This is "just the beginning" for up-and-comer She Loves Boon, who recently dropped his big debut, Emotional Trap, and with it a new music video for album highlight "Everything Ab U," set in the city of love. As a track about crushing to the point of wanting to know "everything about" someone, Paris is a perfect backdrop for the New York-based artist's latest release.
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"See you at the party, I think I might like you," he sings underneath the Eiffel tower, sight-seeing with a different colored Telfar bag for every look he wears. "I got no more Molly, I'm spinnin' like a typhoon." True to form, his pitched up, glitchy vocals and glistening trap-pop production cut through some of that earnest lyricism, striking a perfect balance just as his LP title suggests.
Below, PAPER talks more with She Loves Boon about "love and infatuation," New York's music scene and the "controlled whirlwind" of emotions that is Emotional Trap.
From your perspective, how does the order of the tracklist tell the larger story of Emotional Trap?
The order is very up and down — shifting energies, different parts of the spectrum, but also still coherent in that way. I think that's a great way of describing my emotions and the emotions of others — a controlled whirlwind all coming from the same place.
What’re the core themes you’ve ended up tackling on this project?
The album talks about a lot of things true to me: dysfunctional relationships, love and infatuation (both unrequited and returned), insecurities of not being enough and insecurities of being bigger than life. There's a lot of things I've learned, not only from pursuing my passions, but also from dealing with the consequences of that. The taxation of my time, my mental real estate and my personal relationships are all things I think about often. But even outside the darker parts of the album, there's so much fun to be had with this and that's why there are songs for just the pure adrenaline rush that comes with this. This project is really a time capsule of my jumbled up mind right now at, what I believe, is just the beginning.
What does it say about your experiences with love and infatuation?
It's a thrill of its own. It's a great feeling, but it's also something you have to be really involved in. But at the same time when you're chasing dreams, love, belonging, validation and comfort all at the same time — you wear yourself thin. That's where I find myself most of the time, but luckily I'm surrounded by a bunch of loved ones that make this balance feel not too daunting. I've also been in past situations that weren't such a happy amalgamation of all these things that I want. Those experiences have their story told, as well.
There are very few guests on this project (Belis, Funeral, Deadph0ne, Loe4t). How’d you decide on features and what was that collaborative process like?
They're all artists I love musically before anything else. I'm a fan of their work first and the collaborations came from there. I would say each feature was decided very carefully and once we got the feature recorded, the songs were built even more to make sure their part truly shines. Very rarely do we just send a beat out, and get a verse and cut it from there. Featuring on a song of mine is something I treat super seriously and I want everyone who does to love their part, their section and I want the listeners to love it, as well.
Is there a track that you feel best represents you as an artist, right now?
With an album that has been in the making for a while, I think I've ventured into a lot of different parts of me, so right now I'd say the track that best sums up my energy is "Punk Rock" I might change this answer in a week or so, but the level of braggadocio in that song along with the addictive bounce of it — that's what I'm trying to channel. The emphasis on flexing, fashion and lifestyle in that song is something I think people look at me for.
Is there a lyric or set of lyrics you’re most proud of?
"She got me in my bag, but it's Birkin/ I'm searching for a thrill when I'm nervous/ I only do those pills if they're perfect/ But I don't even know if I'm worth it."
I love those lyrics from "Worthless" so much. They say so much so directly and really tell the story of that song. It highlights so much of the content and place I was in when writing Emotional Trap so well.
What do you think about the state of music coming from New York, right now? There seems to be a lot of activity, especially among indie artists like yourself.
New York is the mecca for a reason: culture, music, fashion, innovation, the list goes on and on. So many genres and artists are thriving from here right now and there's a scene/pocket for everyone. That's the beauty of it — going to an indie pop show and then seeing 454 at Nublu the same week. So many people are doing their thing right now, whether they are from here or not and people love it no matter how foreign it is or how close to their heart it is.
Where do you see your music and this album fitting into the context of New York music?
I think the whole purpose of Emotional Trap was to give something for everyone. Parts of the album feel more rap centric, while others are more dancey. Some get introspective, while others are purely for charisma. When boiling down all the different genres that are present in NYC right now, people just want to feel something. I wanted to create an album that drew people in and made them feel things again. I hope that's what it did for everyone who listened.
What's your POV on autotune and vocal manipulation, since it’s clearly a signature. How is it a tool for you?
It's definitely a signature. I just really like the glitch and digital elements of it. It's the music I find myself drawn to, so it very easily came into my personal style. There's just something about how it feels. I can't put it into words too perfectly, but you can see it translate in people when they hear it. I'm always trying to have my music feel interesting and different.
Now that this album is out, what’s coming up? Do you plan on continuing to build around this material or is it onto the next?
A little bit of both. I'm working on my next songs now, but I really want Emotional Trap to live and be in peoples' rotation. We just dropped the "Everything Ab U" video and there are more visuals to come. The world still has some building to do, whether it's through shows or videos. It's Emotional Trap season for the foreseeable future, I hope they enjoy it.
Stream Emotional Trap by She Loves Boon, below.
Directed by Adam Ginsberg
Produced and styled by Jess Cobain