Conway Doesn't Suffer Self-Aggrandizing Bullshitters

Conway didn't get a record deal with Columbia Records by going to parties in the Hollywood Hills. Instead, it was the mythology of meeting the right "connection" at one of those awful parties that inspired her to write the scathing, sardonic earworm "Big Talk." On the strength of this single and its accompanying video—which she shot and edited on her own—Columbia and three other major labels came banging on her door, begging her to sign.

After years of living as a struggling musician, Kassia Conway’s brand of sparky electropop has at last propelled her into the spotlight. Ellie Goulding was so smitten she specially requested the St. Louis born singer as an opener for her recently wrapped North American tour. We caught up with the Conway to talk Hollywood bullshit, DIY, and the moment her childhood dreams suddenly became reality. Plus check out the exclusive backstage video below where Conway goes through her touring wardrobe—most of which she made herself.

Noisey: Obviously the jumping off point for your career was "Big Talk," it seems like everything hinges on that. When I was listening to the song I loved it because it felt like a very specific kiss-off. It feels like it's referencing people who can't live up to what they're boasting—as someone who works in the music industry a lot I could really relate to that!
Conway: That's definitely what it's about—the music industry and some specific experiences I was going through in LA. It's like, “Oh my God, if I have to hear one more person brag about who they know, or this party, or how they're doing big things or whatever the fuck, I'm going to vomit!” Meanwhile the artists and the people that are working their asses off kind of get this reputation like, "Oh you just like to play music." At the time, I had two jobs and I was trying to keep a band together, pursue a future and make money off my music—I don't want to go to your stupid party where nothing's going to happen because you've lied to everybody about how you do big things, and really, this is just an excuse to get drunk for no fucking reason. I'm tired! I'm trying to something! Do you think I don't care that you're wasting my fucking time? It's very tongue-in-cheek like, “Oh of course I have nothing better to do than come to your Hollywood hills party”—just go do the work. That frustration is real. I'm sure you have to talk to a lot of people full of a lot of shit.

Yes, that's why I loved your music though. Obviously I have a great job, I get to talk to musicians whose music I love! But also—it's hard, there's a lot of work involved and people idealize it as all parties. When I hear a song like "Big Talk" that's aggressive in a good way, I latch onto it and love it.
That's encouraging to me because I feel like I write about those things and I don't sugarcoat it and I'm very much like, “Fuck you.” I have songs that are like that just as much as I have songs about love and all those other things. I feel like women… are not supposed to be diverse! Like if I want to say "Fuck you" I have to be a hardcore rapper or something? It's like, I wanted to be able to say this is what I think, because I've proven time and time again that I can't really shut my mouth even when I try! So the "Big Talk" thing was just born out of total exasperation at the time.

Conway - "Big Talk"

The video for "Big Talk" looks really organic, and you did it all by yourself right?
I did! I borrowed some money and spent it on this video working with another director, and when it came out, I hated it. I was embarrassed and sad and deflated, and even after three or four edits of it I was like yeah there's nothing—this isn't me. I did what the director wanted even though I knew it wasn't right. So then one night I was like well I still need a visual, no one is going to pay attention to something without a video! So here I am with no money now and no video and I was just so frustrated. So I just randomly was like, “Well I have that little camera on my laptop, does that shoot anything worth a shit? Let me try it.” So one night I started testing out shit in my bathroom, and that white wall you see in the video is my bathroom, I liked it because it seemed like it could be anywhere. Then I just started playing my song back in iTunes so I could sing to it, and then I was like oh there's iMovie on here, so I figured out how to edit. I figured it out just by learning as I went. It all came out of frustration and this need to not feel helpless.

So you totally scrapped the other video that you paid all this money for?
Yeah I did.

If you had just gone with that one, maybe none of this would've happened?
You're absolutely right! But I wouldn't have. I think you know when something is not you.

And someone at Columbia seeing that video was what led to your deal? How did you get connected with Columbia?
I released my “Big Talk” video that I made, but I had met with the president of Columbia about a year before. I played him a couple of my songs, I had a song called "I'm in Love" which I play in my set and will go on the record. He was like, “I love this, I love your whole thing, I believe you're the real deal.” He was like, “I need some door openers”—which is basically code for singles. So I was like okay great, nice to meet you. I went back and I was just like writing a bunch and wrote "Big Talk," "Killer,” and "Hustler." Then I put out the "Big Talk" video up and 48 hours later, I'm getting phone calls like, “Columbia wants to see you, they just saw the video.”

So the other meeting was like an initial interest, but this one was like a serious "getting a deal" one?
This was different. The chairman of Sony said to me, "I've got one question for you: “Please fucking tell me that you write these songs?" I told him yes and he said, “Great! I look forward to working with you.” And I'm like, “OK cool… I also look forward to working with you?” I didn't really have any idea what to expect from that. Within a couple days they were drawing up a deal and then Island Def Jam, Epic, Mercury UK all offered me deals too. I was like, “You're fucking kidding me right now.” I’ve been all alone in the studio trying to believe in myself and shit, and now all of the sudden four major record labels are like, what's up and here's a deal? Because they thought that video and song communicated my character so clearly. They really need you to put the package together and show them the vision. They're not creative—they're business. So once I had put that together I had no idea what I'd done, but that was what they needed.

A peek into Conway's touring wardrobe while on tour with Ellie Goulding.

Did you always want this for yourself? You grew up in St. Louis amidst the vibrant music scene there, did that impact your eventual choice to be a musician?

Pretty much every day of my life has probably been about music, whether it's been living it, or chasing it, or screaming to the heavens "Why? Why? Why? Why?" I can't really remember a time that I wasn't into music, it was in my house growing up, my mom always had friends who were musicians. She's just always loved music. It's funny though, because neither one of my parents can sing on key or play anything. Also, I always found myself surrounded by musicians and I thought, “How can I ever be that cool?” I was totally mystified by it. Moving to New York is when I began starting all these bands and thinking “Can I really do this?” That's when I saw what it takes to front a band, to write, to keep a band together, the politics, the whatever.

So you moved to New York from St. Louis? How did you end up in Los Angeles?
So my best friend Amy and I were going to make a record together, so I eventually ended up going out there because her dad had a studio where we could do it for free. So we got together and I had a band in LA for a couple years before I did the solo thing. She's actually on tour with me now as the drummer for this project.

Being on the other side of things, does it live up to your childhood dreams?
Yes. Of course there are parts of it that are a lot of work that nobody sees and for instance you learn, that touring is actually really hard. You're in a van for ten hours and then maybe have to go right into the soundcheck and do a show, and you haven't slept, and you have no clean clothes. Then, you've got to find an outfit that looks like you give a shit and then you've got to give this performance, and go out and talk to people. I go out and talk to people after the show so basically my job doesn't end until super late. Then I load out my stuff and we might have to drive again that night. It's very physical! And if you're a singer too, your body is your instrument. You can imagine, wearing that down is kind of hectic. Not to mention all the business side and when you get to the level of actually signing a deal, that was not part of the fantasy—you know, returning the 25 emails every day. But the performing, the singing, the being in that moment? There's nothing that I can think of that can top it.