As an artist, Still Woozy is difficult to pin down, and box in – outright refusing to be slapped with a reductive label. But as a person, he’s an oddly open book.
Despite a whirlwind of successful singles and the occasional EP, Woozy still hadn’t released a body of work that allowed him to refine, focus, and enhance his abilities as a singer, songwriter, and producer, until now. His first LP, If This Isn’t Nice, I Don’t Know What Is, stands testament to an artist who’s condensed his many facets into an album that truly lives in its own world.
To celebrate such a milestone, Happy got the chance to Zoom with Woozy, riding around in a car, to chat about chaotic minds, artistic growth, and embracing the unknown.
HAPPY: So, how’re you doing today?
STILL WOOZY: I’m good! I’m sorry I’m calling you from the car, it might be really distracting, I totally forgot I had to be somewhere… I’m like ‘ooooo I’m sorry’.
HAPPY: So, let’s talk about If This Isn’t Nice, I Don’t Know What Is. I feel like compared to other singles like Lucy, there’s something different about this LP but I can’t put my finger on it. I just wanna know what you’ve done differently this time around?
STILL WOOZY: This time, I think it’s more mature, I spent a lot of time growing and experimenting with different styles, and there’s definitely more of a rock and roll influence on this album I think then some of the other stuff, that’s kinda worked its way in there. I don’t know, what do you think is different?
HAPPY: I don’t know, I’m asking you! I guess there’s a lot more guttural feeling on this album, but sonically as well something’s changed and I’m super intrigued about that.
STILL WOOZY: Yeah! I think I always wanna experiment with sounds. I think maybe the production’s gotten better, I’ve grown as a producer and recording artist, and so I wanted to try new things and I didn’t want to plateau.
HAPPY: Valid. I think it’s interesting, while I was doing my research, I didn’t know that you produced this entire album.
STILL WOOZY: Yeah! I labour over every part of the process, so that’s why it takes me so long to get anything done!
HAPPY: The genrelessness makes a lot more sense now. Speaking of which, where do you reckon you fit in that genreless landscape, is it something you even identify with?
STILL WOOZY: Totally! I don’t think I’ve ever really seen myself as a part of any genre, I have too many influences for there to be just one genre. I’ve never been like ‘I’m just gonna do psychedelic,’ or ‘I’m just gonna make pop music!’. It’s just like… There’s so many beautiful, interesting things happening now, I’ve always been influenced by it. The craziest thing is that there’s, how many years? Like, a hundred years of recorded music that we all have at the tip of our fingers, so you can really get your influence from any time, and there’s too much going on, and has gone on, for there to be any genres.
HAPPY: It’s interesting that you mention that, because I’m wondering what. Might be the most interesting thing that’s informed this LP, or what’s something that you’ve been listening to that people wouldn’t clock?
STILL WOOZY: It’s funny, I actually listened to a lot of The Beatles while making this album, and I’m not really listening to them anymore, so I’m interested because the music that I’ll probably make after this period is gonna sound like, a lot different. You probably might not even have noticed that I listened The Beatles while making the album, because the album doesn’t really kinda… it’s not like I tried to rip anything off, because even if I could try to write a Beatles song, it wouldn’t sound anything like The Beatles.
That’s what I have going for me! (laughs). Some people are too good at mimicking artists, ya know? They’re so talented, that they can make a song exactly like this artist, but when I shoot for something like that, I always fall short and I end up landing on my own planet – that’s where I’m at now!
HAPPY: (laughs) Well then I’m wondering how you bring a song together in the technical aspect? If you’re producing and songwriting, is it something you’re working on simultaneously? Do you have an idea in mind before you go in and create it?
STILL WOOZY: Yeah! For this album I worked with a good friend of mine, his name is Lars Stalfors, and he would come up to Portland, and I would write an idea, get the main hooks down and the production down, and he’d just sit on the couch basically, and we’d just talk through it.
He wouldn’t do any of the recording, I still wrote all the parts and did all that stuff, but he would help me organise my brain, which is VERY disorganised – an extremely disorganised place! Which is why I’m in a car right now, instead of at my studio which is where I should’ve been!
So, that was a little bit different, working with him, starting with an idea, bringing it to him, and then the two of us figuring out the best form and stuff – but it’s always a little different figuring out how a song ends up being created!
HAPPY: (laughs) Well I’ve been obsessed with All Along, I’ve been listening to it on repeat, and I was wondering if you might be able to give me some background on it? What it’s about? How it came together? There’s just something so gooily enjoyable about it.
STILL WOOZY: That’s about something I went through kind of really intense – I won’t go into it, I don’t think I’m ready to talk about it publicly but it’s just me dealing with a personal trauma kind of thing. BUT I’m so happy you connect to that song, because that’s the song I’m most excited for.
HAPPY: It’s honestly beautiful, not to get all gay about it.
STILL WOOZY: (laughs) Thank you! I really appreciate that!
HAPPY: Also, I was wondering what the crux of this album is? There seems to be this overarching theme of hardship? Or am I just totally projecting here?
STILL WOOZY: Yeah! It’s about anxiety, and the music is just a way for me to have a little buffer against all of that. I struggle with a lot of depression and anxiety, and my mental health is always in a constant state of flux a lot of the time, and the songs are just a way to create a little buffer from those feelings – make places that feel safer, and grounded. Does that make sense?
HAPPY: (laughs) I think that’s interesting, because there’s so much info available about the self-soothing effects of different music. How has music allowed you to maybe practice this, because it seems you also use it in this way?
STILL WOOZY: Yeah! My whole life has been kind of self-soothing, and writing it has just been super therapeutic too. It just helps me to be present, which is not easy to do, especially now. Growing up it was hard, but like I think it’s even harder for kids now trying to be present in this time. So yeah, I think it’s really important to try to bring yourself into the moment, into your body, and remember. There’s this immense pressure that you feel if you’re online too much, and I hope this album can maybe alleviate some of that pressure.
HAPPY: Are you online a lot?
STILL WOOZY: Too much! I’m always happier when I’m not, but I have to be kind of. But it’s alright, I’ll figure it out someday! Are you online a lot?
HAPPY: Oh god yeah. Oh my God I’m chronically online.
STILL WOOZY: Do you know TikTok?
HAPPY: Oh yeah!
STILL WOOZY: I actually like TikTok a lot more than other social media platforms. Just going on, there’s less comparison, and there’s just more having fun and expressing yourself – it just feels less heavy than going on Instagram and people are just intense. Whereas TikTok brings the lighter side of things.
HAPPY: Yeah, it’s creative and it also feels a lot less corporate and much less commercial and there’s so many weird niche communities – that might change but it feels like the wild west. Do you know Cottagecore?
STILL WOOZY: Cottagecore? What is that? Is it like old-timey cottage stuff? How do I find it? I wanna look into that!
HAPPY: Yeah just look it up, you can get lost down rustic ovens and all that stuff! Last question, what niche communities are you into right now?
STILL WOOZY: Oh god I wouldn’t say I’m a part of any niche communities. I just figured out that I have a ‘for you’ page, I just figured out it’s different than the ‘following page’ so I’m just catching up!
HAPPY: (laughs) Alrighty, is there anything you wanna add in? Anything I haven’t touched upon that you think is important?
STILL WOOZY: The album’s out on August 13th!
HAPPY: Thank you so much for talking to us!
STILL WOOZY: Thank you! Hopefully, I’ll see you in Australia when the world opens up. We’re gonna come to Australia, hopefully, in 2022, and we’ll get you on the guest list!
HAPPY: Stop it.
STILL WOOZY: No seriously, get in contact.
HAPPY: Thank you so much! Make good choices!
STILL WOOZY: Bye!
If This Isn’t Nice, I Don’t Know What Is is out today on all streaming platforms, chuck it a listen!
Interview by Mike Hitch
Photos by James Adams
