An Interview with Hey Violet
Hey Violet – Photography by Diana Mantis
Pop-rock trio Hey Violet are over being alone, but not in the way that you think. As a band with over a decade of music experience under their belt, Rena Lovelis, Nia Lovelis, and Casey Moreta, have never been alone in the sense of their artistry. They’ve always had each other to create, perform, and grow with, but just like everyone else, the last year of lockdowns has brought on a new sense of loneliness – one that Hey Violet’s brand new single, “Friends Like This,” encapsulates perfectly.
Proving the band’s songwriting flair for blending pop with human connection, “Friends Like This” is just the beginning of Hey Violet’s new era. Combining sultry pop chords with contemporary beats, so many music fans worldwide can relate to questioning what it actually means to have fun on your own. While the track lyrically captures the frustration of loneliness, its sonic message is actually one that tells audiences there’s nothing wrong with the way you’ve spent the last year – whether you dyed your hair, lost your mind, or did absolutely nothing at all.
Planning to release a trio of EPs over the next year, the trilogy will be Hey Violet’s first collection of songs since their 2017 album, From The Outside, and since becoming independent artists. “Each EP represents something different to us,” Nia says in a press statement. “The first EP is about loss, the second is about falling to your vices, and the third EP is about growing from your mistakes.”
Hey Violet opened up to Amplify Her Voice about their creative influences, memories with fans, biggest takeaways from being on the road, and what creating their upcoming music has been like for them.
Who were your musical influences when you were growing up? What about them inspired you?
Rena: Nia and I grew up listening to a wide range of artists and bands like Nine Inch Nails, Alanis Morissette, Madonna, A Perfect Circle, and Incubus.
Nia: Yeah, listening to such a variety of different sounds and genres really expanded the way we approach music in general. It never felt like there were any bounds because if mom and dad liked music of all kinds, we knew it was possible to make and merge music of all kinds.
You started playing together when you were in middle school. How would you characterize your growth as artists from your first single until now?
Nia: Everything we’ve been through as a band has really pushed us to grow as artists and I know that if anything ever happens, there will always be two people who will have my back. We definitely know how to communicate way better than we did when we first started, as musicians and as friends.
Rena: Yeah, Nia and I are just friends! But seriously, starting out in music feels similar in my opinion to becoming an adult and learning, as a person, who you are and what you like. It was the same thing with music; what type of songs do we like to play? What kind of lyricists are we? What message do we want to spread and convey to our fans? Over the years, we’ve learned what feels the most genuine to us and now, more than ever, our lyrics come from the most honest place inside of us.
The rock band space is heavily male-dominated. What has your experience been like as a band with a female lead singer and female drummer? What were the challenges you faced along the way?
Rena: We’ve definitely had instances of being put down or noticing that we’re treated differently because of our age and gender, but as we’ve gotten older we know we don’t have to tolerate that anymore. It’s not like it no longer exists for us; it’s more that we know we can communicate that we don’t stand for being demeaned or talked down to. I wish we knew that when we were younger, but it’s definitely better late than never. This industry often thrives off of the success of women but hesitates to give credit to us for the hard work we put into our artistry. We just aim to keep inspiring each other, especially since we have a ton of female fans, as well as respecting the women that have paved the way before us and setting a standard of that respect for those that will come after us.
What are the biggest lessons you learned from opening for 5 Seconds of Summer and Olivia O’Brien? How have these lessons informed the way you approach performing?
Rena: We really learned on those tours, specifically as the opening act, how to soundcheck super quickly. Sometimes things would be running behind, so we’d have time for *maybe* half a song. The first couple times it happened, it was frustrating, but then we learned to make light of it and do the best we could... and maybe we’d bring the acoustic guitar into our dressing room to warm up on our own, BUT THAT’S SHOWBIZ!
Who or what do you turn to when you are struggling to find inspiration to create music?
Rena: I always, always, always turn to my library. We have a ton of poetry books from Lang Leav, Michael Faudet, Maya Angelou, Rupi Kaur, Charles Bukowski, and Orion Carloto among many others. They always seem to put me back into a creative headspace.
Nia: Reading always helps me to center myself as well as listening to new music. I find myself usually combing through different folk playlists on Spotify or going for drives around California to remind me of the beauty that can still be captured in song.
Have you found that the industry places more value on the way an artist looks rather than how their music sounds, and if so, how did you navigate those criticisms?
Rena: Since becoming independent, we’ve had a lot more space to experiment with how we want to look and what we want to wear. It was never a huge issue being with a label, but there were definitely more cooks in the kitchen when it came to creative direction even down to the color of our eyeshadow. We’re much more free now to dress exactly how we feel and it’s given us even more confidence in our creativity.
What is your favorite musical memory?
Casey: One of my favorite musical memories would have to be when we played Madison Square Garden on the 5SOS tour. I remember us rehearsing backstage and just really taking in every moment of being in such an iconic venue. We ended up crying backstage while rehearsing some old songs and it felt like in that moment everything we had ever gone through had been worth it. Even though the rest of the night was such a blur, I can still remember every little detail of that moment to this day.
What advice do you have for women who want to pursue a career in the music industry?
Nia: Don’t be discouraged by the things people may say about you. If this is what you want to do and this is what makes your heart and soul happy, then pursue it with everything you’ve got. Be smart about what agreements you’re signing and make sure you know that the people you surround yourself with have got your back and will always champion you. Learn to love the beautiful and ugly parts of yourself so no one can ever bring you down for them. Most of all, make sure that whatever art you’re putting out into the world is genuinely you and don’t let anybody change that.
What is your most memorable moment with a fan?
Nia: We’ve had a lot of great moments during tours and meet and greets, but since we’ve been in quarantine for over a year, getting to know the fans on a deeper level through social media has really had a way of brightening my day. We have a server on discord full of Hey Violet fans where we have movie nights, we all play games and we talk about our struggles and inspirations. While we’re dying to get back on the road and see everyone’s faces, it’s nice to have moments where we can connect even though we’re so far away from each other.
Is there anything you’re able to tell us about the upcoming music you’re working on?
Rena: We just want to say we’re beyond stoked for people to hear our new music and we’re in the process of finishing the artwork for the cover which is super exciting. I won’t spoil too much about the tracklist or the sound since we have upcoming releases that will do some of the talking for us, but we are really proud of the album and can’t wait for everyone to be able to dive in with us.
What do you want your fans to take away when they listen to your music?
Casey: We really try to give our fans a sense of home with our music. We want them to feel like they have a space and a medium to express themselves. Hopefully, our songs can allow them to be able to feel confident in their own skin or at least know they have a safe space within our songs to feel every emotion they’re feeling.