Interview with Cloe Wilder

What were you doing when you were 14? Probably not releasing music that has been streamed over 500,000 times on Spotify (I know I wasn’t!). But that is what Cloe Wilder, an indie-pop singer-songwriter from Clearwater, Florida, has achieved with ‘Crying When I Shouldn’t’. She then followed this success with more singles leading up to the release of ‘Teenage Lullabies’ in January 2021. This 7 track EP elaborates on her teenage life and the important moments and feelings she’s experienced thus far. This is a collection of wonderfully crafted songs that belie her teenage years and will resonate with both today’s youth and those of us that are old enough to reminisce about those times.

We caught up with Cloe to talk about her EP and the recent video for ‘In The Next Life’

Hi Cloe! How’s everything going right now?
Hi!! I’m doing really well. I’ve been writing a ton and planning for this next year. So excited about everything.

What classic album cover is your current mood?
“Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me” by The Cure.

You released your debut EP “Teenage Lullabies” in January last year – how did that feel and how has the reaction been?
It was my favorite release ever. I’m so grateful for the warm welcome.

You probably get tired of people focusing on your age but it is an incredibly accomplished collection of songs for someone so young. How do you go about writing and creating new music?
Thank you, I appreciate that!! I honestly don’t get tired of it. I kind of like it. I’ve stayed in this natural, cathartic space when it comes to songwriting. It’s the happiest I’ve been. It feels good.

If you could only listen to one record, what would it be?
“Stranger in the Alps” by Phoebe Bridgers.

Great choice! You’ve just released a new visual for “In the Next Life” – tell us about the song and the inspiration behind the video.
That song has always felt blue to me. It ended up being an entirely alternative video from what I had originally planned to use. It’s been a strange experience for me, not having it look exactly as I had envisioned it. We shot this one-take in between other shots for fun, but it ended up being my favorite. It was filmed on the “summer set” which was part of the seasons of life. Plus, my grandpa’s first logo was a windmill, which is in the final frame. This song came to life because of him.

Who are your musical influences and are there any new bands or records that you currently have on repeat?
Currently, my favorite songwriter in the world is Phoebe Bridgers. It’s pretty intense, seeing as I picked her record to be the only one I listen to for the rest of my life.

You’ve been releasing performances on your YouTube Channel from Capitol Theatre every week recently – are you hoping to get and play some other venues soon?
Absolutely! Playing live makes me so happy.

What would go on your signature pizza and what would it be called?
Honestly, I wouldn’t have a signature pizza. Can it be ice cream or something? It would be pink with sprinkles, probably called “Teenage Lullabies (With Sprinkles)” just to be clear with customers.

Of course! We’ll start a dessert section. What are your plans heading into 2022?
Lots of music to come. I can hardly wait

From an early age, Cloe Wilder’s artistic talents started thriving as she started taking piano lessons which consequently helped her to discover her passions for singing, surprising her family and anyone around her. In December 2018, Cloe started her YouTube channel where she began to cover songs by artists such as Halsey, Alessia Cara, Billie Eilish and Sasha Sloan. Cloe kicked off 2020 with the release of “Crying When I Shouldn’t” mixed and mastered by Grammy Award winners Rob Kinelski and John Greenham (Billie Eilish) and co-written and produced by Eric Scullin. Cloe followed it up with her second release of the year, “You & Lonely”, in June. The song is co-written by Cloe and produced by Jayme Silverstein (Alicia Keys, Miguel, Estelle). Cloe’s debut EP, ‘Teenage Lullabies’, was released at the beginning of 2021 and featured the single “I Wanna Be Alone With You” co-written and produced by Sam Nicolosi.

You can find out more about Cloe at her website https://www.cloewilder.com/ and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.