girlpuppy

On this episode of The Stripdown, DJ Ocean Spray and Becca Harvey talk about the unique songwriting process for girlpuppy, inspiration for her new album, and their shared love of internet celebrity, blizzy mcguire!

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Creators & Guests

Host

DJ Ocean Spray

What is The Stripdown?

WKNC's DJ Ocean Spray chats with (mostly) North Carolina musicians.

DJ Ocean Spray 0:00
Hello. You're listening to wknc 88.1 HD, one Raleigh, FM, and this is DJ Ocean Spray. And I am here with another episode of the strip down. So today I am here with girl puppy. Can you introduce yourself with your name and where you're from? Hi,

Becca Harvey 0:20
my name is Becca, and I am from Atlanta, Georgia.

DJ Ocean Spray 0:25
And so when did your project begin?

Becca Harvey 0:28
I started working on girl puppy stuff in 2020, so in the midst of all that chaos.

DJ Ocean Spray 0:35
And so, like, have you been interested in music for a long time. Like, are you from a musical family? Or, like, kind of, where did your relationship with like, creating music come from?

Becca Harvey 0:49
I have always loved music, and I would always keep, like, music journals when I was little and write in them, like stupid little songs, like, walk around the house singing them. My parents love music. My mom loves to sing, and I have two older brothers that also love music. So I think I was surrounded by like, music lovers my whole life. And I used to be obsessed with like, Hannah Montana. So I always wanted to, like, be on a stage and sing.

DJ Ocean Spray 1:14
And so did you start with singing or like, an instrument?

Becca Harvey 1:19
I can only sing. I still don't know how to play an instrument, okay

DJ Ocean Spray 1:24
And what prompted you to start creating your own music,

Becca Harvey 1:29
I guess, just like I always wanted to do it, but I never thought that I could, because I didn't play an instrument. And in 2020 I was dating someone that could play every instrument and wanted to be a producer. So I kind of like, finally was able to be like, listen, we both don't have jobs right now. We have nothing else to do. Please make music with me. And then from there, I just like, I discovered that I could make music just in general, like I didn't need to play an instrument. I could find people that did and just, you know, hum the melodies and Yeah, as soon as I found out that I could make it, I started making it,

DJ Ocean Spray 2:09
yeah. And so do you make music full time, or do you have another job as well?

Becca Harvey 2:15
I wish I made music full time. I am still a barista at a coffee shop in Atlanta.

DJ Ocean Spray 2:22
Yeah, that's so awesome. And so getting into like your songwriting, do you tend to kind of write from abstract ideas or kind of like your own experiences? Definitely

Becca Harvey 2:34
my own experiences. I treat songwriting a lot like journaling. I just now bought a journal, like, for the first time, like, since I was like, a child, I started journaling, and I think it's it's hindered me from writing music, so I might have to give that up, because I think it's better if I just, like, take my ideas and the stuff that's happened to me straight to a song, instead of journaling about it first. Yeah.

DJ Ocean Spray 2:58
And so then, if you don't play any instruments, do you just write the lyrics and then you have, like, other people help you, like, write the instrumental part?

Becca Harvey 3:09
Yeah, exactly. Because sometimes it, like, when I was making my first record, when I'm alone, it was like, a toss up whether it was like, I would write a song and then I had a melody in mind, and I could, like, hum it to someone, and then they could just play along to the humming. Or sometimes, like someone would be playing, like some chords, and I would like how that sounded, and then I would come up with the melody and lyrics to go with that, yeah, like chord progression.

DJ Ocean Spray 3:38
Um, and do you take any inspiration from other musicians when you're writing.

Becca Harvey 3:44
I try not to, because I am so terrified of, like, ripping someone off, but I can't help it. I think, I think when you listen to my music, you can, like, immediately tell who I was listening to at that time. I think was, like, my first record. It was super like folky, and I was listening to like, a lot of like, George Harrison and Harry Nielsen at the time, so it made sense. Yeah.

DJ Ocean Spray 4:09
And when it comes to, like, your writing process, does it tend to be like, more of a thing where you, like, sit down and you're like, I am gonna write, or does it just kind of like, kind of like, gradually, like, piece together.

Becca Harvey 4:24
It can go both ways. I think more times than not, it's like, I've just been putting random sentences or words in a Notes app, and then I puzzled them together to make a full song. Yeah, but sometimes, like, if I'm in the studio, especially, I will, like, force myself to write an entire song in that moment, because I'm pretty good under pressure. Yeah,

DJ Ocean Spray 4:44
and so you're writing a new album. That is true. Do you know like, when around when it's going to be released yet?

Becca Harvey 4:56
I'm hoping early next year? That's the goal. Okay? Okay,

DJ Ocean Spray 5:00
and why did you choose to write in Asheville?

Becca Harvey 5:05
Okay, so Alex Farrar, that producer, works in Asheville at that studio, drop of sun. And I'm just a huge fan of, like, everything he's put out, yeah, and so I had to work with him. And also, I really love Asheville, especially that studio. It's just so beautiful. And Alex is just like the best producer ever. He's so talented and fast and really kind. And, yeah, I like Asheville a lot.

DJ Ocean Spray 5:34
Are you like, into the Asheville music

Becca Harvey 5:36
scene? I am, yeah. I love like, Wednesday and MJ Lenderman, yeah, I love it all.

DJ Ocean Spray 5:42
Um, and so what kind of would you say, like, the like vibe, or like, general, like inspiration for your new album is,

Becca Harvey 5:51
I think, like, a lot of, like, 90s rock has been the vibe like Liz Phair, yeah, that kind of like, like old 90s, like girly movies, like that vibe,

DJ Ocean Spray 6:06
yes, um, we're gonna take a quick break to listen to for you by girlpuppy. Oh.

Becca Harvey 6:32
I only love you when you're breathing
Or moving
Or waking up every morning
It's all unexpected
This life you've perfected
I'd give you anything you ask me for
That's why I let you drive my car
Your house is our bar

Drunkenly dancing while you stare from the couch
Now you're in the kitchen
Saying "we're so progressive"

I miss you every time you close the door
Found what you're looking for
I miss you every time you close the door

I remember everything
The first time you looked at me
The shirt you wore on our first date
The way I felt, my stomach ached
Now I know you so well
No one understands me like you
Nobody loves you the way I do
See upcoming pop shows
Get tickets for your favorite artists



Suddenly seeing you in a different light than before
Now you've stopped to listen
Looking beyond the distance
I miss you every time you close the door
Found what you're looking for
I miss you every time you close the door
I miss you every time you close the door
Found what you're looking for
I miss you every time you close the door

DJ Ocean Spray 9:45
when it comes to listening to music on your own time, what kind of like artists or genres do you tend to listen to? I'm

Becca Harvey 9:54
kind of all over the place. Lately it's been Charlie XCX because brat just came out. And I'm, I am obsessed. It's been a lot of Charli XCX lately, a lot of Bill Callahan randomly. I'm very all over the place when it comes to music. I Chappell Roan, like a lot of pop music, honestly. And two days ago, oh, my God, did you hear or where she was in Raleigh? Oh, I saw her in Asheville. I did. I did. Oh, it was my kink is karma. What was your theme? Pink pony club. Okay, I'm jealous. I wanted that, or the mermaid one.

DJ Ocean Spray 10:35
I really like the I wanted the mermaid one.

Becca Harvey 10:37
I wanted it. I needed it. Um,

DJ Ocean Spray 10:41
what are some of your I guess, like all time favorite artists.

Becca Harvey 10:47
Okay, that's a big question, yeah, let me have a think here. Oh, my word My all time. It's funny because, oh my god, Radiohead is my favorite band of all time. Yeah, it's got to be Radiohead, Red House Painters and sun kil Moon, grizzly bear, the National I'm like, for $1 name a woman like, I literally cannot name a woman artist to say, my life, I swear, I listen to women. Oh, a lot of Lana Del Ray, miss Lana um Grimes. I think that's I, you know, I'm gonna, like, kick myself because I'm gonna remember someone that I forgot. But yeah, that's all I can think of off the top of my head.

DJ Ocean Spray 11:39
Um, and are there any songs like, in particular that you kind of like, always find yourself coming back to, like, it's a song like, I don't know that you are able to listen. Have been listening to for a while, but you like, kind of just like, always know it's gonna be good. I

Becca Harvey 11:58
have probably so many of those. I think recently, I've been revisiting like, my mom's favorite song. You mean, like a song, like, not my own song, like, yeah, okay, good, okay, I was supposed to put it first myself, my mom's favorite song, sunshine on my shoulders, by John Denver. And I've been really listening to that a lot recently, because it's always going to be good and it's always going to make me cry. I think that song, and also Carrie me Ohio by Sun kil moon has been heavy in rotation lately.

DJ Ocean Spray 12:28
Um, okay, and have you ever collaborated with other musicians before?

Becca Harvey 12:35
Not like, Oh, Matt Maltese. I yeah, I sing on Matt Maltese record. I, like, did background vocals for one of his songs. That's like, the only time I think I've ever done that, unless I'm totally blanking on anybody else. Yeah, it's only time I've done that. Oh my gosh, that's so cool. But I'm so down. Yeah, I'm down for whatever.

DJ Ocean Spray 12:57
And I love to ask artists about their cover art for, like, their albums. And so, can you tell me a little bit about the cover for when I'm alone? Like, about, like, the picture and stuff?

Becca Harvey 13:11
Yeah, so my best friend Emma Davenport, she designed that for me. And my other best friend, Brandon McLean, took that photo. We were very inspired by Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin. She's got that, like, album cover that's literally the same layout. I love Jane Birkin and I love that record. And so I just liked the borders. Emma's very good at, like, designing stuff like that, and the girl puppy lettering, she soldered herself and, like, scanned it, yeah. And she's a genius, yeah. And then the picture itself, I think that was just the one that I felt the best, like I looked the best, and I was like, yeah. And the colors, like the browns and the greens, were very we recorded that album, like, up on a mountain, so we were seeing so much brown and green, just from, like forests and mountains and stuff so

DJ Ocean Spray 14:04
and I guess, other than Miss chappell Roan, have you been to any, like, good concerts recently? Oh, my

Becca Harvey 14:11
God, yes, I've been to nation of language. I actually saw them in Atlanta the other day, and it was insane. And sweet opened. And I love her, and she was perfect. I think before that, sweet,

DJ Ocean Spray 14:25
what 90

Becca Harvey 14:28
it's just sweet. Ian, sweet. Are you think about sweet 93 Yeah, she's amazing. Now, that's a good artist. Now that's a good artist. I feel like I saw someone recently that I was yawn blanking, I did see the lemon twigs. Oh, my God yes, I saw the lemon twigs. They were amazing. Oh, I didn't even know that people could play like that, like it was insane. They were playing every instrument this. Yes, the singing on the drums, yes, that was crazy. How do you even do that? Like it was really, really yeah, oh my god, yeah, the lunatics, that was a perfect show. I love them. They are so amazing.

DJ Ocean Spray 15:12
Um, and is there anything that you always like put on your rider? Oh,

Becca Harvey 15:18
my writer right now is Oh silly, okay, I'll save the best for last on my rider. But it starts very simple, tea kettle, hot water to put in the tea kettle, yeah? Throat coat and honey. That's typical. I get it, yeah? Hummus plate. I'll throw some beer or like, seltzers for my band. I'm sober, so I stay away. And then for me, it's because I don't drink alcohol. Sour candy is on every writer, and I just put sour candy. I keep it broad because I'm curious as to like, what they'll pick out. For me, it's usually Sour Patch Kids, which are, like, not my favorite, but yeah, that's on me for not being specific.

DJ Ocean Spray 16:02
Um, and also, okay, this is kind of random, but I follow you on Instagram and like, you know how like it shows like, when like someone you follow like comments on things. Yeah,

I see that you comment on Blizzy McGuire, okay, Blizzy McGuire is like, like, she is my like icon, like my queen and like, anytime she posts, I'll see like that you like, comment on her stuff. And it, like, makes me actually so happy because, like, I quote her, like, I like, I will directly quote, like, some of her videos. Yeah. Like, that's how passionate I am about blizzyy.

Becca Harvey 16:35
Oh my god.

DJ Ocean Spray 16:37
She was in the Charlie XCX. Of

Becca Harvey 16:38
course I did.

DJ Ocean Spray 16:40
I saw that and like, I actually like, I like, gasped, I like, sent everyone I know, like, screenshots of it.

Becca Harvey 16:46
I love her. I literally love her. Welcome to the saly-tion. Yeah, come on down to the salation. She's the best I love that you love busy in the US.

DJ Ocean Spray 16:55
She is the best I literally love that girl. She's actually, like, the biggest celebrity. No, she Yes,

Becca Harvey 17:01
that's my Princess Diana.

And so that's

DJ Ocean Spray 17:08
it. Where can people find you? Like Bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, I love it. It is it? Just, I

Becca Harvey 17:16
love it. I'm addicted to social media, yeah? So all of it, it's grown puppy. Most of the time it's with two R's, okay.

DJ Ocean Spray 17:26
Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the strip down with DJ Ocean Spray.

I will be

sending the listeners off with one more song by girl puppy, and that is Denver. Thank you so much for listening.

Becca Harvey 17:45
Your new adventure
You're moving to Denver
My big brother
I love you more than you'll ever know

You have me to talk to
You'll never lose me even if
You wanted to

We have the same face
Almost born on the same day
Both carved from the stone amethyst
You are my best friend

You have me to talk to
You'll never lose me even if
You wanted to

Wherever you go
I'll always be behind you
And when you're feeling down
I'll visit your island
Selfishly I wish
You'd never leave my city
But I'd fly to you anywhere
I'd live on your couch

Transcribed by https://otter.ai