Interview: Eraste
Rising pop star Eraste has set her sights on the very top of the game. With her newest single ‘habits’ (out TODAY) she explores new depths of her songwriting by taking sole control for the first time. I got the chance to chat with Eraste all about this new chapter of her career and why she’s so excited to be pushing boundaries in the music industry. ‘habits’ is the kind of dreamy sadgirl bop that’s perfect for when you just need to feel your feelings for a little bit. With lyrics like ‘I’m so mad at you for making me who I am’, Eraste describes it as ‘a letter’ to an old friend that hurt her feelings. It’s a song that deals with some tricky emotions – loneliness, grief and regret. She explains how this forced her out of her writing comfort zone: ‘I wrote the first two stanzas and thought ‘no it’s so moody and sad! I make pop music why would I write this?’ It was so personal – all my songs tell my experiences, but this is the most personal one yet.’
Eraste
Eraste hopes that telling her own story of moving on from unhealthy or unhelpful relationships can empower her fans to make the same choices. Making music was her way of processing the emotions of that journey, and now she’s bringing that music to other people. ‘habits’ is the first time we’ve really heard Eraste express that deeper, more mature side of her songwriting.
Another way this single differs from her previous music is the team of writers who worked on it: there isn’t one. Eraste recognized that this deeply personal song was also an opportunity for her to work more independently. But no longer having that writer’s room to bounce ideas around has its pros and cons: ‘It’s been so nice to work on something where I’m so sure of every move that I’ve taken from the beginning because I’ve been the only one on this project […] but it’s nerve-wracking too because if it fails then it’s all on me’.
Sonically, ‘habits’ stands on a foundation of 2010s pop icons. The industrial drums are drawn from Halsey’s Badlands while the vocals harmonies were inspired by ‘Supercuts’ from Lorde’s Melodrama album. Eraste is an artist who is refreshingly honest about the musicians who influence her – she feels no shame in taking elements from other music and re-working it into something original. Another huge inspiration for the song was the ‘2014 tumblr energy and aesthetic’. Although it is having a small revival over on Gen Z Tik Tok, there is still a lot of cringe associated with that era and the type of girl who enjoys it. But for Eraste, authenticity outweighs any embarrassment. ‘I’m not ashamed to be from tumblr and I’m not ashamed to make pop music!’ she laughs and adds ‘and I’m not ashamed to be a Gemini, either!’ And here at Tongue Tied, we say amen to that!
Her journey towards authenticity and empowerment extends to the team that she’s building around her. This new single was finished by a female producer and Eraste is also working with women and non-binary people across her graphic design, marketing and PR network. She sees it as a necessary step to take in the male-dominated music industry: ‘There are so many male producers who are not valuing young women in the industry and their voices. And I just don’t want to work with anyone like that.’
Marginalized people moving up in this industry empowers them to bring other marginalized people up in turn. Eraste is just one example of this solidarity that is picking up speed more and more every day. So while ‘habits’ does tell an important story in its own right this song is part of a much bigger picture. It’s a strong stance for a young artist to take so early in their career, but one that we know is desperately needed.
To keep up with Eraste’s rise, check her out on Instagram here!
Interview by: Eleanor Taylor
