Get ready to dive into the world of Darcie, a rising singer-songwriter, with her latest track “Hollywood”
Shifting gears from the upbeat vibes of “Fallen For,” Darcie takes us on a personal journey, exploring the challenges of choosing music over the typical college path.
“Hollywood” is like a musical diary, a bit melancholic, giving off early 2000s vibes. Created in collaboration with Aidan Hogg, it’s meant to hit you in the feels during late-night drives or when you’re in a reflective mood.
With a refreshing dose of candidness, Darcie opens up about the genesis of her latest single “Hollywood is almost a word for word diary entry from a time when I was feeling really stagnant and frustrated. I felt like I should’ve been further along in life than what I was, and was bursting at the seams to get there. Watching all my friends go through uni while I chose a more unorthodox path was hard, and I was questioning whether I made the right choice. It’s funny though because writing this song brought me so much joy that I kind of answered my own question.
I recorded it with Aidan Hogg in Brisbane off the back of his sessions with G-Flip for their album Drummer. We had so much fun creating an early 2000s, melancholic, night-time-drive soundscape for the song. I’m so so proud of it and can’t wait to share.”
But don’t let the introspective vibe fool you—Darcie’s not all about soul-searching. In our chat, she comes across as a passionate artist excited about her first big project.
She loves her independence but gives a shoutout to her manager, Kieran, for having her back. And when it comes to finding joy, Darcie keeps it simple with things like tea, binge-watching Gilmore Girls, and hanging out with her besties.
So, join us as we chat with Darcie about the personal stories behind “Hollywood,” how touring with Old Mervs and making music with Holy Holy influenced her sound, the creative process and the “magic” of writing tunes, hints about her next big project, how she balances doing her own thing with getting good advice, and the everyday things that bring a smile to her face.
Happy: Heya, what are you up to today?
Darcie: Hi hi!! I’m sitting in a cafe with a chai latte at the moment. Been a busy week getting ready for this release!
Happy: Tell us a little about where you are from, and what you love or don’t love so much about it?
Darcie: I’m from a rural town in WA called Esperance. My family lives on a farm an hour out, I love how secluded and remote it is. I feel so lucky to have grown up in the country, it was a sick childhood to have.
Driving motorbikes and cars when we were eight years old, going to a primary school with only 6 kids in my year! It was the best.
Happy: “Hollywood” sounds deeply personal. Did you draw on any specific experiences or people when writing the lyrics?
Darcie: It’s probably the most specifically vulnerable I’ve been in a song yet. I was writing about struggling to accept where I was, about trying to tackle a career in the music industry while all of my friends were at uni. I had been traveling interstate a lot, and missing home.
The song is a snapshot of my rambling, anxious inner monologue at that time.
Happy: What emotions did you want to capture in the “early 2000s, melancholic, night-time-drive soundscape”? How did you collaborate with Aidan Hogg to achieve that feeling?
Darcie: Aidan is amazing, he treats every song I bring him with so much care and attention. We’ve collaborated a tonne now, so it’s a fairly effortless process to land on a sound that feels uniquely me.
We had decided to return to a more natural, indie sound, so recorded live drums and layered up the distorted guitars. The song came together in maybe four hours, and barely anything changed from that first session. We made it the day after Fallen For actually!
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Happy: You mentioned “answering your own question” through writing the song. What was the question, and how did the creative process provide clarity?
Darcie: I think the question was whether I made the right choice diving head first into a music career. I had just dropped out of uni, which was a huge decision for me. But I love writing songs more than anything in the world.
The feeling of converting complicated feelings into neat metaphors and melodies is the most magical process, so the catharsis of writing Hollywood showed me how badly I want to make music for the rest of my life.
Happy: How does “Hollywood” differ from your previous single “Fallen For”? Are there any recurring themes or stylistic elements in your work?
Darcie: Hollywood is definitely more moody and melancholic, which I love. It’s the darker older sister maybe. Stylistically, I really like combining gritty guitars with softer pop flairs.
Happy: Opening for Old Mervs and collaborating with Holy Holy are impressive achievements! How did those experiences influence your approach to “Hollywood”?
Darcie: Being let into a successful artist’s orbit is really special. It shows me what could be possible for my career. It’s super motivating and makes me want to work even harder.
Happy: What are your hopes for this single? Do you have any specific goals or aspirations for how you want listeners to connect with it?
Darcie: I hope that someone plays it while driving through a tunnel at night. Or maybe along the beach.
Happy: Can you share any tidbits about your creative process in general? Where do you find inspiration, and how do you typically translate it into music?
Darcie: I jot down bits of lyric into my phone every day. I’m inspired by the strangest, or smallest or things. I’ll then sit down with my guitar, normally late at night, and piece together the story that I want to tell.
The chorus often comes first, then the bridge, then the verses. It’s very backwards! But I see the chorus and bridge as the mission statement for a song, so once I have that I can get really specific in the verses.
Happy: Are there any other upcoming projects or releases you’d like to share with your fans?
Darcie: There miiiight be a body of work coming out very, very soon. My first project :) It’s been in the making for a long long time.
Happy: What’s the most exciting aspect of being an independent artist for you? And what are the biggest challenges?
Darcie: It’s exciting having full control over everything I do. I can tend to be a bit of a type-A control freak, so it plays into my personality perfectly.
But then again it can be hard making the decisions by yourself! I’m grateful for my manager Kieran, he gives me veto power on anything but is a very wise guiding hand.
Happy: What makes you happy?
Darcie: A cup of tea, Gilmore Girls and my best friends.
