Penny Bored - Sound In The Signals Interview

I recently had the opportunity to interview Penny Bored ahead of the release of new song, “Gemini”. We discussed the song’s writing and recording process, how fans could be included in the release by creating an avatar, lyrical inspiration, and more. Check it out below.

First, thanks for the interview.

Thank YOU!!

You just released your new song, “Gemini”. Can you tell me about the writing and recording process for the song?

Gemini was a concept for a song created a year ago. After some debate, the song was tossed aside. A few months later, my producer Sterling and I decided to revisit it. We worked on the song for months because instead of rushing, I wanted to be able to make this song exactly what I wanted it to be. Writing and recording kind of happened at that same time because we kept coming up with new ideas and changing things around. It was super fun to watch the song evolve into what it is today!

You also created a neat avatar creator to announce the song. How did you come up with the idea for it?

I knew I wanted to create a game or something interactive with my audience when I announced the release date. I love communicating with my audience and I figured this game was the best way to have them be included on the release. I also knew I wanted the characters to be included in the release again aside from just the single art and that was their time to shine!

Has it been fun seeing all the avatars people have created?

It’s been one of my favorite parts of the release so far! The drawings in the game/single art were meant to be seen as personality traits. Lately, the song has helped me navigate my struggles with gender identity so I wanted the characters to be able to express personalities instead of appearance. The avatars have been able to help people express themselves in a new creative way and I love that!

What was your musical and lyrical inspiration for “Gemini”?

The lyrical inspiration struck when I was officially diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Having new information to accept was a lot to process and writing a song was the easiest way for me to explain how I was feeling. Musically I’ve been very inspired by bands/artists like Valley, Grayscale, Chloe Moriondo, and Pale Waves! I knew I wanted some early 2000s vibes and to create a unique blend of elements that fits into the alt pop genre.

You shared some video teasers for the song. Is that teaser footage for a music video?

Yes! The music video was created by Avery Whaite and it was such a blast to film! It was so cool to see our crazy ideas come to life.