Siobhan Cotchin talks ‘Give It Up’
PHOTO BY OLIVIA REPACI
Meet Siobhan Cotchin, one of Australia’s latest singer-songwriters to be making her mark. Siobhan returns with her latest pop-punk single “Give It Up” the perfect follow up to her EP Miss Reckless. Siobhan is just what we needed to hear, her distinct perspective gives an edge to her lyrics which couples with her grunge-rock sound so beautifully. Siobhan brought us into her world, discussing the new track and filling us in on the new era.
Pleaser: (I love the new single!) Can you tell me a little bit about the song ‘Give It Up’? What is it about? What was the experience of recording this song like?
Siobhan: Thank you so much! ‘Give It Up’ is about being with someone that doesn’t satisfy you (*wink wink*) and deciding to prioritise your pleasure and let go of people that don’t give you what you deserve. I wanted to write something fun and completely outside of my current life but something that is a universal experience that I've felt before.
The recording process was so much fun. Quite a few things changed from the original version and I really loved letting go and experimenting with different sounds, lyrics. It was awesome creating something that the band and I are super proud of.
P: Are you entering a new era of music? What can we expect?
S: I think Give It Up was the right song to follow up Miss Reckless because it had that bad bitch attitude and is a song of empowerment. So I feel like Give It Up is the sequel to the Miss Reckless era. I am recording some new stuff soon and it’s quite different to Give It Up; I’m still a rock chick, bad bitch, but I’m adding some pop energy into the mix too! I’m very excited for the next chapter.
P: Your EP Miss Reckless came out in June (congrats!) and I love the way you write about the experiences of being a woman, especially in ‘If God Is A Man’, how did it feel to write these songs and then put them out into the world?
S: Thanks so much. It was so liberating and powerful to have the space to stand up for what I believe in. I’m so grateful to Dylan and Carmen for letting me be part of the songwriting and say exactly how I feel about being a woman in a very scary and patriarchal world.
When the song came out I felt empowered and even more so when somebody texted Triple J saying how offended they were by the contents of the song… GOOD HA!
P: Your songs are incredibly honest and I found them so relatable, do you find it easy to be vulnerable in your songwriting?
S: Songwriting is like therapy for me; in order for me to move forward and write what I need to, I need to be honest and not hold back. It’s not always easy, I find sometimes if I’m writing about a confronting situation or something I haven’t really processed yet, I’ll hide behind things that don’t truly reflect how I’m feeling. It takes a while to fully uncover my truth but it ultimately makes the song better and helps me connect more. I just keep writing until it feels right or come back to it when I’m ready.
I also really love writing outside of my perspective and through the eyes of a character or a friend that I resonate with. Sometimes writing from a different point of view can help me see things differently and help me understand my feelings.
P: If you had to pick your top 5 albums of all time, what makes the cut?
S: Oh god, this is so tricky.
(in no particular order!)
Grace - Jeff Buckley
Red - Taylor Swift
Darkness On The Edge of Town - Bruce Springsteen
Preacher’s Daughter - Ethel Cain
Live Through This - Hole
P: Our readers favourite question: If you could write the soundtrack to any film, which would it be?
S: YES I love this question.
I’ve been in my Hunger Games era and that soundtrack from the first film altered my brain chemistry. So I would love to write for The Hunger Games and get back to my country roots.
P: Lastly! How are you feeling about supporting Matchbox Twenty and Goo Goo Dolls early next year?
S: Every time I think about it I get so giddy and excited, I'm very grateful for the opportunity and cannot wait to travel around the country and do what I love.
I’m also freaking out because I get to play on stages I’ve dreamt of performing on since I was a kid. I’m truly living my rock star fantasy!
