Tempo Talks: A Conversation with ARO

THE RELEASE

Los Angeles-based ARO initially dove into electro-pop before discovering her unique sound within the alternative/pop-rock realm. Leading with her first two pop singles and catching the eyes of major music publications, she began a creative venture to redefine her music’s identity alongside Kenny Carkeet of AWOLNATION. Weaving in and out of life experiences and inner thoughts, she’s found a way to make genuine pop-rock music of her stories through raw lyrics and the telling of true stories. Drawing from the likes of 70s rock, punk, grunge, and dream pop, and delivering a bold pop-rock presence, ARO continues to ensure she never stops testing the limits of what she can musically do to combine all of her influences.

In her latest single, “Crazy”, ARO delves into the electric realm of pop-rock, serving up a heart-racing anthem for anyone who’s feeling penned in by their surroundings. Produced by Dave Trumfio and mixed by Kenny Carkeet from AWOLNATION, the track builds to a fever pitch, complete with a rafter-rattling bassline and a guitar solo that’s nothing short of face-melting. Lyrically, ARO gives the middle finger to the tired, gendered notion of women coming of age, tipping her wig to the titular lineage of Blondie’s iconic 1976 hit, ‘Rip Her To Shreds’. ARO shares, “This genre pivot for me is really going hand-in-hand with my own personal growth. I’m really starting to find my confidence as an artist and with that I’m reaching for bigger sounds, more powerful vocals” On the inspiration for her alter-ego embodied in ‘Crazy’ she explains, “I grew up in a small, homogenous environment, making it challenging to find myself. “Crazy” serves as a gripping introduction to the pop-rock/alternative figure ARO will become, leading into the release of her ‘Messy’ EP due out early 2024.

THE INTERVIEW

What was your inspiration behind this record?

I wrote Crazy this past summer after I had just released my first single “Let Me Go”. As a very new artist it’s been a weird feeling putting my own stuff out there and being perceived. I’m from a pretty small town where most people do life by the book. I never had examples of people freely expressing themselves, so that’s something I’m still learning how to do openly. This song is a culmination of all my insecurities about the places and people that I’ve left behind, people who knew a very different version of me. I was imagining the gossip of them seeing me doing this new thing, trying something different. And that’s not to say that they even are thinking or saying these things, that’s probably self-centered of me to think. This song was just a fun way for me to work out some of those insecurities and alchemize them into art. It was a really fun piece to work on.

Were there any personal experiences or stories that influenced the creation of the music video, and if so, how did they shape the final product?

The music video was meant to be cheeky. I’m bouncing back and forth between two characters, myself and this like 1960’s era housewife who’s just bored and wanting to gossip. In the video both of them feel like me and neither of them feel like me at the same time. I’ve been the person judging other people for doing whatever they were doing that was different to me, but I’m not that person anymore. And the “me” I’m appearing as in the music video still feels a little bit foreign. I watch her back and she looks very comfortable in her skin which is refreshing to see, but it’s still a little bit surprising to me. The music video is like this spectrum of who I’ve been and who I’m becoming.

What was the most rewarding aspect of making the music video, and what message do you hope viewers take away from it?

This is the biggest song I’ve produced so far in terms of energy and sound. It was just super fun to bring that to life visually and I hope that fun translates to listeners. I just want this song to be one that people hype themselves up with when they go visit family that they don’t get along with or something.

Can you share any interesting anecdotes about the song's development with your co-writers or producers?

There are two versions of this song actually. I produced this song initially with a different producer and it turned out nice but not quite as big of a sound as I was wanting. I ended up taking that demo to Kenny Carkeet, of AWOLNATION, and had him take it in a different direction. I like both versions a lot for different reasons and still plan to release the demo on my upcoming EP.

When it comes to the songwriting on this record, what is the message you want to get across to your listeners?

I think this song will resonate with people who have outgrown their surroundings and done the hard work of choosing themselves over and over again even when that means judgment. I hope listeners are belting this one in the car or in their showers and just having fun with it.

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