INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY KIMBERLY KAPELA ☆
Gabriella Bavaro
CAILIN RUSSO’S EXPANSIVE SONIC UNIVERSE — Singer-songwriter Cailin Russo has always been drawn to exploring the spaces between romance, darkness and femininity. Her latest single, “Back To You,” brings the two together through an ethereal, string-laden alt-pop ballad inspired by Sarah J. Maas’ beloved A Court of Thorns and Roses series. Written as a labor of love for the fantasy fandom, the track pairs romanticism with Russo’s signature edge, creating an atmosphere of magic, romance and dark fantasy.
“Cinematic is a genre that I always flirt with,” Russo tells Luna. “I have developed such a strong interconnection with these fandoms and hope to make that bond even stronger. I am so proud to be associated with such amazing worlds, characters and creators. It’s really special to add anything to something so momentous. I love anticipating a surprise and being a part of the reveal with fandoms. The love is always crazy and deeply mutual.”
Following a major year that saw her viral hit “Bad Things” find a new audience after appearing during the closing scene of Heated Rivalry, the singer has continued to push beyond the boundaries of conventional alt-pop. Her recent SCARE EP marked another sonic departure, trading the upbeat indie-rock sensibilities of previous releases for something considerably darker, more hypnotic and atmospheric.
With SCARE now out in the world, Russo is embracing the creative freedom that comes with allowing multiple sides of her artistry to coexist. For her, darkness is not necessarily a departure from femininity or romance, but an essential balance to both.
“Darkness is something that will always linger in my music, no matter how light it is or feels. That’s just the kind of artist I am and the sounds that I gravitate towards,” Russo says. “Darkness is sexy to me. My spectrum of darkness is ever expanding, and for this record in particular, I was really inspired by Ethel Cain and Salem. The sound allowed me to release a new dark sexiness that felt liberating and inspiring to play live. It’s hypnotic.”
Whether exploring the shadowy textures of SCARE or the sweeping romanticism of “Back To You,” Russo’s work is grounded in feminine power. At the heart of her approach is her relationship with her femme audience. Russo views songwriting as a visceral act, drawing from an intimate and deeply personal creative space with the intention of empowering the people listening.
“I feel like my music especially connects to my femme audience because it’s very empowering,” Russo says. “I create from my womb. I create from what feels like an almost primal place. I create very powerful music for femmes and that’s exactly what I want. If it liberates me, it will liberate someone else.”
For Russo, the beauty of artistic experimentation lies in the freedom to embrace every version of herself. Romantic, cinematic, dark or hypnotic, each new release offers another opportunity to explore that spectrum while remaining connected to the feminine energy at the heart of her music.
LUNA: Thank you for talking to Luna. Our readers would love to get to know you and your music more. For any readers who aren’t familiar with you yet, what kind of atmosphere or emotional space do you aim to create for your listeners?
CAILIN: I’m so excited to be here! I am very proud to say my music is very immersive and honest and at this point, there’s a little something for everyone. I’ve experimented with every genre, but overall, it’s indie, sexy and hopefully makes you feel something. My music’s emotional fingerprint has a lot of confidence, romance, hope and maybe a little fantasy.
LUNA: Your new single, “Back To You,” is an ethereal, romantic alt-pop ballad inspired by Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses. What initially drew you to this world, and what about its characters, themes or emotional depth inspired you to create a song around it?
CAILIN: I’m only one book deep but I am to a fault, a romantic. After reading the first book it’s actually taught me a lot about unthinkable loyalty and taking fate into your own hands. I love Feyre because she’s really fierce and fearless.
LUNA: “Back To You” feels cinematic with its dreamy atmosphere. When you began developing the track, what elements did you want to capture, and how did you envision the song unfolding?
CAILIN: Cinematic is a genre I always flirt with. I knew the song had to have a very triumphant feeling, it needed to feel like it was sweeping you away. Gray started with piano and synth and instantly we needed big drums and a long chorus, something in the 80s nostalgia feel like Crowded House’s “Don’t Dream It’s Over” and basically anything Lana Del Rey-esque. I feel like we hit the mark. Also with the lyrics I wanted them to be very literal, sometimes you need things said exactly the way they’re meant.
LUNA: Fandoms can create such a powerful emotional connection between an artist and an audience. As someone who has drawn inspiration from a beloved fictional universe, what does it mean to contribute something to a world that already holds so much significance for its readers? How did you approach creating something that could resonate with fans of the series?
CAILIN: I love fandoms, I love having a voice/sound to enhance the world. I have developed such a strong interconnection with these fandoms and hope to make that bond even stronger. I am so proud to be associated with such amazing worlds, characters and creators. It’s really special to add anything to something so momentous. It feels like a very sweet secret to contribute especially before a collaboration comes out. I love anticipating a surprise and being a part of the reveal with fandoms, the love is always crazy and deeply mutual.
LUNA: Your latest EP SCARE has been out for over a month now. What has it been like watching listeners spend time with the project and connect with the songs in their own ways? Has any listener response surprised you?
CAILIN: SCARE holds a very special place in my heart. “Stone Lip Kiss” is one of the coolest songs I think I’ve ever written. It has the most effortless and anthemic feel to it, like you could kiss the sky. It’s been the best feeling ever to release pieces of me that can create a soundtrack to another individual’s life. I don’t think I’ve gotten a lot of surprising responses to the EP, but a lot of people loved the “x on my chest” music video which was appreciated because so many people contributed to that and I think that’s absolutely worth the praise and appreciation.
LUNA: What initially inspired SCARE, and what emotional or creative headspace were you in when you began writing the project? Was there an experience or feeling that became the foundation for the EP?
CAILIN: The whole album was initially inspired by the band Salem and the witch house genre. It was meant to carry the feeling of something brewing, something mesmerizing. I was creating music while also working part time at a retail store called What Goes Around Comes Around, so I could only create sparingly. I was making this music to escape and build a world that was more mesmerizing than my reality. That’s when I met Billy Lemos and decided to name my album after him. “Stone Lip Kiss” was the first song we made and it birthed this era. I decided to drop it on SCARE because SCARE is the heart of the album, it sits right in the middle.
LUNA: SCARE ventures into a darker, more basement-like sonic world, shifting away from some of your previous upbeat indie-rock explorations. What drew you toward this darker direction, and what did this sound allow you to express that you hadn't explored as fully before?
CAILIN: Darkness is something that will always linger in my music no matter how light it is or feels, that’s just the kind of artist I am and the sounds that I gravitate towards. Darkness is sexy to me. Don’t Scare Billy was initially meant to be an avante–garde dark experience but I couldn’t resist giving homage to the sounds that also dressed “Bad Things” and songs like “Assume” or “Psycho Freak.” There’s always been a mix of pop and dark electronic. My spectrum of darkness is ever expanding and for this record in particular I was really inspired by Ethel Cain and Salem. The sound allowed me to release a new dark sexiness that felt liberating and inspiring to play live. It’s hypnotic.
LUNA: Now that you've had more than a month to sit with SCARE and see how it's being received, what are your biggest takeaways from the release? Has the process of sharing these songs changed how you feel about the project or the stories you wanted to tell through it?
CAILIN: To be completely honest balancing the release of SCARE and “Back To You” has been a balancing act. And to be even more honest my life behind the scenes has had so many moving pieces that it’s been hard for me to understand many take-aways. But if I had to state one it would be “it takes a village” navigating, releasing and really being available to promote and connect is hard alone, with gratitude, those things are getting sorted out at the moment. I hope the music reaches the right people.
LUNA: How do you hope listeners — especially your femme audience — can connect with or find power in this new era of music from you? What emotions or messages do you want to leave with them?
CAILIN: I feel like my music especially connects to my femme audience because it’s very empowering. I create from my womb. I create from what feels like an almost primal place. I create very powerful music for femmes and that’s exactly what I want. If it liberates me, it will liberate someone else.
LUNA: What is fueling your fire right now that’s pushing you into this new era of your career?
CAILIN: Honesty. I cannot stress this enough. Good and bad. That’s what my music is all about. That has always been my way. I’ve experienced more heartbreak, betrayal and self realizations than ever the past two years so everyone is going to feel seen.
LUNA: How are you feeling in this current era of your career and what does the rest of the year look like that you would like to share with Luna?
CAILIN: I’m terrified and excited with this era of my career. I’ve had such a blessed year as an artist between A Court of Thorns and Roses and Heated Rivalry, and have worked so hard on this album that the rest of my year looks like refinement, continued hard work and gratitude. I would just like to share my appreciation for these questions and am ready to keep going.
