When ask what makes a song a “Still Woozy” song, the answer is somewhere in the vibe and the love. One thing that separates Loveseat from the artist’s debut album If This Isn’t Nice, I Don’t Know What Is is the release from expectation and anticipation. Going with the flow and trusting your heart — that’s what makes Loveseat so healing and wholesome. Still Woozy signs himself off from stress and goal-oriented way of thinking and sinks into the music, letting it take its free form. The magic of being present and in the moment is intoxicating in this record.
The one thing that’s truly amazing about Still Woozy is his authenticity. The success of If This Isn’t Nice, I Don’t Know What Is didn’t drive him down a path of seeking for more. Instead, it seems to have allowed him to figure out what is truly important to him when it comes to music-making. Loveseat adheres to the sound and vibe that makes If This Isn’t Nice, I Don’t Know What Is fantastic.
Still Woozy stays true to himself, to his sound and what music means to him — being vulnerable and authentic. That’s all Loveseat is about. It’s life what is about. Being present and allowing everything to flow. Every song in this record is made from a space of comfort and peace and vulnerability, which allows its audience to be who they are at the time of listening. Being it sadness or happiness or peace, Still Woozy meets you there, at the crossroad of all life’s complex little flavors.
As an artist, part of the struggle is perfectionism, but through confronting and overcoming the worst of this trait, Still Woozy brings his listeners the best music possible. A genuine sonic experience without compromise. The standard of his songs are extremely high. He pulls himself through mental hell to make sure that none of the texture and what he envisioned in his mind would be lost in translation.
Written by Katrina Yang
Press Q&A with Still Woozy
Q: What’s changed since the last album?
Still Woozy: There wasn’t necessarily an overall message, I was trying to make music that felt authentic. But overall, there’s a message, that’s not blatant, but it’s about being okay with being vulnerable. Sometimes you have to lean into the vulnerable. I think that’s the subtext, of the subtext, of the subtext, of the music.
Q: What was the most challenging part of the recording process for the new record?
Still Woozy: By far the mixing and mastering. I’m so annoying about how particular I want it to sound. There’s like 10 revisions for each mix and master. That’s a lot of different revisions and listening. I would do it differently because it’s not sustainable.
Q: How has platonic, romantic, and familial love manifested itself in this album?
Still Woozy: Big fish is about my dad. And when writing for these places, it’s whatever feeling is deep enough to elicit the song. A song has to have a sort of impetus for its creation. And that deep familiar love is in your brain stem, it’s the core of your body. It has to come from an emotional place, and any of those can get there.
Q: What is it like performing such personal music live?
Still Woozy: It’s been feeling pretty cathartic, and I hope the audience feels that way, You don’t really know exactly. But I hope that people in the audience are receptive to it.
Q: How has music and art affected your personal growth since high school?
Still Woozy: Music has introduced me to so many different realities, whether it be the musicians I’m listening to or just making new friends and growing my community. I grew up in a small-ish town so going to college and making new friendships through music opened my eyes.
Q: In terms of writing, do you still approach songs with a groove-first mentality?
Still Woozy: Not necessarily anymore. I’ll get carried away with making country music or psychedelic music and I’ll forget about that approach [laughs]. I always find myself going back to that though.
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