Chelsea Cutler Navigates Her Way Through Love, Pain, and ‘How To Be Human’ [Q&A]

Just a few years ago Chelsea Cutler was busy making music in her dorm room at Amherst College, putting songs on SoundCloud, and steadily cultivating a loyal fanbase. Each year she was hitting new landmarks in her career. Supporting Quinn XCII on tour in 2018, headlining two of her own national tours between 2018-2019, collaborating with Jeremy Zucker on their joint album Brent, and then delivering a veritable sad-girl anthem alongside Kygo with "Not Okay." Now at 22, Cutler has released her first solo album while being signed under Republic Records. How To Be Human is the career-defining album that is poised to put her in front of a whole new audience. It's a 16-track "story of [her] experiences with love, pain, god, and existentialism as [she] learns what it means to be 22 and alive". Cutler brings you on her journey to becoming human through all the little bumps that life throws in your direction. As the primary writer and producer, with help from a few co-writers and co-producers on select tracks, this album is Cutler to her core. When you listen to each song, it's almost like peeking into her diary; it's impossible not to relate to each and every word she says. I had the chance to sit down with Cutler at Republic Records the day after her late-night television debut on Late Night with Seth Meyers. We discussed everything from her debut album, writing process, biggest musical influences, to the exact tattoos she references in "The Human Condition."

Ones To Watch: Last night was a big night for you. You performed "Sad Tonight" on Late Night with Seth Meyers. How was it?

Chelsea Cutler: Last night I was definitely buzzing! We rehearsed "Sad Tonight" for a few days, just doing that one song, so I'm so thrilled that it went well. Otherwise, I would've been like, "How do you mess up a song that you've just rehearsed for two days straight." And Seth is such a cool guy, my parents got the cue card from when he announced my name and then he signed that for them.

The praise for this album has been overwhelming! Tell me how you're feeling.

It's been a good response! I definitely feel good, I feel happy! But it's a weird feeling, I don't really take accomplishments super to heart, because it's always kind of like… onto the next. Once I accomplish something, I'm already on to the next goal. So, right now, I'm just focusing on being present and actually feeling this, really feeling this, and not just plowing through it, because that's definitely usually my tendency. To go on autopilot and put my head down and just go onto the next thing.

Did you find yourself writing and producing this album differently than your previous EPs and songs?

The album was significantly more organic than previous music I've put out. It's more instrument-oriented and less electronic-oriented, which I like because it felt more wholesome and more honest. And as a writer and producer, I just make songs that I think are cool, that I want to listen to. I enjoy listening to my own music.

Do you have a process for putting together a song? 

Totally changes. Totally changes, which I think is so fun and so freeing because sometimes I'll get a lyric or melody idea and then start toying around with it or I'll just be bored and start laying down production and kind of see where that goes.

Who are some of your biggest influences when writing?

Oh, probably The 1975. They are huge for me. I've been listening to them since their EP Sex came out… I am one of those The 1975 fans. Matty Healy's writing has probably been the most influential for me, because it's really rhythmic. I love that it's not these simple pop melodies that you try to fill with lyrics. It's instead choppy rhythmic lyrics. He also does a really good job of keeping his personal life personal but still being so vulnerable and honest.

And just like Matty, you don't shy away from talking about your personal struggles in your songs. Was it a little nerve-wracking to fully open herself up on this record?

Yeah, it was definitely scary. But, actually, I'm way more scared for people I know hearing it than people I don't know. There's a bit more safety in the anonymity, like, it's way easier to give parts of yourself to strangers than to your most intimate relationships. I listened to Halsey's new album and the whole time I was thinking, I love how deep she's going, and I want to push myself to go even deeper.

Which song were you most nervous to put out?

"nj." 100%. Don’t get me wrong, I'm really glad it's out, but yeah, it was terrifying. I was terrified for my parents to hear it. I love this song. I think from a lyrical standpoint it's a really cool story and also just production-wise I think it's formatted in a really interesting way. I think it's going to be this really grand moment on the live set.

Religion was an explored theme in this album. How did that play a part for you?

My dad's Jewish and my mom's Roman Catholic. Growing up with two religions showed me that there is no one passage to truth. You can kind of take what you want from each one and assemble your own. So for me, especially having major depressive episodes and going through difficult times, I was looking for anything to grab on to.

In "The Human Condition," you mention you got some tattoos to pay tribute to the role religion played in your healing. 

Yeah! I got Roman numerals for 27:17, 17:27, 10:13, 8:18 on my hand. I don’t know what books they are from or anything, I just really like what each verse says.

Also, impermanence is a huge factor in your life. What does it mean to you? 

Writing the whole album taught me a lot about impermanence and about life in general. So much of being in our 20s is learning how to cope with the changes that happen, the emotions that we're feeling, learning how to communicate better with the people around us and with ourselves. Every emotion we have is fleeting, every relationship we have changes for the most part. Whether it stays or goes, the dynamic definitely changes. Where we live changes. I think, if you can come to terms with all the changes, then you're in a better position.

You have your third headlining tour coming in a few weeks. What can we expect from this tour?

Well, the production is going to be next level, which I'm really stoked about! The rooms are going to be bigger too which will be great - some more energy. I'm just stoked to finally play new music. I love my old stuff, of course, but we've been doing it for the last year-and-a-half. Also, I now understand live shows better, so programming the set is way more fun and innovative for me.

And Alexander 23 will be your supporting act! What a duo. 

Oh yeah, I'm so stoked for that! It's the first time I've toured with someone that I have a song with since Quinn XCII. I'm excited for that because it really comes full circle. It's a really special thing.

Make sure to buy, stream, or download Chelsea Cutler's album, How To Be Human. It's heartbreaking, it's raw, it's fun; but above all else, each song comes together to create a truly phenomenal piece of work.

Check out the review on Ones To Watch here

The Driver Era Is Steering Right Into The Music Scene With "Feel You Now" & Debut Tour

With only four released singles under their belts, including the newly released track "Feel You Now," The Driver Era has debuted in the music scene with serious force. Brothers Ross and Rocky Lynch come from the successful band R5, and Ross has also starred in the Netflix series, Sabrina, and the film, My Friend Dahmer. Having recently stepped away from their record deal with Hollywood Records, The Driver Era's new music comes with completely independent creative control. They are bending the rules of genre and doing it so masterfully. The best is really only yet to come for these guys. 

With a sold out show at The Roxy in Los Angeles falling on the same day of the release of "Feel You Now," Ross and Rocky come through with unparalleled energy. The curtain opens, the brothers take stage and you instantly hear that unforgettable bass lick of "Feel You Now"– the crowd goes absolutely wild. "Feel You Now" is a smooth electro-pop song with a groovy chorus and a killer 80's-inspired hook. It begs to be performed live.The brothers' set at The Roxy on March 29 was comprised of mostly new, unreleased songs. Yet, the crowd seemed to know every single word–an incredible testament to the power that this band holds so early on. They snuck in four covers–two R5 songs alongside renditions of Frankie Valli's "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You" and INXS's "Never Tear Us Apart." Ross took a moment to share the personal importance of Valli’s song, noting that it was on repeat during his drives in and around Vancouver, B.C. while filming Sabrina. Meanwhile, the brothers’ cover of “Never Tear Us Apart” could have easily convinced show-goers that they were playing a song of their very own. Ross works the stage with the energy of Jagger and the confidence of Springsteen. In somewhat of an intermission, band members and Rocky exit the stage, leaving Ross solo with the accompaniment of his acoustic guitar he’s just pulled out. He plays “Stop, Don’t Move” which translates to the crowd quite literally, and in the best way. After this “take a breath” moment, the duo finish off the set in full force.The set ends with the unreleased song, "Welcome to the End of Your Life." This perfectly demonstrates the genre-bending attitude this band has. They're jumping into Nirvana-alt-punk territory, and it works perfectly.They come back for their encore to play "Low," "Preacher Man," and one of their R5 covers "Did You Have Your Fun?" To answer that question frankly–yes, everyone definitely had their fun. The Driver Era put on an incredibly high energy show that gave a us a nice teaser into what we can expect from these guys moving forward.Don't miss The Driver Era if they're hitting your city in any of the upcoming tour dates!

Check out the review on Ones To Watch here

JOAN Is Drawing Inspiration From the Past to Create a Uniquely Modern Sound [Q&A]

You can judge a lot from a band based on who shows up to their gigs. Well, considering the cool and energetic crowd at this sold-out NYC show, joan is definitely a band to check out and add to your next playlist. Alan Thomas and Steven Rutherford are the two behind this up-and-coming pop band. Their not just any pop band though. 

joan's sound is contemporary yet their '80s influence makes a fair amount of their listeners nostalgic for a time they weren't even alive to experience first-hand.  

joan performed six new songs alongside their previously-released, infectious discography. The crowd absolutely loved their new stuff, many of them somehow already knowing the words. It's evident that joan is exploring new boundaries with their sound, pushing their production to new levels, and proving that they are in this for the long haul.

The guys are headlining their first national tour and I had the pleasure to sit down with them at The Mercury Lounge in NYC before their show.

Ones To Watch: Hey guys! To introduce you guys, who is joan? 'joan for dummies' if you will.

Alan: Well, I'm Alan, hey!

Steven: And I'm Steven, hey!

Alan: We're from Little Rock, Arkansas and we've been a band for three years now. We got together right after [Steven] got out of college just to write and kind of see what happens. We wrote our first single, "Take Me On," and that day we were like, "Okay this is a band," so we then just hit the ground running. We built a team pretty quickly and have been head down, running this whole entire time.

So you clicked immediately?

Alan: Oh yeah! We stopped everything else we were doing right then and there to make this band work.

What were you doing before?

Alan: We were both in other bands. But they were both at a point where they were kind of winding down so it all just made sense.

Back to where you're from, I have to say, your music doesn’t strike me as Arkansas music.

Alan: No, not at all. We get LA, London, New York. Anywhere but Little Rock.

So then what influenced this sound?

Alan: Well we have one big arena, well not big big but an arena called Simmons Bank Arena and we'll get like the Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift type tours. But then our level or the level above, we don’t get a lot of shows to come through because we don't have a 1000 cap venue. So, I guess it comes down to what our parents were listening to growing up.

I definitely hear that '80s nostalgia with a contemporary twist in your music, I feel like that should have been in a movie like 13 Going On 30.

Alan: Exactly it. Wow, 13 Going on 30, we would have loved that!

This is your first headline tour but not your first-ever tour. You've supported a bunch of great bands.

Alan: Yeah! We've toured with Jeremy Zucker, flor, Coin, The Aces, half•alive, really incredible bands. We’ve been really fortunate to get on really good tours.

How much different is it now that you're headlining?

Alan: Well we have a lot more time, that’s awesome.

Steven: We go to bed way later and wake up way earlier (laughs). No, but this is the first time we've had any lighting production and any time we've had to really sit down and say, "Okay we have to fill an hour, how can we make this show special for anybody that comes?" Because it's our show now. It's been different in that way because people who come are hopefully coming for, you know, a joan show. So we really want to make it a special experience.

Alan: For us and our experience with support, we have that 30 minute set to fit in what we consider our most catchy songs to hopefully get people to like our stuff. Now we get to think through transitions, because, when supporting, we would play a song, then play the next song, maybe some banter in between, but now we have to really think through every little ebb and flow. It's a lot more work but it's so rewarding.

What song has been the most fun to play?

Alan: We're playing a bunch of new songs so probably one of those, probably "Try Again" or something.

Ooh, new music! When can we expect those to come out?

Alan and Steven: Oh boy… soonish! Yeah, we're working on that.

You're testing it out on stage first!

Alan: (laughs) Yeah exactly. If there are claps, we will release it. If there aren't, well then I guess we gotta write some new stuff.

Okay, so you're on tour, testing out new songs. What can we expect next after the tour wraps?

Alan: We're working on so much. Definitely going to be new music, definitely going to be more touring. I mean this year will probably be one of our busiest with being on the road and releasing new music. Being a newer band is all about figuring out the pacing with all of this and keeping momentum. I really feel like this year will keep us in a good groove of consistent stuff. Last year was a big testament and this year will be no different. That the most generic answer, music and touring but you know, that's the truth.

Last question, and it's my favorite because I love to know who the bands that I'm listening to are listening to. What artists are on repeat for you guys right now?

Alan: I've been listening to a lot of Jeremy Zucker lately, who happens to be a buddy of ours now from tour, he's a great guy. I've also been listening to Dagny quite a bit.

Steven: I've been listening to Sabrina Carpenter a lot. Post Malone a lot. Also, this band called Sure Sure.

All such good artists. A little bit of everything.

Alan: Yes, indeed all over the place.

Check out the review on Ones To Watch here