Some songs just stick with you. Whether you find yourself connecting to the words or experiencing the depth of a heartfelt composition, everyone has that one playlist that both comforts and validates their emotions...even if it leaves them in tears.
Alternative pop artist PLEXXAGLASS has released their own anthemic single, and it deserves a spot on every "in your feels" playlist. The track, titled Tall, is an ode to their trauma. It acts as a source of validation and community for fellow trauma survivors. It carries such a powerful weight in the best of ways.
We were able to catch up with PLEXXAGLASS themselves to discuss the single, as well as their journey and music and how they've been able to express their identity through their music. Check out the Q+A below!
What sparked your interest in music, and how did you start creating music as PLEXXAGLASS?
My musical journey, like most artists, started really young. I was exposed to musical theater and showed a real talent/good ear for it. I didn’t start making music as PLEXXAGLASS until I was around 24, and I went through recording an (awful) EP under my name before getting there. My producer Kevin Billingslea was the missing piece to really make sense of what I was trying to do musically, and once I met him, things fell into place rather quickly.
Tall” is an incredibly emotional track. What was the experience drawing from those emotions as inspiration while writing it?
Most of my songs start in my car. When I started writing “Tall”, I was dealing with an abusive workplace environment, which dug up a lot of my past trauma. Like most of my songs, it was something I had to get out. I definitely cried while I was arranging it, if that’s what you’re wondering…
The theme of perseverance is so prevalent throughout the song. How has that played a part in your journey as an artist? Yeah, for sure— I’ve had an objectively really great life, filled with amazing people, but it hasn’t been without some challenges. As an artist, it gets even trickier with the way the industry views more femme-presenting artists over 25+ nowadays. I would be lying if I said that every day I felt good about keeping it going… but I honestly don’t know what else I would do, and I know I was meant to do this. When you have such a strong conviction for something, at least for me, it’s impossible to turn away from it lightly.
Being nonbinary myself, seeing nonbinary artists talk about their experiences (especially in such a powerful way) has always been so inspiring to me. What message do you hope your LGBTQ+ fans take from this single, as well as your openness as a nonbinary artist? I mean, you kind of nailed it— just being out and unabashedly claiming my true self in a public way is so helpful to our community. The hate towards trans and gender nonconforming folks really comes from a place of fear— fear of lack of understanding. The more “common” we are, the more represented we are in media and across all different types of areas of employment, etc— the less “scary” we’ll be to people who don’t understand. Because at the end of the day, they don’t need to understand, but they do need to respect us, and I think it only takes knowing or knowing of a trans person to bridge that gap. What’s next for you as an artist? Do you have any bucket list plans you’re working towards? I really hope I’ll be playing SXSW next year! Just getting on the festival circuit, in general, is a big hope of mine. I’ll definitely be getting back in the studio and start the process of building back up a new chapter of my catalog. That’s the cool thing about releasing a full record— it kind of feels like you get to start a bit new. Are there any artists you've found yourselves inspired by lately? Or maybe just rising tracks/albums you’ve been hooked on? I’m a big fan of Bishop Briggs and I hope she’ll let me lend her tour support one day. Similarly, this new James Blake record is a masterpiece— his opening track “Famous Last Words” is a huge smash in my opinion. What are some of the biggest challenges you have had to face as an artist? It feels silly to say, but also worth saying— money. I think there are artists who have found success faster and at a much younger age than me because they have the capitol. I think fans really don’t understand that talent is only part of the equation; you still need a lot of money to keep the train going, and there have been many hold-ups in my journey simply because I couldn’t afford it. If you had a personal theme song, what would it be? “Strange” by Celeste comes to mind
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Interview by Ashtyn Layne