Skyler Cocco
Interview conducted July 9, 2020
By Dan Locke
Skyler first began writing and producing music at the age of eleven, recording original songs on an 8-track while teaching herself piano, guitar and bass by ear. A triple threat with a background in acting and dance, “Run Away” tells Skyler’s relatable story of allowing yourself to fall in love after a history of disappointment and heartbreak. The vulnerable lyrics juxtaposed with the dream-pop melody and twinges of synth not only aid in the delivery of her story, but also opens the door for Skyler’s experimentation with her sound.
“Run Away” was written and produced by Skyler Cocco and her long-time collaborator, Zach Miller. The music video for “Run Away” was Directed and Produced by Skyler Cocco, edited by Sam Schmitz and features pansexual pop artist and actor, Mike Taveira.
Your single “Run Away” will be released on July 10th. Tell me about it?
Run Away is about getting over the fear of falling in love with someone new after having your heart broken a few times. I wanted to write about my experience with allowing the barriers around my heart to fall and not run away from my feelings for someone.
How did you discover music?
I grew up around music, my late father was a professional bassist and a New York City public school music teacher. Growing up we had a DIY studio in the basement with an eight track and that’s where I started learning the ropes of music production.
You started writing and producing music at the age of 11. What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?
When I was eleven, I was making really angsty music with one of my childhood friends. We had a band and would record constantly, but the first song fully written and recorded by me was called “Done With You’ and sounded like a more synthy version of Avril Lavigne.
You taught yourself how to play piano, guitar and bass by ear. How did you get your first guitar and do you still have it?
I had a lot of instruments around but the first guitar I learned to play on was a bright red knock-off Fender strat, it’s probably still in my basement.
You saw Soundgarden live twice. What other grunge band have you seen and how have they helped you in your development of your sound?
Chris Cornell was such an incredible force in alternative music. Soundgarden, Nirvana and Stone Temple Pilots were on repeat growing up but my sound has always been influenced by Nine Inch Nails and Silversun Pickups, both bands that I’ve had the pleasure of seeing live again and again. I love the harmonic structures and driving rhythms in grunge influenced music.
What was your first live performance like?
I performed a lot while I was studying at the conservatory of music at Purchase College, and my first performance was on stage there at The Stood. I was actually afraid of singing in front of people up until my junior year of high school. Performing my music on stage for the first time was definitely nerve wracking but the adrenalin and energy I experienced being in front of a crowd was welcomed and kept me in the moment.
How was it to work with ELEKTRISK GØNNER on the song Money?
Working with Elektrisk Gønner helped prepare me to be a topliner in the pop and EDM industry. We met through an exchange on Soundcloud and started working on songs remotely – Ben in France and me in my college dorm in New York. When Money was released it hit a bunch of New Music Friday’s across the globe, Apple Music’s “Best of the Week” and played on Norwegian radio station NRK P3. I’m grateful that I learned early on how to focus my attention on finding ideas for melodies/lyrics to a wide variety of styles – it’s in high demand and has brought me a lot of EDM/Dance collaborations.
It has been almost a year since the release of your last recording. How has your music changed?
I wrote Run Away back in the summer of 2019, so my music had already been going in a more pop direction. I’ve been writing more from my personal experiences and made a conscious effort to be honest and vulnerable. Sound-wise I feel like I’m still evolving but I am really enjoying my experimentation with more synth-pop and dream-pop centered tracks.
Why were you writing a lot about flowers in 2019?
I relate a lot of my experiences in life to flowers and was writing songs for my EP which centers around the theme of internal struggle. Brief romances I equate to sunflowers – beautiful but fleeting, tallest just before they fall. My cycles of highs and lows are like being buried under the weight of the world and waiting to bloom and thrive.
How do you stay healthy while touring?
I try to stay as hydrated as possible even when I don’t have a performance. I also always perform sober. Knowing that I’m in full control of my voice and my movement is really important to me.
Are you still doing fashion shoots?
Most of the modeling work I do now is for press and visuals for my music releases. I started doing socially distanced shoots with photographers I collaborate with a lot as things opened up more recently in New York.
What are your feelings about the social uprising going on in the United States?
I think the pause the world just experienced with Covid-19 allowed us to really see the broken system we have in place. In June I started to focus more on activism and I am proud to be fighting for fairness and equality during this time. The prospect of change is strong if we continue using our voices to spread awareness and use our platforms as artists to show our listeners what we believe in and how they can help.
How do you think the Me Too Movement has helped female performers?
The Me Too movement is responsible for highlighting the need for safe spaces in a performance setting, especially as a female. Putting yourself out there for the world sometimes creates this false sense of “knowing” someone, and the Me Too movement allowed for fans to see an artist’s perspective when it comes to their safety and well being. When you have an established set of boundaries with your audience it provides a better experience all around.
What song from the past is in your mind right now? In addition, what is the meaning that song means to you?
Silversun Pickups – Substitution. To me it’s about deciding what to do with negative thoughts and insecurities and choosing to be stronger and move forward. I’ve been thinking about it a lot while writing my EP which touches on those issues.
How was the last show you did on March 12 at the Rockwood Music Hall like right before the lockdown? What were you thinking at the time?
The week leading up to the lockdown I had just returned from a trip to LA. The news had started covering the virus more seriously the day before the show, but on the day of things got a lot more chaotic. The venue decided to stay open and we still played to a full room, but a lot of people stayed home out of fear. I didn’t know it would be the last time I’d be in a venue/bar, or the last time I’d perform my music in front of a crowd for a long, long time.
How do you feel the Covid-19 virus is going to affect the music business in the future?
The music business definitely needs to re-evaluate how artists earn money with the absence of live performances and music festivals. Tickets and merch sales account for the majority of revenue earned by artists, and as an independent artist it’s almost impossible to rely on streaming as a source of income. We have a lot of work to do when it comes to paying artists fairly for their music.
What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?
Aside from working on a ton of music I’ve been running, listening to podcasts, baking gluten-free desserts and practicing mindfulness. -Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies? I definitely played The Sims 4 a lot during the first month of quarantine. I impulsively bought 3 expansion packs and spent countless hours designing luxury homes. My schedule started picking up around May so I put it away for a little while.
Many people are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. During the lockdown, you were creating FaceTime shoots. What were the challenges of doing These?
It was very challenging posing in front of a phone on a tripod instead of a person. When you work with a photographer you get in a rhythm and can guide each other as you shoot. When there’s a screen in between it’s hard to gauge what the photographer is trying to capture, but we ended up with some really beautiful shots.
Do you think it will be possible to make a living doing concerts this way?
It’s definitely a hard sell to pay an in-person price for a virtual performance, but I think it’s important that we normalize paying for any type of performance from an artist. Making a living is hard enough in the music industry but I think that it’s fair to pay performers for their time and effort spent setting up a good sounding and well put together virtual performance.
This week Live Nation announced their first ever U.S. drive-in concert series — LIVE FROM THE DRIVE-IN — This will bring fans a live music tailgating experience unlike any other, kicking off July 10-12 in Indianapolis, IN, Nashville, TN, and St. Louis, MO. Brad Paisley will headline performances in all three cities, marking the start of a much anticipated return to in person live events. Darius Rucker and Jon Pardi will also headline the series. Is this something you would be willing to do?
I would love to do a drive-in show. I actually did a few live stream performances during quarantine – one for a fundraiser and one for a virtual music festival – and it made me miss concerts a ton. I do love the energy and feel like you can get a piece of that back with a drive-in show. It’s definitely not the same but it has a bit of the spark you long for in a live show for both the performer and the audience.
With Social Distance being the norm. Do you feel that it may be the end of music festivals for the next couple of years?
I think we will have to redesign how to properly host a large crowd with social distancing in mind. Festivals can get very rowdy and over-populated so I think now is the time to move the conversation along and come up with solutions that will make for a safer experience and allow us to still enjoy music festivals.
What about Holographic concerts in our living room?
I would jump at the chance to create a hologram caricature of myself for my music. I love Hatsune Miku and think holograms are definitely going to become more popular.
How do you see yourself in the next five years?
In Los Angeles with my partner, a mini dachshund and a sunny recording studio in my house. -Anything you would like to say in closing? Thank you for all these thoughtful questions and I’m so excited to release my song Run Away! I have a lot more music on its way, you can stay updated by finding me on socials at @skylercocco.
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