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By Hannah Sender

Liza Levy, President of Salt Lick Incubator. Photo by Hannah Sender

Salt Lick Incubator is a Boston-based nonprofit supporting emerging musicians by providing grants, mentorship, and career development opportunities. Founded by former Berklee College of Music President Roger Brown, Salt Lick aims to allow artists to create high-quality music and content without the constraints of traditional label contracts. On March 27th, Salt Lick brought two of its performers, Claire Ernst and Dani Offline, to The Umbrella Arts Center in Concord, MA, for “Salt Lick Sessions.” The performance, the finale of this season’s Salt Lick partnership within The Umbrella Concert Series, took place in The Umbrella’s 350-seat theater, an intimate setting for showcasing rising artists. The concert followed a sold-out Jon Batiste headline performance earlier in the series this past February. Both artists performed 45-minute sets, often interacting with the audience. Salt Lick Sessions are recorded and available on Salt Lick’s YouTube channel.

 

Claire Ernst

Meet singer-songwriter Claire Ernst, New Jerseyan turned Tennessean. Claire’s ability to write upbeat, silly tracks as well as somber, vocally intense ballads is a testament to her artistic versatility and uniqueness. Before she took the stage, I talked to Claire about her new single and what’s to come on her next album.

Claire Ernst by Hannah Sender

Congratulations on your newest single. What inspired its sound and theme?

The content is about material things. The two words that I described to my producers were sparkly and colorful, with emphasis on sparkly. I wanted it to sound like sequins.

I’ve never heard anyone describe a song’s texture before. That’s exactly how it sounds. Is there a lyric that you’ve written that feels especially personal to you?

From my song “Funny Now” on my debut album, I wrote that one fully alone the day after the election, so I was feeling a lot of feelings. In the pre-chorus, it says, “I never ask for help, so I stare at crooked shelves.” That describes me well because I do have trouble asking for help, and I end up reaping the consequences. Something I’m learning as I grow older is that it’s okay to ask for help, ask questions, and admit you can’t do it all.

Is what’s on the horizon similar or different from your debut album?

My debut album served its purpose in introducing everything I can do and love about music, along with its different facets. I want my next project to define my artist identity. I want it to corner my own market sound-wise. I want it to be extremely atmospheric.

What artists or genres have you been listening to lately that have been inspiring you?

A huge inspiration for this next album, production-wise, is Japanese House’s In the End, It Always Does. That was my album of the year—also, Saylor. I was in her 0.1% of listeners last year. She takes a lot of risks in the way that she writes, and I want to be a bit looser form-wise. Nashville can be very strict on form, and I want to relax some of those boundaries.

What is your ideal environment for songwriting?

For “Funny Now,” and a couple of songs on my upcoming album, I like to be in the room with my producer, Justin ‘Dustin’ Johnson. For “Funny Now,”  I was in the back of the room, and he had his back to me the whole time. The track was looping, and I was in my own little world. I don’t have to talk to anybody. I don’t have to text anybody. I’m just in rhyme zone with my journal. Or, in my home in New Jersey, at my childhood piano with a notepad.

What is a creative risk you’ve taken recently?

I haven’t taken it yet, but the trio for my album is gonna be my boyfriend, who goes by Huron John, Dustin, and then me. My boyfriend takes a lot of production risks that I don’t, so he’s definitely gonna push the boundary. The other day, he was like, “Have you ever tried a hard auto-tune on your vocal?” And I was like, “No.” And that’s a very Saylor thing to do if you listen to her album. So, taking production risks with my vocal chain. I also tend to start songs with keys and vocals, and I’m trying to break that habit.

How do you approach connecting with your audience when you’re performing?

I love to talk during my sets. Being honest and vulnerable on stage about what the song’s about, and then also just really trying to look at people. When I first started performing, I was doing the theater hack of looking at the back of the room. And I think I’ve finally let that go. Like during my song “Girl in the Bathroom,” connecting with the women in the room. Or if I’m introducing my song “Boots,” which is about my boyfriend, asking who’s in love, and dedicating it to those people.

Dani Offline

Meet singer-songwriter, producer, and child prodigy Dani Offline. Dani was born in Alabama and raised in Washington, D.C. and Florence, Italy. Graduating from Princeton before even turning 18, Dani is a worldly, intelligent, and undeniably formidable breakthrough act. Before her first performance in Boston, Dani and I talked career milestones and creative process.

For somebody who’s just getting into your music, where would you direct them to start?

Can I have them listen to other people first? *Laughing.* I’d probably tell them to listen to either my new single, “Angel,” coming out on April 24th. Or “Plastic/Bending,” a song I feel really proud of. I love the concept; it’s who I am, in terms of sound and concept. People ask what it’s about, and I’m always like, “What do you think it’s about?” I like hearing people’s interpretations.

Where do you draw conceptual inspiration from?

I’m a big reader. I love listening to and reading music. I journal a lot. I like to write poetry, so a lot of my songs start there.

You’re a songwriter and a producer. Which one of those things came first, and what led you from one to the other?

Playing instruments came first, and then songwriting. There was a moment when I decided I wanted more control over how the song sounded and came across, so that’s when I started getting into production.

What has been the most surprising thing so far that you’ve experienced in your career?

I’ve surprised myself by how hard I can work. Saying to myself, “I want this, and I’m not afraid to pursue it.” It’s been interesting and surprising where my music has taken me; I’ve never played in Boston before. I’ve also met some people who I listen to all the time, and they’re like, “I love your music.” And I’m like, “How do you know me?” That’s always surprising: Meeting other artists and connecting with them.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

This interview with you.

You’re too sweet. That can’t be the real answer, though.

I’m just living my dream. You’re interviewing me, and you took photos of me backstage at this show that has, like, 250 people coming, and it’s fancy, and we took pictures in front of a step-and-repeat. Things like that make me feel like a real artist. Other than that, I’m finishing my album. It’s my best work, and I’m really excited for it to be out in the world.

View all of Hannah’s photos from the event below!