Enfnts Terribles

You are currently in LA, which has been your home since 2013.

Yes, 2013 was when I moved here, but I still had an apartment in Toronto. I thought I might go back, but 2014 was when I officially moved.

Since you have been living in LA for ten years, how are you enjoying the city? How is it boosting your creativity? How are you enjoying the spirit of this very special and glamorous Hollywood city?

Not to be a downer, but I’m not. I feel like I’m kinda done with this city now, at least as a full-time resident. It is the epicenter of the music industry and entertainment industry and has a ton to offer; I’ll always return to it for work, but I don’t really want to live here anymore. Did you see that viral clip from Chloë Sevigny? She talks about LA, and I agree with all of her points. When I first moved here, it felt very inspiring, but about three years in, I realized this wasn’t for me. So, at this point, I’m waiting for all the logistical things to line up so I can make my exit and live somewhere else.

What I think is very funny about Los Angeles is that for me it is a city which has a lot of sun and is very bright, but when I listen to your music, the first question that popped up when I googled you, was ‘is Allie X a goth?’

(laughs) I googled myself once, and that cracked me up.

It’s like two opposites: LA is very light with a lot of daylight and sun, and your music dives into darker stuff. Is it difficult to write songs in a very sunny and warm place, knowing that your music has a different vibe? 

It’s funny you mention the weather because I’m really sensitive to the weather, light, and smell. I do find that I get bogged down by the constant sun in Los Angeles. I live in the Valley, where it’s like 10 degrees warmer than the rest of LA, which is the opposite of what I need; I need it to be colder. That does bother me. I don’t know if it gets in my head when I’m writing, I suppose so. A lot of my best songs and Girl With No Face were written during summer in Canada. I do not like the weather; it is against me. Me and my dog—she’s a golden retriever—both of us are out of our natural habitat. I want something colder; I want rain and snow sometimes. It’s funny you’re asking me this and starting the interview with it because it’s a very big problem every day. This can’t be my forever home; it just doesn’t fit.

There’s a song on the album that has sparked my interest a bit more: the opening song “Weird World“. I’m German, and I was very surprised to see some German lyrics.

As a German speaker, do you think it’s lame that I did that?

No, I was living. I loved it.

I was like, “Are the Germans going to think I’m stupid for doing this?”

I was listening on my way to work, and I was like, “Is that German?”. I looked up the lyrics, and I love the word “Zeitgeist“. It is one of my favorite words in German. Where did the idea of putting German lyrics in a song come from?

I always make my demos in sort of gibberish, and I don’t remember how I thought of it. Subconsciously I must’ve thought it would be cool to experiment with a German line rotating with an English line. The song was always about the abstract nature of being alive and the weird world. I thought it was kind of abstract and random to sing in another language. As the album became so clearly referenced by the post-punk movement in Germany and England it made perfect sense. Other than that, I just had a bit more confidence with German because I know how to wrap around the pronunciation a little bit better than other foreign languages. German is fun for me.

You did amazing. I was thinking, “Should we do this interview in German or English?”

I did one year of German lessons, so I know a few words.

I found it very interesting that you said you are a classically trained singer because you can hear that in the songs. When someone asks me why I like Allie X’s music so much, it’s because it’s pop music but more diving into drama, extravagance, and the expression of feelings.

(laughs) I like that; that does describe me very well. Extravagant.

Sonically, do you think that you would gravitate towards a different sound? Or do you think that what you did now is who you are, and that’s what people are always going to get?

No, I mean I’ve done four full-length records now, and every one evolves quite a bit. Knowing me, it’s probably going to be whatever I fancy doing at the moment.

You’re also going to tour this album. You’ll be doing a few shows in Europe. How are you building this live show? It’s an album you’ve been working on for such a long time with different themes. How are you going to translate these emotions of this album to a live show?

I had a little taste of it when I did performances in record stores. I did that with just a three-piece band: me, a guitar, drums, and a bass. It works quite well. This record, because it has a punk spirit, has rock energy that comes out in the live show. I think it’s going to be a smaller production because that’s the scale that I’m at, but this will translate well in a live capacity.

Final question: I don’t know if you are very familiar with French, but as a Canadian you probably know some words. Enfnts Terribles is not only a magazine but also stands for being someone who is rebellious. You are someone who is absolutely an enfant terrible. You like to find and cross boundaries, and to many you are a mother to the LGBTQ+ community. What is something that you want people to remember about you?

That made me emotional; I don’t know why. I think I wanna be remembered as a bit of a rebel or a brat, as a bitch who had a really big heart. I’m a very honest and hardworking person, and I have very good intentions. Those are my best qualities, and I’d like to be remembered in that way.

Allie X’s new album ‘Girl With No Face’ is out now. Make sure to check the Girl With No Face Tour dates on Allie X’s website.