Crisis – Interview with Phé

How do you usually write the lyrics of your songs?

Everything I write is inspired by actual events in my life, but I don’t usually sit down with a specific topic or experience in mind. I either am hit with inspiration randomly and have to get it all down, or I start playing around on the piano and the words come to me. I have a really hard time writing if I’m not feeling inspired or if it isn’t flowing naturally.

In your opinion, what is the most important thing in songwriting?

For me, the most important thing in songwriting is being honest with yourself. Songwriting gives you a chance to explore your mind in ways that most people don’t take the time to. It allows for you to be introspective, while also channeling your thoughts and feelings in a creative and safe space.

Are you ever scared of revealing aspects of your personal life/experience to strangers through your music?

I’ve never been scared of revealing aspects of my personal life through music, but I have been nervous to then go and talk about/explain what a song is about. There are also times when I haven’t fully realized what a song is actually about until I’ve had time to sit with it and really examine what I am saying.

What inspired “Feel You”, part of your latest album “Crisis”?

‘Feel You’ was inspired by a time in my life where I was really missing the love that I felt and received in a relationship that had recently ended. Everything in my world reminded me of this person, and I was torn between wanting to forget and move on, and wanting to go back and experience that love again.

And “Incredible”?

‘Incredible’ was inspired by my experience with falling in love for the first time. I was feeling really foreign things and was consumed by thoughts of this person in a way I had never been consumed before. They made me see myself differently and made me want to see relationships in a different way — having grown up being very skeptical of love.

Do you remember the day you wrote “About Us”?

I actually wrote ‘About Us’ for a class I was taking while at the Berklee College of Music. I was in a boot camp class made up of a bunch of artists, songwriters, and producers, and each week we were grouped up and had to write and present a song to the class. My teacher actually didn’t like the song, but the other students in the class really loved it. I later decided to include the song in the EP, and now its one of peoples’ favorites!

What are your plans for the upcoming months?

Over the next few months, I am really going to be diving into creating and starting the next project. I’m not totally sure what that is going to look like, but I’m excited to explore and try new things.

To conclude the interview a short Q/A session, please answer the first thing that comes to your mind:

Define in one word your album “Crisis”: Healing.
The best show you ever played: Winston House, August 24th, 2018.
The one thing that you must have in your backstage: Honestly, I don’t think there has been one thing I consistently have with me backstage.
The soundtrack of your childhood: Disney Princess movie soundtracks.
Your favorite song lyrically speaking, but not written by you: “Oh, on and on and on and on / My cypher keeps moving like a rolling stone” – Erykah Badu.
Last question is “unusual”, we want to know your best relationship advice: Really take the time to know and love yourself before you attempt to love someone else.