SPOTLIGHT: Career Woman and Pacing on “The Power of Raw Feminine Uncoolness”
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY FIONA PESTANA ☆
IN AN EFFORTLESSLY ALCHEMIC MEETING OF MINDS - Pacing (Katie McTigue) and Career Woman (Melody Caudill) wrote a hit song the first time they hung out.
On that track, “Boyfriends,” they repeat in harmony, “Me and my friends, we don’t like men / But we got boyfriends.” They produced the acoustic anthem together, leaving remnants of their voice memo demo in the background. Their budding friendship comes through in jokes, gasps, musical breakthroughs, laughter, and the ending, where they simultaneously ask: “Have you seen the Barbie movie?!”
Caudill re-imagined “Boyfriends” as a punky, indie rock single with a full band in anticipation of her debut album Lighthouse, out June 6 on Lauren Records.
“When me and [McTigue] wrote this song we both knew it was special…genuinely the best piece of music I’ve been involved in creating,” Caudill wrote in a post about the re-release’s accompanying music video. “I got so nostalgic and emotional editing it because Katie is on a super huge world altering dream come true tour right now and I am so so proud of her.”
The aforementioned tour took McTigue around the states with the band Cheekface, introducing her to the world on a broader scale before she releases her sophomore LP, PL*NET F*TNESS, out July 25 on Asian Man Records.
Clearly, this summer's for Northern California female indie rockers. McTigue and Caudill are splitting center stage, bolstering each other on their up-and-coming music careers. More important than marketing their solo projects on temperamental social media algorithms is the community they find with and around each other. They share a joie de vivre that doesn’t get jaded in a competitive, capitalistic creative industry, but thrives in an earnest, impressive scene of fellow indie artists. Their music world cares nothing for money and fame, and everything for the love of the jams.
Together, they’re authentically sweet, silly buddies, destined for more serious hits.
“Our friendship has really emphasized the power of raw feminine uncoolness that’s really cool,” Caudill told The Luna Collective in a joint interview with McTigue.
The musicians met through Aaron Kovacs, the owner of Caudill’s Los Angeles-based label Lauren Records. McTigue had moved to San Jose to work at NASA, and Caudill was working on her undergraduate film degree 30 miles south at UC Santa Cruz. Kovacs knew McTigue from Twitter and rightfully thought they’d be good local music buddies. After becoming fans of each other, they met just before Caudill’s first ever tour in 2023. McTigue saw her first Career Woman show at the anarchist community space SubRosa in Santa Cruz.
Now, they share an indie scene that spans between the central coast and the North Bay. Punk, anti-folk, power pop, emo: all flavors of rock are welcome. In their warm music community, collaboration comes naturally. For instance, Caudill met her bandmates through the Oakland-based band Small Crush, whose frontwoman Logan Hammon is another co-writing friend.
“We’re so lucky that all of our local bands are so good. It’s not like that everywhere,” said McTigue. “People are nice, and then they’re also really good!”
Thanks to this communal support and their individual grit, McTigue and Caudill are flourishing in tandem. When they first met, Caudill was much quieter, and McTigue had never played a live show. Now, McTigue said she lovingly calls Caudill an “ex-shy,” shining her newfound confidence among her peers at local shows, and McTigue played a national tour with her favorite band Cheekface (“Dream: achieved,” said McTigue). Enduring the personal and musical growing pains seems easier when they’re together.
The two artists are still learning from each other as their young music careers evolve. In particular, their collaboration as DIY female musicians has reshaped their definition of a good song.
Caudill, for instance, started releasing music in her early teens, but her work with McTigue feels different. Historically, most of her music collaborators have been guys. Her dad taught her how to record her songs as a kid, and she said she loves her bandmates like brothers.
But, being one of the only women in a sea of male musicians can impart a sense of imposter syndrome, particularly regarding their obsession with perfectionism throughout the production process. Caudill said this is one of the reasons why working with McTigue on scrappier tracks, like the first version of “Boyfriends,” is an appreciated break from the boys.
“Working with Katie has shown me a different side of what a final product can look like,” said Caudill. “It doesn’t have to be that pristine thing that all the guys have always told me that it has to be.”
In turn, McTigue said Caudill’s artfully diaristic songwriting style has influenced the way she tells stories. She specifically referenced a track on the upcoming Pacing album that features and is inspired by Career Woman.
Now, the friends are preparing for a summer of LP releases. Career Woman will celebrate a coming-of-age debut with some NorCal shows. Pacing will tour their songs of existential yearning with AJJ in August. Perhaps they’ll play together: during this Luna interview, they opened their calendars and started working out when their busy performance schedules might line up.
Besides that, they’re ready to get back into their normal routines, living and working and writing new songs. Fans just might receive the gift of another Career Woman-Pacing collaboration. Meanwhile, the musicians would receive the gift of a deepening female friendship.
“It’s so cool to have such a good friend, but also…we can make bangers!” said Caudill.
