Despite being arguably the most versatile genre, the success of truly original artists in the pop world is few and far between. While many take their sound or image to the absurd extremities of the spectrum in order to stand out from the pack, it is perhaps the raw, understated talents that intrigue us most, which is what first drew us to Verite. This is not to say this former-waitress is ordinary, quite the opposite in fact, but there is a certain down to earth charm to everything she does – the idea that she lets her progressive, effortlessly resonant music do all the talking rather than exuding an annoying, try-hard personality.
Emerging in the summer of 2014, Verite instantly made an impact with her slick, emotionally charged brand of synth pop. Already the real deal, there was a bonafide sense of patience to her sound, the feeling that she had spent time honing every element and realising her full potential before releasing anything. Unsurprisingly then, pretty much all the blogs jumped on her debut EP from the offset, a move that has seen her continually grow in popularity with each month, and has now brought her to the UK (where we conduct this interview), for a string of UK shows.
“I try not to have expectations, especially about going to places i’ve never been, because there’s that worry that no one will show up” she admits as we discuss the response to her debut shows on British soil. Her triumphant performance at The Great Escape Festival in Brighton last month was particularly definitive, taking her sound to giddy new heights by the incorporation of a live band, giving her polished material a refreshingly gritty edge and presenting her as anything but a new artist. “It’s developed in stages” she reveals, as I ask about the mechanics behind her live shows, “I feel when we first started playing live last year we were operating at a certain level, and this run of shows was the first with an updated set up. It’s definitely a long process that’s nowhere near done, but as long as it’s translating as a high energy show then i’m happy.”
It becomes clear early on that Verite is in complete control of what she’s doing, transcending the trappings of the genre by creating her own luck, writing and producing everything herself (or at least having a major role in the latter). I learn that she has a wealth of material already built up, but rather than settling for mediocrity she wants to release the right tracks at the right time, a no doubt admirable plan in a fickle industry. I ask if having so many tracks to work with has made her push herself further for each release: “It’s definitely important for me as i’m constantly writing…” she ponders, “It’s just a matter of filtering the right things.”
“I just never want to be in a position where I have to write something because I NEED something to release, as that would be the opposite of my whole philosophy.”
When one considers this ethos, then Verite’s whole career (and potential for the future) comes into focus. Everything she does feels natural, from taking her time between releases to the frank sense of honesty in her work. Her second EP, released this week feels like a natural progression from her debut, a more experimental collection of tracks that keeps that familiar pop charm intact. “It’s an interesting process of developing the sound” she remarks as I regale her with the record’s most poignant moments, “and just realising there are no limitations and not a lot of pressure, which makes everything better as i’m in control of everything i’m writing and producing. That’s pretty rare in the pop world I guess as there’s so much pressure to write a radio single, but I can just say “Ha! Fuck that!”
Though it’s apparent she’s fearless when it comes to expression, it’s Verite’s commendable candidness in her lyrics that is perhaps most intriguing about her sound. Unafraid to bare her soul, each track of hers has an emotionally charged core, with some lyrics cleverly veiled, and others just siting as all out passionate outpour. “I basically write from a stream of consciousness” she laughs, ” so I just lay it all out there, and I feel everything does have super personal meaning to me. But it is also open to interpretation from others, like some people see ‘weekend’ as some kind of rager song which is funny”
While some people may not fully ‘get’ certain moments of sentimentality, Verite reveals she actually finds it refreshing when fans interpret her material in different ways, making it relevant to their own lives: “I only write things that tend to be darker and more cynical, but not everyone is like me so I don’t want to alienate people that just wanna have a good time. Letting people find their own meaning is the best way to do that.”
As is the case with artists who wear their hearts on their sleeves though, there is always the risk of oversharing, and some find it difficult to draw the line between inner, personal thoughts and what should work on record. Thankfully however, it becomes apparent that she knows her limits, keeping certain things to herself, away from the music: “Candid is good, but vomiting your thoughts onto the world is not (laughs)”
As our conversation progresses it becomes clear that Verite has managed to avoid the common pitfalls of a hyped new artist, from taking things way too seriously, to releasing material too quickly, and most importantly – bowing down to the pressure. When an artist sees vast amounts of acclaim remarkably fast, the subconscious need to constantly up your game can be overwhelming, and ultimately result in mediocre material. Although the pressure is there, Verite reveals that conquering her insecurities is down to one simple thing; distraction.
“If I think about it there’s pressure, and especially considering the reaction to all the tracks has been positive, which is pretty rare. Part of me thinks “oh god, when’s the other shoe going to drop” though, when people maybe hate a track and realise this whole thing was a mistake. I can jump into that frame of mind real fucking quick, I just decide not to.”
After I briefly break professional boundaries and shout “BELIEVE IN YOURSELF” at her like a life-coach, we start to look to what the future holds for Verite, and where she sees things going. “I don’t tend to have any particular notions of where I want to go” she openly admits. “It’s more initial ideas of collaborators and vague ideas, then it’s a matter of working out what feels good overall.”
The next few months will see her return to America to write, perhaps for a full release, but more likely for another EP. The fact that Verite is taking everything her stride and remains completely unphased by industry pressure is remarkable, a mindset that will no doubt come to help her when she eventually works her way up to a debut album, which she reveals will come when the time is right: “If you gave me two months I could get an album done, but I don’t want to do that.” For now, she is much more intent of testing the limits of her own sound, finding the boundaries and embracing experimentation to develop her material in new and exciting ways, taking her time to ultimately yield the best possible results.
“It’s a long road, but if I keep on this path I know that everything I release is going to be how I want, then I can have no regrets.”
Verite’s Sentiment EP is out now. Listen Below.
The post Heart Unbreakable // An Interview With Verite appeared first on When The Gramophone Rings.