From the Archive: St. Vincent’s Seduction
The New Yorker Radio Hour
Deep Dive
Why did St. Vincent choose 'Mass Seduction' as the title track of her album?
The song serves as a thesis for the album, encapsulating its themes and characters, exploring both the glamorous and grim sides of power, including sex, drugs, and sadness.
What was the primary focus of St. Vincent's new album 'Mass Seduction'?
The album explores themes of power, its alluring aspects, and its darker sides, delving into subjects like sex, drugs, and sadness.
How did St. Vincent describe her creative process during the making of 'Mass Seduction'?
She needed to radically reorganize her life to clear a path for creativity, avoiding depression that could have swallowed her completely.
What role did anxiety and depression play in St. Vincent's life during the creation of her album?
She has been an anxious person since childhood, and during the album's creation, she relied on pills to manage anxiety and depression, though she doesn't overstate this reliance.
Why has St. Vincent moved away from conventional guitar instrumentation in her music?
She is less interested in guitar playing as a display of pride and more focused on using the guitar to create uncomfortable, disruptive sounds that serve the song.
How does St. Vincent describe the emotional impact of her music on stage?
Performing can be transcendent, allowing her to relive the heartbreak of her songs, but it can also feel like work, requiring structure and focus on the audience's experience.
What inspired St. Vincent to direct a film adaptation of 'The Picture of Dorian Gray'?
She was approached by Lionsgate to adapt the story with a female protagonist in modern times, and she accepted only if she could work with screenwriter David Burke, known for 'Elle'.
What was the plot of St. Vincent's short film 'The Birthday Party'?
It involves a mother hiding her dead husband's body in a bear suit during her daughter's birthday party, leading to a comedic yet dark reveal.
How does St. Vincent feel about performing covers of other artists' songs?
She rarely performs covers because she doesn't know how to play other people's songs, though she occasionally does, like 'I Dig a Pony' by The Beatles.
What does St. Vincent believe is the role of art in society?
She believes art, music, and theater change people's minds, make them more human, and remind them of their own and others' humanity.
- St. Vincent's evolution from a guitar virtuoso to a more nuanced artist
- The themes of power, its positive and negative aspects, in her album "MassEducation"
- The role of personal struggles in her creative process
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