To celebrate the drop of her second EP, we had a quick chat with Love You Later, talking all things transparency and transformation.
When it comes to writing about relationships, Love You Later (Lexi Aviles) is wise beyond her years. Her heady pop style encompasses dreamy vocals and catchy synth beats. The five-song EP documents the trials and tribulations of relationships, from the best parts to the worst, and this personality is felt through all of the tracks. She manages to create a sound that is both light-hearted and passionate in the same beat, an undertaking that feels hugely accomplished for a 21-year-old.
I was intrigued by her writing process and whether it was a liberating practice for her when it comes to talking about relationships. “The writing process is mostly always cathartic for me, especially whenever I’m talking about something personal. More specifically, ‘Heaven Is Without You’ is one of the only projects I’ve released where every song, in its own way, was incredibly cathartic to write. The songwriting pushed me to the point of acceptance of the relationship ending and helped me mentally and emotionally process the breakup.”
Speaking of the writing method, she has recently started collaborating alongside other artists and producers, a practice that wasn’t smooth sailing at first. “At first, the transition was pretty uncomfortable for me, but I’ve felt noticeable growth because I’m constantly being pushed and challenged by my collaborators. I’ve become a stronger and more confident artist/songwriter because of them. For most of my co-writes, we usually write with a track looping, and suddenly, the atmosphere is transformed into a creative playground.” This has come with its positives though, as the studio of producer Justin Amundrud has now become one of her favourite places to write. “A gorgeous naturally lit open room” that allows complete creative freedom, and for when the emotions are running high, “there’s a black punching bag hanging from the ceiling in case you need to get your feelings out during a session.” (Blindfolded on the EP was written with Justin.)
My personal favourite “Said You’d Be There” is a catchy track that, for me, is reminiscent of pop princess Charlotte Lawrence. It follows the rollercoaster of feelings that you have when someone lets you down. It captures an emotion that is relatable to many of us, and I asked Lexie whether this was a hard feeling to recreate. “Transparency and honesty is the root of all art, and for that reason, I’ve always been open with my feelings and experiences.”
The honesty is what comes across so naturally, and it takes time to allow these feelings to surface, “In most cases, I take a few weeks or months to process before even being able to write, at least the songs that are about something traumatic or painful. But there are also some cases where the song is more light-hearted or emotes a passionate, positive emotion, and I prefer to write those at the moment to really capture the feeling.” Similarly, she says that some songs take half an hour to pen, ‘Emily’ for example, but some can take months. She says its best for her to “never try to rush the process, but if it comes quickly, I let it.”
Allow Love You Later to transport you through the highs and lows of love, heartbreak and heartache in this great EP.
