Diandra Interviews Mara Connor: Bringing Compassion To Songwriting

Mara Connor’s No Fun is actually REALLY fun. The thoughtful songstress is know for blending seriousness and silliness to bemuse on what makes a person so human. We can love the wrong people with all our hearts, chase a dream until it becomes tired, but laugh at our mishaps and weirdness with our best friends. In our interview, the 70’s inspired singer shows us that the earthiness of her tone, in sound and vocality, comes from how grounded she is as a person and her respect for fellow artists/ human beings going through, what has to be, the worst time of their lives.

Diandra: What makes you gravitate to the 70’s and 60’s era style of music? What do you feel music, back then, stood for compared to what it stands for now?

Mara Connor: I think that era was the pinnacle of songwriting. I was raised on songs like Joni Mitchell’s ‘A Case of You,” Leonard Cohen’s “Suzanne,” John Prine’s “Hello In There,” Kris Kristofferson’s “Me And Bobby McGee” and Willie Nelson’s “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.” Back then, songs were like little short stories, poetic and subversive, packed with imagery and substance. There’s a classic, timeless quality to those songs. I don’t know why that style of writing ever went “out of style” or became more of a niche, throwback thing. I also love the production styles of that time, the Wall of Sound and the Wrecking Crew, Motown, British Invasion.

I have nothing against modern, pop music, I just don’t relate to most of it. It often feels formulaic and fabricated; the product of several disjointed co-writes with multiple writers. The story and emotion gets watered down until there’s nothing left to grab onto. That being said, I love the music Lana Del Rey is making right now. She has such a unique voice and her lyrics are so smart. Her song “The greatest” is incredible; it also feels eerily relevant to these coronavirus times.
Mara Connor – Wildfire (Official Music Video)

Diandra: How would you define what makes a “music family,” and how do you feel fellows artists have or should protect each other through the industry?

Mara Connor: My music family is a tight-knit community of artists and everyone who supports us (venues, promoters, sound engineers, bartenders, recording studios, producers, publicists, booking agents). Like so many, our entire industry is really hurting, obviously even more during this period of quarantine. Of course, the most important thing right now is staying home for the health and safety of everyone throughout the world. But in terms of economic impact, independent musicians were already in financial jeopardy. I think we need to advocate for legal reform to a broken system Streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music need to actually pay us a living wage so musicians can continue to create (and afford to eat and make rent). If you’re reading this and want to help support us, you can sign this petition my friend Laura started asking Spotify to increase streaming revenue for musicians.
www.change.org/p/spotify-get-spotify-to-increase-streaming-revenue-for-musicians-for-covid-19-relief-beyond

Me: YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Diandra: Releasing a record during this pandemic, how do you already see or believe this crisis has altered how people consume and create music?

Mara Connor: I’m hoping the “songwriter” makes a comeback during this period. In times of uncertainty and crisis, people look to music as therapy. I think there will be less escapism and more emotion in the songs being created now: less auto tune and more authenticity. Live shows have also been moved online. I’m playing live stream concerts from my living room. It’s less about the spectacle and more about the content and quality of the songs.

Diandra: You have said you feed your soul through observing nature, beauty, and human connection. With many feeling or, literally, being cut off from such things, how do you define a soul and redefine what feeds it in such crazy times?

Mara Connor: I’d say a “soul” is what Donald Trump seems to lack. It’s deeply unsettling to witness his complete disregard for human life. He actually took the time to tweet about his ratings, bragging that they were beating a popular reality TV show, while thousands of people’s loved ones are leaving hospitals and homes in body bags. It’s devastating how our government mishandled this, failed to act in time, prioritized corporations and greed over individuals who are most at risk, and there will be many more casualties because of it. That cannot be overlooked or understated. But crises like this seem to bring out the worst in some, and the best in others. I’ve seen a lot of strength and kindness in my community. We are being forced to stop and really listen: to live simply and sustainably. Our lives will always be defined by this event, as before the pandemic and after it. I hope our society learns from this and emerges stronger and smarter when this is over.

I’m spending my quarantine days disappearing into books, TV shows, music, yoga and long phone calls with friends. It feels unnatural to be physically cut off from the outside world. I love hiking in nature. And humans are social beings. We crave connection and a sense of belonging. I miss live music and group gatherings. I think developing rituals of self-care, as well as keeping in touch with our community ,are extremely important right now. I’m trying to use this time of self-isolation as a moment of reflection: a quiet respite from the noise of daily life. I also recognize that this is a privilege many are not afforded, which breaks my heart. There are so many vulnerable people…those who are homeless, imprisoned, food insecure…who are filled with anxiety in these uncertain and chaotic times. This is not a vacation; it’s an emergency. I have so much admiration and gratitude for grocery store clerks, postal workers, medical professionals and everyone risking their lives on the frontlines to keep us safe.

Me To That Response: The Intelligence! The Compassion! The Ferocity! The Truth!

Diandra: What inspired you to call your EP No Fun, and what are the things you define as fun and no fun?

Mara Connor: This is a collection of songs that all depict something lost or unattainable. Calling the EP “No Fun” kind of started as a joke but then it stuck. It ended up being a pretty apt title for these trying times…I would currently define “fun” as everything pre-coronavirus and “no fun” as every news headline I wake up to since I started self-isolating three weeks ago.

Diandra: With your songs singing to love, what is one lesson about love you have struggled to learn and one you feel you have always understood? 

Mara Connor: I learned the difference between love and lust the hard way. I think I’ve always understood that, at the end of the day, (as cliché as it may sound) love is the only thing that really matters.

Me:

Diandra: Diandra: In honor of Wildfire, what is the most twisted/humorous thing you experienced in the dating/relationship world?

Mara Connor: My friend and I once, accidentally, dated the same person. A few years ago, I visited Paris and ended up having a brief but very French encounter with an eccentric Frenchman (who lived in LA but happened to be back in Paris while I was in town and offered me a place to stay). This was relatively out-of-character for me: shacking up with a near stranger. Anyway, I came back to LA and was catching up over coffee with my friend. I told her about my trip and mentioned the Frenchman in passing. She began telling me about a guy who wouldn’t leave her alone, showing up places where he thought she might be, leaving her long messages saying he drove by her house every night…while we were sitting together he happened to call her and I saw the name of the caller on her phone. It was my same Frenchman! What are the chances?
Mara Connor – Wildfire (Official Music Video)

Diandra: You have spoken about being questioned as a woman, in talent and value, and relying on your instincts to thrive in the industry. How have you built your intuition and what are the virtues you call instinctual, especially for women?

Mara Connor: I’m pretty sure I haven’t spent enough time in the “industry” to know how to thrive in it, but I’ve definitely been asked my fair share of annoying sexist questions like “did you really write that song all by yourself?” or “who in the band are you sleeping with?” It’s something that surprised me when I started out, having been raised in LA by two groovy, feminist parents who believe women are the superior gender (sorry guys). I think it’s true that women have to work twice as hard and have to jump over more hurdles than their male counterparts. I also know, as a white woman, I’m more privileged than, say, a woman of color. That being said, as a member of any oppressed or marginalized group, we learn to adapt and follow our instincts to find our way in an industry that is still largely run by old white guys. They say that humans are the only animals that ignore their instincts. I think it’s important for everyone to trust that inner voice, but it’s especially important for women (not only in creative or business dealings but also for the sake of survival).

There are things that guys don’t have to think about…like is it safe to walk to my car alone after the show? Should I give this stranger who wants to “work with me” my phone number? When I’m recording in the studio, I try to operate under the philosophy of “the best idea wins.” Sometimes male ego can rub up against this. I think it’s important to let the song speak for itself, and listen to it when it does. That often means standing my ground when I believe in an idea that differs from someone else’s, and choosing to work with the kind of people who make space for those ideas. The more I’ve learned to do that, I’ve found an incredible music community (of supportive women and men).

Diandra: You got your first guitar at 11. What is the first original song you ever wrote and your favorite lyric from it?

Mara Connor: The first song I ever wrote on guitar was in seventh grade with my friend Meredith. It had a line “Time gets you down like a clown after the show / but love gets you high, floats your mind up to the sky.” I feel like that’s kind of a good line for a couple of middle schoolers.
Yellow Eyes

Diandra: Describe the inspiration of each song in a few sentences and add 3 words to describe the vibe/emotion they carry for you.

Mara Connor: “No Fun” was inspired by George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass” and a former bandmate. “Wildfire” was inspired by moving back to Los Angeles and the sounds of the 60s and 70s…we recorded it at what used to be TTG Studios in Hollywood where legends like Neil Young, The Velvet Underground & Nico and Jimi Hendrix recorded. “Soldier Heart” was the first song I wrote for the EP while I was still living in Brooklyn…I was listening to my friend Billy Bennett’s song “Lou Wheez” at the time, and he ended up singing harmonies on the song when we recorded it in Nashville. “Yellow Eyes” is a Rayland Baxter song that I wish I had written.

“No Fun” – 60s beach pop


”Wildfire” – California folk rock
“Soldier Heart” – anthem of resilience


“Yellow Eyes” – Rayland Baxter rules

For More Information On Mara Connor And To Buy No Fun On April 3 Click Here.