She also set out to experiment with creating music that bears no obvious imprints of her musical influences, to see what new sonic destinations that freedom might reveal. The result is a record that feels both nostalgic and futuristic, layering understated vocals and longing lyrics over a perky synthetic soundtrack.

The result is an album that sparkles with duality: bright on the surface, bittersweet underneath. Below, Hatchie opens up about her writing process, leaving her influences behind, and embracing what she sees as her musical limitations.

You made a concerted effort in this album to write free from your musical influences. What led to that decision and what did that process look like? How did your approach to songwriting change when trying to cultivate a sound that’s uniquely you?

I didn’t want to look back on my career and feel like I had spent the whole time emulating other artists. I realised I wasn’t fully satisfied by what I was doing, so it was important for me to take some time away and reconsider what I loved about making music and what made my songs feel like my own. I went back to building things up from really simple ideas using my voice as an instrument, then deciding what was best for each individual song. I think vocal melodies and harmonies are my strongest point because I enjoy them the most, so it’s win-win for me to focus on them.

You mentioned leaning into and celebrating your artistic and musical limitations. How do you identify these limitations and then work with them instead of against them?

This came as part of that reflection process I mentioned. I had to figure it out over a long period. When did I truly feel like I was in my groove during the writing process? Or on stage? It wasn’t when I was fixated on improving my technical abilities, forcing myself to learn new programs or instruments that I didn’t really enjoy… It was when I was singing and playing simple bass or guitar to support the vocal melodies. I went back to basics and wrote songs with as few instruments and effects as possible, making sure I felt really confident in the writing above showy production.

You worked with some heavy-hitting producers on your previous album, but wanted to go in a more feminine direction with this project. How did you connect with Melina Duterte (Jay Som) and what imprints did she leave on the record?

Somebody on my team recommended her knowing I’m a big fan of her music, so we got together on a Zoom and it was an instant yes! We mentioned that our favourite song of hers (“Superbike”) was a reference point for some of our earlier production, and she said she had used our music as a reference for that song! It was a crazy full-circle moment. She has such a calm, relaxing energy and that helped immensely. She invited us into her home studio and helped us feel super grounded and focused. Most of all she’s hilarious, so the whole experience was really joyful and energetic.

The album has an ethereal and futuristic pop sound that’s easy to listen to and bop along with, but it’s by no means surface-level. How do you find the balance between upbeat melodies and the weightier topics that your album explores?

To be honest I think it’s just how I naturally write. I don’t focus on trying to make songs happy or sad; I focus on more specific emotions that I’m trying to convey with sounds: longing, remorse, and acceptance are three big ones on this record. I start with all the melodies first then add lyrics later, so that’s probably why they seem to represent such different emotions!!

What can fans expect from you in the upcoming year?

I’ll be getting back into playing shows! I’m taking things slower and giving people time to get to know the album before touring this time.