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Taste Test

What is “good taste” anyway? Allow your favorite actor, musician, celebrity, or comedian to let you in on what they’re watching, reading, and consuming.

Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photos: Getty Images, HBO, Everett Collection, Retailers

Waiting is never fun, but it’s something Sophie Allison, the singer who works under the name Soccer Mommy, especially hates. We’re talking specifically about her fourth studio album, Evergreen, which had yet to be released when Allison spoke with the Cut. She’s spent all year feeling eager for her creation to be out in the open, even if it feels more personal than anything else she’s released before.

“This album feels more intimate and vulnerable, especially writing wise,” says Allison. There’s a new sense of heaviness to this album, driven by getting older and a personal loss, and stripped-back production. On the opening track of the album, “Lost,” Allison sings “I’ve got a way of keeping her with me where I go but how she feels, I’ll never know.” This was the last song she wrote for Evergreen, and she immediately knew this was where the album would end. “Sometimes you just need one final song to make it feel like you’ve come full circle on whatever you’ve been talking about,” she says. “When I wrote ‘Lost,’ it felt like something new. It has this sense of regret and reflection, like turning back on yourself and looking at how you’ve changed that the other stuff doesn’t quite have.”

Working on this project away from her Nashville home (the album was recorded in Atlanta) was a welcome change for Allison. Being in an unknown environment allowed her to find a clear headspace, though the comforts of home were part of the inspiration for the music. Unexpectedly, she found herself thinking a lot about Wyoming, where her dad grew up. “I went a lot as a kid, and I was definitely thinking back to that feeling of a road trip out in the West,” says Allison. “Something as simple as having my headphones on in the back seat looking out the window during a road trip can be such a specific feeling.” Now that the album is out in the world, she hopes you can listen to it while driving, with windows down, not stuck in traffic. “Every time I think of this album,” she continues, “I picture sitting on my porch or sitting outside somewhere and feeling a nice breeze.”

When I think of your music, I tend to think of fall. Is that fair to say and do you have a favorite season? 

Fall’s my favorite season. This album also feels like the start of spring to me. I’m picturing colder weather, but sunny.

Is there something you always do before writing to get into the correct mood? 

I have no ritual involved. The only thing is that I write while playing guitar. I don’t sit down and write lyrics with a melody in mind; everything has to be sculpted while I’m playing. The chords drive a lot for me and that’s where I find melodies, through progression. I don’t necessarily do it in the same place. Sometimes I write right in my bed. Sometimes I write in the little music room I have, or on the couch. Sometimes I write on tour. It’s just really wherever I can sit down with the guitar and focus.

Do you write it down, record it or just memorize it?

If I finish writing a song or I have a verse into a chorus, but I have to go somewhere and I’m really wanting to work on it, I might voice memo it so I can pick up where I left off. But I rarely ever go back and listen to it. I don’t forget chord progressions though, and if I go to play that chord progression and the melody doesn’t come back to me, it’s not good enough. I kind of live on the principle that if it’s if you don’t remember it later, it wasn’t that great.

What was one of the first songs you couldn’t get out of your head? 

I really love “Born in the U.S.A.” by Bruce Springsteen. I remember I would make my dad skip to that one on the CD. One of the first songs I’d learned on guitar, because I loved it so much, was “Beautiful Soul” by Jesse McCartney. I loved Jesse McCartney. I put Play-Doh on my wall, like in a heart shape around my door, that said “I heart Jesse” and I left it there for a while. Actually, I still listen to that song. There’s no use to pretend that’s the past.

What do you like to listen to now? 

I make a lot of playlists for myself based on what I want to be listening to while I’m driving. Recently, I’ve been listening to a pop one that has some Sabrina Carpenter, some Chappell Roan, some Charli XCX. I try to name them by month. Sometimes I make two in a month. I like to make whatever I’m obsessed with at the moment and just make a big playlist of it with no particular vibe or order. I get really inspired at the start of new seasons. I always end up making one in October that’s kind of ’90s indie inspired with some spooky, dreamy stuff.

Are you a big Halloween person?

I’m a huge Halloween person. That was like the holiday growing up in my house. I have prosthetics for a vampire and I’ll probably do that for whatever night I go out.

What’s your comfort rewatch? 

I have two right now. I watched House of the Dragon without ever having seen Game of Thrones, so now I’m watching Game of Thrones. I know how it ends, but it’s not affecting me. There’s still so much storyline so it’s not a problem. I’m trying to not binge it too hard, though. I watched four seasons really fast and now I’m trying to slow down. I’m also at the end of a Pretty Little Liars rewatch. I think it might be my favorite show ever. That and Buffy.

So vampires and spooky stuff is your thing. What’s something you wouldn’t watch?

I love horror and I love artsy stuff. I love Drag Race and I watch The Bachelor. Golden Bachelor is maybe on the can’t watch list. It’s too boring. It is the strangest way to meet somebody, and not actually based on a connection. They’re entertaining, but the Golden one is just a bit dry and not dramatic enough.

If you had to go on a reality-TV show, what reality-TV show would you go on?

Maybe Love Island. I do have a funny fantasy in my head of being one of those people who, my partner goes on a show and we plan it, and I get to come in and make a whole scene and be like, “They were with me right before they left.” I just love the idea of the drama of planning out this entire thing and going on the show and making a huge scene. It sounds really fun.

Speaking of your partner, is there a show you guys watch together that he’s not allowed to watch without you? 

We watch shows together, but we also both will not wait for the other one. He will watch something, like the finale, without me. It honestly doesn’t bother me. I’m going to watch shows when I want to watch them. We have no loyalty, no rules. But if I watch it, I’ll be like, “I’ll watch it again with you.”

You recently bought a house. Are there any other house rules you have or favorite thing about owning a home?

My favorite thing is the space and not having other people here, besides my partner. You have so much freedom to do whatever you want.

What’s your favorite piece of decor or furniture you have? 

I think my favorite piece of art might be this fairy painting I got from an antique store. My favorite furniture is my couch in my den. I was really picky about it. It’s a sectional and it’s just really comfy and cozy. I like to have friends over and I like to host.

What’s your go-to event to host? 

Movie nights. I’ve done dinner before too, but mostly movie nights.

Do you cook dinner?

I don’t do potluck style, ever. I have a friend or anybody over for dinner, I’m cooking. I do like to make fondue. I have a fondue pot, like, a proper situation, not an electric one. It’s great, but it is a lot of work. Always cheese. I’ve never done chocolate like that. I truly don’t see the point. I love chocolate, but it’s actually a lot of effort to melt down a bunch of stuff and to keep it hot and I don’t see that being worth it for a strawberry that is dipped in chocolate.

If you’re inviting five celebrities, dead or alive, over for a dinner party, who is coming? 

Tinashe. I saw her at Pride this year and she’s just so fun, I love her. Charli XCX. Let’s put Sarah Michelle Gellar on there. Aubrey Plaza would be great. Oh and Rihanna, that’s really easy. Put her down. I’m not getting a dinner party from this group though; we’re going out.

You mentioned that when you’re on tour, you’ll like to play games. What’s your favorite game to play? 

I’m usually more into video games. I do like board games, but I avoid playing them at this point in my life because of my personality. I’m way too competitive and I can’t help it. I have a Nintendo Switch, and I usually play Stardew or the new Pokémon games. But the last thing I was playing was actually a Game Boy Advance SP.

What is the last book you couldn’t put down that you read? 

This is actually the last book that I read in completion, because I’ve been taking a little break, but I read Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, and that was so sick. It’s very good and a great fall read because it’s spooky, but it’s not actually horror.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Source: https://www.thecut.com/article/soccer-mommy-evergreen-album-interview.html

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