Music Q&A with Taryn Hadfield
Photo courtesy of Taryn Hadfield
Singer-songwriter, Taryn Hadfield draws influence from the likes of Fleetwood Mac, Bon Iver, Simple Minds, Tears for Fears, and blink-182! Last month, Taryn released her new album titled Manic Pixie Dream Girl. In this Q&A, Taryn talked about the album, Brittany Howard, Florence Welch, and more!
Congratulations on the release of Manic Pixie Dream Girl! What does the album mean to you?
To me, the album means many things.
It means a childhood dream that finally came to fruition. Since I was 3 years old and memorized all the lyrics to Alanis Morisette’s Jagged Little Pill, I’ve always wanted to write my own songs and create my own album.
It also means that I’ve finally found and realized one thing I’ve always wanted to do. 3 years ago, I was working a job I hated, had few (if any friends) and was a hopeless romantic who was left alone feeling very empty and disillusioned. During one of my lowest points, an old friend asked me to look at myself in the mirror and ask, “If I could do anything in the world, what would I do?” After attending Treefort Music Fest in Boise later that week, I decided I would go all in on writing and performing music.
But most importantly, finishing this album means I’ve committed to discovering who I am, outside of others’ expectations. The album is a collection of songs that document all the ways I’ve tried to play a role in someone else’s life. In nearly every relationship, friendship, job, etc. I’ve almost been playing the manic pixie dream girl, helping other people realize their deeper meaning to their life. Finishing this album is almost like closing that chapter of my life and moving on to the next. I believe that the next chapter will be filled with deciding to assume the role of the main character in my own life and find my own purpose.
What is your favorite song from Manic Pixie Dream Girl?
That’s almost like asking me to choose which of my kids (if I had any) were my favorite. I love them all, in their own special way.
That said, the song that stands out most to me and possibly demonstrates the next direction I will take as an artist is “Siren”. I loved the storytelling within the lyrics, filled with metaphors. I loved the way we layered in the cello, electric guitar, piano and harmonies to create an immersive soundscape. I loved the dynamics of the song. It was definitely the hardest song for me to record vocally (it was the one song we had to stop and take multiple days to complete the tracks), and hearing it now, after all that work and struggle, is very rewarding.
Due to the state of the world the last couple of years, how do you feel that may have affected the making and creative process of the album, if it did at all?
We had originally planned on launching the kickstarter to raise marketing, production and distribution funds way back in spring of 2020 with a live concert. Obviously that never happened. During the pandemic, all of our plans were put on hold and we were in limbo for several months.
In the meantime, I started streaming on Twitch. What started as just a chill hangout where I played music to a handful of strangers became a whole new way of building a community and performing live. Prior to livestreaming I practically had no following aside from a dozen or so people who would catch my bar gigs. When I started making more money livestreaming than at my bar gigs, we decided to launch the kickstarter live on Twitch. We surpassed our goal 54 days in.
We finally got into the studio spring of 2021 and released this January. Today, I now perform for crowds online anywhere from 70 to 2000+ people at a time on Twitch, 3-4 times a week.
Who has been your favorite artist or band to see live?
When I was 16, my parents took me to the New Orleans Jazz Festival and I saw Alabama Shakes perform. Watching Brittany Howard on stage, I was so inspired. She was a killer guitarist, insane vocalist and had so much energy. She was unapologetic and bold. She was exceptionally vulnerable.
As a girl playing guitar growing up, it felt like I wasn’t really taken too seriously as a guitarist. It was so cool to see a female musician who could not only nail the vocals but also her guitar accompaniments too.
If you had a chance to collaborate with a musician, dead or alive, who would it be?
Florence Welch, hands down. I love her songwriting style. I love how her songs don’t fit some predefined predictable form, both in terms of her melodies and her lyrics. I love how her songs turn into such textured, layered and nuanced pieces once they hit the studio, and her energy when she performs live. I was obsessed with her music in middle school. I had all of her songs on repeat.
We all have our days where it may not be going as well as we’d like. People deal with their worst days in different ways. What helps you get through the bad days?
As someone who’s always had chronic depression and anxiety, there’s several things I turn to on my bad days.
Music is definitely a big one. I have my go-to badass playlist for when I need to feel empowered and keep moving, and a big feels playlist for when I just need to sit with my emotions for a while and work through them. I’ll often write song lyrics or compose something just so I can put words to what I’m feeling, embrace it and release it.
Aside from music, I love to write in my journal. It helps me see my thoughts and recognize what patterns are going on if I feel stuck.
Sometimes, I just need a distraction. I’ll turn to my comfort shows (mainly trashy reality TV) to laugh at life and not take it too seriously. Sometimes, I’ll go for walks on the trails nearby (Seattle and Boise both have tons that are easy to get to) just so I can get out of my head. When I’m not feeling up for a walk, I’ll go on drives and blare music in my car, or just dance alone in my room.
Even still, sometimes it’s best to just talk it out. I’ve got a solid handful of friends and family that I can turn to. I’ll ask for advice if I need it, or I’ll just ask if I can vent for a while and work through it on my own.
How do you stay positive?
The biggest thing I’ve learned is that the secret to finding happiness is not avoiding unhappiness. It’s about embracing all the emotions we encounter: anger, sadness, frustration, jealousy, disappointment, grief, etc. All emotions are just signals. They tell us more about ourselves, other people and the situations we are in. We can’t control them, but we can learn from them and make decisions accordingly.
Basically, you have to feel before you can deal.
The thing is: it’s not possible to stay positive 100% of the time. Life is full of cycles of highs and lows. Good times come to an end. Bad times too. Then, everything kinda begins again.
Honestly, I take comfort in knowing that everything will change. Because my life, just like an album, is one big story, filled with conflicts and resolutions across many chapters.
I only get one life. Might as well make it one hell of a story and enjoy it.
Taryn Hadfield on social media and digital streaming platforms:
Facebook | Instagram | Spotify | TIDAL | Apple Music