A flair on something classic: that’s what River Westin does best. His brand of melancholy indie-pop takes listeners on a nostalgia trip with every listen. After releasing his debut independent LP “Candy Cigarettes” in 2020, River continues to bring his small group of fans a contemporary flashback of fifties and sixties pop mixed with lo-fi hiphop for his sophomore album “The Honeymoon Suite”. As a part of the LGBTQ community, River’s crooner jazz inspired songwriting offer’s a unique queer perspective to an era that couldn’t have one. His recent single “St. Tropez” landed him on his first Spotify Editorial Playlist among a collection of indie tracks celebrating Pride Month in 2022 and he will be hosting and curating Grindr's New Music playlist the week of the album's release.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Kamil) Hey River Westin, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What first got you into music?
I’ve always loved music since I was little and it was kind of a secret dream to pursue it but it wasn’t until 5 years ago I got enough courage to start recording and sharing songs I had written! It feels like the ultimate way to express myself now and I can’t imagine not having songwriting as a part of my life.
How do you balance your time in the studio with other commitments such as a part-time job, family, admin?
As many indie artists with a day job it is definitely been a struggle for me to make time to not only create the songs but then market them and try to build an audience. It can definitely feel like a second job and sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day. But I’ve always been a person who sticks to a schedule or list so having “to-do’s” and goals for my music always helps to set me on a clear path.
Your latest release is 'The Honeymoon Suite'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
“The Honeymoon Suite” is my second independent LP and it is heavily inspired by fifties and sixties jazz and pop. It was fun to try and write authentic records I felt like could have been sung by crooners or teen hearthrobs of that era. Some of the tracks also have some lo-fi hiphop elements which makes that lush orchestral sound even more nostalgic sounding!
Where did you get the inspiration for this album?
Since I started releasing music, I’ve always been inspired by mid twentieth century artists and I think in all of my projects including “The Honeymoon Suite” you can hear that influence. Whether it be in a pop, western, or jazz way.
How long did you work on the 'The Honeymoon Suite'? Was it an easy process for you?
It was almost 2 years from the first demo recorded to release! This project definitely took the longest for me so far because I wanted to get the tight sounds I had envisioned for all the tracks. It’s quite challenging to emulate the rich sounds of that era digitally.
Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music?
As an LGBTQ artist, I think telling stories queer people can place themselves in or relate to is always just in my music naturally. Even if it’s just through escapism, I love trying to write songs anyone can drop themselves in the middle of and imagine as they listen.
What interests or hobbies do you have outside of music?
I am a graphic designer by day! So design, photography, video editing, I love visual art almost as much as music. I definitely take pride in designing my own artwork, merch, and editing my own videos.
How do you find yourself in the music business? When you started out in music, did you know it would be like this?
Well I am still at the beginning so I guess that has yet to be seen. Being an independent artist it is a commitment for sure to not only make music you think is solid but then try to release it in an effective way. It’s a lot of work!
How do you nurture your own creativity?
Design is my day job and music is my passion so being a creative truly is my life. So I think like anything, doing it daily keeps your mind excited and engaged.
What are your plans for the future?
MORE MUSIC. I have so many more ideas and I just love being in my home studio recording. So hopefully just a lot more music in 2023.