Q&A: Kacy Hill Steps into Americana with Honesty and Heart on ‘But Anyway, No Worries!’
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY SHEVON GREENE ☆
Photo by Zach Arquilevich
Styling by Priscilla Alcantara
Makeup by Sravya Vatsavai
Assisted by SiYoon Kim
KACY HILL’S EP, BUT ANYWAY, NO WORRIES! — is a decisive step into a sound she’s long wanted to explore, and is out now. Centering the process on lyrics and melody rather than production marks a clear shift, sparked by the emotional catalyst of a breakup and a desire to embrace more straightforward country and folk influences.
While the EP feels like a natural progression in her career, it’s also a return to her roots for the Arizona-born artist, whose early inspirations include Sheryl Crow, Jackson Browne, and The Chicks. Splitting her time between LA and Nashville sharpened her songwriting through fast-paced, collaborative sessions, two vastly different creative environments that each offered their own rewards.
The making of But Anyway, No Worries! also gave Hill space to reconnect with her Arizona roots and reflect on the complexities of navigating the music industry from the start of her career. She hopes listeners will take their own meaning from the record—whether they love it or hate it.
The Luna Collective chatted with Hill about But Anyway, No Worries!, the stories behind its songs, and how she’s reimagining her music for the stage. Read below for more.
Photo by Zach Arquilevich
Styling by Priscilla Alcantara
Makeup by Sravya Vatsavai
Assisted by SiYoon Kim
LUNA: I’m excited to hear more about But Anyway, No Worries! This project feels like a big shift for you, since you wrote entirely from lyrics and melody rather than starting with production loops. What made you want to change your approach?
KACY HILL: I went through a big breakup, and I wasn’t interested in sitting at the computer. I’ve always wanted to make a project that was more straightforward—something in the country/folk world, because I love that music. It felt like the right time to make this project, and it was refreshing to step away from the computer.
LUNA: You’ve said the EP feels like the project you’ve been trying to make for years. What was missing before that you captured here?
HILL: I don’t think anything was missing; different projects just find you at different times. In the past, I was inspired by fusing electronic, synthy sounds with acoustic elements like pedal steel. I created my own world in those albums. This time, I didn’t feel like hiding behind production. I wanted to say exactly what I wanted in the most direct way.
LUNA: You worked on the project in both LA and Nashville. How did each city influence the EP?
HILL: We tracked everything in LA, but some songs like “When in Rome” and “What Would’ve Been” were written in Nashville. Writing there is like a songwriting master class: you start at 10 or 11am, write the song, and finish by 4pm, with no focus on production at first. LA sessions, especially for me, have been the opposite; I’d start with melodies and structure, then work on lyrics later, usually alone. Writing lyrics in front of people I respect in Nashville pushed me to get words on the page and be direct in my storytelling.
LUNA: Which country and folk influences felt most present while making the record?
HILL: Sheryl Crow, Nick Drake, ‘90s country like The Chicks, Rodriguez, Alison Krauss, and Jackson Browne were big inspirations. I kept going back to those artists while making the record.
LUNA: The EP’s been called a complete left turn into Americana. Did it feel like a risk, or more like coming home?
HILL: It didn’t feel like a left turn to me; it’s a natural progression. My first album feels like it was made by someone else, but since then I’ve explored different sonic textures. My songwriting has always been inspired by country. It’s more like the house stayed the same, I just changed the furniture.
LUNA: Early in your career, you felt pressure to erase parts of your past to fit an image. How has reconnecting with your Arizona roots changed how you see yourself as an artist?
HILL: When I signed my first label deal, I suddenly found myself surrounded by people that had by money and fame, but I didn’t come from that. There was a big disconnect—going to expensive dinners I couldn’t afford, then going home to a small apartment and talking to my dad, who was scraping by. That created a deep feeling of inadequacy. Growing up without money, you sometimes feel uncultured or less-than. It took years to understand that wealth doesn’t determine worth, but as a young artist, I felt I had to prove myself constantly. Entertainment often favors those with resources—nepotism thrives because having time and money to develop as an artist is a privilege. Reconnecting with where I’m from has helped me understand who I am outside of that world.
LUNA: “What Would’ve Been” is a standout collaboration with Charlie Martin of Hovvdy. How did that come about?
HILL: That was during a Nashville trip. I love how Hovvdy balances acoustic sounds with experimental elements. My publisher set up the session, and Charlie was wonderful to work with; talented, kind, and easy to collaborate with.
Photo by Zach Arquilevich
Styling by Priscilla Alcantara
Makeup by Sravya Vatsavai
Assisted by SiYoon Kim
LUNA: “When in Rome” explores the hoping stage after a breakup. How do you keep writing about heartbreak fresh?
HILL: When you’re in it, it’s all you can talk about. All the songs on this EP were written when those feelings were fresh. Now, a year and a half later, I don’t have breakup songs in me. Love and heartbreak have been written about countless times and will be countless more, but every person has a unique story and way of saying it. People connect with familiar feelings—it’s not bad to be referential.
LUNA: How do you balance traditional and contemporary in your sound, like on “Please Don’t Cry”?
HILL: It’s my instinct to go towards those sounds. I love traditional country and folk, especially ‘70s folk, but my skills are rooted in computer-based production. I take those inspirations and interpret them through my own approach. This EP was recorded masterfully thanks to Tommy King and Jon Yeston who engineered, so this project feels the most “professional” and polished, but I like adding elements that reflect my perspective.
LUNA: “The Garden” uses vivid imagery for heartbreak and loss. Did the metaphor come first, or the story?
HILL: The story. A few weeks after moving out of the house I shared with my ex, I felt like I lost a big part of myself. I loved the garden I had built there; it was almost a spiritual awakening for me. Leaving it behind felt symbolic, like giving something I’d nurtured up to someone who didn’t value it. It was a real metaphor for the relationship.
LUNA: You’re performing at AMERICANAFEST in September. How are you imagining these intimate songs live?
HILL: We played them at a few shows in May. In the past, I’ve relied on tracks for cost reasons, but it’s fun to play these songs fully live and reimagine older ones in a more stripped-back way.
LUNA: What’s one thing you hope listeners take from But Anyway, No Worries! that they might not have gotten from past projects?
HILL: I’ve stopped trying to control outcomes, including what people take away from my music. I love when someone tells me a song helped them through a breakup, or became their song of the summer. I just don’t want listeners to feel neutral—love it or hate it, but don’t skip it.
Photo by Zach Arquilevich
Styling by Priscilla Alcantara
Makeup by Sravya Vatsavai
Assisted by SiYoon Kim
