Q&A: Evenson Cultivates a Space for Growth With Debut Album ‘Eve’
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY FAITH LUEVANOS ☆
Photo by Anna Herriman
“THEY SAY EVERY GREAT SONG CAN BE FOUND IN THE FOREST” —shares Evenson, a CT-based singer/songwriter whose trance-like vocals are sweeping across notable radars from Wonderland to Flaunt. His debut album, Eve, comes from his fascination with the complexities of human nature, contrasted against the complexities of nature and the clarity that it provides.
Eve serves as a window into Evenson’s soul, reminding listeners that it’s important to look inward and absorb everything you discover, the good and the bad—even still, each piece is a lesson in moving forward. A testament to resiliency, Eve feels like a long hug from the person you need it from most. It feels familial, while also feeling like a pleasantly romanticized take on the joys of being alive and present.
Luna sat down with Evenson to discuss the making of Eve, his driving force to make music and more. Read the full interview below.
Photo by Anna Herriman
LUNA: Thank you for taking the time to speak with Luna! Your debut album is out now, which is so exciting. As this is your debut album, what does it say to listeners about who Evenson is?
EVENSON: Thanks for having me! It’s truly such a wonderful pleasure. I’d say this record is a reflection of my innermost being, a mirror and portal to my soul. A man and artist, not only grounded in reality but in truth, using self-reflection as a tool to cultivate growth. Sometimes the truth is ugly, even at times scary, but that’s okay because it’s the only way we can move forward into the light.
LUNA: Can you share how you got your start in music?
EVENSON: I got started in music during my senior year of college when my best friend gave me his one and only guitar after I expressed an interest in learning. With no prior experience, I set a goal to release a project by graduation day. Every night from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., I studied the artists I admired, rewriting songs, recreating beats and searching for my own voice. I released the project one week before graduation, and it quickly became a campus favorite.
LUNA: The album is so interesting in the way that it holds moments of stillness that eventually fade into a groovier rhythm, almost like a wave. Was there any particular intention behind the placement of each track?
EVENSON: Wow, thank you for noticing that. The sequencing of this record was extremely intentional. I wanted it to reflect the complexities of the human condition and spirit. “Anyways” was the first song I wrote for the album, and it came from a very dark place in my life. I’ve found that the most profound moments often happen in stillness, where reflection and meditation take place. I wanted the album to capture the process of healing, even if that journey brings you back to where you started: the darkness. We’re complex beings after all.
LUNA: Nature and its natural elements play a large part in your visual identity. How would you describe the union of music and nature?
EVENSON: I love the outdoors! Being an avid mountaineer and rock climber, I spend most of my idle time out in nature. It’s tough at times being an artist because it requires such a presence of ego in order to create. Nature is beautiful in the manner in which it imposes itself onto oneself. Through it all, I garner perspective, clarity, courage and a spirit of abundance. Most inventions are mirrored reflections of nature itself and the functionality within it all. I’m a firm believer that great art is much the same: a true reflection of nature. They say every great song could be found in the forest.
LUNA: The album spans a lot of different topics, from identity to love to heritage. What was the starting point that opened the floodgates for the album?
EVENSON: I wrote the first song, “Anyways,” during one of the darkest periods of my life. It was the first song I created that didn’t offer a silver lining or a sense of resolution. My grandmother had just passed away, and we were in the middle of the pandemic. I felt scared, helpless and deeply vulnerable. Instead of running from those feelings, I chose to sit with them, befriend them and surrender to the process of healing. That required an immense level of honesty and transparency, something that remained at the core of this entire album.
LUNA: I loved "The Painter Interlude" and the way it sets the stage for the following track. Were the two once one singular track, or how did you determine this placement?
EVENSON: Thank you! Honestly, that was the last song that was made for the album. We wanted a bridge of sorts, connecting the listener from the first portion of the record to the next. A transition from dark to light—in many ways, functionally, it’s probably one of the more important songs on the album.
LUNA: What's your favorite line from the album and why?
EVENSON: That’s a tough one because I love so many of the lyrics on this record. I’d say my favorite line is, “Why does it seem we’re always in a rush to fall in love?” from “Someday.” Something about that line feels deeply reflective of the current zeitgeist and the way we approach love and connection in today’s world. It really sticks out.
LUNA: What drives you to make music?
EVENSON: Evolution. The spirit of growth through radical transparency and honesty. Music forces me to confront myself and the parts of my being that often remain hidden in my subconscious. I use it as a tool for self-discovery, a way to better understand who I am and who I’m becoming.
LUNA: Any final messages that you'd like to share with our readers?
EVENSON: It’s okay to be sad. It’s okay for things not to be okay. Embrace the reality of your imperfections, and allow yourself the space to grow through them. Like nature, everything moves in cycles, and all things, both beautiful and difficult, must eventually pass.
