In the vibrant world of contemporary music, few artists encapsulate the spirit of reinvention and unfiltered joy quite like Claire Brooks. With an unconventional sound, characterized by its energetic beats and infectious rhythm, “PISCES FINE” takes listeners on a euphoric journey through the nostalgia of youth, blending genres in a way that feels both fresh and familiar.
The song’s title, “PISCES FINE,” is a playful nod to the astrological sign, adding an intriguing element to the overall composition. Influenced by her collaborative work with producer Nick Lee, the track’s distinctive sound is a result of spontaneous experimentation and a genuine love for music.
As we delve deeper into Claire’s world, it becomes evident that her artistic journey is a reflection of her multifaceted personality. A mechanical engineering graduate with a passion for math, Claire brings a unique perspective to her music. In our conversation, we explore her creative process, the inspirations behind both “PISCES FINE” and her most recent release, “GO(RILLA),” and what fans can expect from her upcoming EP.
Your latest release, “PISCES FINE,” is a fun song. So I’d like to start by asking what was your inspiration behind it. Is there any specific moment you recalled when you were writing it?
I’m so glad you liked this song. Honestly, when I was writing it, I was thinking about how much I missed having stupid fun at parties in college. When nothing really mattered except having the best time. I think I was feeling a bit lost the day I wrote this song. It had marked around a year since I graduated and was flung into adulthood. I was just throwing anything at the wall until something stuck, and I was writing quite a bit of sad music, trying to understand my emotions at the time. I was getting so fucking sick of writing all these sad songs, and I remember just saying to myself that instead of existing so heavily in the emotions I was in, I was going to let myself live in the goofy good times for a little bit. It’s kind of unhealthy for me to be sad. I get really really into things, and getting into sadness doesn’t really do much for me.
“PISCES FINE” is an interesting title for a song, can you tell us why you picked that title?
Nick Lee (the track’s producer) and I were going through title ideas for a while, just picking out interesting phrases from the lyrics, and this stood out to us the most. For a while, the song was just called Straight Leg, like the 505s, but it didn’t really make sense. All of the other obvious ones seemed a bit too obvious… Bout Damn Time, The Good Shit, Feelin’ Alright… not really hitting. When we landed on PISCES FINE, it just felt right and interesting. I mean, c’mon, it’s pretty fire.
We can say that the song is not conventional. We have hip-hop and rap styles, and it still feels upbeat and full of energy. How did you come up with this sound? Were there influences and inspirations from other artists?
This song is the sound of the good-ass time Nick and I were having that day. We were just playing around with instruments and landed on something cool. He has all these cool synths, and we just started doodling in the studio. That driving mid-sound is the sound of aggressively stabbing one key on a Moog while wobbling a bunch of pitch nobs. In regard to influences, I didn’t go into that session with a sound or an artist in mind. I don’t usually work like that.
How was the creative process behind “PISCES FINE”? What is a day in the life of creative Claire?
I always try to get up early and work out or go on a walk to start my day. After that, I’ll work on personal tasks or errands, and then I usually start creative activities in the afternoons or evenings. Lately, my creative tasks have been masked with contractual obligations, so the moments when I really get in flow with creativity are once in the blue moon during the day or right before I go to bed when I truly just let myself mess around and have fun. Who knew being an artist was so much more than actually making the music, haha. These days, I try not to have a strict daily routine, just some general guidelines… like being awake when the sun is out and getting off of my phone after 10 p.m.
You’re currently working on mastering and releasing your next EP. What can fans expect from this project? Can you give us a sneak peek into the sonic landscape we can expect or the themes that inspired the EP?
My first EP, The Human Experience, was a self-produced project I put out in college. You should listen to it if you haven’t yet— it’s pretty weird and special. THIS project is the first time I’ve worked with other artists and producers. I kind of take the listener on a journey of finding my sound with me, so expect a lot. Despite some sonic discontinuity within the production of the songs, the emotional performances are my through line and seep into every type of track on the project, from ballads to rap. I have this weird goal in all of the music that I make where I want the listener to be able to imagine the shape of my mouth when they are listening to my stuff. It’s something that I look for in all of my favorite songs, and it really helps me connect with the sounds—to visualize the person and their experiences as they are retelling them for us. But yeah, gushy stuff aside, this project is nuts. Expect nothing and everything. NO SKIPS, BABY!
“PISCES FINE” is part of your upcoming EP. How does the song fit into the new project, and what new things can we expect from it?
PISCES FINE finishes off the project. It’s the highest-energy song I’ve ever made… I never thought I’d be able to produce a piece of art like it, and I’m just so proud of it. I couldn’t do it without the vulnerability I was able to feel in the studio with Nick. I owe it all to that guy, he’s a genius.
Your latest track “GO(RILLA)” also impressed the industry tastemakers. How did it feel to receive such great support and acclaim? Did it impact your vision of making music?
I make music because I love it so much and because I feel like it needs to come out of my soul. GO(RILLA) was pure fun, and the fact that it resonated with so many people reminded me that only creating things that are authentic to me is going to take me where I need to be and allow me to be a part of something I can stand behind. It’s pretty cool to feel like people are really connecting to YOU, and not something you think they would maybe connect with.
Besides being a talented singer, you are also a multi-instrumentalist AND a mechanical engineering graduate with a special love for math. Do you think this affinity with numbers has influenced the way you make music?
Sometimes I wonder why I got a degree in STEM, but every time I make music and I get to apply the order of operations and logical analytical mindset that I’ve kneaded like dough throughout my academic career, I feel very lucky. It’s such a cool way to look at music and localize the ambiguity that comes with anything creative. Sometimes creativity is scary because it feels like the possibilities are so endless that you don’t even know where to start, and when I give myself a little “assignment” and let myself break things down just like I used to do in project-based engineering classes, everything feels a little more doable and less scary.
As a final question, what are you most excited about when you look to the future, and what do you hope your fans take away from your music?
I’m just excited to continue doing what I love. Feels really great that it’s resonating with people now, but I know that there will be times when I’m talking into the void again. This career is far from a smooth ride. However, as long as I’m doing what I love, I think I’ll be chillin’.
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