Your new album, Born to Live, deals with deeply personal experiences. How did the songwriting process help you navigate grief and rediscover hope and joy? 

For some reason, writing lyrics and putting them to melody and chords is incredibly therapeutic for me. Stating my truth and telling my story gets it all out of my head and into a shared space with those who are listening. It helps me feel less alone. Each song on this album seemed to be a stepping stone to finding joy and hope again, clearing out layers of depression and anxiety until I could finally see what was right in front of me – a beautiful, vibrant, love-filled life. 

How did the experience of recording this full-length album in your home studio compare to making your debut EP, Atlas, at the legendary Electric Lady Studios in New York? 

They were both such amazing experiences, but very different. At Electric Lady Studios, you can really feel the energy of everyone who has been in there before, it’s wild! It was so surreal to get to be in those rooms and an unbelievable honor to record my songs there. I still can’t comprehend that it really happened.

Recording in our home studio was also a dream. Our timeline for recording was very relaxed, and we got to take breaks and walk along the Delaware River, which was super peaceful. I am someone who really connects with nature and being so close to it was such an important part of recording this album.

You wrote and produced this record closely with your husband and guitarist, Dani Sundream. How do you balance your creative partnership with your personal life when working so intimately together?

Good question! We’re definitely still figuring this out. The good thing is we get along very well and have a lot of the same musical inspirations. The most important part is definitely having good communication! We have been learning so much about ourselves and our partnership through this process, which has been amazing. 

Tracks like „How Big Can I Dream“ carry a strong sense of uplifting energy. What core message or feeling do you hope listeners take away from that song?

My hope is that songs like “How Big Can I Dream” will inspire listeners to live the life that excites them most, regardless of what others think of it. If you have a dream, hobby, or ambition that someone has told you is irresponsible, unrealistic, or impossible… I want these songs to serve as motivation for trusting yourself.

What was the initial spark or story behind your latest single, „Quantum Leap“?

I wrote “Quantum Leap” a few months before getting married. I had recently learned about the concept of quantum leaping – or jumping into a new reality – and our wedding ceremony felt like just that. The song became a freefall into forever deepening my love with my husband and my bond with our family and community.

The album seamlessly blends energetic indie-pop with quiet, emotional folk ballads. How do you decide when a song needs an intimate acoustic arrangement versus a bigger, high-energy production?

Thank you! It depends on what we hear in our heads. There have been a few times when a track that starts intimate and stripped down becomes a more produced indie-pop production and also times when we strip a production all the way back to just guitar and vocals after adding layers upon layers (this happened with “Art Song” the final track on the album). The most important thing to me is that the production supports the message and emotion of the song. In my process, before adding any production at all, the song has to stand on its own in its most simple form – that’s how I know it’s a good song.

You are kicking off your European tour supporting David Duchovny in Berlin and Hamburg. How did that opportunity come about, and how are you preparing for those opening shows?

Yes, so exciting! We have a friend in David’s band so he introduced us. We are super honored to be starting off our tour with them. We have been working on an incredible set of music from the new album and cannot wait to meet everyone!

Your headlining tour will take you through Germany, Denmark, Austria, and the UK. Is there a particular city or venue on the schedule that you are especially excited to visit?

It will be my first time in all of these places, so I am thrilled for every show! My family has German roots so I’m looking forward to going back to where some of my family came from to see what it feels like. I’m also Scottish and it felt so special when I got to visit there a few years ago.

What do you love most about performing in intimate club settings compared to larger venues or festivals?

Getting to connect with everyone who comes out to the show! In smaller venues we actually get to chat and share stories, which I love. My shows are particularly emotional and vulnerable. If you’re looking for a safe space to come feel all of your emotions, these intimate shows are going to be so powerful!

When the house lights come up at the end of your show, what single emotion or thought do you hope your audience walks away with?

I hope that they feel less alone and more connected to each other and the people in their lives. I want them to feel inspired by the life that they are living, and if they don’t, I hope that they start to make changes to live their dreams. I want them to feel wrapped in love!

Studio production, engineering, and the broader music business remain heavily male-dominated fields. What has your experience been like navigating these environments as an independent female artist?

It has been really hard at times. At first, I had trouble speaking up for myself and had experiences where I was taken advantage of. Now, with a few more years under my belt, I trust my intuition and speak up for myself and other women in the industry without a problem. Now, my team is filled with women and people I can trust – which is so important! 

With initiatives like Keychange pushing for gender-balanced festival lineups and better representation, have you noticed a tangible shift in the industry in recent years?

I just went to the Women in Music Summit in Toronto this year. They spoke about this and shared that change is happening, but not nearly enough. Festivals like Lilith Fair and Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields feel most exciting to me. With more events like that, I think we can really start to make a shift.

Female artists are often asked different questions in the media than their male peers—frequently focusing on personal life or image rather than technical craft. How do you handle those double standards when they arise?

Call them out! Share about personal life and image if that is something that excites you to talk about, but if not, kindly explain that you feel more excited to talk about your craft. If you’re excited about it, the interviewer or listener will be too.

What piece of advice or encouragement would you give to young women and aspiring female songwriters who are just starting to find their voice in the industry?

Surround yourself with people who you trust and who inspire you. Know that it takes time to build this community and that there might be challenges along the way. Trust your intuition! That’s something I did not listen to enough earlier on. If you have a bad feeling about something, but can’t exactly place why, do your best to listen to it – it will reveal itself eventually. 

How important has building a network with other female artists and creators been for you within the international folk-pop and indie scenes?

I would say I’m still at the beginning of building my network internationally. This is my first year touring in Europe! From what I’ve experienced locally with building a network, it’s so important though. I’m really looking forward to meeting new artists and creators on this tour and connecting for collaborations in the future 🙂