KALX 90.7FM Berkeley
Photos and interview by Izzy Hory
On April 19th, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Aidan Bissett before his performance at August Hall in San Francisco. Aidan Bissett is a 22-year-old singer-songwriter living in Los Angeles, California, on the brink of stardom. With a string of EPs under his belt and an ambitious vision, Bissett has established himself as a dedicated and talented artist consistently experimenting with new sounds, vocals, and visuals. Tracks like “More Than Friends” and “Tripping Over Air” have catapulted him into the spotlight, resonating deeply with a Gen Z audience. Bissett’s lyrics are relatable and introspective, drawing inspiration from his personal experiences and influences such as Wallows, Mac Demarco, and COIN. His latest project, Supernova, spans several genres from indie rock to alternative and pop, combining infectious melodies with vulnerable storytelling. With an unmistakably raw energy, Bissett’s music captures the essence of coming-of-age in the modern era.
Izzy: Congratulations on beginning your second headline tour! I know you’re only a couple of shows in, but how has it been so far?
Aidan Bissett: Great. It’s been really good; the energy has been awesome.
That’s great! I heard that you might be playing a new song. How has the live reaction been to it?
So far, it’s pretty good. I literally wrote it two weeks ago, so I don’t know when or how it’s coming out.
An in-the-moment, last-minute decision?
Yeah! I thought it would be cool because we skipped a lot of the cities we are going to this time around on the last tour, so I wanted to give them something special.
Super cool! I’d love to talk about your latest EP, Supernova. There is quite a range in emotions and vocals throughout, with tracks ranging from energetic rock anthems to heartfelt ballads and even a sassier tune like “Wish it Was Me.” How did you approach creating these different directions in the EP?
I think it’s just that I am a fan of a lot of different styles of music. Some days, I wake up, and I’m like, I want to make this, and other days, I want to make that. I also have severe ADHD, so it’s hard to nail down one thing. It’s a blessing and a curse because I love being diverse when making music, but I want this next project to be more cohesive and coherent, if that makes sense.
Yes, it does; thank you for sharing! I wanted to bring up your music videos because I think there is a really impressive range of visuals and concepts, from the recent release of “Planet” with 3D animation to lyric videos that include concert footage. How do these videos fit into your overall brand as a musician?
Music videos are really important to me, especially towards the end of the Supernova EP with “How’s it gonna end?” and “Planet.” Those two videos are where I want to be and start heading towards when it comes to putting out an album because they are shot on film. So everything is incredibly intentional, and on top of that, they kind of have parallels where they connect in a way. Videos help build the world, which is really important to me and I want fans to live in an experience.
Yeah, that’s super interesting because it is another way to tell a story. When you’re on stage, how do you balance storytelling, performing, and creating a sense of intimacy with your audience during live shows?
I think it comes down to the setlist and how the songs string together. It’s funny because I still don’t have a ton of music out. We have enough to play a full set now, which is nice, so playing it, you can hear the young me go into what [my music] is now, which is cool. It can be a little difficult because there are some very stark differences, for sure, and it’s kind of like me figuring it out along the way.
Has anyone you’ve seen live or watched videos of influenced your stage presence?
Oh yeah, 100%. The Rolling Stones is a huge one for me. Matty Healy from 1975 is incredible. I’ve also been watching a lot of Chappell Roan recently because I’ve been a big fan of her forever and watching her on stage is so great. First of all her vocals and second of all the way she just runs around and sounds incredible. Very inspiring.
I’m glad she’s getting attention, especially with her crowd work. It’s super impressive!
Dude, when “Pink Pony Club” came out two years ago, I couldn’t stop playing it. I’m such a fan.
It’s awesome that you’ve watched her grow! This is kind of a different type of question, but I noticed on tour that it seems like it’s a family event. With your brother at the merch booth and your dad around, how specifically has having your family involved supported you?
I love having my parents around, especially my brother. They help keep me grounded. It also makes it feel like a very safe environment. My brother and I have gotten super close being on the road because we have to be together all the time. It’s cool because it’s like having a built-in best friend on the road. And I can tell that he really loves it, although maybe he doesn’t show it all the time.
I could see that, but it’s probably fun to travel together.
For sure!
With the music you grew up with and your parents listened to, if you could collaborate with any of those musicians (dead or alive) who would that be?
Oo wow. Freddy Mercury. I’ve been a huge Queen fan for as long as I can remember. Also, Gracie Abrams would be up there because she’s incredible. The Strokes and Chris Martin from Coldplay, too!
Great energy from all those artists! When creating new music, do you typically start with the lyrics or sound, and how do they influence one another?
I’m sonically driven, so usually it’s music first, whether it’s guitar, drums, bass, synth, etc. I think that’s because I started playing guitar in second grade, but I didn’t start singing until I was seventeen, and I was a horrible singer. But, having that piece of me that has always been rooted in an instrument feels like a safe place when I start creating. Music first, then melody and lyrics follow.
Yeah, that makes sense! And in this process, what is your favorite part? Is it the outcome, collaboration, or anything else?
It’s changed a lot, but recently, it’s been the creation of it. I’ve really fallen in love with figuring out who I am through music and what I want to say. It’s a frustrating process for sure, but at the same time, once you figure it out, which is what I’m starting to do, it finally starts to make sense, which is really cool. It’s an incredible feeling!
That’s awesome. It must be nice when things connect and you feel more in control. As someone into music, I’m sure you’ve been to your fair share of concerts. Can you talk about the differences in what you expect from an artist when you see them live versus what your focus is when you are on stage?
As a fan, I want to be able to detach for that hour or two from the world to sit with this music and laugh. That’s what I’m looking for. I want to be able to engulf myself in the world that the artist is presenting, and that’s what I stress in our performance. We don’t have a big budget, and there are only three of us on stage, but what we can … control … is our energy and our emotions. So bringing that into the performance is hopefully enough for fans to feel a part of the experience and pull themselves out of their lives for an hour or so.
Yeah, that is special. When you think about who inspires you musically, is there someone who might surprise your fans?
Haha, damn, that’s putting me on the spot. I’m blanking so hard right now, but I will think of at least one… I would say… Woah, this is so random, but Drake. I love Drake. I have a guilty pleasure for Drake — Early Drake, like his first three or four albums. Man, anytime I go out, I turn it up. Now I’m blanking on the song names. This makes me look like an amateur Drake fan, but every time I go out, I want to sing like, “Baby, you’re my everything; you’re all I ever wanted.” So good.
Omg yes, so nostalgic! As an artist whose recent EP is titled ‘Supernova,’ it’s evident that you’ve experienced significant growth and achievement in your career over the past few years. Within this journey, could you share a ‘Supernova moment’ you’ve had?
Wow, that’s a great question. There’s a handful, to be honest with you — anything from building relationships with my family and learning how to communicate with friends to even losing friends. I recently lost one of my best friends (they’re still alive), but it sucked. It almost feels like they died in a way. I’m learning how to get through that. Then also finding myself through music and finding love through that again, which is also powerful.
Thank you for sharing; with so much going on, I bet it is a unique process. If you could transport your audience to any location or atmosphere through your music, where would it be, and what would it feel like?
Hmm, a sweaty garage.
Ooo yeah, just like all jamming out and having a good time?
Yeah, I want to do that, man. I want to play sweaty garage shows just for fun. I think there’s just something so special about it. The sound isn’t great, but it’s so much fun, you know? There’s no stage, and you’re just all on the same level.
That would be sick. As we wrap it up here, could you tell us about anything in the works or something exciting you’d like to share with the audience back at Berkeley?
I’m writing my debut album right now, so be on the lookout for that!
Listen to Aidan Bissett: Spotify Apple Music SoundCloud
On a rainy Friday evening in San Francisco, a sea of buzzcuts and mullets, chunky docs, and lacy nightgowns gathered at The Fillmore to see Alice Phoebe Lou perform live. By the time I had gotten inside, an excited crowd had already packed the venue for this sold-out show, and I made my way to the back to
take in the spectacle. When Lou took the stage, the crowd surges forward, over-pouring with love. They screamed: “You’re a goddess” and “You are our gift”. Lou takes these compliments in stride, laughing off the hecklers’ requests to marry her by saying she is married to the moon, showing off a moon tattoo on her left ring finger. As she begins to sing her opening acoustic set, the crowd goes silent and slack-jawed, mouthing along the words to “Open My Door”, before the rest of the band comes and joins her on stage.
Lou’s performance was a sight both to hear and to see: she stands back-lit by a sea of colorful lights, dancing sock-footed around the stage and looking as though she might dissolve into the light, a mimicry of the sonic qualities of her songs. Her performance thrived off the loving energy of her fans, whom she interacts with easily throughout the entire performance. Lou’s free-loving energy finds her an easy home among a San Francisco crowd, which she mentions as one of her favorite places to stop when she tours. Her soft banter between songs created a sense of intimacy in this large venue as if she is someone you know performing for you rather than a crowd of over 1,000 people.
Beyond the gentle spectacle of her performance, her live sound was stunning in and of itself. Minimal guitar, drum, and synth backing allowed her vocals to shine, proving an impressive show of both control and range. Lou’s lyrical voice has an airy quality that allows the listener to dissolve into her sonic vision. Don’t let her gentle sound placate you though, as her lyrics tell a more complicated story. Songs like “Something Holy” and “My Girl” paint a picture of someone softly screaming to be seen, and to have their desires understood. In a moment of candidness with the crowd, Lou revealed that many of her old songs like “Something Holy” have become more difficult for her to play on this most recent tour, as she has been in the process of seeking out a restraining order against a former partner. She earnestly requests from the audience that they give her space to grow and change as an artist and a person, and who are we to deny her that universal desire?
As the evening wrapped up, Lou finished her performance with an upbeat rendition of “Witches” along with “Dirty Mouth,” the audience singing every word. She thanked the crowd, saying that it had been one of her favorite shows of the entire tour and that she is floored by the love and energy from everyone. I leave the venue floating, bewitched by the gentle magic of Lou’s performance.
Review and Photos By Riley Saham
This Saturday on KALX Live! join Excuse My French as he hosts Oakland-based band Dedications.
