Page 18 | Thursday, March 1, 2018
Old Gold & Black | Life
Interview |Sasha Spielberg
Sasha Spielberg released new EP on Feb. 16 In this interview, Sasha Spielberg discusses her new single “Coolhand,” new EP Facepaint and her creative process while composing BY MADISON ZEHMER Staff Writer zehmml16@wfu.edu
On Feb. 16, Sasha Spielberg released the first single, “Coolhand,” from her upcoming EP Facepaint, under her stage name, Buzzy Lee. Previously, she has published music with her band that she formed with her brother Theo, called “Wardell”. For Facepaint, she collaborated with experimental electronic composer Nicholas Jaar to create an emotive and vulnerable work of art. Although it’s worth noting that she is the daughter of acclaimed film director Steven Spielberg, Sasha deserves to be recognized for her eclectic and captivating music on her own merit. I had the wonderful opportunity to interview her about Facepaint, which will be released on April 27 via Future Classic. 1. When did you start working on Facepaint? Was there any particular motivation or inspiration? I started about two years ago actually. My boyfriend was on tour and I had all these songs I needed to put down on paper. I’m used to writing with my brother but I made it a goal to finish a song a day on my own, even if it wasn’t very good. I flew to New York to record with my best friend Nico. Every day was cathartic — a therapy session for me. We would rewrite lyrics that weren’t going deep enough until we got something really meaningful out of the EP, and so I present to you Facepaint (in a few months.)
2. Why did you pick “Coolhand” to be your single? Coolhand was always just so fun and trancelike. It felt dreamy and understated but also meant a lot to me. The next single will be a lot darker. 3. How would you describe the mood and message of Facepaint? The message is: help me, I feel insecure and I feel these feelings a lot. I’m jealous, I’m not a grown up yet, I want everyone to be happy, how can I be happy? So basically it’s four years of therapy in one EP. Call my therapist, she might have a better answer. 4. What’s your favorite aspect of making music? I love that first moment when the melody comes to you, and it could make you cry or gives you this immediate flutter. That flutter is what I live for! 5. Who are your artistic influences (musical or otherwise?) I love Kate Bush, Fleetwood Mac, Judee Sill, Hall & Oates, Joni Mitchell, and then I grew up with movie scores. 6. What is your creative process like? I feel a lot of feelings. I have green tea. I sit at my piano and occasionally check Instagram and quickly realize how bad it is for my creative process and turn it on airplane mode and usually start with a C# major. I come up with a solid verse melody and then chorus melody and then I go to my journal and start writing lyrics. Is this boring? How can I make this process more interesting? Maybe I can say I sometimes get wild and start with a D minor. There. 7. What are you listening to, reading and/or watching right now? Listening to Love Apple “There’s No Answer Without You,” reading The Immortalists, watching every Albert Brooks film for the first time. Also just watched North by Northwest for the first time, wowie!
Photo courtesy of amazon.com
Sasha enjoys listening to the song “There’s No Answer Without You,” and reading The Immortalists.
8. If you were a color, what color would you be and why? I say blue, but recently I was told purple. Which color says “easily swayed?” To check out Sasha’s work, you can listen to her single on Apple Music, Spotify and Soundcloud and preorder the EP on iTunes and Bandcamp.
Student Life Column| Writer’s Camp
Writer’s Camp grants students’ wishes of publication Z. Smith Reynolds Library supports aspiring writers through a libary outreach program known as Writer’s Camp BY HANNAH GOODWIN Staff Writer goodhl15@wfu.edu Writer’s Camp is a little-known library outreach program that has occurred twice, once in January of 2016 and again on Feb. 9, 2018. I have been lucky enough to be selected as a participant both times. Every time I tell my peers what it is — an all-night writing excursion starting on Friday at 7 p.m. and officially ending at 7 a.m. on Saturday – I’m greeted with smirks and told I’m “so cool.” But it really is. Being in the library during the week and studying is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what the library offers: the huge amount of materials made available to us, the comfy chairs and insightful renovations, the thousands of books in the stacks waiting for us to glean some inspiration from them. When your only purpose is to write and you’ve got all night, the library is an oasis. Writer’s Camp was not created by ZSR. The full story is online on the ZSR’s website. It is the brain child of Jane McGonigal, an American game designer and author. Hu Womack, Associate Librarian in Instruction and Outreach, is the unofficial hype man for Writer’s Camp and reminded me, “Writers and libraries are natural partners. This biennial event is one of my favorites. Writers’ Camp at ZSR not only supports emerging student writers and publishes their work,
Photo Courtesy of ZSR
Students gather in ZSR Library to attend Writer’s Camp, which was created by Jane McGonigal. but also allows ZSR to work with amazing campus partners like the Writing Center, OPCD and THRIVE.” Writer’s Camp is a group effort; it wouldn’t be possible without the ZSR, the Writer’s Camp Committee, the Writing Center, the OPCD, THRIVE, the student authors, Library Partners Press and Wake Forest University Press. It is in the library after closing that the participants are welcomed to enjoy some inspiring words from the Director of the Writing Center, Dr. Ryan Shirey, some free coffee in a beautiful Writer’s Camp mug provided by the Dean of the Library, Tim Pyatt, and a night free of distraction. Tutors from the Writing Center are available throughout the night to offer guidance and a friendly face to respectfully review the late-night writing. Dean Pyatt reflected on the outreach event.
“Writers Camp is one of my favorite events hosted by ZSR. I admire the passion of the students for writing and the commitment of the writing tutors and my librarians to create an overnight incubator of ideas in ZSR,” Pyatt said. As I deliver the biscuits in the morning after this night of creativity, I love seeing the sleepy sense of accomplishment on everyone’s faces. I’m already looking forward to Writers Camp 3 in 2020.” The Writer’s Camp is important for so many reasons. As a student I can speak to the great sense of pride and fulfillment that comes from having my creative work published. Authors dream of publication and Writer’s Camp grants that wish. It is amazing to see my name in print in a book and to know it only cost me one night. Shirey expressed a similar sentiment. “Writers’ Camp is fun, but it is important fun … the event gives writers a unique opportunity to make time for the kind of creative work that may be difficult to fit around a busy student schedule ... [it’s] a powerful exercise in making meaning. [The Writing Center] loves being a co-sponsor of the event because we enjoy being some of the first audiences and points of critical feedback for creative work that will eventually end up in a book. That’s a tremendous privilege and an interesting change of pace for our tutors.” I’ve never gone into Writer’s Camp with any idea of what I’m going to write, but sentences turn into paragraphs and before I know it, it’s 2 a.m. and I’m ready to turn in my piece and go home. The best thing about Writer’s Camp is that it gives me a space to take risks and be vulnerable in a way that class work does not. Once the piece is submitted, there’s no going back, and I’m at my most courageous behind my keyboard. All bets are off at Writer’s Camp; however, one thing is for sure, this is work that matters.