In Conversation With #249 - Lexie Caroll
London based rising singer-songwriter Lexie Carroll has just shared her highly-anticipated EP ‘it’s difficult to talk’.
A heartwarming display of indie, pop and folk, ‘it’s difficult to talk’ captures the ups and downs of modern life through a Gen Z lens, and is all about how Lexie uses music to process her emotions. The highly-acclaimed 18 year old’s recent singles ‘annual birthday cry’, ‘violet’, ‘tomorrow’ and ‘growing pains’ feature on the project, and follows her second EP ‘when the sun came up’ which was released in April last year.
She took a moment to talk to us about how the EP came together.
Hey there Lexie - how are you? So your EP is out now - how does it feel to have it out there in the world
I’m good thank you!! Currently buried in revising for my a level exams which are scarily close but other than that I’m just really excited for the summer. Having the EP out feels a bit STRANGE, it still feels like the songs should be safe in a file on my phone, I keep forgetting they’re out. It’s exciting though, I’m really proud of this EP- it feels very much like ‘me’ right now, which I’m sure will change but I think that’s cool- it’s a great time capsule of the past year or so.
It is called ‘it’s difficult to talk’ - what is the meaning behind that?
I’d say talking to people isn’t my strong point - general chit chat as well as hard conversations don’t always come the most naturally to me but I’ll often write about things as though it’s a conversation with somebody. The title is a line from violet and it just made sense when I was thinking up names for the EP to call it that.
Where was it recorded? Any behind the scenes stories from the creative process you are happy to share with us?
I worked with quite a few different people to record the EP- Hugo Hardy, Josef Page, Alex O’Shaughnessy, Luz Corrigan and Mack Jamieson all made the EP what it is, and I had so much fun with all of them making it!
What are the key themes and influences on the EP?
Growing up is definitely a big theme on a lot of the songs - I think just being at quite a pivotal age and also having a big fear of change, it’s one of the things that takes up a lot of space in my brain so I write a lot about it.
If the EP could be the soundtrack to any film - which one would it be and why?
I love the film (and book) all the bright places, it’s very sad but its one of my favourites. I haven’t watched many films to be fair but I have seen that one.
Do you have a favorite lyric on the EP - if so, which one and why?
The line in violet - ‘its not the way you’re supposed to wake up, fighting fires with a dishcloth’ is probably my favourite because I’d written most of violet and then got so stuck on the second verse for ages but one day the fighting fires bit popped into my brain. I am very much a ASK FOR HELP DONT GO THROUGH THINGS ON YOUR OWN preacher and I think that line sums it up - you shouldn’t be waking up in flames go call the fire brigade!!!!
Now the EP is out there - what next?
I have the bones of another one and I’m really really excited about it. I have no idea when it’ll come out but hopefully sooooon. And I’m also just looking forward to playing more shows and having more time once school is done to make more music.
