At a time where staying connected is more important than ever, House of Solo has launched ‘Party of One’, a series providing intimate insight into how your favourite artists are dealing with isolation and what we can expect from them during lockdown.
UPSAHL, an “up-and-coming indie-pop queen” from Arizona is attracting major critical acclaim for both her global viral hit ‘Drugs’ and her work on ‘Good In Bed’, an explosive track off Dua Lipa’s latest album. We caught up with her over email to discuss her new sex posotive track: ‘12345SEX’, and how she’s chanelling this beneficial outlook into lockdown living.
First of all, how are you feeling?
I’m actually doing pretty good right now! Obviously, these are very strange times, so it’s hard to know how to react to all of this, but I’m just trying to stay positive and healthy.
What does lock down look like for you? Where are you isolating?
I feel super privileged to have been able to go back to my parents’ house in Phoenix for quarantine. Not only do I get home cooked meals from my mom every day, which is fucking awesome, but I get to make music all day and spend time with family. I normally don’t get to come back to Phoenix a lot, so I’m just trying to appreciate this time. I feel like I’m back in high school again, living with my parents, and I kind of love it haha.
If you were to write an isolation diary, what would be in your entry?
Instead of a diary, I’ve just been writing a bunch of songs about how I’m feeling right now. Sometimes I’ll just record little voice memos on my phone of me talking about life right now and then turn them into a song later. I guess a lot of the songs are about the uncertainty that we all have right now, the anxiety, but also the realization that life is so fragile. I think we’re all going to come out of this with that mindset of appreciating each day we have, which I guess is the silver lining in all of this.
I love that you say your most recent release “12345SEX”; is simply about being horny and living your best life with no apologies.” Tell me more about this track and how you’re embodying the message of this song while in isolation?
Unfortunately, most of us aren’t getting any during quarantine haha. But the overall energy of the song is very positive and unapologetic, which I’m trying to embrace right now. On days where I feel like shit, I like to get ready and do my makeup. Even the little things like that help us all feel sexy.
Your debut EP Hindsight 20/20 is about moving to LA and your life there which you’ve said forced you to “ditch your ego and be the most authentic version of yourself”. How has your relationship with the city changed due to lockdown and is there any positive community action in your area that you’d like to highlight?
Moving to LA has been the best thing for me. The city really forced me to grow into myself and inspired me to hustle my ass off for what I love. Just as the lockdowns started to go down, I was getting real freaked out from all the hysteria in the city, so I drove back to Phoenix. I feel like LA has been doing a great job with the lockdown, and all the people I work with in the music industry are using their platforms to tell people to stay inside, so I feel like everyone is doing their part.
How has lockdown changed your upcoming plans and how are you adapting to these changes?
I was supposed to be on tour for basically all of spring, but unfortunately, the tours are being rescheduled. So I decided to put on a virtual tour, where I do a livestream show on all the different social media platforms. It’s been sick being able to connect with fans through these virtual shows.
You co-wrote Dua Lipa’s track ‘Good in Bed’. Can you tell us a little bit about that process and if you’ve been trying to collaborate while in isolation?
Getting to be a part of that album is a dream come true. Dua is so badass, and this song was driven by that energy. I co-wrote the song with Dua, Melanie Fontana, Lindgren, and Daytrip about a year ago, and I’m so stoked that it’s finally out in the world. When everything gets back to normal, I’ll be in sessions every day writing, but for now, I’ve been collaborating through virtual sessions with people. We just kinda send audio files back and forth and write over facetime or zoom. I’ve also been learning how to produce, so I’m kinda making some beats on the side too, which has been fun.
Has isolation taught you anything about yourself or the world around you that you didn’t know before?
It’s given me a whole new appreciation for life. It’s so easy to get caught up in the everyday bullshit, turn down a night out with friends, or complain about pointless stuff. Once this all ends, I feel like none of us will take the simple things for granted anymore.
Have you discovered anything new while in isolation? E.g: talent, tv show, book, recipe …
This is the most basic bitch answer ever, but TIGER KING. I’ve never seen a weirder/more addicting show. I also have been listening to this podcast called Broken Record that I love, and binging the new Ozark season. Oh, and I’m learning to paint!
How have you been connecting with family and friends?
Facetime! I just kinda will hang on the phone with my friends or family while I go about my normal day. It’s like a normal hang, but through the phone haha.
What message would you like to go out to your fans at this difficult time?
I’ve been telling everyone during my live streams that my DM’s are always open. Sometimes, we just need a new person to talk to rather than the people we’ve been quarantining with, so I’m always down to DM or talk about music or whatever. Right now is a very weird time so we all have to be there for eachother.
What are you looking forward to doing the most at the end of isolation?
The first thing I’ll do when this is done is get hella dressed up and go eat sushi. It really is the little things I guess.
