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Photos provided by: Violet Love
Violet Love's "Destined to Fail" is an emotionally charged masterpiece, blending vulnerability and strength.
Violet Love is here with a powerful new EP, Destined to Fail, and it’s impossible to ignore the weight it carries. Delving into the rawest corners of the human experience, this project is a journey through vulnerability, trauma, and self-discovery. But don’t expect easy answers or polished perfection. Each track leaves you feeling the impact of every word, every note, as if you’re listening to someone pour their soul onto the page.
We spoke with Violet Love, who, in a rare moment of reflection, shared the deeply personal process behind this EP. With a background shaped by multiple musical genres, punk, indie folk, and now an introspective solo sound, Violet's music comes with layers of complexity that both challenge and comfort. Destined to Fail isn’t just an EP; it’s an invitation to witness the artist confront their hardest truths, ask the difficult questions, and carve out space for healing through honesty. It’s a musical exploration that goes beyond the surface, tackling themes of identity, trauma, and the power of embracing one’s rawest self.
In our conversation, Violet reveals how the physical spaces they’ve lived in, from New Jersey to Michigan, have shaped both the music and the message. The EP, created entirely in a bedroom, brings an intensely personal energy, with every song feeling like an unfiltered glimpse into Violet’s inner world. And just when you think you’ve pieced it all together, there’s more, because Destined to Fail has more to say about reclaiming power through art and the undeniable weight of vulnerability.
This isn’t just an album; it’s a statement. Dive into the depths of Violet Love’s journey as we explore what it really means to be “Destined to Fail” in a world that doesn’t always make room for raw authenticity.
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Here’s how it went:
Begin Interview:
Hello Violet Love, we’re thrilled to have you here for this interview! We've had an amazing time exploring your music and diving into your creative journey. Now, we’re even more intrigued to get a deeper look into both your brand and your personal and professional inspirations.
Q. After listening to “Destined to Fail,” we were struck by how raw and powerful the songs are. Each track hits so hard in its own unique way, and it feels like it’s more than just music; it’s a piece of your heart. Can you share the backstory behind why you created this EP and what it truly means to you?
A. Destined to Fail started out of necessity. I was in need of a release and needed a way to process everything going on in my life. The order in which songs appear on the EP is the order in which they were written, and looking back, every song feels like a different version of me. Serpent is about when someone hurts you so deeply that it fundamentally changes who you are and how you see the world. Apple is meant to capture what it feels like to lose yourself to an unhealthy amount of introspection and existential contemplation. Feeling like you're stuck in the same patterns that keep you sick. And Artist is a version of me that felt like life wasn't worth living and like I wasn't sure how I was gonna make it through. It was meant to kind of wrap everything up and be a cohesive picture of me throughout the course of writing the EP. As a whole, the EP was meant to give me a voice to be able to express how I was feeling. I feel like I achieved that. So yeah, that's what it means to me.
Q. The title "Destined to Fail" immediately grabs attention, as it’s bold and carries such weight. Why did you choose this specific name for the EP? What does it represent for you on a deeply personal level?
A. Destined to Fail is how I felt about the world and about myself at the time of writing the EP. I was so hopeless and depressed, and felt like my world and the world were falling apart. Destined to Fail shows up in the lyrics of Apple and I chose it as the title of the EP because it felt so representative of everything.
Q. There’s a certain vulnerability in your music that feels like a reflection of your inner journey. How does it feel to share those raw, unfiltered parts of yourself with your audience? Has that openness been more liberating or challenging for you?
A. It has felt extremely vulnerable, almost like I’m in a fishbowl. However, at the same time, releasing the EP as a whole has felt incredibly liberating. I feel like I’ve grown and healed a lot since writing the EP, and releasing it feels like a conclusion. It feels like I can finally put that version of myself to bed.
Q. You’ve been candid about the role trauma has played in your life and your music. Was sharing that trauma something you had originally planned to do through music, or did it become a realization as you worked on the EP?
A. Well, it was some of both. I think at the time of writing, I recognized that what I was doing to try and process everything simply wasn't working, so I had to go back to what I do best to cope, which would be writing music. Before releasing everything, I thought about it a lot, whether or not it was something I wanted to share with the world just because of how vulnerable it is. At the end of the day, I figured I had already made it that far, and if I didn't release it now, I probably never would, so… fuck it lol.
Q. In your bio, you mention the importance of being brutally honest with yourself, even when it hurts. If you’re comfortable sharing, what were some of the hardest truths you had to confront in the process of creating this project?
A. I think one of the hardest things was just being honest with myself about the source of my pain. It's hard to admit how deeply our trauma has affected us as people, but what's even harder can be looking at how we perpetuate our own pain unknowingly. But even if it's difficult, it's incredibly freeing if you let it be. This was something I had to face. That even if I was a victim at some point, I’m not anymore, and it's my responsibility to pick myself up off the ground, even if it's hard and even if it's unfair. It is what it is, and nothing's gonna change it now. Only I have the power to decide where I go from here.
Q. Having lived in many different places, it’s clear your environment has shaped your sound and perspective. How has moving from New Jersey to Texas, Arizona, and now Michigan influenced the music you make today?
A. Moving around a lot really ages you. It allows you to experience things and see different corners of the world you would've never had the opportunity to otherwise. It has totally shaped me as a person, and it's been difficult, but rewarding, and I’m very grateful for all those opportunities. In terms of my music, all those places have had drastically different music scenes. Vegas has a really cool punk scene that totally shaped the way I perform music live. In Arizona, I played in an indie folk band called Floods Hill that really helped me grow as a songwriter. So it has really changed me and my music in a lot of ways.
Q. You’ve mentioned that this EP was created entirely in your bedroom. How does that intimate, solo approach affect the way you think about your music? Does it shift how you express yourself creatively, or does it feel like something entirely different?
A. I think that sort of environment really breeds a different kind of creativity that I can't get by paying for a limited amount of time in a studio. It allows me to really experiment, and I think I wouldn't have been able to make this EP the way it is without that.
Q. You’ve been deeply involved in every aspect of this project, from writing and recording to mixing. Looking at the process objectively, what’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about your own artistry through creating this EP?
A. This is a difficult question to answer because I feel like every time I finish a song, I learn something new about myself as a person, as an artist, as a songwriter, lyricist, audio engineer, mix engineer, all of it. When I first started writing this EP, it was something that was so outside of my comfort zone, I wasn't entirely sure if I could write music in this genre. So if anything, maybe that I actually got it done and I'm proud of it lol.
Q. With your background in punk bands, indie folk, and now your solo project, how have these different genres influenced the way you approach making music, particularly with such a deeply personal and introspective record?
A. For me, punk is so fun to play. It's high energy, I get to jump around and really express myself performing live. Indie folk is more intimate, and I get to be really personal, really pour my heart out. This EP has honestly been the best of both worlds in that regard. I get to be intimate and honest and expressive while also having that energy I crave in a good song.
Q. Your EP delves into heavy themes, yet there’s also a sense of empowerment in the way you speak about your music. Do you see music as a way to reclaim power, especially when it’s rooted in personal pain and vulnerability?
A. Absolutely, it's my job as an artist to turn pain into beauty. However, the true artistry comes in realizing that pain itself is beautiful. Music is just emotions that are easier to digest.
Q. Do you feel that music has been an effective outlet for processing trauma? How has creating this EP brought you closer to understanding or healing your own experiences?
A. This EP has given me a voice that, prior to writing it, I had felt I lacked. I finally have a way to say what I was trying to say this entire time. I feel accomplished, proud of myself and my art, and like I can finally put that version of me behind me, while still taking the lessons I learned with me.
Q. As a proud queer, Latin American artist, your identity clearly shines through in your music. How does this aspect of who you are intersect with the themes of failure, trauma, and authenticity in your songs?
A. The journey I went through while writing this EP is all about complete and total honesty, even when it's hard. Learning to be honest with yourself, about yourself, can be really, really difficult. But it has given me the chance to accept myself for who I am. All my strengths and all my weaknesses. All my imperfections. When we accept ourselves and our situations for what they truly are, it gives us the chance to actually take charge of our own lives. Owning who we are can be really scary, but with that comes freedom and growth.
Q. Outside of music, who or what has had the biggest influence on your personal growth or artistic perspective?
A. There are so many people, and so many places and times in my life that have changed me and shaped me into who I am. It would be far too difficult to pick one. I am a deeply spiritual person, and the past few years I’ve spent in Texas before moving to Grand Rapids have shown me that. The spiritual journey I’ve been on has brought me so much growth and acceptance. I guess if I had to pick one, I would say my connection to the Tao and to the world around me, and my experience with wu wei.
Q. What do you hope people take away from listening to your music and reading this interview? What would you most like them to remember about you as an artist?
A. I hope that when people hear this EP, they can feel less alone and feel better understood. Like they no longer need to grasp for the right words to describe how they feel because someone else has done it for them lol. I hope those who relate to the dark place I was in find hope in knowing that I made it out, and if there is something I’d want them to remember about me, it would be just that. That I’ve made it out.
Q. We can’t thank you enough for sharing such intimate details! So, what’s next for you? Can you give us the inside scoop on your upcoming projects and what fans should be excited about? We’d love for the readers to hear the news directly from you!
A. I’m always working on new stuff, so stay tuned. This is just the beginning.
Violet Love, thank you so much, we appreciate you taking the time to talk to us!
End Interview
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English (US) ·