The 18-year-old Vancouver native, Pop Artist, and Singer/Songwriter Audrey de Boer have taken 2020 for quite the spin.
After releasing three songs in 2019, most notably her well-received single "Couple More Hours," followed by a music video in 2020, Audrey de Boer pushed through our year with uninterrupted stamina.
Audrey de Boer is best known for evoking various mental connections between herself and the listener while gracing our ears with angelically modern vocals, fueled by relatable and emotional concepts.
An achievement that Audrey de Boer has reached this year was the creation of her music video for the renowned 2019 single, "Couple More Hours." When speaking about the lyrical content and single itself, Audrey de Boer mentioned that the song sings a message of longing for more time with a loved one, going hand-in-hand with our unusual year.
As 2020 took its toll on lives everywhere, Audrey de Boer sang for those who feel a little deeper than others, releasing her emotional single, "S L E E P," speaking on the anxieties and stressors that linger in mind and keep one from sleep. Also inspired by the phenomena that is sleep paralysis, Audrey de Boer also wanted to touch on themes of reclaiming oneself from fears or abuse that solemnly sit on a shoulder or two.
More recently, Audrey de Boer released the lockdown-made single, "Close," which covers thoughts of a new relationship and the accompanying uncertainty.
Allowing listeners to easily connect with each song she's released in 2020, Audrey de Boer has truly mastered the craft of compelling songwriting and is carving a unique path for her to strut in 2021.
We're excited to chat with you about the successful year you've had. What kept you inspired to write music throughout 2020?
Many would say 2020 was something like a roller coaster, for me I would definitely agree but I’ve also made it one of my favorite years. Time is precious always, but 2020 gave me the alone time I needed to be laser-focused with fewer distractions. Artistically and personally the crazy year was full of inspiration, challenges, and hope, creating my best recipe for me to write music. It took a while to give myself the confidence to take a few risks with my writing and music style and nail down a schedule to do it all but the process was worth it. I also spent more time recreating the creative space that really opened me up to find so much personal and artistic growth throughout my time in isolation. 2020 has not been easy for anyone, but out of the upheaval I feel that I have been blessed to be able to create music that I feel is like an escape for me and for my audience and listeners.
Speaking on your three singles, "Couple More Hours," "S L E E P," and "Close," you capture quite intense and emotional themes. What does your typical songwriting process look like when writing such vulnerable pieces?
My songwriting process is dynamic and continuously evolving with every piece I create. These songs you mentioned, “Couple More Hours," "S L E E P," and "Close," have been a process of giving in to my vulnerability and trusting in the process to allow the journey of expressing these stories. I also wanted to not be restricted by my previous sounds but rather truly following my intuition with how the experiences felt for me and portraying that. I have grown inability to expose emotionally sensitive topics and crack myself open through my lyrics; I am continually finding more trust in myself to fall into the process completely and letting every song take on the journey of expressing the story I have to tell.
When creating the singles mentioned above, did you reach out to any fellow artists, producers, or engineers to help with the sonics? Or did you undergo your instrumental/production process solo?
For all the singles above I have worked with my producer Adam Stanton. He and I work really well together.
What would you say was your most significant accomplishment of 2020, artistically or personally?
2020 threw everyone for a major curve and in some way everyone had to alter their lives. For me, my most significant accomplishment of 2020 was finding that this alteration and isolation was a hidden gem. At the beginning of lockdown, the school went online, Spring Break was a blur, grade 12 graduation was nothing close to High School Musical, and the scary, unknown state of the world sent shocks through everything that seemed normal to me. Topping all of it off with a heartbreak; so, so much for me had been broken into pieces in such a short time. The upheaval sent a feeling like an out-of-control spin on routine and that sent a strong vibration into my life, and I knew I wanted to not let the negativity of everything going on continue to break me apart anymore. So, to try and sum up, artistically and personally throughout 2020 and my 10 months in quarantine with very diverse situations, each shockwave helped me find a heavy growth process within myself and for this I am grateful.
From 2019 to 2020, have you noticed any change or growth within your sound and songwriting?
From 2019 to 2020, I absolutely have noticed a change and growth of myself and artistically. I have made many little changes to my sound and with each, I have tried I think I have found a more individualized expression and a more confident and comfortable flow in trying out every idea. Having so much time in 2020 to self-reflect and actually learn to understand me more, by no means have I mastered it, but this journey has put me in positions to “fall” and trust the process. I am still on this journey with myself, each day more and more intoxicating.
Seeing as you're still relatively young, how have you garnered the knowledge and mental prowess to write about the heavy themes you do?
Every song I write, I write true to my life and the experiences that I’ve endured. Like every other, my life has brought a whirlwind of up and downs, in my young life I’ve had my fair share of medical hard knocks, which have given me a perspective that many people haven’t had and may not encounter. These moments and so many more, while challenging also has allowed me to be able to infuse my self-discovery with self-healing and be who I am today.
Do you have any creative works in the making set to release in 2021? What's next for you?
Yes! 2020 has definitely brought me lots of inspiration, time to create, and lucid passions. I have quite a few projects started already and much more planned that will be live in 2021 and I cannot wait to share everything and continue this perpetual journey artistically and personally!