INTERVIEW: Lucy Sugerman releases new single 'paralysed' and debut EP 'hurt that's man made'

Lucy Sugerman today releases ‘paralysed’, the fourth single to be released from her debut EP hurt that’s man made which is also available today.

An honest, intimate and poignant portrayal of a relationship breakdown, the song is a dreamy collection of synth and indie pop with elements of post-punk new wave with Sugerman’s emotive, subtle yet powerful vocals.

“Time moves dreadfully slow when you're 17 and devastated over a boy,” Sugerman says. “The poor guy didn't even do anything wrong. I'm just glad something cathartic you can dance and scream too was born out of a period in my teens of being so upset.”

Since launching her music career last year with the single ‘i wanna kiss boys cos i’m bored’ she has been featured on Triple J as well as Spotify feature playlists and has received a prestigious APRA AMCOS’ Women in Music Mentorships as well as being invited to participate in high profile songwriting camps. Just one year into her career she is an artist to watch very closely and we recently caught up with her to find out more.

Hey Lucy! Thanks for sparing the time to chat with us today, how is life with you right now?
Thank you for taking the time to have me on Women In Pop and for all your ongoing support. I really appreciate it! 

It’s interesting to say the least. I’m actually spending this release week in quarantine/isolation unfortunately due to a series of unfortunate events but am healthy and well, so I am counting my blessings.

Congratulations on the release of your new single ‘paralysed’ it is just amazing. Can you talk us through the inspiration for this one?
Thank you so much! This was inspired by my first time getting broken up with - I was 17 and absolutely devastated. Time felt like it was moving dreadfully slow. It was my first year out of school and all my friends were getting stuck into university and real adult jobs, and I was still in my hometown, not doing a lot. I definitely felt super lost and stuck in time, dwelling on the past year of school and having young love. I also couldn’t stop singing and writing about the whole thing. I just went on and on and on, and I felt paralysed. It’s really funny to me in hindsight now, but I’m glad I at least made this out of it.

I believe you wrote this song on a songwriting camp in Melbourne. Can you tell us more about the creative process and how the song came together from that songwriting session to release day?
It was my first time in Melbourne doing a series of writing sessions. I wrote this one with the amazing Joel Quartermain of Eskimo Joe. He is such a lovely guy and super dedicated & talented, we got along really well. I went to his home studio and his gorgeous little newborn daughter at the time was also hanging out with us (she was SO CUTE). Joel and I spent two days on the song - day one we didn’t even touch a microphone, we talked about music and life and I brought the rough idea I had for ‘paralysed’ to him. We stuck to old pen and paper and spent a lot of time making sure the lyrics and melodies were just right. Usually sessions are only a day, so it was nice to have more time and space to really dive into the song there and then. On day two, we recorded vocals and built up the production. I knew I wanted it to be fun and something you could jump around to and scream in the car, and the song we had crafted the day before I think really lent itself to the production you hear in the finished version. We actually ended up using the demo vocals and a lot of the demo-production in the final version. Two years later, I emailed Joel and said I wanted to put this track on my EP - we worked on the production via correspondence and the mix was done by my wonderfully talented friend Andy Hopkins (Hauskey), who did a lot of work on other tracks on my EP. 

There’s a great crossover of genres in the song - there are touches of synthpop, indie, post-punk, guitar pop…was there a particular sound or mood you were going for?
I actually very clearly remember the reference tracks being a lot of Thelma Plum! But in terms of when we were writing the song, I knew the song was going to be sad and angsty lyrically and story wise, but I wanted it to have the juxtaposition of being upbeat. The production and sounds on ‘paralysed’ definitely came together really seamlessly, and off instinct. Nearly everything we initially dreamt up for it ended up in the final version.

The song is obviously very personal and intimate. It is clear songwriting is cathartic for you, this might be a difficult question to answer but can you explain how writing this song enabled you to deal with the emotions and experiences the song captured?
Honestly this was one of the last songs I wrote about the breakup, and it sort of gave me the kick up the bum teenage me needed to get on with it. Like a grand finale, in a sense. I think it also helped me deal with it because I was able to turn what was such a low experience at the time into something other people can enjoy. It’s a privilege getting to do so through songwriting..

This song is lifted from your debut EP 'hurt that’s man made’, what can we expect to hear on the EP?
You can expect a lot of teenage angst! It’s an exploration of dealing with heartbreak, and pain that seemingly feels inflicted by others, but is really just a product of your own insecurities. Sonically, it is a retro-tinged pop collection of songs with singer/songwriter roots and plenty of intricate production elements, independently released and funded in between other jobs and a global pandemic. It’s been a whole journey to get here but I’m proud of it and excited for people to hear.

What role did music play in your childhood?
Mum and dad always had music playing around the house, and constantly introduced me to new artists and bands. I have always loved, from a young age, young female singer-songwriters - Norah Jones, Missy Higgins, Carole King & Taylor Swift are the four I can cite as my earliest and strongest influences. I started learning violin from age four and piano shortly after, and really I just wanted to be like Taylor Swift once I learnt songwriting was a job. It’s been such a big part of my life ever since.

How did your career in music start?
I started out busking, and would busk for hours to save money to buy equipment and pay for studio time as a kid. Slowly this turned into corporate gigs, weddings, various shows and festivals around Canberra and I started songwriting professionally at age 16 and also formally studied violin. I’ve loved music from the second I realised I could and it’s always been what I wanted to do with my life. 

You have participated in a number of songwriting camps, including APRA AMCOS' SongHubs for women and non-binary identifying, and you have also been the recipient of an APRA AMCOS Women In Music mentorship. How important do you think these types of initiatives are for young female artists just making a start in the industry?
They are so important as they foster the next generation of artists, facilitate creative and professional development and are an active step in providing specialised support and assistance in a constructive way for women & non-binary artists. I have personally gained so much from these experiences as they have been a source of empowerment, professional accountability and give artists beneficial representation and opportunity to grow and learn. 

On that note, the music industry has been a difficult space for women to exist in for decades, partly because it has been run for so long by older, white, straight men. What are your thoughts on gender equality and sexism in the music industry?
This is a big and difficult question to answer succinctly in an interview - but I would say that the key to working on these issues and creating a more equitable and safe space for all in the music industry is constructive, open-debate/discussion, policy and leadership change, and genuine energy and work from the industry as a whole to shift the culture and stigma, which I am thrilled to see happening more and more. The events recently, particularly in the Australian industry, have been a win for accountability and have also been a great opportunity for us all to examine our own situations, behaviours and thought process in regards to how we treat each other and deserve to be treated in these professional settings. I believe the removal of corrupt leadership has been a fantastic step. I am so grateful for platforms like Beneath the Glass Ceiling, and people like Jaguar Jonze, for spearheading this movement and change. I am so proud of those who bravely came forward about their experiences with inequality and sexism. And most importantly, I believe the focus should continue to be forward, and on elevating strong, intelligent, hard-working, kind and capable people to the forefront.

What’s up next for Lucy Sugerman?
A holiday! And much more songwriting and creating.

‘hurt that’s man made’ is out now. You can buy and stream here.

To keep up with all things Lucy Sugerman you can follow her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.