INTRO BY JENNIFER CHEN
INTERVIEW BY CAMI LIBERTY
PHOTO BY VIKA PETLAKH
Molly DeWolf has released a new single called 8 Seconds from her upcoming debut EP, but that is just one of her many accomplishments.
After starting a musical career at Harvard as the directer of the co-ed a cappella group, and then being on season 10 of American idol, DeWolf realized that the music industry wasn’t for her. She continued on with her life and found a new passion; an immersive media company that specializes in news, documentaries, and discussing AR and VR technology called RYOT that she built in 5 years. This company was sold to Huffington Post / AOL in 2016.
DeWolf’s passion for music made a comeback when she met with the men in BRÅVES, who performed an original song inspired by a RYOT film DeWolf had previously produced. Both drawing inspiration from each other, they worked and recorded for 2 months and finally created their self-titled debut EP.
This EP is vulnerable and real, and DeWolf sings about the stages of relationships, the heartbreak that can come with love, and the hardships of love. For her single 8 seconds, DeWolf explains, "The idea behind '8 Seconds' is knowing someone for years, being in and out of each others’ orbit, and then all of a sudden they become your person, which mirrors my own experience and current relationship. That’s a beautiful notion to me, that lighting and timing are the primary factors dictating your life and who you end up with. I’m fascinated by the idea of fate vs coincidence."
The futuristic and vintage sounds of Molly DeWolf’s music will go far, and she is definitely someone to watch.
How did you first get involved with music?
"I grew up attending vaudeville shows and as the kid of one of the performers, I was often enlisted to perform as well. From there, it was just any outlet I could find. Rock & Roll ensemble in middle school. Vocal jazz in high school. A cappella in college. American Idol after that. My deep appreciation and admiration for the great artists of the last half century is what drove me to music in the first place, but also what made me apprehensive about creating my own original work."
Quite a few years ago you walked away from music and spent time building the media company RYOT. When you decided to start your own music again were you nervous at all or did it feel more like a relief?
"Both. Performing is terrifying when you're rusty. But at the same time, I'm so happy and inspired when I'm singing and collaborating with other talented musicians, I feel like a more complete human."
Where do you find most inspiration for your songs?
"I have a complicated relationship with my own emotions. Historically, I've tried to exert power over them, or manipulate them rather than listening to what they have to say. The songs were all inspired by moments I felt something that I didn't express well or at all."
How would you describe your music in three words?
"Driving, brooding musings."
You recently released your latest song "8 Seconds". Can you tell us a little about the song?
"It's the first and only true love song I've ever written. I wanted it to feel... inhabitable. The way most of us fall in love isn't 'love at first site' but it's just as magical, maybe even more so; It grows over time and then somehow, at some point, this person who was just someone in your life becomes YOUR someone. It could be hours or it could be years, but it is not immediate or reactive. There isn't really a term for that kind of developmental love, but maybe there should be."
"8 Seconds" is the first track released from your upcoming EP, which is due out this year. Do you personally feel that "8 Seconds" is a good introduction to your new music or is there just so much of a variety from the new songs that we can expect so much more?
"With Johnny What / BRAVES behind the production on the entire EP, there's definitely a consistency to the sound. The whole thing is moody, sexy and just dark enough. My second single, out Feb 1, is the most different in sound from the rest of the tracks."
In what ways do you hope to continue to evolve as an artist?
"I hope I'm never NOT evolving, but on the performance side in particular, to me, the hallmark of an amazing musician is when their live performance is even more compelling than their recordings. I hope to get there."
Aside from the upcoming EP, is there anything else we can expect from you? Any live shows?
"Yes! Also releasing a remix of 8 Seconds this month, by my friend Ryan Merchant from Capital Cities."