Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: I give a speech before every single one of my shows where I'm just like, don't touch anyone that doesn't want to be touched. Give everyone space and, like, and don't worry about what other people are doing. Like, don't worry about it. It doesn't matter because everyone connects to music differently. And I think, like. And most of my crowds are all women and. Or also, like, I don't know, people of the LGBTQ community. Like, people that are not. I feel like, always have to take a beat before having a good time, whether it be physically or screaming or, like, being themselves. I feel like it. My fans are.
Tend to be people that would take a beat before doing that for fear of their safety. And so I just always like, whether you needed to hear it or not. I feel like it's nice for someone to just be like, no, no. Like, dance your heart out and do your thing. And, like, don't. It's a safe space.
[00:00:55] Speaker B: I'm Luke Steinfeld.
[00:00:56] Speaker C: And I'm Wyatt Sarkisian.
[00:00:57] Speaker B: We made the 5050 podcast to support you on your filmmaking journey.
[00:01:01] Speaker C: 50% business, 50% creative.
[00:01:03] Speaker B: Every Tuesday, a new how to.
[00:01:05] Speaker C: That was the voice of singer songwriter Ava Mabee. This week, our high school bestie takes us through the trials and tribulations of tracing a path to success as an independent music artist.
Enjoy.
[00:01:29] Speaker B: I actually look nuts right now. I'm sorry, I. I don't usually.
[00:01:33] Speaker A: I'm like, looking at yourself.
[00:01:34] Speaker C: I know. I.
[00:01:34] Speaker B: Low key. Keep looking like, oh, my God, stop.
[00:01:37] Speaker C: Looking at our last guest that we had on. Had to. Because you. You obviously see yourself on the podcast. She had to put up a piece of paper with.
[00:01:45] Speaker A: Yeah, because you keep, like.
[00:01:47] Speaker C: Yeah, I mean, I don't, but.
[00:01:50] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:01:50] Speaker C: I don't know.
[00:01:51] Speaker A: Well, you're not better than us.
[00:01:53] Speaker C: So, Ava, do you do.
Do you do a lot of, like, interviews and, like, press stuff for, you know, I know you've, like, gone on, like, tours and things like that. What's. What's your relationship with press? And. And whether it's long form or short form.
[00:02:11] Speaker A: Yeah, I mean, I've done. It comes in waves, right? So, like, when I did Idle, I was doing a ton of press all the time, which was very strange. And then my PR team will help with press when I have, like, a new release. So if I'm putting out the EP or putting out a single, that's.
That's when I'll do press. But, like, oddly enough, I think it was a week ago I shot this. Like, it's kind of, like, an online zine thing, I think that she's doing with Meline Favro, who has this. Who has this company called Apple Doll.
And I saw her at Tenants and she's like, hey, girl.
I was like, hey, because. But I didn't really, like, not associate. That sounds terrible. I didn't really chat with a lot of people that were younger than me at Brentwood, so I always knew of her, but I wasn't, like. We weren't friends per se.
And so, yeah, then she interviewed me at the end of the shoot, and it was fascinating because I don't think I've ever done an interview that's not directly about music. She was really asking me about, like, my relationship to beauty, pretty much, like, and how I express myself and whatever. And she was just saying, like, it's so funny. My experience in high school was so different than how she perceived me, which I just found, like, very interesting. So it was crazy then.
[00:03:35] Speaker B: Wait, can you dig that? What do you. What is that? What do you mean? Like, her perspective of you? Was she, like, being the interviewer? Was she.
[00:03:43] Speaker A: Yeah, she was interviewing me. And I just, like, I don't know, because I'm a piece of. Was just like, she's gonna be asking about music or whatever.
[00:03:51] Speaker C: Sure.
[00:03:51] Speaker A: And she really only wanted to talk about what, like, growing up when I felt beautiful, what I did in order to feel beautiful, like, with the tools that were around me and talking about, like, with my artist project, how I look is a big part of it, and the way that I, like, represent myself for young girls and, like, my fans and stuff. And.
And so it was crazy because, like, in high school, like, I didn't really have that many friends. And, like, I spent most of my lunches, like, with Mr. Hilbert in the music room. And, like, I didn't really, like, participate a lot socially, I would say. And she was just like, me and my friends thought you were the coolest girl in the whole world. And I was like, what?
[00:04:35] Speaker C: Yeah, like, you had no idea.
[00:04:37] Speaker A: Lunch in the bathroom, girl. Like, what are you talking about?
[00:04:40] Speaker C: You had zero idea. That's crazy.
[00:04:42] Speaker A: Yeah, I had no idea. So that was really wild. That was, like, such a.
That. That was, like, really strange, but also so cool that I. I was in. Inspiring, whatever, in some way for her and her friends to feel more comfortable. Like, was.
[00:04:57] Speaker B: Was that the first time you've. You've got an asking or asked like, those questions about beauty and stuff like that? And, like, was there a takeaway from that of, like, oh, wow, I Never really have thought about this.
[00:05:11] Speaker A: Yeah, I definitely have never been asked questions about, like, when, like, my relationship to beauty. I definitely have been asked questions of, like, when do you feel most beautiful?
But my, like, full relationship with beauty growing up, like, as. I don't know, as a young woman, as a young creative, fluctuates all the time, and I write a lot of songs about that, too, so I think that that was. That was what she was getting at. But it was cool because she's this, like, incredible makeup company and she's wicked smart and.
And her. Her questions, like, really took me back.
[00:05:48] Speaker C: I was like, oh, that's incredible.
[00:05:49] Speaker B: I love that. Yeah.
[00:05:50] Speaker C: Literally, last week on the podcast, we had a guest named Nadia, and she. She's done a lot of makeup for film and prosthetics and creature creation and stuff like that, but she also does sort of just, like, elevated beauty looks, so she'll, like, work with a record label, with a specific artist. You know how that goes. But she was.
[00:06:11] Speaker A: She.
[00:06:12] Speaker C: We had, coincidentally, we had a lot of conversations about beauty standards, and just like. And she walked us and Luke and I, you know, we're so in. In the gray on all this, but, like, we. She walked us through, like, the. The history of beauty standards and. And the relationship with, you know, kind of the intersection between, like, beauty makeup and. And film over time. And it's. It's all very interesting and, like, it must have felt very good to be able to talk about that sort of thing. Was it, like.
Was it. Did you feel out of your comfort zone, or is it, like. Was it just surprising to you to have to talk about that sort of thing?
[00:06:54] Speaker A: Yeah, it definitely caught me by surprise, which it totally shouldn't have, as she has a makeup company.
[00:06:59] Speaker C: Right. It seemed like it was kind of on brand, but.
[00:07:02] Speaker A: Whoa.
I was like, beauty.
[00:07:04] Speaker C: Whoa. No, no, no, no.
[00:07:06] Speaker A: Whoa. I'm here to talk about my new single. I don't.
But so it caught me off guard, which it shouldn't have, but also it was.
I find myself less reflective in interviews. I'm like, pretty much know what people are going to ask about. I like, you know, when you're at a certain level as an artist, which for me is very new and very green, there's only so many questions that people will ask you in regards to your music or.
Or whatever.
So most of the time, it's pretty rehearsed.
So when she asked me a question, I was like, oh, who asks you about high school?
[00:07:46] Speaker C: Totally.
[00:07:47] Speaker B: All I was going to ask was more specifically of, like, where you're at now and what's next kind of thing, which just so we can kind of dig into that a little bit, like.
[00:07:57] Speaker A: Three months ago I got off of tour and that was my first ever headline tour. So that was really wild because I've only opened and, you know, supported other artists on tour. So that was really wild. And that was like a huge leap of faith that I had to take with myself because I'm independent. So I mean, fan base wise, financially, it's just kind of a whole.
[00:08:23] Speaker C: You don't have the whole thing. Usual backing of a. Yeah, you have no backing. Yeah.
[00:08:28] Speaker A: Yeah. How do you.
[00:08:29] Speaker B: How does one plan a tour as an independent? Like, what goes into that?
[00:08:35] Speaker A: I planned it out with my agents. I was like, no matter what, I want to go on tour for these dates. Please book it for me and like, get me good guarantees so that I can bring someone out that will also, I think like, either my fan base would enjoy or someone else that would bring other people to the venues because they're really small rooms. Right. They're like. It's just a step above. Above like a bar. It's 250 cap.
[00:09:01] Speaker B: So that's a lot of people. That's not a small amount.
[00:09:04] Speaker A: It is, but it's. You know, these venues are so small. But yeah, I guess when you really think about it, 250 people, like, I don't even think I know 250 people. So.
[00:09:15] Speaker B: So it's, it's. It's you though, Ava, making that creative choice of like, I want to play at this venue and I want this person to open for me. You're not having other kind of creative voices around?
[00:09:27] Speaker A: No, my agents pick the venues. I have done multiple tours that were very similar to the one that I did for myself. So I. When I got the list of what venues, like were going to give me a good guarantee or what I thought would be good for where I wanted to go, then I was like, okay, yeah, I recognize that venue. Or yes, I recognize that.
But also there aren't that many 250 cap rooms, like in Wherever. Albuquerque.
So which I did play, which was a total.
Being in Albuquerque feels like you're on a movie set in like the wild wild West. That's all I really. It. It was so bizarre.
[00:10:10] Speaker B: Was that your favorite show?
[00:10:12] Speaker A: No, my. My favorite. My favorite show was in Idaho, and I love Idaho. My. My mom has a PO place in Sun Valley, so we've spent a lot of time there in like during COVID and. And after.
[00:10:25] Speaker C: Awesome.
[00:10:25] Speaker A: So I was, like, really excited to play Boise, and it was the best show ever. It sold out. Everyone was like, that's what's so great about Idaho, though. It's like, no one comes to play in Idaho, so everyone's showing up.
[00:10:40] Speaker C: They really appreciate it when people come.
[00:10:42] Speaker A: There for live music. I don't even think it had anything to do with me, but it was.
But it was. It was. It was, like, really incredible. I felt like Taylor Swift, man. I was like, my ears, they hurt. Screaming, they hurt.
But it was. Yeah, that was really fun. And I think any crowd of people that don't care about what they look like as they're going to concerts are always the best crowds. Because I feel like, you know, that's why I don't like playing LA or playing New York.
[00:11:14] Speaker C: Is it too performative? Is that what's going on?
[00:11:18] Speaker A: Yeah, I mean, I give a speech before every single one of my shows where I'm just like, don't touch anyone that doesn't want to be touched. Give everyone space and, like, dance and do whatever you'd like to do. And don't worry about what other people are doing. Like, don't worry about. It doesn't matter. Because everyone connects to music differently. And I think, like, in LA and New York, people feel that they need permission to be themselves or be, God forbid, a little rowdy at a concert.
[00:11:46] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:11:46] Speaker A: Where there's live music and.
And so I just always felt the need to say that for. For L A and New York shows and because people like to talk during L A shows also.
People love.
[00:12:01] Speaker C: It's unbelievable.
[00:12:03] Speaker A: Yeah, it's good, though. Like, we had, like, when I played the Roxy, like, it was all of my, like, friends and family and fans, and then, like, all the suits with were, like, in the corner, and I was like, yeah, go chat over there.
[00:12:14] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:12:15] Speaker A: Because, like, we don't want you in the crowd if you're not going to, like, have a good time.
[00:12:19] Speaker C: Yeah, that's. That's an interesting venue. Definitely.
[00:12:22] Speaker B: Do you have one fan interaction that stands above others?
[00:12:29] Speaker A: I don't know if it's one. I think that I'm just always really stoked when people are like, I broke up with my boyfriend while I was listening to Colors, and I was just like, yes, Nice.
That's always exciting to me of, like, how colors will help someone through a breakup or help someone through whatever situationship. Family member that's treating them like shit. Like, I think that that's the point of music. That's why I wrote it. Yeah. That's why I wrote it.
And even, like, the person that I wrote the song about who, like, fully knows it's about them, came to the LA show, came to the Roxy show and brought all their friends and was, like, dancing.
[00:13:11] Speaker C: You're like, this is quite ironic.
[00:13:13] Speaker A: It's incredible.
[00:13:14] Speaker B: This is about. This is this. Why are you.
[00:13:17] Speaker A: Oh, like, it's about. It's also, like, it's not a nice song. Like, the lyrics are, like, pretty brutal, but they seem to enjoy that it's about them, so who am I to take that away from them?
[00:13:30] Speaker C: Yeah, there we go. I want to go back to that speech that you said you give before your concerts. Where did you learn that? From someone. What was what. What was that decision to choose to make that speech?
[00:13:43] Speaker A: I just started doing it on tour because I.
I think from the first show I played, I just always.
[00:13:59] Speaker C: Was it.
[00:14:00] Speaker A: I was just looking at the crowd and was just like. And most of my crowds are all women, so.
And. Or also, like, I don't know, people of the LGBTQ community. Like, people that are not. I feel like, always have to take a beat before having a good time, whether it be physically or screaming or, like, being themselves. I feel like it. My fans are.
Tend to be people that would take a beat before doing that for their. For fear of their safety.
[00:14:29] Speaker C: Totally, totally.
[00:14:30] Speaker A: So I just always, like, whether you needed to hear it or not, I feel like it's nice for someone to just be like, no, no. Like, dance your heart out and do your thing.
[00:14:40] Speaker C: It's a safe space.
[00:14:41] Speaker A: Yeah, it's a safe space.
I think I just did it. Cause that's what I would have liked to hear from.
[00:14:47] Speaker C: Totally.
[00:14:47] Speaker A: From an artist, I guess.
[00:14:49] Speaker C: Yeah, absolutely.
I think it's really, really important, especially with just so much goes on at concerts, you know, that. That.
[00:14:58] Speaker A: Yeah, you don't know what's going on in Idaho. You know what I mean? Like, this is also too, like, when you go, like. Yeah, when you. When you tour and you get to see little snippets of people's lives. Like, I'm not playing in, like, blue states or I'm not playing in blue towns. Like, so also for my safety, for my band's safety, for my team safety. Like, you really have to be very careful about what you say, what you do. I already make music that's, like, not supportive of men. I would say maybe, sure. And talks about. And talks about my mental health, and so I feel like there's already a target on. On your back for a show like that. And People go to my show, which is so really insane to think about as a, like, safe haven for them in a town where they don't feel accepted in it, you know, so it just kind of, even on an incredibly small scale, is where. Where my career is at. It. It really makes you think about, like, how important it is to continue, even if you're singing for 30 people, like, to keep doing it because it. It's.
It really helps people, truly.
[00:16:20] Speaker B: Is. Is there pressure with that, though, when you are in your room writing songs or on a tour bus or on a plane or something, writing, like, are you like, oh, my gosh, I'm not just writing this for me. I'm writing this for those people in that room who see this as a safe space. Like, is there pressure with that? And I assume you don't want to be playing in 250 rooms forever.
[00:16:41] Speaker A: Yes. Not for forever.
I don't feel any type of pressure when I'm making music, which is great. I can compartmentalize it, how I work hard on my songwriting because I'm not a very strong songwriter. And so for me, it's just always easy to write about my life and things that are going on with me or someone directly that's close to me, and I'll write from their perspective.
[00:17:07] Speaker B: So you're not thinking about the audience when you're writing?
[00:17:10] Speaker A: No, I just hope that people can relate to it. I think that, like, the. The beautiful thing about humanity is we're all having experiences, whether they're slightly different or not, that bring us together totally. Like, that's the beautiful thing. I feel like that's the. At least the reason why I love creating in general and love art is that you feel less alone at the end of it.
[00:17:31] Speaker C: The most personal stuff is, like, the most universal, you know, with anything. Right. If you're writing a short film, writing a TV show, writing a song, it's all the same. Yeah.
Have you gotten. How much have you improved with songwriting since, you know, however many years?
[00:17:48] Speaker A: Since the beginning.
[00:17:49] Speaker C: Yeah, since the beginning.
[00:17:50] Speaker A: I had a very late start to songwriting. Honestly, I think I didn't start writing songs until I was about, like, 17 or 18.
I.
In high school, like, a large part of my identity and a large part of my identity that I was comfortable with was just being a singer. I was praised for being a singer. I was a small.
I was a big fish in a small pond.
It made my music teacher that I idolized very happy. It made my parents happy. And so I was very comfortable with just being a Singer. I never thought about, I'm gonna write songs and tour the world and be a pop star. Like, I never thought about that. It was very small scale.
It was like I was in my bubble. Yeah.
And then when I started applying to college was when I was like, I don't want to just be a singer. Like, I almost went to Michigan for opera. Like, and then I was like, that's not what I want to do at all.
And I think I was very lucky to be raised by a mother that was constantly telling me how unique my ideas were and how creative something I would say was or whatever. And. And I also, like, journaled for the majority of my childhood, so it kind of all came together where I was just like, I'm gonna start writing songs. And then that was it. And then I went to nyu, and then I was like, well, now I gotta be a pop star. And there you go.
[00:19:17] Speaker C: Yeah, for sure.
[00:19:18] Speaker B: When. When you started writing, were you pulling from those old journals or were you kind of start. You were. Wow. And could you see, because we talk a lot about, like, creative or artistic voice on here, and, like, finding that voice, and obviously that takes time and it takes a literally lifelong journey. And, like, your voice will change and adapt and evolve over the years as different experiences come in.
Have you. Or how has that voice evolved? Or has it always been there? Is it kind of like a through line through your work? If, like, it's always kind of been about similar themes?
[00:19:50] Speaker A: I think it's always been about similar themes. Truly.
I do feel like I've evolved in my delivery of having it not be as harsh, But I do think that. I think I've just developed more of a filter, but it really. Like, I write about the same.
The same shit that affects me every day. Like, I'm a deeply, deeply intense, emotional human being. And so I write songs about things that affect me deeply, whether that be relationships, friendships, family dynamics, my mental health. Like, that's really what I feel I'm strongest at writing, but I'm actually. I'm doing this. Do you guys know, like, the Artist's Way? Have you done the Artist's Way?
[00:20:34] Speaker B: I have the book. I'm familiar with the book.
[00:20:36] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:20:37] Speaker A: So I'm. I'm doing it.
And in the book, it talks about, like, anything that you're comfortable with, with your process to throw out the window and sort of start from a different place. So, like, when I go into the studio, it's. It's. I start with developing whatever beat. Whatever instrumental thing we're going to do. And then I'll do melody, and then I'll do lyrics. And that's always how it's been. And so now I'm trying to switch it to where I start with lyrics first.
[00:21:07] Speaker C: Wow. Yeah.
[00:21:08] Speaker A: And it's been, like, so humbling.
[00:21:12] Speaker C: You're really putting writing first, right? Like, you're.
[00:21:15] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:21:15] Speaker C: From.
[00:21:16] Speaker A: It's.
[00:21:16] Speaker C: I mean, the way you guided us through your. The beginning of your career was like just a singer, right? You're just using your vocal instrument and then you're figuring out your. The way you write afterwards. So this is like a complete 180 in a way of, like, what you're comfortable with.
[00:21:32] Speaker A: For sure. It has been.
It's funny when you just get very comfortable and like, I know I'm good at this, or this is my strong suit. And then to be.
For something that you feel like is your purpose in your life and. And then all of a sudden you're like, I'm not very good at this.
[00:21:53] Speaker B: That does make sense, though, that it would be humbling but also probably productive because, like, stasis is like, the depth of creativity, people say, you know, and it's very easy to get comfortable in your process. And, like, comfort probably leads to stasis in a lot of ways. You know, that's dope, though. Are you. Have you finished the book yet? Or you're like, you're in the middle of it.
[00:22:14] Speaker A: No, I'm on. I'm on week three, and I think there's.
[00:22:17] Speaker B: Is it three months or something?
[00:22:18] Speaker A: What is that? It's like 18 weeks or something.
Yeah, it's like a big. It's a. It's a big commitment. I tried it once and then I went on tour and then I was like, I can't because they make you write like you. You have to write so much that I was like, yeah, no shot. But I am very determined to finish it. And I do think anytime I've ever brought it up, there's someone that's like, it changed my life. And I'm like, okay, cool.
So I don't know how life changing it is, but it is.
I think it's important to just create in any different way that I can, because something different will come out of it. And so, yeah, the majority of the songs that will be on this next album. I wrote all of the song titles out on this last tour that I did, and then I started writing them from the song titles, which.
[00:23:12] Speaker B: Cool.
[00:23:13] Speaker A: Which I've never done before, so that'll be cool.
[00:23:16] Speaker B: How did that. What was that Fun.
[00:23:18] Speaker A: Yeah. The song titles, it was definitely just anything that I thought.
I feel like it just comes from such a rapid place of, like, it sounds cool and then. And then you go on from there.
[00:23:29] Speaker C: But you gotta go from somewhere, you.
[00:23:32] Speaker A: Know, like, it's a gut feeling. And like, if something sounds cool to me, then I listen to it. So, yes, I guess it's whatever your.
[00:23:41] Speaker C: Way in is, you know, it's not about where the work happens in order, but it's overall, you know.
[00:23:48] Speaker A: For sure. For sure.
[00:23:49] Speaker C: I'm curious about your relationship with collaboration, because obviously you're like a individual artist, right? But inevitably, with whatever part of the biz you're in, there's going to be collaboration involved.
In what part of the process does collaboration really take shape? And has that changed?
[00:24:09] Speaker A: Is the entire process for me, is collaboration really.
It teaches me not to be too precious about a song.
It. Like, you have. I feel like you go into something with a very clear idea of what you want it to be in your head, and then it always just turns into something else. And I used to get very frustrated by that.
And then I guess I just let it go.
Nothing is that deep, right? Like, me, me. And I make the majority of my music with my two friends, Jake and Alex. And meeting them was, like, one of the best things that has ever happened to me in my entire life. Like, I cried on the way home. I was so excited. Like, I think that it's a similar journey for a lot of young artists, a lot of young female artists, where finally getting into a room with the producer that respects you right off the bat. You don't have to prove yourself to them. They think that your ideas are good because they're yours.
They trust your judgment. They, I don't know, respect what you stand for. It's hard. I did so many sessions in high school and college where I would have a producer who would be like, yeah, okay, but. And I'm like, wait, but this is my song. Hold on.
[00:25:28] Speaker C: Totally. Like, yeah.
[00:25:30] Speaker A: So getting that confidence takes a while. And. And meeting two men that are respectful and gentle and emotional and hardworking.
I'm just very, very lucky. I'm really lucky. And my entire music would be nothing without them. Like, really.
So I feel very lucky to have met them. It's the majority of my process. I don't write without them. Like, I literally do not write a song without them.
[00:25:59] Speaker C: That's amazing. I didn't know that. Yeah, that's really cool.
It's a great feeling to finally find those people.
[00:26:06] Speaker A: Yeah, it's the best. It's like, euphoric.
[00:26:09] Speaker C: Before that, did you feel like you were searching for them or searching for. Okay, got it. So it was like a trial and error process.
[00:26:16] Speaker A: Yeah. You basically, like, blind date all of Los Angeles and, like, like hope that you'll find someone that has an inkling of what you're trying to achieve.
[00:26:27] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah.
[00:26:29] Speaker A: But also too, like, it takes a very specific. Like, all artists are psychos, honestly. And you can quote that.
[00:26:35] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:26:35] Speaker A: Because we're blind dating each other musicians. I guess we're blind dating each other and being like. So nice to meet you. So anyways, here's all the trauma about my family. Let's write a song about it in two hours. Like, that's crazy. It's crazy.
[00:26:49] Speaker C: Yeah, totally. It's. That's not a lot of time. Two hours. That's.
[00:26:54] Speaker A: Yeah, it's like. And I have, like, a hard out at 3. And you're like, okay.
[00:26:59] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:27:00] Speaker A: It's really. You have to take so many leaps of faith, and you have to be really in touch with your vulnerability and, like, be, like, strong emotionally to be like. And I would like to talk about. Because you want to make music that's meaningful. Right. It doesn't have to necessarily mean that you have to be extremely vulnerable for something to be meaningful. But for me, I find that my meaning comes from my vulnerability. Because I've always been an open book since I was born, and it's gotten me in loads of trouble. But it's also one of the things that I love most about myself. So it just always goes into my music.
[00:27:37] Speaker B: Is. Is music cathartic for you or, like, therapeutic for you in that way, then?
[00:27:41] Speaker A: For sure. I think I don't write about anything that's currently happening to me because I don't process it in the studio. That, like, I'll. Like. My entire EP was about basically, like, this one friendship breakup I had in college four years ago. And then I started writing about it and. And I think I have to make peace with whatever has happened to me before I can write about it. I don't like writing from an angry place.
I'm happy to, like. I'm happy to. To, like, tap back into that emotion in order to write the song. But I feel like when I'm angry, I like to sit with my anger. I don't necessarily need to make it into art. Sometimes anger can just be anger.
[00:28:28] Speaker C: It's. What I'm hearing is, like. It's this strength and ability to control it, you know, and it can't be too present or too raw, because then it's like, it's slippery and it. And it won't. You won't be able to channel it correctly. Right.
[00:28:40] Speaker A: For sure. Because also, it's like, I'm so angry about this. Yada, yada, yada. And then now let me make it rhyme. Like what?
That just makes no sense.
[00:28:50] Speaker C: It feels very inauthentic to. To do that.
[00:28:53] Speaker B: I get you.
[00:28:56] Speaker A: I wish you would just be quiet. Like, do you know, like that.
[00:29:01] Speaker C: That's why she does what she does. Yeah.
[00:29:03] Speaker A: I'm a songstress. I'm a song. Stress.
[00:29:05] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:29:06] Speaker A: So, yeah, interesting.
[00:29:09] Speaker B: We. We are in film, in cinema.
You're obviously from la, surrounded by it.
Are you interested in film?
Are you interested in cinema?
I'd love to hear about.
Because you've made some awesome music videos in your day already, and the visuals, everything. I'd love to kind of bridge into that world and just hear kind of your thoughts broadly. And then we'll kind of dig into, like, what it takes to make a music video with Ava.
[00:29:40] Speaker A: Yeah.
I am very, very curious about films.
I think I'm an actor also. So that, to me is like the. That's my tie to it always.
But I think in terms of visuals for my project and visuals that inspire me for music videos, it all comes from movies, pretty much. And I would not consider myself a movie buff in any way, shape, or form.
I don't enjoy a heady film like I.
But I watch movies in the way that I consume music, which is. I would like to feel less alone, and I want it to make me feel feel good or invoke some sort of emotion that makes me feel, like, alive. Sometimes I feel numb, and I listen to music or watch a movie or whatever that makes me feel some type of way. Granted, like, my favorite movie in the whole world is Princess and the Frog. You know, that Disney movie.
[00:30:46] Speaker C: Great movie.
[00:30:47] Speaker A: Classic.
[00:30:48] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:30:48] Speaker A: And that's also because it's like, the best movie in the entire world and also has a goated soundtrack.
So that's really how my palette is developed in terms of movies.
[00:31:03] Speaker C: I love it. I love it. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:31:06] Speaker A: That's. It's escape, right?
[00:31:08] Speaker B: Absolutely.
[00:31:10] Speaker C: So you're inspired by that. And. And at what point did you think about getting into music videos? Was that like, at. At nyu, collaborating with people or where? Like, at what point?
Because I know you. I. I know you as an actor too, and I know that you're. You're good, and you've done that in the past, and Also, like, the songwriting process is acting in so many ways, right. We're talking about channeling. Channeling memories and channeling emotions and. And writing from perspective.
So obviously, that comes very naturally to you. But to think about visuals in that sense, and music videos, where did. Where did that sort of start?
[00:31:47] Speaker A: To me, the visuals are just as important as the actual song itself. Music videos are.
Music videos are risky because when you put out a song, you wrote it about this specific person, about yourself, whatever it is. But the way that someone else is listening to that, they're applying it to their own life. Oh, my God, she wrote the song for me. Oh, my God. Like, I went through a breakup. Blah, blah, blah, blah. Oh, my God, she's talking about my ex. Like, whatever. That's the beauty of music. You see yourself in everything you consume, I guess, as. Because, I don't know, we're all inherently, like, narcissistic, so it doesn't make sense unless it, like. Unless we can, like, apply it to ourselves or whatever.
[00:32:29] Speaker C: Right.
[00:32:31] Speaker A: But when you make a music video, you are now being like, and this is what I mean, when I make this song, this is what you should see, which is he. Which is a big risk, at least.
[00:32:42] Speaker C: For me, because you're changing people's perception of the song.
[00:32:47] Speaker A: Yeah, for sure.
So, yeah. I mean, I like my first ever music video for Layla, which is the first song I ever put out, is like, oh, I. Like, I'm not hating on my past self because love her and she's a queen, and she had purple hair and she had something to say.
[00:33:06] Speaker C: But that takes a lot to not hate your past self. I struggle with that.
[00:33:11] Speaker A: I'm not, like. I'm not about, like, part of your.
[00:33:13] Speaker C: Developmental process, you know?
[00:33:15] Speaker A: Yeah. You have to start. You have to start from somewhere. Like, I started out as an R B artist because I was in gospel choir in middle school and listen. And the only songs that made sense for my vocal range were, like, male tenors that sang soul music. Like, so it makes sense to me that that's where I started.
So with that music video, it was literally just me and my friends, like, in a car being like, no boys allowed. And, like, that's the whole video.
[00:33:47] Speaker C: I remember it now. Now that you.
[00:33:49] Speaker A: Yeah, now that. Yeah. And, like, then, like. But then there are, like, my guy friends are there in my house, but we were under 21, so my mom was like, no solo cups, so we're, like, playing ga. We're playing, like, card games and board games. Like, it is really cool.
It's a piece of cinematic beauty. It's sort of, one might say, a masterpiece.
So I have. I love that little version of myself. I guess I don't want to hate on her too hard because she was having a hard time.
So I have. I have only, like, good things to say about. About Lelo.
And then when I put out my music video for Puke, my whole reference was basically like the Blink 182 album cover.
That was like pretty much the whole reference. I made it with my friend Roxy Sorkin, and we grew up together and she. Yeah, we made that music video for nothing. We.
We got an ambulance from some guy on Craigslist who's just like living in an ambulance and.
[00:35:06] Speaker C: Who actually is going to be our next guest.
[00:35:08] Speaker A: Yeah, who's actually here with me today.
And. Yeah, so that was really wild and she had. And it was cool though. It was a lot of like USC film kids and like kids that went to Laksa and it was like one big group effort to try and make something that was cool Pool, which I love. There was no, like, adult that was there.
We had no permits, obviously. We were like driving this ambulance while. While, like, my friend Tosh was trying to play drums.
My friend's cousin was playing guitar.
[00:35:43] Speaker C: Is this all in the end in the ambulance?
[00:35:45] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:35:46] Speaker C: Great.
[00:35:48] Speaker A: And we're just driving it. Like, we kind of drove like towards Palm Springs and found like a grassy field on the side of the road and just kind of set up there. And we were driving around sort of. And the cops kept coming over and we were like, they know we don't have permits. Like, we're so. They're like, why is there an ambulance?
Like, is someone hurt? Why. Why were cops not dispatched as well? Like, we were.
Yeah, we were having a time and it was a like basically 24 hour shoot and I was. We were all freezing our butts off.
It was so cold.
[00:36:27] Speaker C: That's the life.
[00:36:29] Speaker A: Yeah, it was good though. It was really fun. It was.
Yeah, just everyone doing it just for like the love of, I don't know, creation and. And art and so. Yeah, and that was a good music video. That was very.
That was very fun. Very Puke, like, I guess.
Yeah.
[00:36:51] Speaker C: And then from. Was that. Was that the most recent video you've done or what? What is more recent? Okay.
[00:36:58] Speaker A: No, that's the most recent video I've done. I haven't. I haven't done another music video.
I would say the majority of the reason why, like, it's really expensive to make. Totally to make something and Also too, to like be constantly improving what you've done unfortunately requires money and I'm not signed with a label.
[00:37:18] Speaker C: Yes. As an independent artist. I was going to say, I think there's, there's like a through line here which is like I wrote down an all caps leadership. Because when, especially when you don't have like that kind of label representation as an artist, you really have to take the reins on so many things. Like even when you mention everything, even, even when you mentioned like giving that speech like you are. Because you're not only a leader protecting like your fans and artists and. Sorry. And followers, but also like the people behind you. Like the people playing the drums, guitar, you know, tour manager, all of that. Like you, you're in a way leading the charge with that. Like, how was that a thing? Was that a thing you just fell into? Or like have you wanted to be in that sort of position where you're really taking charge on it or have past experiences informed that or like, what is. How did you find yourself in. In this position?
[00:38:14] Speaker A: Yeah, that's a great question. I think. I mean my.
It's. It's always the mentality of like, you want it. Like you want to be your own boss. Like you are the CEO of you and the way that you want to be perceived by the world is entirely up to you. Yeah, it's not, but that's how I feel totally that it is. So I don't lose my mind.
[00:38:35] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:38:36] Speaker A: And yeah, I, I guess I just sort of fell into that role of leadership because everything should come from the artist. And the only reason why I would ever give up any type of control over my music, my visuals, my schedule is for a financial incentive. Like, that's. That's it. And that, that's like. And that's a label. Like you can. The best thing and the most ideal thing for a label, I would argue, is having an artist that's already doing well, has a full team around them of people that they love and what. And work well with them and then they fund it and there you go. I think where things get murky, which is. I only speak to this from personal experience because I was signed to a label in high school and was in a girl group in high school where when there are too many cooks in the kitchen, you just lose sight of yourself. You just don't. You.
You are so you as in me. I was so nervous to disappoint anyone or have anyone perceive that I wasn't grateful that the, the idea of like taking ownership or Leadership was just kind of off the table for, for me because you don't want to act like you're not eternally grateful for this opportunity.
But now I can like stand on my two feet loud and proud because I'm here because of me. Like I got these opportunities.
[00:40:10] Speaker C: You needed to do it that way.
[00:40:11] Speaker A: I had to do it that way.
I think just literally because of how life changing, life altering of an experience being in a girl group in high school was.
[00:40:26] Speaker B: There is something super grounding about like building a very sturdy kind of foundation.
And you see it all the time too. The opposite where young star blows up super early and there's a massive team around them and there's a crazy burnout or crash out and it's just like too much too fast.
[00:40:47] Speaker C: They lose sight of, they lose sight.
[00:40:50] Speaker B: Because there's no, it's a paper foundation. There's no, there is, there's zero foundation aside from like maybe a little side of talent or a big dream or a look or something. But like what you're doing, you're setting yourself up for long term success rather than just like very transient success, you know?
[00:41:10] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:41:10] Speaker B: Or ephemeral. Like it's.
Yeah. So that is super interesting. And I wonder why. I mean, I'm sure labels are starting to come to you, especially after doing, you know, your own tour and stuff. Like you're doing their job for them.
[00:41:23] Speaker A: Yes, I am.
[00:41:24] Speaker B: You know.
[00:41:26] Speaker A: But then you get to keep. You have all the rights to your, to your music that you made.
[00:41:32] Speaker B: And that was the question is like, do you even want a label at this point? Like, do you even care?
[00:41:38] Speaker A: That's a great question.
I.
When I started making music in a way where my goal was to be commercially successful because when I started making music, I just wanted to write songs about boys that broke my heart and move on. And then when I got to college and was thinking about it as a career, not just a hobby, then my brain immediately went to, well, if you don't have a label then you're not going to be successful. Like that's like the stamp of approval of like you're doing well and things are going to go this certain way for you because you have a label deal now. That mentality still sort of rings true. Like at the end of the day, like every successful artist is with a label.
What I will argue is that with the power of social media you can be your own marketing team. There are certain things at labels gatekeeped in this industry for a very long time that artists just had no idea how to market themselves, had no idea how streaming worked like. And that, that's what.
I guess that's what made the power dynamic so uneven. And that's why it stayed the way that it was for a very long time.
I feel, and I feel empowered to have ownership over my music, to have ownership over like no one's telling me what to do. I'm dictating my rollout schedule, the visuals, um, and that's incredible. And I just, I. I don't want to give it. Give it up.
And you have to give it up a little. There's something like it's a give and take. And it's not that I'm not down for the give and take. I just for a label, like, unless there's money on the table, like, I don't think any artist would be giving up.
[00:43:29] Speaker C: It's. Yeah, absolutely. It seems like at the moment you're in right now, you're very satisfied with, with where you are and how you do the business side of, of how you operate.
[00:43:42] Speaker B: That.
[00:43:42] Speaker C: That totally makes sense. And would you. Was that a learning curve to figure out marketing and visuals and all of that? Like, and how has it been steering that. That portion of the ship?
[00:43:53] Speaker A: Yeah, the social media is very trick tricky, tricky. I. I no longer complain about it because it doesn't make me feel good to complain about it. I think that the, like, yeah, there's no label that will see me unless I don't have some sort of virality going on on, On Tick Tock. That's literally it.
So I try not to think about it too much, but I had like a very normal, I guess, relationship with social media like in middle school and high school. And that was never.
I thought I was incredibly famous because I had like 10,000 followers and that was my idea of success based off of nothing. And then when I got to college and then I did idle, I hired a social media manager because I knew that there would be a huge influx of people on my social media platforms.
The people that tend to watch American Idol are more middle America. So I knew that I would have people that were not very happy with the things I stood for, what I was saying on American Idol, which is totally fine.
So I kind of gave it to my social media manager to manage because I didn't want to be thinking about it while I was doing this show.
[00:45:25] Speaker C: Yeah, you got to put all your energy into that, I would assume.
[00:45:28] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. And also too like, like that show, it's so funny because like I grew up in LA and Then I lived in New York, and no one ever talks about American Idol. That's not a thing here. Like you.
[00:45:41] Speaker C: Yeah, there's a lot of stuff we don't talk about that's actually really popular.
[00:45:46] Speaker A: That's actually extremely popular. And I'm glad that I had really no idea how popular it was because I think I would have psyched myself out little bit. Like, after the first episode, they were like 10 million people watched that. And I was like, why?
What?
Because in la, like, no one. Like, you're on a singing reality show. Like, good for you, girl. Like, no one. Really? Seriously?
[00:46:10] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:46:11] Speaker A: You know what I mean? And then you get to, like, wherever, even like, Arizona, and they're like, you are on American Idol and you're like.
[00:46:18] Speaker C: Or Idaho, shout out.
[00:46:19] Speaker A: Or Idaho, shout out. Ido.
So that was definitely strange. So my entire relationship to social media really changed after. After Idol in terms of, like, using social media to get people to vote for you and showing your personality on social media, which I don't know if you guys feel this way, but social media in high school, at least in middle school, like, was. Was meant for your life to look a certain way. It wasn't meant to show off your personality.
[00:46:48] Speaker C: So it really has changed so much even since we were in high school.
[00:46:54] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:46:54] Speaker C: It's crazy.
[00:46:55] Speaker A: Oh, my God. Think about, like, think about someone just got cast on SNL who's a comedian solely on Instagram and Tick tock.
[00:47:02] Speaker C: Oh, yeah.
[00:47:03] Speaker A: Like, who's been like, who? Like, yeah, lives are changed through social media. And I don't think that that was really happening when we were in high school, to be honest. I don't. Like, influencers weren't even really, like.
[00:47:13] Speaker C: No, they were kind of. Yeah, they were kind of on. On YouTube for the most part. YouTube, right.
[00:47:17] Speaker A: Yeah. So everything has totally changed. So I. I was. It was very. The concept of showing your personality on social media was very foreign to me. I was just like, but I don't want to show my personality. And like, what if people don't find me funny or whatever.
Yeah, yeah, always. And. And.
But yeah. So I was literally like the personality hire on my season of American Idol because it got. It got to the point where it was, like, a little silly, where I, like, really vocally could not compete with anyone else on my season, but I was, like, still being voted in because.
Because people liked me or whatever.
And that was the power of social media.
[00:47:57] Speaker C: What did. Was that methodical is the worst word to use, but was that, like, planned, like, you know, and how Early. Did you hire that social media manager and was that like a collaboration from the start? And like, how. How did you do that? How did you become like a fan favorite?
[00:48:12] Speaker A: You know, the fan favorite.
[00:48:14] Speaker C: The fan favorite.
[00:48:16] Speaker A: The fan, you know, me, fan favorite.
It was not that planned out. It was.
I knew how much work. Like, I don't know if they still do it now, but like with your contract with Idol, when you get to top 24, so it's a contract with like American Idol and then also with Disney and you are required to post X amount of times with this caption. There was just so much you had to do that I was just like, I don't wanna do.
Like, I don't wanna do that. And so I. There was this wonderful woman who still does my social media to this day. Her name is Alice and she really, like, got me as a human being, like, got my sense of humor and what I would find funny. And then she. I took all the videos and then she would edit them and then I would post them. So she did the bulk of the work.
But I never went into the show being like, I'm gonna be the best personality hire ever had.
But it definitely was set with when I. When I told them I would only talk about my family once on the show, that then they were kind of scrambling for what my story would be because everyone has a sob story on Idol and I do not have a sob.
Like, being raised by a single mother is not a sob story. Like, that's like the majority of people at this point. So they were trying to figure out where I was going to fit in the show.
And so I would have meetings with producers and they would just be like, I have no. We have literally no idea why you're still here. And I'm like, perfect.
Great.
[00:50:00] Speaker C: That is so interesting. And it's. It's interesting to get kind of a behind the scenes where the producers are trying to kind of craft a narrative, you know?
[00:50:08] Speaker A: Yeah. For everyone. It's also. It's not even done in like a manipulative.
[00:50:13] Speaker C: Oh, it's just storytelling, you know, it's like, yeah.
[00:50:16] Speaker A: At the end of the day, like, this is a reality show. Like, this has nothing to do with singing.
[00:50:20] Speaker C: Totally.
[00:50:20] Speaker A: Like, there's nothing to do with singing on. On. On Idol for sure. So they were trying to give everyone their best shot like that. That's why all, like, every winner is country, because he's like this single dad who's 19 and working on the pipeline and starts writing songs and you're like, oh, my God.
Like, yeah. And then they win, and that's how it works, and that's great.
So for me, I had an immense amount of freedom on my season because no one had any idea what to do with me because I wouldn't. I wouldn't talk about what would make me good tv. I was just like, no, yeah, I don't want to talk about it.
And they can't force you, so they just kind of let me go, and I could sing whatever in whatever genre, and I could talk about whatever, and.
[00:51:09] Speaker C: And that authenticity led to real connection with fans and.
[00:51:14] Speaker A: And that's it. Which is, like, beautiful. I was so stoked. And also, too, like, never in my life would I think that I would be the. The least bit digestible for middle America, like, ever. I'm like a fucking Nepo baby on American Idol, being like, yes. And still keep getting voted in. And I was like, you guys, let me go.
Let me go.
[00:51:39] Speaker C: Right?
[00:51:40] Speaker B: How long was that, like, that actual. The process of that show?
[00:51:43] Speaker A: I mean, a year. It was a year of my life. Yeah. It was from, like, me auditioning on Zoom for the first round of producer. Like, I was the first person casted on that show. I was casted, like, way, way, way before the show started.
And then, yeah, I took a semester off of school and then ended up graduating on time, thank God, because I was like, I'm not.
Get me out of here.
And.
And my school. Clive was very upset that I was going on American Idol. Like, very.
Yeah, yeah, very upset. They were like, you're selling out. What are you doing? Why are you doing this?
[00:52:25] Speaker B: Are you being serious? This is like a. Oh, yeah.
[00:52:28] Speaker A: So serious. So serious. And I have no problem talking about it because.
[00:52:34] Speaker C: We don't know anything. We don't know any.
[00:52:35] Speaker A: I don't owe anything to them. But, yeah, the person who was running Clive at the time, who's no longer there, was very upset with me for doing American Idol and tried to talk me out of it. And he was like, no, no, no, girl. Like, your career is not over yet. You do not need to be doing American Idol. And I was like, no, I don't think you get it. Like, I can do my original music on. On Idol. Like, I can.
Like, it's gonna be good for me. Like, trust. And they, like, almost didn't let me finish, Clive, because they were like, you can't take that time off. You can't.
[00:53:08] Speaker B: Oh, my gosh.
[00:53:09] Speaker A: Yeah, it was wild. And then I got. And then I got top 10. And then they were like, we always knew you could do it.
I was like, huh?
[00:53:18] Speaker C: Do you think it's. It's just because they didn't.
They, they like, wanted control of your success.
[00:53:26] Speaker A: You know? I don't know. I don't think so.
I, I also think, like, my year, like, my graduating class, like, half the people left and Covid really.
[00:53:36] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:53:37] Speaker A: Did a doozy on everyone.
[00:53:39] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:53:41] Speaker A: Specifically small knit programs that needed to be in person and weren't totally.
So I'm not sure what his issue was. I might have just caught him on a bad day, but I was very nervous.
I was very, very, very nervous. But it ended up. And ended up being fine. So that was good.
[00:54:01] Speaker C: And, and after. So after Idol, what was the aftermath? Like, and, and also, like, what was the decision to go back to school and, and finish and not just be like, okay, I'm gonna, like, you know, carry on this traction that I have and, and this popularity and everything?
[00:54:19] Speaker A: Yeah. I, After Idol, I had a lot of eyes on me and more followers, which was great. I was, it was difficult for me because I wasn't sure if it was the audience that I wanted, per se, but I was also so grateful to have people, like, knowing who I was and, and liking my music and it all directly, like, went to people looking at my original music and streaming that. And that was the whole point, and that was incredible.
The idea of going back to school was really that I made a promise that I would go back. And also I was a junior, so, So I was just like, finish. Just like, finish.
And I think a lot of it had to. One, I want, I wanted to go back to school. I wanted to finish it. I wanted to make my family proud. I also, too, as you, as you guys know, like, we went to a college prep high school where, like, when I was doing the girl group and I was thinking about not going to college, I got sent to the principal's office to talk about why I would possibly not be going to college. College and like, for me to, like, think about that decision and to make sure that I was, like, very careful about that. So I felt a lot of pressure to go back.
[00:55:44] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:55:45] Speaker A: But I also wanted to go back just because I was like, I, I, I really want to finish and I want my degree. And I also was, like, double majoring in child psychology and music. So I had, like, other things that I needed to finish.
So that was it. But directly after Idol, I played a show and someone took a video of it and I posted on TikTok and it went viral and that is how colors got millions of streams. And it was, like, directly after Idol and I. Everything sort of had to happen in that way in order to. For it to have gone viral, I think. So it was all worth it in the end because the only, like, the real thing I wanted was to be recognized for my original music. Not necessarily. Necessarily just my voice.
[00:56:27] Speaker C: Totally.
[00:56:27] Speaker A: And so that's.
So it all worked out in the end.
[00:56:32] Speaker B: Child psychology.
What.
What's up with that?
[00:56:39] Speaker A: It started off as basically, like, with nyu, you have to take normal NYU classes along with your specific major, just so that you get, like, your liberal arts degree as well as your specialized degree.
And so I was just taking a lot of classes that ended up being from the same school, which was the. Whatever it is. Child. Why? You know this, right? Child Mental health.
[00:57:07] Speaker C: Oh, I know. Cams. Cams.
[00:57:10] Speaker A: Cams, yeah.
[00:57:10] Speaker C: Child and adolescent mental.
[00:57:13] Speaker A: Mental studies or something like that.
[00:57:15] Speaker C: Yeah, something.
Yeah.
[00:57:17] Speaker A: Yeah. And then I just was. I loved all of the courses that they had to offer people in that program. Good people. Like, everyone wanted to take, like, the Science of Happiness. Love. Actually, I wanted to take any course that would sort of like, where I could therapize myself, pretty much is what I wanted to take. And call.
[00:57:34] Speaker C: And there's no way that that didn't contribute to the. The artistic process in some.
[00:57:40] Speaker A: For sure. I like the. I was getting more out of a, like, Psych 101 class than I was out of, like, any type of marketing class.
[00:57:49] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:57:51] Speaker B: My. My chair.
[00:57:53] Speaker C: That was crazy.
Luke, you want to take a little breather?
[00:57:59] Speaker B: I think I need the beauty interview.
When was last time you felt beautiful? I don't know. You know, I.
[00:58:06] Speaker A: When was the last time you felt beautiful? No, I'm not asking you.
[00:58:10] Speaker B: Maybe this morning.
[00:58:11] Speaker A: Did you look in the mirror and you were like, God, I look good.
[00:58:14] Speaker B: Honestly, probably not today. Today was kind of a. Kind of a crazy day. Compliments actually do go along. Totally.
[00:58:21] Speaker C: And, like, people don't normally. I don't know, like, compliments are. I feel like people should be complimenting more because it really has. That happened to you, where you're like, I know this is a day where it's not working, but then someone tells you that it is, and you're like, whoa.
Like, Luke, for sure.
[00:58:38] Speaker A: For sure.
[00:58:39] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:58:39] Speaker A: I think also, too, like, we need to get more into complimenting people and not having someone immediately be like, whoa, I have a girlfriend. And you're like, it's not like that. I'm just, like, giving you a compliment. Like, people think it's innately sexual when you're commenting on their appearance, which it totally isn't.
[00:58:54] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:58:54] Speaker B: I think it's also. We're all super bad at receiving compliments, too. It's like, no, no, no, no, no.
[00:59:00] Speaker C: Don't say no.
[00:59:01] Speaker A: Just.
[00:59:01] Speaker C: Yeah. Say yes. Thank you.
[00:59:03] Speaker A: Say. Say yes.
[00:59:05] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:59:07] Speaker B: I love your curly hair today, Wyatt. Yeah.
[00:59:09] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:59:12] Speaker B: This is awesome, Ava. Yeah, that was. We. We went from horrendous, like, probably the worst ever, to, like, honestly, maybe my favorite ever.
[00:59:22] Speaker C: Yeah, it's really. So. It's so great to see you, and I hope to see you IRL soon, because.
[00:59:28] Speaker A: Yeah, I would love that.
[00:59:31] Speaker C: And I just remember, like, you know, freshman year at nyu, I got to see you so often, and then Covid happened, and then we kind of. You know, you were on Idle and everything, and I was on the X Factor, and it was just like. It was a whole thing.
And, like, you know, because of contracts.
[00:59:46] Speaker A: And honestly, I felt weird about it.
[00:59:48] Speaker C: Yeah. And, like, the season still hasn't come out, and now I'm like, was I actually on the show? Like, yeah. I don't know. They just, like. They also took me away for a year, but it was like. They didn't give me a bed or anything, and it was just, like, the whole thing. So.
Yeah.
Did that. Did that same thing happen to you? I assume that they just didn't give you a bed.
[01:00:09] Speaker A: No.
[01:00:10] Speaker C: Yeah.
[01:00:10] Speaker B: What did they give you? Did they give you anything? Like, was it, like, a contract stuff.
[01:00:17] Speaker A: For Idol?
[01:00:17] Speaker C: It's a good question, Luke.
[01:00:21] Speaker A: Was it just, like, contract stuff or.
No, I was given a bag.
[01:00:25] Speaker B: Is that maguire making. Is McGuire making food?
[01:00:27] Speaker C: Is that.
Can she come and say, hi, geezer?
[01:00:31] Speaker A: Do you want to come say hi, geezer?
[01:00:33] Speaker C: She's not gonna write 20 bucks.
[01:00:34] Speaker B: She doesn't recognize me. 21. She was recognizing.
[01:00:36] Speaker C: No, she knows. She knows who. She knows who we are, Right?
She knows that you're talking with us. Wait, this is crazy.
[01:00:43] Speaker A: Oh, my W.
[01:00:51] Speaker B: She said, oh, my.
[01:00:53] Speaker C: How much did she hear? Did she hear us talking for, like, 30 minutes? Oh, okay. All right.
[01:01:00] Speaker B: What's up? We all gotta.
Sorry. Sorry.
[01:01:06] Speaker A: Period.
[01:01:08] Speaker B: No, it's just period.
[01:01:10] Speaker C: It is Luke magazine. Write it down.
[01:01:13] Speaker B: Okay.
[01:01:15] Speaker A: Who is that?
We're talking about Brentwood.
[01:01:23] Speaker C: Brief.
[01:01:23] Speaker B: Yeah.
The two things I wrote down on my page were Maguire and then inherently narcissistic.
[01:01:35] Speaker A: When I was talking about how all artists are. Or I can Maybe not even artists. I think just he. Human beings.
[01:01:41] Speaker B: No, no, no. It's just. It's just Maguire. I don't Think so. It's just Maguire and then inherently narcissistic, so that's cool.
[01:01:52] Speaker C: I see the time and really, really thank you so much for coming on. It's so great to see you.
And yeah, I like wishing you so much success in the future with everything. You're obviously so impressive already, so it's great to see you just shine more and more.
[01:02:10] Speaker B: And also in high school, I feel like there was always this like uniqueness to you and it's great to see that you've like kind of leaned into that in an awesome way and not let the noise of all the BS kind of COVID that, you know.
And it's dope to see people reacting to that. Of course they are. You know, it's inspirational.
[01:02:36] Speaker C: So they resonate for you very much.
[01:02:39] Speaker A: Is freaking out. Cuz I had literally the biggest crush on you for like all of high school.
[01:02:46] Speaker B: No way.
[01:02:48] Speaker C: Not on me.
[01:02:49] Speaker A: Sorry.
[01:02:50] Speaker B: Wow.
[01:02:51] Speaker A: Yeah. Wow. I mean, I'm not.
[01:02:55] Speaker B: I say I'm single, but I'm not. I'm not. I'm not single. Luke. Let's clip it.
[01:03:00] Speaker C: Let's clip this out.
Luke, we're going to clip this out.
[01:03:05] Speaker A: No, no, babe. No, no, no, babe, I was just saying.
Oh, no, I'm not single either. I was just saying like my 16 year old self is freaking out, so that made me happy.
[01:03:18] Speaker B: No, I. I hear you. I hear you. Well, I. I had. We had so much fun. I feel like in that. In that history class or whatever. Who is that? Ms. Newman.
[01:03:26] Speaker C: I think I was in that too. Right, Right.
[01:03:28] Speaker B: You were. It was the three of us. That's what I'm saying.
[01:03:29] Speaker C: It was just the.
[01:03:30] Speaker A: That was it.
[01:03:31] Speaker C: That's crazy.
[01:03:33] Speaker B: That's what it felt like.
[01:03:34] Speaker C: Wow.
Just against the world.
All right, well, thanks for hopping on, Ava. You're the best. We'll. We'll see you soon. We'll.
[01:03:43] Speaker B: We'll find Ava. We have. We have a. A film festival coming up on October 19th if you want to come. It's a Sunday.
Did you learn something? I'm like your mom. Did you learn something in this episode? I hope so. Or not. That's okay. Thanks for hanging. Make sure you follow us at the 5050fest on Instagram and give us five stars because. Why not? Why not subscribe? Why not? You know, why not? Okay, bye.
