Photo Credit: Lucas Chemotti
Pop-punk phenom Carlie Hanson has released the emotionally raw music video for her pulsing new single, “Snot,” which also features LA grunge hotshot Deb Never.
Directed by Lucas Chemotti, the “Snot” video trains its gaze on a bathtub-ridden Carlie as she shaves the bleach-blonde locks from her head, sporting a “Nobody For President” shirt as she does. “I feel like I’m doing my childhood self a favor” she says. “There were so many moments throughout my life when people asked, ‘Are you a boy or are you a girl?’ Now I’m showing everyone that I can look however I want – no labels.”
Head newly shorn in the video, Carlie also sits for a scalp tattoo of her mother’s signature, “Jean,” as a touching tribute. “My mom is very cool, she was really pumped about it,” Carlie says of the gesture.
What’s your story as an artist?
My story as an artist.. I fell in love with music from a young age. My older sister who grew up in the 90’s, and my badass mother, would put me on to all sorts of bands and artists, from Evanesence, Avril Lavigne, Fyleaf, to TLC, Tracy Chapman, Melissa Etheridge, Third Eye Blind.. all sorts of good shit! I didn’t start singing religiously around the house until I was about 8 or 9, right after I discovered Justin Bieber. From there, I wanted to mirror his career and post youtube videos all the time, hoping that would be the way to get noticed. It wasn’t until I was about 16 and a video I posted on my instagram did pretty well. I was singing Pillowtalk by Zayn Malik and iHeartRadio reposted this on their instagram. This led to more views than I normally get, and a talent agent reached out. He DM’d me and said he managed some producers named House Of Wolf that he thought I would work well with. Long story short, I worked with them in Canada and Los Angeles, and I released my first couple of songs! The rest is really history from there..
What inspired this last release?
There is a lot of inspiration behind this last release. I had just started listening to The Cure and I think you can hear that inspiration a little bit when you listen to Snot. That main guitar riff is super Cure-y to me. I also knew that for the music video I had to do something that fit the mood of the song really well. My main inspirations for my songwriting – My family is a huge part of my life, and my friends back home in Wisconsin. I often like to pull from that aspect of my life when writing because I feel a lot for them and there’s so much that I can talk about. My girlfriend is a huge inspiration when writing, too. I also go through many ups and downs on a day to day basis just being 21 living in this weird isolated city of LA..It can be a lot sometimes, I don’t know, I think I still have so much to talk about, I haven’t even scratched the surface.
What are some sources of inspiration for your storytelling?
“Snot” ft. Deb Never, was initially written about a goodbye my girlfriend and I were sharing.. I was getting on a plane back to LA and we were both in tears, just wrecked about leaving each other. She was crying, no tissues were around, so she wiped her snot on my sweatshirt I was wearing. That moment just kind of stuck with me, and instead of making it a sad song considering the story behind it, I made it feel heavier and more fun in my opinion.
Any funny anecdotes from the time you were recording or writing this?
There is a music video for Snot, and it’s probably my favorite one ever. I’ve been wanting to shave my head for a while now and get my mom’s name tattooed.. So why not just record it and make it all into a music video? Its fuckin sick. Lucas Chemotti shot the video and I love his stuff. He shot a lot of it on film which gave it an extra cool edge.
Is there a music video and what’s the idea behind it?
Hellboy by Lil Peep is a record I’ve been replaying a lot this last year. Actually, Peep is really all I have been listening to for the last few months. I think the way he delivers his lyrics is a huge inspiration for me lately. I love his intense vocals and the trappy production with the grunge guitar.. I love how blunt he is too with his words. His music reminds me that there are no rules when making songs. As long as you are being honest and just doing what feels right to you, fuck it !
What’s a record that shaped your creativity?
An artist I look up to today is “Hearts<3”. I have been making a lot of my next project with him and it’s soo god damn refreshing. His mind is like no other when we’re in a room creating sounds. His own music too is just outstanding to me, he is talented as fuck. I can’t wait to see what he does and I can’t wait for the world to hear what we have been creating together.
Who is an artist or band you look up to today?
I have my first full length album “Tough Boy” dropping early February. I am so so so excited for the world to hear it finally. I’ve also just started working on the next project after that, which sounds completely different than anything I’ve done before.
Top 3 dream collaborations?
Top 3 Dream Collabs.. 1) Justin Bieber 2) Mac Demarco 3)Paramore
What does music mean to you?
I’ll never be able to do this answer justice. Music is the reason I am still alive today and music is what will keep me alive. There is nothing like it and nothing will ever compare to it. That feeling you get when you hear a song for the first time and you’re instantly transcended into a new world.. That is the shit I live for. Live shows, music videos, MOVIES wouldn’t be the same without music. I could go on forever, but you get the point
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you?
I would say to someone who hasn’t heard of me that my music is better than most stuff out today.. no lie,honey. If you like a good voice and guitars get with it <3
