Electrosynth-pop princess Primo the Alien has returned with a soaring homage to the power of love and how we need more of it.
By Austin Woman, Photos courtesy of Spaceflight Records
Austin’s favorite electrosynth-pop princess Primo the Alien returns with her latest single, “More Love.” It’s a powerful midtempo ballad that speaks to both the impulsiveness of youth and the human desire for affection. More than just a powerful piece of pop music, “More Love” is an explosion of sonic ecstasy, the likes of which only Primo can deliver. The composition begins on a simple whisper, then reaches for jubilation at the chorus. As the song reaches its zenith, it’s easy enough to visualize the overwhelming sensation of giving and receiving love. The brilliant stars and colors of intimacy.
Ahead of the release of her new EP entitled We All Hate Ourselves Sometimes, “More Love” intends to whet the appetite for Primo’s latest permutation. With co-producer Taylor Webb, Primo explores a sound rooted in stripped-down honesty. Grounded in the desire to get back to the truest form of herself.
Primo has blessed Austin Woman with a preview of the single before its official release on Friday, May 19. She also answered a few questions about the song’s message and her journey to herself.
Talk to us about the inspiration and message behind “More Love.”
I wrote “More Love” after going out with a couple of my friends last year. I woke up the next morning hungover, and for some reason, I hauled myself out of bed, headache and all, and sat down with my guitar. Like “We All Hate Ourselves,” “More Love” came out quickly. Sometimes, when I write, I get in this zen flow state. My mouth starts making sounds and melodies, and then all of a sudden there is this song in front of me, and I have no idea how it got there. I’m not religious, but I think it’s the closest to the divine I ever feel. Very out of body and spiritual.
“More Love” was spiritual like that. I had just had one of those nights where you’re in the moment and nothing else matters, dancing at the gay bar, being yourself with reckless abandon, ignoring the consequences and wanting more. “More Love” is about the beauty, excitement and humanity of all love. I don’t like to talk about my personal life and keep it very separate from “Primo.” Definitely speak on my opinions and show my genuine personality. But I don’t get into my background, family, friends, relationships and all that. I think if you read between the lines of my music, you can learn a lot about me. Otherwise, I don’t feel compelled to exploit my own experiences, traumas, orientation or identity. I think my music can speak for me, and that’s what “More Love” does.
“More Love” is about the beauty, excitement and humanity of all love.
Again, a really personal song that I wanted to protect at all costs and, again, another technical difficulty that required I re-track all the main vocals. I was visiting my mom, dealing with some intense personal stuff when we figured out there was an issue with the vocal files, but I happened to bring my microphone on the trip; I set up in my childhood bedroom and sang. I had no idea at the time, but I was channeling all of the shit I was going through into this performance. Wanting to escape and go back to that night with my friends.
“More Love” has this beautiful, hopeful quality. But if you really listen to the vocal performance, you can hear a darker undercurrent, an acknowledgement that things won’t always feel carefree, that heartbreak is an inevitability but a price we willingly pay when we love deeply. I am so proud of the production. Measured restraint in the verses and an uplifting explosion of sound in the chorus. This is the very first Primo the Alien song on which I actually tracked and used the acoustic guitar in the final version. I think it was during the production process of this one that Taylor [Webb] and I both realized the shift in the sonic landscape of the Primo the Alien universe. Luckily we both leaned into it.
What was your main inspiration for the video?
The music video was an homage to the night that inspired the song =)
What can fans (and newcomers) look forward to for the We All Hate Ourselves EP?
This collection of songs is a journey of self-acceptance, recognizing negative emotions, understanding our complexity yet knowing the clouds will part. It’s about looking for peace in restlessness and self-love in self-loathing. I may be an alien, but this album is about our confusing, beautiful, desperate, brilliant humanity. That good doesn’t exist without bad, that life is both pain and brilliant, blinding joy. I think that’s what all music is about.
We All Hate Ourselves Sometimes is set for release on Sept. 8. “More Love” will be available on all streaming platforms on Friday, May 19. The follow-up singles “Move” and “Sad Part of a Happy Movie” are set to drop later this summer. Title track “We All Hate Ourselves Sometimes” will be the final single released from the EP.