Editor’s Note: Out of Boston comes a band that is on the rise. The band is known as “shallow pools” and they are an indie-pop band that creates infectious melodies and lush arrangements. Their latest single entitled “Turnaround” is an absolutely fantastic listen, and they also made a shirt to commemorate Pride Month for the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, which promotes rights for black trans people. In this mental health conversation with Madness To Creation, Jess, Glynnis, Ali, and Haley of shallow pools all discuss being in the LGBTQIA+ community, how the media can help get their voice out there, the George Floyd uprising, their single “turnaround” and mental health awareness. Fans can find shallow pools at the following locations:
www.facebook.com/shallowpoolsma
www.twitter.com/shallowpoolsma
www.instagram.com/shallowpoolsma
Madness To Creation: Holy guacamole you all are catchy, how did you all get so catchy and infectious? What’s the secret?
Jess: Thanks so much! We honestly just stopped trying to fit into specific genres and now we write whatever we like and whatever is fun for us to play. We’ve been listening to lots of pop and k-pop music these days too, so I’m sure we’ve pulled some inspiration, especially in our unreleased music!
Madness To Creation: Insightful question: How have you experienced growth in yourself and music through Covid-19 pandemic?
Ali: I think we’ve had a lot more time to sit down and write things and because of that, I’ve learned a lot more about recording/production, which has been super cool and helpful!
Madness To Creation: I absolutely love that you’re members of the LGBTQIA+ community, just know that MTC loves you all, What work in America needs to be done to make it better for the LGBTQIA+ community?
Glynnis: Thanks so much!! There’s definitely a lot of work that needs to be done, from little things each individual person can work on, to laws and legislation.From my perspective, having that queer representation in the media, music, movies, tv, etc. is extremely important. As a kid who’s struggling with their identity, it can make a lasting impact to see someone who you look up to living their lives openly & freely. We’re lucky to live in a place where we don’t have to be afraid to be who we are, but that’s not the case for everyone. I think a good starting point would be to take care of the people around you, speak up for people’s rights, and be as kind as you can!
Madness To Creation: Kudos to you for making a shirt for the Martha P. Johnson Institute, out of all the non-profit organizations, why that one?
Jess: Since it’s pride month, we really wanted to make sure to recognize and support black trans people. They made pride possible for the LGBTQIA+ community, so we wanted to find a way to give back.
Madness To Creation: Do you all do some activist or volunteering work in your spare time?
Glynnis: The racism that we see on a daily basis in the US, has definitely led us to be more active. We’re constantly looking for ways to make an impact. Going to protests, donating to charities, amplifying black voices– these are all things that we, as white people, are doing to try to make a difference.
Madness To Creation: How has the band adjusted through the Covid-19 pandemic?
Jess: We love playing shows so it has been tough to not be able to do that. Luckily we all live together, so we’ve been able to write a lot of new music during quarantine that we’re super excited about.
Madness To Creation: Your thoughts on the uprising in America
Glynnis: I think this uprising is more than justified. We’ve been seeing people in power minimizing the lives of black people for as long as the US has existed. Everyone deserves to have their life respected, regardless of the color of their skin. This movement has given us the chance to make lasting change, and we need to continue to put pressure on those in power to stand up for what’s right. This is a matter of right and wrong, and there’s only one option– do the work. We, as allies of the black community, need to unlearn years of microaggressions and complacency. I’d recommend, to anyone reading this, to pay attention to what the black people in your lives are saying– they’re the ones we need to be listening to right now.
Madness To Creation: Let’s get to your music, I love the song Turnaround, take us into the creation of the music video, what’s your favorite part of the song?
Ali: We had been wanting to make a super fun video that didn’t really follow a particular plot for a while, and of all our new songs, ‘turnaround’ felt like a perfect fit! It’s about feeling like you’re on the right track and being excited about the future, so we wanted the video to feel like a big party.
Glynnis: Thank you!! My favorite part of Turnaround is definitely the chorus. It really brings me back to that feeling we had when writing it, that after struggling with our identity for so long, we’re finally going in the right direction.
Madness To Creation: Take us into the very first shallow pools gig.
Ali: Our first show was at O’Brien’s pub in allston, MA with out friends in ‘Allison and Moon’ and ‘Hyber’!
Jess: It was really fun! O’Brien’s has always been one of our favorite venues to play. I also remember that we had just released our first single as shallow pools, and we were all really nervous to play it live for the first time.
Madness To Creation: We cover mental health awareness, what gets you through the tough times and what makes you happy?
Glynnis: As someone who struggles with depression and anxiety, it can definitely be hard to feel happy, even when you “should”. For me, music has always been an outlet, and it makes me feel so much better– just listening to the right song can really turn around my mood. It’s also super important to talk to the people you love– just telling someone how you’re feeling and explaining what you’re going through can do wonders!
Haley: As someone who also struggles with anxiety and depression, I have been struggling a lot lately with enjoying my job and working from home. Having more time to focus on music has been helping get through that!
Madness To Creation: I’m giving you the floor to cover whatever you want to cover in regards to shallow pools.
Haley: Recently we really have come into our sound. We’re very excited to keep writing new music and take off in this direction. I feel like we’re more ready than ever to show the world what we’ve got!
And there you have it! Check out shallow pools via Spotify below:
