Carrie Lyell catches up with the singer-songwriter ahead of the release of her heavy-hearted second album, Grim Town
WORDS BY CARRIE LYELL, PHOTO BY ELLIUS GRACE
The last time I spoke to SOAK was in 2015, shortly before the release of her debut album, Before We Forgot How To Dream. Bridie Monds-Watson was at the start of an extraordinary journey, but the route hasn’t always been scenic. SOAK’s follow-up record – Grim Town – is a concept album which beautifully chronicles those highs and lows. It’s a vividly drawn, dystopian portrait of the 22-year-old’s mental state, imagined as a placeless universe where all of our fears and insecurities are brought to life. “It’s the suffering that starts in the corner of your mind and ends with total loss of identity and control,” goes the press release that accompanies the album. “It’s the grim realisation that you are not who you thought you were, and that the only way you can face your most excruciating fears is through an unforgiving, unadulterated pop song.” Buckle up – we’re headed for Grim Town.
DIVA: Tell us a little more about GrimTown and how you found your-self there.
SOAK: After my first record, I’d really been neglecting my mental health. When it came to finishing touring and going back to Derry, where I grew up, it brought back a lot of memories. Initially, this album was really difficult because I’d put so much pressure on myself…
Read the rest of this interview in the May 2019 issue of DIVA, available now via the links below.
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