Fresh off the release of Reassurance, BASS names The Beatles and Billie Eilish as inspirations in an interview with Happy Mag.
Last year, Melbourne artist BASS took us into a whirlwind romance with Reassurance, a guitar-driven ballad that unpacked what it means to feel safe in a relationship.
The indie rock single is blissful in its sparseness and simplicity, rightfully forefronting the singer-songwriter’s tender vocals.
We at Happy were so swept up in the track that we simply had to catch up with BASS for a deep dive into Reassurance, the muse who inspired it, and the idea that “love makes music.”
Catch our full interview with BASS below, and scroll down to listen to her new single Reassurance.
HAPPY: What are you up to today?
BASS: At the moment I’m writing new songs, playing guitar and working on my entry into culinary school. Just basically singing and starting to rehearse a band to play shows with.
HAPPY: What does a typical day look like when recording a track like Reassurance?
BASS: A typical day of recording for me is literally sitting down whenever the song is too loud in my head and I just have to make it or I’ll go insane.
I get basically every single idea i have on the table and put in the song, then I send the demo to some friends and hear that there’s too much going on, and then I take most of it out and it’s suddenly been 10 hours that I’ve been sitting there.
Then over the course of a week, listen to it non stop and make a million changes.
HAPPY: Reassurance features many natural sounds. Why was this an important stylistic choice for you?
BASS: I like to match the environment that I wrote the song with to how it sounds. I love when artists include their breaths and human earthly sounds, it’s so much more realistic and lively.
I did the same thing with my other songs two bodies(2022) and iwannalie (2020)
HAPPY: How did you go about recording these sounds for the song and deciding which ones to use?
BASS: When i originally wrote the song, i was in a forest, so i thought that it would be nice to include that.
When i was in the forest i didn’t have my phone or a pen and paper so i set up my camera and played the song and i kept in all the sounds from the birds and trees.
HAPPY: Can you elaborate a little on what the lyrics of Reassurance mean to you?
BASS: The lyrics mean a lot to me, i wrote it about/for my girlfriend who at the time was really struggling and really just needed some love and reassurance.
It came to me at the perfect time and is now loved and cherished by the both of us, it actually made her dad tear up when he heard it for the first time! It’s focused on all the things I love about her that I wish she could see too.
HAPPY: Your lyrics feel beautifully intimate. Is there an element of anxiety that arises when you release these personal stories to an audience?
BASS: Personally I don’t feel very anxious about releasing intimate songs like this, I just like that they’re out and people can finally enjoy them. I have a tendency to sit on my songs for a long time. I just hope this song helped someone feel a little better.
HAPPY: Is there anything you’ve watched or read that inspires your music?
BASS: I think when I was growing up Billie Eilish had a massive influence on me; I spent hours trying to match her voice on songs and play all of her tunes on every instrument, if it wasn’t for her I would sound completely different.
HAPPY: What would you say to someone who thinks love songs are too sappy and sentimental?
BASS: I would say shut up!! Love songs and love in music is what it’s all about, love makes music, whether it’s the love you put in to make it or you make it about love, it’s the core of all songs.
Most of what The Beatles wrote were love songs and they’re the greatest band of all time. It’s not sappy, it’s just what it is.
HAPPY: What makes you happy?
BASS: I love to write songs, cook, listen to my records (I’m a huge sound nerd) and read my books, besides seeing my love, that’s most of what makes me happy, lately I’ve been playing solitaire with a pack of cards I got at an op shop, and it’s pretty fun!
