Interview with Bonzie

 18 year-old singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Bonzie is being called a “wunderkind” and a “game changer.” Learn more about Bonzie in our interview and stream her song “Data Blockers” below!

GS: Tell us about some of your very first shows as a 12 year old. Were you nervous getting on stage at such a young age?

Bonzie: I have really fond memories of my first shows.  Early on, I was making music under my own name, but I would find settings where I could go unrecognized and unknown.  I would identify my original songs as covers.  It made me feel more like an onlooker, so I could connect to the songs in a certain way, and also connect to the audience in a certain way… we were equals enjoying the same thing at the same time in almost the same way.  Some of those shows were close to perfect.  I try to recreate that dynamic on stage now.

Your album Rift Into The Secret Of Things has been called ‘beautiful,’ ‘mature,’ and ‘surprising.’ How long did the album take you from start to finish and what was your goal for the album?

I spent a year working on Rift Into The Secret Of Things.  I recorded most of it in Los Angeles, and then took it back to Chicago to finish on my own.  The mixing was important, as was the mastering, so I worked closely on those two aspects of the album until it was right.  The songs needed to be served in the right way.  That was the goal.  

I absolutely love “Data Blockers.” What inspired that song?

Inspiration is nearly impossible to define or describe, but it’s like the single point in where you start to walk… and when you’re blocks away from that point, it’s almost irrelevant.  I remember where I was, but where I am is most important with it.  What’s important is what’s visible and present, right?  

Do you have a song from the album that stands out as particularly special for you?

Daniel and the Great Solstice was interesting to record.  Lot’s of taking tape recorders into different places.  I can tell you that there are far more crickets in Wisconsin than in Chicago.  I’d be a traitor to pick favorites, though.

What has been the most memorable experience on stage for you so far?

This September I opened for Iron and Wine in Los Angeles at the First Unitarian Church.  The show was sold out, so it was rows of pews, packed, silent.  There were a few moments of that mutual near-perfection I mentioned.  

I read that you once performed with a full band at a Whole Foods. First of all, where can I find badass Whole Foods that have live music? Second, what were the shoppers’ reactions?

Yes, Whole Foods in Lincoln Park in Chicago.  It’s the largest in the world.  The first reaction from shoppers was confusion, followed by enthusiasm.  I think grocery shopping is a means of relaxation or escape for some people.  I was happy to enhance that experience.  

Which has the biggest impact on your music: other music, literature, or everyday life?

Everything that has an impact on me inevitably has an impact on my music, fortunately or unfortunately.  Environment and situations.  Literature has always been influential to me because it’s simulated environment and situations.  If not that, it’s a trip through someone else’s mind.  That’s music, really.

If you had to single out one musician who has been the biggest inspiration for you, who would you choose?

There have been a few pivotal times in my life where I’ve become familiar with an artist’s work, and it completely changes my thinking and understanding of music.  Jim O’Rourke is  a good example of one of those people.  His albums made me forget everything I thought I knew, while at the same time re-confirming all of my original instincts.  

As someone crafting thoughtful, intelligent lyrics, what are your thoughts on some of today’s most successful mainstream music with childish and at times idiotic lyrics?

I don’t personally feel that successful mainstream and idiotic go hand in hand, but when they do, it’s unfortunate.  As for childish, the primary colors of emotion exist, and sometimes it’s best to indulge in red or blue.  Me, I think there is so much that needs to be said, sometimes too much.  What’s wrong with childish?

Along the same lines, with artists like that in the limelight, what is your definition of “success” for your music and what are your ultimate goals for your career?

That’s a big question, especially at this point in time in the music industry, and in this culture of constant dissatisfaction.  For me, it’s about making something that is honest.  I don’t know, I think there’s a cutoff point for how many outside people can be involved with the source of a thing, until honesty starts to turn gray.  Honesty is black and white.  We know what it is.  That’s what I want to maintain for the rest of my life.

You’re touring with Ivan & Alyosha this month. How does it feel to be on your first major tour?

It feels great!  We’re heading off on Friday for Indianapolis.  I’m looking forward to really getting to know the rest of the Midwest next week.

What’s coming up for you in 2014? Where is the best place to stay updated with you online?

I’m putting together plans for recording my next album right now.  That’s my main focus.  I’ll be releasing a song I did with Steve Albini and a couple members of Tortoise soon.  Find me on Facebook under Bonzie and say hello.

Top Photo by Xi Sinsong

 Bonzie – “Data Blockers”