fuses indie, folk, country, and blues with a healthy dose of rock and roll. Listen to the first taste of Eclipse, with the premiere of her song from the album. Watch the video premier for Cowboy Devotional and grab pre-order Eclipse today.

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Eclipse // Cowboy Devotional reimagined by Kristen Ford Listen to the first taste of Eclipse, with the premiere of Kristen Ford's dynamic and resonant take on the original. Pre-order Eclipse on @Bandcamp today -- https://kirstenopstad.bandcamp.com/album/eclipse-3

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Eclipse collaborator Charles Murphy on recording, “don't fight the song!  As you're tracking basics and overdubs you might very well feel the production going in a different direction to what you had originally imagined.  That's ok!  If you're getting tones and performances you're happy with, hopefully because you get excited while listening to them, lean into it and see where things take you!” Enjoy the insights of engineer extraordinaire and infamous creator of toe-tappers in his full artist interview.

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artist interview: charles murphy

Charles Murphy is an LA based Arkansan that makes fun audio recordings for people to enjoy.  On Eclipse he reimagines “1996.” 

 how’s it been making music from home?

I have been making music at least partially, if not predominantly, at home for several years (and several homes) now, so not too much different this time around.  Weirdly, for being under the stay at home order in CA theses past several weeks, I found myself procrastinating more than usual.  I'm not quite sure why!

 what drew you to your song selection?

The lines (in 1996) "...hands behind my back receiving rights," and "...I got life," struck me as especially potent for literal interpretation of the metaphors for my interpreted meaning behind the song.  I thought it would be fun to take a jaunty, jovial sounding song about growing up and grappling with anxiety and disappointment and skew it darker through instrumentation and production.

when you cover a song, or do it in your own voice, what does that mean for you? Do you try to interpret an original meaning or do you imbue it with your own?

I consider whatever feelings I get when I listen to the source material, but tend not to analyze intention from the artist, barring any overt lyrical content.  For this reason I usually enjoy more "vague" songs for general enjoyment.  I particularly enjoy lyrics that can be interpreted in several ways, and for the purposes of creating a cover version, I find a particular interpretation that matches most closely with my emotional reaction and use that as a starting point.  It's worth noting that this starting point does not always carry through the entire process of production, and certainly did not for me in this instance!  Also worth noting is that, similarly to my own listening preferences, I aim for emotional reactions over lyrical analysis or trying to project a particular "correct" interpretation.

any words of wisdom around making stuff / being creative in challenging times?

The best piece of advice I can give is one that was given to me by an engineer/producer I admire some ten or fifteen years ago: don't fight the song!  As you're tracking basics and overdubs you might very well feel the production going in a different direction to what you had originally imagined.  That's ok!  If you're getting tones and performances you're happy with, hopefully because you get excited while listening to them, lean into it and see where things take you!  My original intention for my version of 1996 was a doom metal meets psych rock kind of thing, and I think we can all agree that is not how it turned out, but I am also certain that if I had really tried to fight where the song was leading me it would have been, at best, a dull listening experience.  I think it's a good perspective to have for a lot of things, really.

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Charles is part of the outstanding LA-based rock band Aloud. Check out their new album Sprezzatura, it’s great!

Aloud’s Official Website | Twitter | Instagram 

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Eclipse collaborator Mya Byrne on creating during a crisis, “It is okay to not measure yourself against the perceived successes or production of others... Do what feels good, use the tools you have, and don’t get caught up in a competitive mindset.” Steep in the wisdom of a killer multi-instrumentalist and check out her full artist interview.

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artist interview: mya byrne

From San Francisco by way of NYC, Mya Byrne is a poet, award-winning performing songwriter, and activist. On Eclipse she reimagines “Explain Yourself.” 

how’s it been making music from home? 

It’s been both difficult and ultimately rewarding. It’s a little hard to self-motivate at times, and I miss playing with others, but when I’m able to engage it’s been good. I have to keep reminding myself that it’s a pandemic and it’s okay not to be *normal*. 

were you already set up to record or have you needed to improvise / get creative?

I am also a recording engineer/producer, so I have a full recording setup at home. I already do a lot of recording and mixing here. However, for my livestreams, that’s been a new paradigm and one I’ve certainly had to improvise to make work correctly. Right now I’m doing a lot of livestreams in my backyard, with my iPhone balanced on the back of a lawn chair, propped up with a couple of flowerpots and leaning against a pizza peel under a cork oak. 

what drew you to your song selection?

i was drawn by the imagery and emotion within the song—it spoke to me in a way I really identified with on a soul level.

when you cover a song, or do it in your own voice, what does that mean for you? Do you try to interpret an original meaning or do you imbue it with your own?

for me, typically, covering a song means I have to make it my own, to make it work in the context of my own labors. Sometimes, though, like when I cover old country songs, I think about Loretta Lynn’s ethos of creating character, and try to be within that character. 

any words of wisdom around making stuff / being creative in challenging times? 

In these hard times, it is okay to not measure yourself against the perceived successes or production of others. It can be unhealthy to try and match the output of someone else. More than ever, it’s paramount to realize that you have your own way of doing things, and to make those approaches work for you. Do what feels good, use the tools you have, and don’t get caught up in a competitive mindset. Too many people are already trying too hard to turn this time into a way to exploit musicians’ labor and incomes. The means of production and the capitalist mindset are things that should be the furthest from your mind. And don’t forget to ask people to tip you! Your labor is real and valuable! 

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From San Francisco by way of NYC, Mya Byrne is a poet, award-winning performing songwriter, and activist. A proud trans woman, she established her solo folk-Americana career in 2012 after years of performing with roots-rock band, the Ramblers, and has opened for many of her heroes, including Levon Helm, Steve Forbert, and Rae Spoon. 

 Mya’s performed on many great festival and club stages across the country. Her first solo record hit #31 on terrestrial roots radio, and the full-band follow-up, As I Am, has been featured by Spotify. A Showcase Artist at the legendary Philadelphia and Falcon Ridge Folk Festivals and the San Francisco Trans March, and the first trans woman be featured as a solo performer at the SF Dyke March, her music and poetry have also been featured in such media as SingOut!, Country Queer, The Advocate, No Depression, Village Voice, New York Magazine, MSNBC, and CBS/Radio.com, with public speaking at institutions including SUNY, UC Berkeley, and the UU.

Official Website | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube

Support this artist on Patreon and Bandcamp!

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introducing: eclipse

Eclipse is a collaborative compilation of songs created to benefit COVID-19 relief efforts. In this collection, artists from across the country reimagine and record songs from Kirsten Opstad’s moons project. Moons, a collection of twenty-one songs released with six consecutive full moons last year, aimed to demystify the process of writing, recording and releasing music regularly. A natural next phase, Eclipse aims to build new bridges between artists, creating community through collaboration. Eclipse is an album forged in parallel. Artists from Nashville, San Francisco, Boston, Los Angeles and Dover focused their quarantined energies to create something beautiful.