Lithium Magazine
  • Home
  • About
    • Editors
    • Writers
    • Artists
    • Photographers
  • Contact
    • Work With Us
  • Events
  • Shop
  • Read
    • Sex & Love
    • Culture & Entertainment
    • News & Politics
    • Life
    • Photography
Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
Followers
Followers
Lithium Magazine
Lithium Magazine
  • Home
  • About
    • Editors
    • Writers
    • Artists
    • Photographers
  • Contact
    • Work With Us
  • Events
  • Shop
  • Read
    • Sex & Love
    • Culture & Entertainment
    • News & Politics
    • Life
    • Photography
  • Culture & Entertainment

Singer Skylar Grey Talks Self-Producing and Solitude

  • July 3, 2020
  • No comments
  • 4 minute read
  • Sami Harris

It isn’t a stretch to say Skylar Grey is a music-industry veteran. Since signing publishing deals and recording contracts at 17, she’s worked alongside the likes of Dr. Dre, Eminem, Macklemore, and Nicki Minaj. Stuck at home in quarantine, Skylar actually isn’t miserable—she’s self-producing, staying sane, and reveling in solitude. Today, she released a breezy new single “Sunscreen,” aptly named for its homage to the summer—and it’s good. In honor of her new release, we talked to Skylar about everything from her recent cover of Travis Scott’s “Goosebumps” to the power that comes with being a diva. (Even if people talk shit about you.)

Lithium Magazine: Who would you say are your biggest musical influences?

Skylar Grey: My influences are constantly changing with the more artists I discover. From my childhood, Fiona Apple was a big one for me. Then I got super into Radiohead. Recently I’ve been super inspired by Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas, and the fact that they’ve done so well working from home and by themselves. Honestly, I never truly enjoyed co-writing sessions, but for some reason I was made to believe I had to. Billie and Finneas have given me the confidence to work from home almost exclusively, and to produce my own shit. Then obviously, Travis Scott is a big influence right now—I’m inspired by his anti-formulaic approach to songwriting, as well as the dark, sorta cryptic vibes he’s putting out. 

Lithium: What’s the process behind writing your lyrics? 

Skylar: I don’t know! It just kinda happens, haha. Usually the concept comes out of nowhere when I’m singing a melody, or it’s an idea I’ve had saved in my phone and finally decide to put it to music. Then filling in the rest of the lyrics is like a crossword puzzle. Some are harder than others.

Lithium: Who would be your dream artist to tour with, and why?

Skylar: I don’t love touring to be honest. I love being home and making art, which is why this whole quarantine thing has actually been awesome for me—but I could be persuaded out of [hibernation] if Drake or Travis Scott or Kendrick Lamar offered me an opening slot.

Lithium: You recently shared your cover of “Goosebumps” by Travis Scott in your own style—it’s super sick! What inspired you to choose that track?

Skylar: I wasn’t setting out to do a cover—it just happened organically. One day after hearing the song, I felt compelled to figure it out on the piano, and it sounded so dope that I just kept going. The vocal on this track is literally the first vocal I laid down that day. 

Lithium: How are you adapting to the changes in the music industry due to COVID-19? Have you been participating in any live-streams or virtual festivals?

Skylar: As I mentioned before, quarantine has been one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. Living in this digital reality makes it easy to do what I love most—stay home and make art. I did do one livestream, not a huge fan of that. Until we figure out a way to do high-quality, high production value, super-engaging live digital performances, I’ll probably keep this to a minimum. I’ve seen way too many live-stream performances in quarantine that just felt, well, boring. 

Lithium: How do you think COVID-19 will impact the industry? 

Skylar: I feel like every few years something drastic changes in the music industry, and the only survivors are the people who adapt. Supposedly streaming is down, and shows are nonexistent, so artists are being forced to be more self-sufficient and do more on their social platforms. For example, my music video for “Dark Thoughts” was shot in the comfort of my bedroom by my man, and these Travis Scott pictures from home as well. And luckily I was already self-producing my own music at home. I think people are learning a lot about themselves right now and what they’re capable of on their own. And I think that’ll carry on past the COVID crisis. But when live shows do happen again, I bet people are gonna rage harder than Woodstock!

Lithium: Finally, what advice do you have for young women wanting to break into the music industry? 

Skylar: Be a diva. A nice diva. I used to think being a diva was bad, and it meant someone was difficult to work with. But now I understand a diva is just a strong lady who knows what she wants and sticks up for herself. That kind of personality can cause people to talk shit, but it’s also what creates the monsters in the game. You get nowhere pleasing everyone. Let people talk shit. If you want to be an artist, remember it’s your art, nobody else’s. Don’t let someone else paint on your canvas unless you really want them to.

 

Intro by Olivia Ferrucci

Questions by Sami Harris

Photo by Elliot Smith

Related Topics
  • CYBER
  • interviews
  • music
  • Olivia Ferrucci
  • Sami Harris
Previous Article
  • Life

Relearning Faith in Quarantine Through Facebook Mass

  • July 3, 2020
  • Ticia Almazan
View Post
Next Article
  • Sex & Love

When Your Quaranfling Gets Serious

  • July 5, 2020
  • Andrea Panaligan
View Post
You May Also Like
View Post
  • Culture & Entertainment

Are Tastemakers the New Influencers?

  • April 6, 2021
  • Jasmine Li
View Post
  • Culture & Entertainment

Stop Expecting “Sad Indie Girls” to Be Sad All the Time

  • April 2, 2021
  • Natalie Geisel
View Post
  • Culture & Entertainment

Billie Eilish’s Documentary Closes the Gap Between Celebrities and Fans

  • April 1, 2021
  • Ellie Greenberg
View Post
  • Culture & Entertainment

Cosplaying the Working Class: The Ethics of Fictional Poverty in Cinema

  • March 29, 2021
  • Jasmine Li
View Post
  • Culture & Entertainment

Uninspired, Glum, Hopeless? Look No Further Than Modern Love

  • March 26, 2021
  • Sophia Peyser
View Post
  • Culture & Entertainment

Donna Missal’s Quarantine Creation: Introducing “sex is good (but have you tried)”

  • March 25, 2021
  • Julianna Chen
View Post
  • Culture & Entertainment

Finding Catharsis in Painful Cinema

  • March 25, 2021
  • Kaiya Shunyata
View Post
  • Culture & Entertainment

“Fleabag” and the Beauty in Everyday Pain

  • March 24, 2021
  • Sophia Peyser

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Featured Posts
  • 1
    A Deep Dive Into the Darknet Drug Market
    • April 15, 2021
  • 2
    My Love-Hate Relationship with Email
    • April 14, 2021
  • 3
    Have You Thought About Your Neighbors Today?
    • April 13, 2021
  • 4
    How Capitalism Forces Us to Commodify Our Personal Lives
    • April 12, 2021
  • 5
    Don’t Call Rowing Blazers Founder Jack Carlson Preppy
    • April 9, 2021
Recent Posts
  • Discovering My Sexuality, Alone in My Childhood Bedroom
    • April 8, 2021
  • Are Tastemakers the New Influencers?
    • April 6, 2021
  • What’s Private Is Public: Drawing the Ethical Line as a Personal Essayist 
    • April 5, 2021
Categories
  • Culture & Entertainment (158)
  • Fashion & Beauty (33)
  • Life (149)
  • News & Politics (74)
  • Photography (63)
  • Sex & Love (70)
Search
Instagram
Capitalism forces us to commodify our personal lives. Success is measured by profitability—and how well we can package our personal lives to gain likeability and engagement. And with that can come mistreatment, unethical acts that are difficult to fight against alone. Lithium writer @jordinna notes, “It is the role of the privileged to take a stand and bargain whenever necessary to pave the way for those unable to do so themselves. If you can safely express your opposition, complaints, or needs, you should, as you’ll be encouraging the development of a healthier and more ethical setting for those with precarious jobs.” Read about it now on Lithium ⚖️
In an interview with @jackcarlson, the founder of @rowingblazers, there are several tangents and an unabashed bluntness about the state of contemporary fashion and consumption. He doesn’t hesitate to name-drop when talking about everything he never wants Rowing Blazers to become—Rowing Blazers wants to turn stuffiness into self-awareness within the world of preppy style. Read our latest interview by @katwilliiams on Lithium ⚡️
From scrolling through Tumblr to inviting significant others in, @mayarpage’s bedroom was an inseparable part of discovering her sexuality. In her newest personal essay, she writes, “My old bedroom is a time capsule—it invokes the memories of my coming of age, the euphoric feelings of finding myself, feeling seen and loved. The door will always be open.” Read on Lithium now ⏳
Nowadays, good taste is a currency for clout. The rise of curation in all echelons of the cultural hierarchy results from the problem at the heart of digital consumerism: people don’t trust algorithms and are overwhelmed by choice. Curation, therefore, is the counterculture movement that restores meaning to content and products. But, with that comes concerns of gatekeeping and elitism and consumerism. Read @jvsli’s latest on Lithium now ⚡️
For personal essayists, what’s private often feels public. Are writers more preoccupied with protecting other people’s information than their own? Lithium writer @itsalicegarnett muses, No writer ever wants to receive the ‘is this about me?’ text, so we omit and we fine-tune to avoid conflict with the people in our lives. Still, thanks to writing so many personal essays, I’m struggling to draw the line between myself as Person versus myself as Writer.” Read more on the site now ✍️
Really, the new Billie Eilish documentary helps bridge the gap between the celebrity and her fans. @elliergreenberg writes, “With one foot in what’s left of her childhood—hanging with hometown friends, sleeping in her childhood bedroom, and spending time with her protective parents—Eilish is also beginning to step into adulthood, the process being considerably sped up by her burgeoning fame. This constant push and pull between her two worlds is ever-so-present throughout the film, speaking truth to the title—the world is spinning around Eilish, dizzying her in the process.” Read about it now on Lithium ⛓
The music industry slaps this label—“sad girl indie”—on any woman who expresses her emotions. It’s lazy at best but precarious at worst, revealing both the issues with the label and the need to invent more appropriate genres (or ditch categorization altogether). In her latest essay, @nat.geisel writes about the dilemma of the “sad indie girl” trope faced by artists from Phoebe Bridgers to Mitski, while men who share their emotions are applauded for their brilliance. Read more on the site now 🎶
Normalize disliking people for no particular reason. Let’s face it—we just don’t click with everyone we meet. And there doesn’t have to be beef. Don’t lead people on—you can make it clear there’s no friendship (whether it’s because you have nothing in common, you don’t vibe with them, or they just annoy you). After all, there’s a glow-up that comes with just not caring. Read @chelsiearia’s latest essay on the site now💫
A little party never killed anybody, right? In this hauntingly personal essay, Lauren Andrikanich reflects upon her party experiences from childhood to now, in the midst of a pandemic and a sense of losing herself. She writes, “The best time for parties is when you’re young, before you know that all the adults hate each other. Parties just don’t have the same feel to them after you’ve heard your mom’s best friend scream at your dad in the driveway of a costume party.” Read about it now on Lithium 🖤

Input your search keywords and press Enter.