You know how some trees have those ear mushrooms that just grow off, and you could live on one of those mushrooms and not realize that there was stacks and stacks of others? That's how I describe music scenes in New York. That's one of the trippiest things about living here - just how many parallel universes there are that you can be completely unaware of.
Caroline PolachekI was really inspired by this feeling of mania, a caricature of myself that I look down upon and see negatively.
Caroline PolachekThe music industry has completely restructured itself in the last couple of years because it hasn't been making money. Labels are signing bands they trust as artistic entities, instead of cash cows. They're signing bands because they believe that the bands have tastes beyond anything they could concoct themselves.
Caroline PolachekWhen you meet someone, a friend, who's living out on the road, or living semi-homeless, or leading their life in a radically different way, it makes you think about your own life in a really critical way and feel completely disoriented.
Caroline PolachekIt's a lot different being a hip-hop artist. You just show up with a piece of paper with your words on it, say it in the mic, then you leave and some other guy does all the music.
Caroline PolachekThe only thing that deeply frustrates me is the slow speed [of major labels]. The more people involved, the slower the pace.
Caroline PolachekI saw this wide-eyed girl with big ears and a pink nose who's too excited. I wanted that part of myself to sing lead.
Caroline PolachekWhen I was 10, I would hear songs like "I Love You Always Forever" by Donna Lewis on the radio, and I want to make stuff that a 10 year old might hear coming out of the radio and think, "Yeah! I love this!"
Caroline PolachekDo not be precious about your music within your own world. Try everything you want to try; just because it exists doesn't mean it's done.
Caroline PolachekSuccess will come. Or it won't. But I think you can only make a go at it in a big way by fully being yourself and taking risks. People can feel risks.
Caroline PolachekEveryone in our generation lives in a world where you're surrounded by all sorts of music all the time. People's tastes are made of combinations of genres.
Caroline PolachekThere's this corporate machine giving us a chance to access radio - though there's no guarantee.
Caroline PolachekPlaying to bigger audiences at festivals got me in the mindset of writing music that I would sing to a crowd.
Caroline PolachekRadio is so cutthroat, but I do feel like the music industry is structured so differently than it used to be. I'm amazed and in awe of artists who can build a parallel universe that's so big and clearly defined that the mainstream finally has to pay attention.
Caroline PolachekNo one goes to BrooklynVegan to read about content, they just go for drama. It's a tabloid, the scum of indie.
Caroline PolachekI think all the songs [at Moth] are about different things, but if we were to speak about it as a whole, it's really about, it's about joy, and about sensuality and vulnerability and also fun, energy, living in New York in 2015, being out of control, wanting to be in control, failing! It's a sort of story of our lives.
Caroline Polachek