AMG had the opportunity to do a phone interview with indie singer-songwriter, Soccer Mommy, as she was heading to her show in Portland. She recently released her debut album, Clean, and is on a track to have a breakout year for 2018. She’ll be performing at The Soda Bar in San Diego on April 9th. We spoke with Soccer Mommy about the growth in her music, her past as a soccer player, and the difference between “Camp Rock” and a real rock camp.
AMG: Was there a song or album when you were younger that influenced you to play music?
SM: It’s hard to say. I feel like I came to it on my own. Something that definitely influenced me early on were the first two Avril Lavigne albums and Bruce Springsteen. Stuff like that. My dad would play alot of Springsteen and The Who. I liked them alot. They were some of the early influences for me.
AMG: One of my favorite songs of your’s is “Switzerland” from For Young Hearts. What was your inspiration for that song and why did you pick Switzerland?
SM: I was actually born in Switzerland. My parents were there for a few years and that’s why I chose that place because I think of it as really peaceful in a nice way, I guess. It’s just so nice and calming.
AMG: How do you feel like your music has evolved from your first project, songs for the recently sad to now with your debut album, Clean?
SM: I feel like it has evolved alot. Actually! A fun fact is that half the songs I played onFor Young Hearts were released before songs for the recently sad on an EP called For Young Hearts that I took off Bandcamp when I was going to put up the new one. So some of the songs on For Young Hearts are actually older than songs for the recently sad. I feel like my song writing has matured alot and also I feel like i’ve had new experiences that have changed me. I think also the production aspect is super stepped up just because i’m working with Gabe (Gabe Wax) now.
AMG: How does it feel that you’ll be opening up for one of your idols, Liz Phair, later this year?
SM: It’s amazing! She’s great. She’s a great writer and she’s got really cool music. It’s going to be awesome. I get to see her perform live.
AMG: Do you think you’ll be a Soccer Mommy in the future?
SM: Oh no. Never.
AMG: Did you play alot of soccer when you were younger?
SM: I was on a travel soccer team and I played school soccer too but I was on the travel team for more years. It was really fun. I actually won a tournament with my travel soccer too. We won one as a fluke. We won because it was a bracket type thing and we were going to play a team but it ended up getting rained out. There was a storm so the rest of the tournament got cancelled and we won the most the games or something. I think it’s because we played more? So anyways, we won that won. We also got runner-up another time too or something. I don’t know. We weren’t that good though (laughs).
AMG: Which character on 30 Rock do you think you relate to the most?
SM: Oh, that’s so hard! I don’t know. I love Jenna alot. She was just so crazy. I don’t know if I relate to her too much but I think everyone relates to her in some little way.
AMG: Did you ever go to a rock camp when you were younger? Was it like the movie, “Camp Rock”?
SM: I did go when I was a kid. Rock camp was nothing like “Camp Rock”. I feel like they never did anything on there. They never actually did stuff. Rock camp always had morning meetings, sort of like a pep rally. We would do an instrument class after for like two hours and then go to a panel with a local musician or artist, someone related to the music scene. You go to lunch after and then do a class on something like photography, zine making, or screen printing. At the end of the week, your band, the one you would form in the beginning, would put on a show and play one song each. We would usually do them at a local theater. I used to hair spray and pin my hair into a mohawk every year. I would end up going to a hairdresser every year to make it like that.
AMG: Any life pro-tips or life hacks you have to share with your fans?
SM: I don’t know. I don’t really have life down that well (laughs). I guess just do what makes you happy and don’t worry about what other people think about you.
You can find Soccer Mommy on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You can listen to her album, Clean, on Bandcamp, Spotify, and other music services.
Tickets for Soccer Mommy’s show at The Soda Bar in San Diego on April 9th are still available. She’ll be supported by singer, Madeline Kenney. Purchase tickets here.
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