I got a chance to talk to Skarlett Woods when she was in studio earlier this year. She’s clever and her music is fresh like a crisp autumn day. Her newest album, Letters to the West is releasing October 27 but you can check her out October 21 at Ginkgo Coffee House in St Paul. Or get a little sneak at the vibe in the answers below.
Letters to the West is your second album, what was harder this time around? And what was easier? Any surprises?
I think making an album will always be a challenge for me. I always have high expectations in the back of my mind for what I want to achieve. I believe there is a term that speaks to that called, Imposter Syndrome. When I started to record this album back in September of last year, I was very suspicious of Kevin Bowe. My last record I recorded felt very rushed and unsupportive from the Producer/engineer/mixer, so I carried some of that distrust from that relationship into Kevin’s studio and was very guarded. It took me about 5 months of working with Kevin to realize that he was just trying to help me sound good and record a great record.
A challenge I didn’t foresee was how the other instrumentations would effect the song. I’m so accustomed to performing solo and hearing those songs in a solo setting that when it came time to add a bass line or guitar work or drums, I found it difficult to find the direction the song wanted to be portrayed as with added instrumentation. I compose my songs with the intention of them being able to stand on their own with just a voice and guitar, but by the time I was about half way through recording the album, I began to get a feel for the arrangements of the songs. I changed the endings and lyrics on several songs. I cut out parts that were already recorded. Still to this day I hear things that could be added or subtracted, but ultimately I feel like I’m a stronger writer and that I am capable of writing the arrangements of other parts. I think Kevin helped me find a little more confidence in my capabilities- I would call that a healthy relationship- for myself and also between producer and artist.
You have songs about Portland, Santa Cruz, and the West, but you know my favorite is going to be MN Farm Girl. Why aren’t all the songs about Minnesota? Just kidding, but place clearly plays a role in your music, do you hear musical influences from the place as you write the songs?
I feel before I hear. And I’ve found that in order to feel, I have to be in quiet spaces away from distractions. I can’t say if the place or location has anything to do with my sound, but I can say that the people I’ve met in those places I’ve lived have had a major influence on my sound. Perhaps that means there is a connection to place/location as my song unfolds. Ultimately it is the feeling I get from a human interaction that then leads me to describe what that feeling would sound like. It’s the alchemy that happens between feelings that are then turned into sounds. I’ve always been fascinated with film score compositions and their ability to describe a visual emotional scene with sounds. Letters To The West is without a doubt describing scenes and feelings from the locations I’ve lived, but from a space of what it felt like to be there… If that makes sense…
Close to You (Braver These Day) is a welcoming, warming song. The video enhances that warmth and good feelings. What is making you braver? And does the music help you feel braver or show your bravery?
Honestly, I’m feeling braver these days from being single for the past 3 years of my life. During that time I had to learn how to find my joy and happiness in this life, which is the first time I had some space to do that. I believe this to be a life-long journey to finding new ways to be brave, but I also think the pandemic broke something in me that I didn’t need to be holding on too. I think letting go of the broken thing I was holding helped me write songs like, “I Could Be Your Monster”, “Me, I, Me, Me”, and “Somehow (Letters To The West)” Perhaps I’ve begun to accept who I am- which is an act of bravery.
I Could Be Your Monster is a brave song, thank you for writing it and singing it. Tell me about it. It seems to be that it could speak both to Queen humans in rural areas and the closed minds around them. I hope they both listen.
A priest up in the Brainerd Lakes area wrote an opinion piece in the local newspaper last winter about condemning Homosexuality. Naturally, identifying as a Queer person, I took offense to that, but at the same time my mind went to this place of -how can someone feel such hatred towards me when I try so hard to do good in this world. I thought to myself, “I’m not some dictator that starts wars and destroys human life. “I’m not a hedge fund that makes it’s capital gains from destabilizing democracies. I’m not a criminal that speaks lies and divides a county.” I got this feeling in me as I was driving home late one night that I was some monster to some person who doesn’t know me. I think the beauty of that song is that we all have felt that from our peers and community. A colleague approached me after I performed that song and thanked me for writing it. He mentioned he got picked on and bullied in school. That’s the beauty of music- it is capable of bringing together people from ALL walks of life.
Please tell us about upcoming shows where folks can see you play?
My album release show is this Saturday October 21st, 2023 at Ginkgo Coffeehouse in St. Paul at 7:30pm. Tickets are available online at: https://www.chownow.com/order/30815/locations/45570
For upcoming shows you can find them on my website at: https://www.skarlettwoods.com/
You can subscribe to my monthly newsletter for upcoming shows off my website too. Or there is also the evil Facebook and Instagram that is also available to follow for show listings and other stuff.
Your voice on Somewhere (Letters to the West) – wow. (No question; just a comment.)
Mostly Minnesota 