DIVA caught up with the singer after the release of her latest track Shapeshifting On A Saturday Night
BY VICTORIA P, IMAGES BY RACHEL BENNETT
With her latest single Shapeshifting On A Saturday Night gaining rapid momentum online, Avery Cochrane is fast becoming one of the most exciting new names in alt-pop. Blending candid lyricism with a playful yet existential edge, her music resonates with listeners who find comfort in both its honesty and its infectious melodies. Beyond her rising profile as a songwriter and performer, Avery is carving out her own lane as a queer artist unafraid to question identity, belonging and the systems that shape us.
We caught up with Avery to discuss the story behind her breakout track, the inspiration behind its vintage Hollywood-styled video, and what’s next as she prepares to open for AJR this autumn.
Your single Shapeshifting On A Saturday Night is going viral, how exciting! Can you tell our readers more about the inspiration behind the track?
I originally wrote this song as a ballad, alone in my bedroom. It was about feeling really alone in my existential dread (yes, it’s as depressing as it sounds) amongst crowds of people I perceived were happier than I was. Because so many people resonate with this song, I’ve since realised that I’m not as alone as I thought I was, and everyone struggles in their own ways. The concept of “shapeshifting on a Saturday night” probably means something a little different to everyone who listens, and that was exactly my intention.
If you could describe your music in three words, what would they be?
Existential girl summer!
What do you hope listeners take away from the new music?
I hope the listeners hear the music and understand that they’re not alone in their complex internal struggles, especially in the chaotic and volatile social/political climate we all live in. I write a lot of my songs with the intent to covertly critique certain systems in place. I hope that it translates well without sacrificing the listenability.
The music video has a vintage old Hollywood vibe. Can you tell us more about how the aesthetics relate to the overall theme of the single?
The director and I had a lot of brainstorming sessions when it came to “the shapeshifting music video concept.” We wanted to portray emotional strife in an otherwise perfect and glamorous universe, without being too cliché. Martinis, bikinis, and BMW cars are all the aesthetic details in the lyrics that paint this ideal world for the listener; the rest of the song is what contradicts those details. I’m happy that the music video had some sort of resolution to the storyline, because the song itself doesn’t. In the video, we see the power of friendship/human connection portrayed to communicate that nobody is as alone as they think they are. Everyone shapeshifts in their own ways, but the real question is: who is going to break those cycles and live their truth, and who isn’t?
As a queer woman, who are your queer icons and why?
As cheesy as biopics can be, my friends and I watched the Bohemian Rhapsody movie in high school, and became obsessed with Freddie Mercury/Queen as a result. I know things were probably dramatised for the sake of the film, but the entire thing really struck a chord with me as both a songwriter and music consumer. None of his music was overtly queer, which probably would have changed had he lived to see our more accepting/prideful world, but then again, he never needed mention of his loving men to make his art so profound. I think, in general, the queer artist perspective is often intelligent and intersectional, regardless of whether sexuality is explicitly mentioned. Freddie is a great example of this. Bohemian Rhapsody” the song) resonated the way it did because it came from the perspective of someone who felt like an outsider his entire life/someone who struggled with their identity, concepts that are pretty central to many queer people’s experiences. It’s kind of how my song, Shapeshifting On A Saturday Night, isn’t explicitly queer, but it comes from the perspective of a queer person who too often feels like an outsider.
Living today, my favourite queer songwriters and musicians are Chappell Roan, Phoebe Bridgers, and Frank Ocean. Brilliant wordplay and storytelling all around.
We would love to hear your own coming-out story.
I don’t really have one! Once I started dating my girlfriend junior year of college, there was just this mutual understanding between my friends, family and me that I’m queer/bisexual, and nobody really made it a big deal. I feel incredibly luckyto have grown up in such a progressive and accepting city/community. A lot of people don’t have that privilege, so I definitely do not take it for granted.
What’s next for Avery Cochrane?
Another single release soon, before the end of the year, I hope! I’m still a bit unsure of my big plans, aside from the AJR show, but I know I’m going to spend the fall writing and playing as much as I can so I can hit the start of 2026 really hard.
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