Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with penelope

Up-and-coming singer-songwriter penelope is someone to keep your eye on in 2020. With several singles already under her belt, including “Catch Me When I Fall,” “Stranger,” and the recently released “u don’t know me,” penelope has proven she’s an artist who can connect with any listener. Pop Culturalist caught up with penelope to chat about the exciting year ahead.

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
penelope: Ever since I was a little girl, I loved music. My mom is super musical and always encouraged me and my brother to integrate music into our daily lives. Our car rides consisted of musical education tours through the worlds of Stevie Wonder, Fleetwood Mac, the Cure, and Alanis Morissette, just to name a few. We both took piano lessons from a young age, and soon I fell in love with the guitar. I think I always saw music as an outlet—a method of expression that had the power to touch anyone and everyone and bring people of all backgrounds together. Nothing connects people more than music.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
penelope: By far the biggest influence on my career would have to be the wrist injury I suffered in 2015 that ended my aspirations of being a professional soccer player. I had played soccer my whole life, competing as a goalkeeper at an elite level that included tours with Australian National Youth Teams and eventually recruitment to play at Stanford University. Unfortunately, the summer before attending college, I tore a ligament in my wrist. After two years of surgery, intense rehab, and numerous visits to doctors all over the country, I finally accepted that my injury was career-ending. It was in this time of pure heartbreak that I turned to music—soccer was my first love and here it was getting ripped away from me. I wrote more than ever and used songwriting as an outlet. It was at this moment that I started opening up and playing my songs for friends, who then encouraged me to pursue music as a real career once I medically retired from sports. It was those songs that I released first and those moments of tragedy and triumph that enabled me to cultivate my writing skills. Without that injury, I wouldn’t be here today.

PC: What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned being a part of the industry?
penelope: No one is going to believe in you until you fully believe in yourself. I think when I moved to LA, I thought someone would come and wave their magic wand and make all of my hopes and dreams come true. I was waiting for others to believe in me, to invest in me, to support me and validate me. But soon I learned that no one is going to believe in you more than yourself—and maybe your parents—and unless you approach this industry with conviction and confidence, no one is going to take you seriously. My mom always says, “You have to be your number-one fan,” and I think that is really true. It’s so hard to go out every day and pursue a dream that millions of people are chasing. So you have to believe in yourself enough to know that you can stand out, you can do it. Because as cheesy as it sounds, you can do anything you set your mind to.

PC: What is your creative process like when you’re working on a new song? Has it changed over the years?
penelope: Honestly, every song I write has a different process. I never want to box myself in by having a specific method or forcing a song when it isn’t right. Some songs come to me within twenty minutes; others take weeks to finish. With that said, usually what happens is I go through some experience in my life, journal about it or flesh my feelings out on my notes app, and then sit down at the piano or with my guitar and try to find some melodies. I’ve never been good at just writing lyrics first—I always need to find the chord progression and tune before I can start thinking about how I’m going to say how I feel. I definitely jot down thoughts or write poetry though. For me, my writing process is more dependent on my environment. I always say I write my best songs in my parents’ kitchen late at night! Once I find a nice, cozy, quiet place where I can feel and think clearly, the magic really begins!

PC: Tell us about your new single, “u don’t know me.” What inspired the track?
penelope: “u don’t know me” is a track about standing tall in the face of judgment. When I sat down to write it, I was going through a lot of things in my life that made me feel like my character was on trial. I think we all have experiences where people say things about us without any grounds or knowledge of who we truly are—I was going through just that. At that moment, I wanted to respond to the situation by simply stating, “You don’t even know me.” And so that became the hook of the song. Simply put, this song screams, “You don’t know me, and no matter what you say, I’m not going anywhere.”

PC: What does 2020 hold for you?
penelope: 2020 holds a lot of excitement for me! After seeing the great reception of my latest single, “u don’t know me,” I am super motivated to release more music and begin plans for releasing an EP. I have so much material built up from the past few years of songwriting that I am dying to put out into the world. I still feel like I’m new to the game, seeing as my first release was only a year and a half ago, so I’m looking to keep playing shows and expanding my fan base.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
penelope: “Waving Through a Window” from Dear Evan Hansen. I love musical theater.

PC: First album you bought?
penelope: Avril Lavigne, Under My Skin. Soundtrack to my childhood.

PC: First concert you attended?
penelope: Stevie Wonder at Madison Square when I was ten.

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
penelope: Phoebe Bridgers, Stranger in the Alps. It held me at my lows, made me feel things music never made me feel before, and showed me a completely new approach to songwriting and sounds.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
penelope: Madison Square Garden

PC: A must-have on the road?
penelope: Good snacks, specifically purple Doritos or Sour Patch Straws.

To keep up with penelope, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Pick up or stream “u don’t know me” on Amazon Music, iTunes, or Spotify.