The New Jersey Based trio, Pollyanna (meaning ““excessively cheerful and optimistic”), consists of: led guitarist and vocalist, Jill; drummer, Dan; and bassist, Brandon. Since their official start in 2017, the band has been hard at work touring the country, releasing an EP, and putting out unforgettable tracks.
We had the wonderful opportunity of talking with Pollyanna about their latest single “I Promise, I’m Lying”, their experiences on tour, and what’s to come in the new year. Check out the interview below to learn more about them!
How would you describe your music to those who are just getting into you?
It’s hard to put one genre on our music so it’s definitely something where it’s like, you just have to listen and interpret the genre you would describe it as. We like to describe our music as indie poptimism or like an alternative pop rock sound. We have a lot of rawness and rock driven music but also like to have anthem like tunes and hooks that everyone can sing along too. We have a lot of indie and pop influences in our music but at the end of the day we have more of a rock/alternative feel.
What’s the best show you’ve played so far?
One of our favorite shows even though it wasn’t our biggest was probably our last home show in Long Branch, NJ. We have been playing that venue since we were 14 and the fact that we got home from tour and played that same venue and it being completely packed with our friends, family, and fans was the most fulfilling feeling being on stage.
Kind of going off the last question, what has been your favorite memory from this past tour that you had just finished?
We have had some of our favorite memories as a band this past tour so it’s definitely hard to choose one! I think one of our favorites was when we were in Montreal the morning after we played and we all went out to a really nice restaurant for lunch and just got to enjoy each other and the food and it just felt like a really beautiful family. A moment in which we all truly felt proud of ourselves for being out there and the amount of growth we have been able to achieve so far.
How have you grown as artists?
As a group we have grown immensely but as individual artists, since Dan and I first started playing music together in 2014, we have grown so much as musicians, and expanded so much knowledge about the music industry. Since we were 14 years old to now, we have significantly grown on our instruments, our writing skills and structures of how we write as a band.
Loved your latest song “I Promise, I’m Lying”. What was the inspiration behind the song?
So IPIL is actually about coming to terms with yourself or having a realization (you see that throughout the song in the lyrics) of being the crazy person in a relationship after having denied it for so long and blaming it on just being in a rough patch of life. It’s about denying extreme jealousy and bluntness to how we can really feel when we become possessive or jealous with our significant other, and subconsciously knowing that having those thoughts or feelings especially in societal terms are ways we SHOULDN’T be feeling. When really, we need to validate the feelings and come to terms with our crazy because we all can get like that and be in denial of it because we don’t want to be labelled as that “crazy person” in a relationship.
I also really liked the aesthetic of the music video! How did the idea for the video come about?
The concept of the music video to IPIL came very fast because the song was so manic and chaotic we wanted it to be simplistic enough to showcase who we are as a band yet really unleash the chaotic and crazy energy in the song. Once we knew what vibes we were going for, I myself wanted it to be in one location primarily in a very enclosed space that feels a bit cynical or condensed and like it’s closing in. So I thought what could be more chaotic and fun than a small room that looks like we are in a box that is entirely a vibrant pink color? So we went through with that idea as a base and came up with the idea that throughout the entire song, it goes from me looking like a glamorous woman done up with makeup and hair, to me slowly starting to go crazier and crazier through makeup and hair getting more messed up and messy looking until by the end of the video, I completely unleash that craziness and have make up all over my face.
What was your favorite thing about filming that music video?
I think our favorite thing about filming the video was probably setting it up even though it was one of the most tedious and challenging tasks we have ever encountered. It took about 12 hours to build the set but we all helped each other and really got to have fun with it and watch the progress go from a music venue with a white stage to a condensed box room that is completely covered in pink wallpaper.
Out of all the songs that you’ve released, which one is your favorite and why?
Our favorite that we have released far is definitely “I Promise, I’m Lying” because that song out of all that are released definitely represents the most of who we are as a band today and it’s a song that means a lot to all of us that we spent an insane amount of time perfecting and making sure it was as us and genuine and perfect it can possibly be. The vibe and the sound of the song definitely describes our music and style the best out of all released songs.
Is there a music festival that you have always wanted to perform at?
There are SO many festivals we have always wanted to perform at. A big dream of ours would be to play Reading and Leads in the UK, or Lollapalooza. Those are some huge dreams of ours to play one day.
I’ve heard that a lot of artists have performance anxiety even if they’ve been performing for years. How do you feel when you’re on stage? Are there any thoughts that run through your head throughout the night?
We all feel pretty different depending on which one of us it is and also it depends on the night, and what type of show it is especially. I think on tour we are all always very comfortable and confident playing every night since we are doing it day after day and we have an idea of the type of crowd it will be. However when its bigger festivals or bigger shows with audiences that have never heard of us, I tend to get really really anxious and nervous before we go on and even sometimes when we are on stage depending on the type of crowd it is. Sometimes I grow anxiety on stage because I am afraid that people aren’t into us. However most of the time we always feel present and confident for the most part the entire time we are performing.
What are you looking forward to in the new year?
In 2020, we are really looking forward to getting ourselves to the next level and just giving our absolute all every day. We are extremely excited to release all of the new music we have been working on in this past year and to create new music videos. We are looking forward to touring more than we ever have and to see new places and cities we have never yet gotten close to. Big things to come for 2020!
You can find Pollyanna’s music on all major streaming platforms.
Cover image by Benjamin Lieber
Article by Michelle Castillo
