Can you describe your musical style and the influences that have shaped your sound?
That’s a massive question I’d need to write a book about. My influences are extremely diverse, hence the eclectic vibe on my catalogue. Because I was born and raised in France in a family of Eastern European heritage, the mix that helped shape my sound looks like this: French Hip from the 90s & Y2K, Nick Cave, PJ Harvey or Oasis as much as Gypsy music, Hungarian Cigany sounds and Balkan rock like Emir Kusturica & The No Smoking Orchestra.
Add to that a ton of country music I fell in love with in my early 20’s and of course, all that American pop culture you can’t ever escape even under a rock. And of course I keep up. I’m a gigantic fan of Chapell Roan, Lizzo, Mark Ronson and so many others who are literally shaping the sound of pop music in real time.
All these things have shaped my style and continue to inspire me. I love warm and massive guitar sounds (usually Telecaster or Gretsch), nostalgic synths and of course, the most important ingredient: storytelling. I don’t ever care about a song if the lyrics suck. That’s always gonna be the key for me.
What was the inspiration behind ‘Different Now’, and can you tell us about the creative process behind it?
It was an “aha!” moment that kind of came out of the blue after catching up with a friend one night. I wrote the song very fast, it honestly wrote itself. I just felt “DIFFERENT” in that moment and like everything around me had shifted. I think we all have those moments, but they are rare and important. We might look the same, be in the same city with the same people. But it all feels different. It’s a different level. It’s a different vibe. All the work and all the moments that led you there finally make sense in one block and now you feel the results.
Looking back on the moment the song came out and onto the first piece of paper, it’s about really feeling some old wounds had completely healed, hence the key line in the chorus “we’re on the other side of fear”. And that is probably the best feeling in the world.
How do you approach songwriting?
I feel like it approaches me more than anything else. I never decided or thought about writing songs. I just did and I still do. It’s an urge in me like you need to drink water or eat food. Some people need to work out or debate. I need to write songs. And my approach is simple: the best songs are written fast.
Hank Williams once said something like “If a song can’t be written in 20 minutes, it ain’t worth writin’” and while there are exceptions or things you want to tweak and edit after your first draft, I agree very much. THEN… producing, arranging and recording is a different story!
Music often delves into themes of love and relationships. How do you draw from personal experiences when writing your songs?
I usually do one of two things: I write the immediate, exact truth as I feel it. Or I write a total tale that has nothing to do with my life but is more of a general observation or vibe I caught somewhere.
And while I’m very open about past experiences, real life and a serial IG story poster, I actually stay pretty cryptic about what is happening for me in real time. I like to protect myself from outside interference and there’s a red line behind which everything is labeled as “REDACTED”. I don’t like people in my business unless it’s literally theirs too.
So when I write, I convey all the exact emotions I feel, because I know the more personal you can get, the more universally relatable the story, but I won’t ever actually share about who/what/where.
What are some of the challenges you’ve faced, and how have you overcome them?
Being a woman in this business is not for the faint hearted. Touring in my early 20s almost broke me. Financially, emotionally and physically. Being in the studio with a lot of very toxic men way too often was draining. Credit is taken away from us all the time, doors stay closed because we’re not part of the boys club etc. It’s very real. That and way more upsetting realities too.
Things have been changing lately for the better, and it’s amazing to watch. I see so many women thriving now more than ever as audio engineers, writers, artists and being more and more unapologetic about their work and presence. I love that for us all. It benefits everyone at the end of the day but it’s a slow process.
Are there any artists, past or present, that you’d love to collaborate with in the future?
I would kill to work with Matt Berry, whom I love even more as a musician than as an actor (and I’m a huge fan of his acting too!). There are tons of people I’d love to work with of course, I wouldn’t know where to start. But it’s something I have started doing more and more. I’m excited for future releases and collabs in the works.
And finally, what is next for Pauline Andres this year?
I got two more singles in the can, one expected in October which is quite a massive production involving a good dozen people here in Nashville. The music video for it is morphing into a short film based on classic slasher movies that embraces both the absurd kind of comedy that only horror can deliver and more importantly, a hefty dose of catharsis served on a bed track made of 80’s inspired synths, killer beats and original knife samples. I like to think that if Sia & John Carpenter made a song together, it’d probably sound like this. And last but not least, a synthpop cover of Live Forever, because Oasis is life.
‘Different Now’ by Pauline Andres was released on August 9th, 2024
Watch the video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFGFqdEcLuM&feature=youtu.be
