Los Angeles singer-songwriter Harmony, formerly half of Girlpool, is stepping out on her own with her debut solo EP ‘Dystopia Girl’. Billed as the start of “a new sonic era” for her, it combines the intimate and strikingly honest lyricism she’s know for with a more pop-leaning vibe.
Here, she talks us through the release track by track.
Angel Kisses
I’ve been reflecting on this song a lot. It came out so easily and with such haste, I demoed it a few times and then quickly did a session with Oscar (Schellar), where we found the song in the form it is today. (December 2021) I had written it within the few months prior, and I was not doing great – I was processing a lot of romantic rejection (of the emotional kind), and at the same time, I was turning against myself. The song is about that dual rejection… when you reject yourself and, in turn, you find people who will reject you too. I was struggling with my body image and eating, but not in the way that I actually got really skinny or anything (I have PCOS, it doesn’t work, lol). I just wanted to be anyone else. And this song is about just completely surrendering yourself to someone, or the desire and eagerness to. And imagining another life where not only does someone want you, but you also want and like yourself.
I really liked the image of the line “taxidermy daydreams” (I almost called it this, but it felt too insane). It’s like this idea of the ideal love is kinda in that lyric for me. Being filled by someone and living in their house on display as this twisted but beautiful trophy that they’ve helped create… it’s not ideal to me now, but it was an aspirational vision in a complicated way then.
There are also some sexual double entendres with that concept, which is kind of more of an inside joke with myself, but I enjoy it. When I wrote it, I was getting physically involved with a lot of people, and everyone, including myself, could do everything with me, except love me. It was borderline hilarious, and I loved (hated) the irony and pain of that. I was never sure about the “angel kisses” line, but the farther I get from writing it, the more I see how much it needed to be there. I feel like it represents the inner knowing or hope that in an altered reality, there’s a version of you that loves you and is kissing you, and with that, another person is there too and is choosing you.
Good Things Take Time
This song is crazy. This whole EP does have a timeline which I should spell out.
‘Angel Kisses’ first was written around the same time as girlpool ‘nothing gives me pleasure’. And ‘Dystopia Girl’ I started around then too. ‘*NGMP’ was like July, ‘Angel Kisses’, probably September, and ‘Dystopia Girl’ I started probably in October or November. It was not done, though. New Year’s Eve into 2022, I met my current long-term boyfriend. We started seeing each other almost instantly. And then I had a dream where I was singing ‘Good Things Take Time’ within our week of becoming involved. I woke from the dream and remembered the song. I sent my parents a voice note asking if it was Sheryl Crow (they said no, I don’t think so, but it sounds good). Within 30 minutes of them texting me back, the entire song was written. It was my first truly uplifted and hopeful song. And it has been a lesson for me, as I can be so impulsive and eager and impatient. Through the process of getting my solo music together, it was the first song that was going to come out, and in that title, I was reminded not to rush things even though I desperately wanted to. It’s a constant lesson for me, and I learned it from myself! Kinda epic…
Shoplifting From Nike
This song is about being an uwu depop ssense baddie with a lot of debt and no promising income coming for a while. But you still want to look fab. It’s complex but real. Kind of a ‘girls that get it’ moment. But it’s also deeper and about trying to escape mindsets that are easier for you. But mainly about debt tbh.
I Am So Lucky And Nothing Can Stop Me
This song I wrote with my magical friend Margo; it came out so quickly that it was done basically in like a day. It’s super affirmation core and is just about having a different perspective on life than you used to. Which feels good!
Dystopia Girl
Being a ladygirlperson can feel like being a full-time contortionist. I swear to god. This song came out of nowhere. Like it’s one of those where you sit down with your guitar, and then within five minutes, you’re crying, and you’re amazed cause you didn’t even know you had the potential to be so unbelievably upset right then. This one hurt to write and hurts to hear, and hurts to live with… it’s about the urge to see oneself clearly and never be able to and the destructive habits that come with that lack of clarity. And wanting to be loved in spite of your own destructive ways of being. I started it before I met my partner and finished tinkering with the words right after we met… the lyrics sound kind of dreamy and ethereal to a lot of these songs, but they are more tangible and based in reality than one would think!
Harmony’s debut solo EP ‘Dystopia Girl’ is out now.
