Interview: Hit Like a Girl talks ‘What Makes Love Last’ and No More Dysphoria
Posted: by The Editor
Photo by Jess lavery
Hit Like A Girl’s debut LP, You Make Sense, was released barely over a year ago. Since then, the band’s signed to the up-and-coming Chatterbot Records and put out their sophomore record, What Makes Love Last. We caught up with bandleader Nicolle Maroulis to talk a little bit about the writing of the album and what fans can expect from the group next.
The Alternative: How did you end up working with Chatterbot Records?
Nicholle: Honestly, after months of cold-call emailing to a bunch of different labels shopping the new record around, I was feeling defeated after not hearing a response from anyone. So one day I randomly posted a half-joking post on Instagram saying, “What labels want to put out this new record?!” And my friends in Michael Cera Palin suggested I reach out to their label Chatterbot, so I messaged them and they got back to me that same night saying, “Yes.”
How was writing What Makes Love Last different from writing You Make Sense?
You Make Sense was a process of several years because I never felt the courage or confidence to write songs, let alone to put them out into the public. What Makes Love Last was written with a lot more confidence and took much less time because at that point in my life I felt more ready than ever to write and put myself out there.
Why did you choose to open What Makes Love Last with the voicemail intro track?
My friend Rick Pruden, who helped me write the record, and I were talking about how we wanted to add a different element to the record this time around. I remember him showing me that voicemail he had saved from a while before that, and I randomly yelled, “Can we use that?!” So he called his friend who’s voice is the voicemail and asked her for her permission to use it and she said it was cool, so we went for it!
Do you have a song on the new record you’re proudest of?
I think my personal favorites are the single “Cold To Be Alone,” “Falling Off The Edge,” and the closing track “Plan B.” “Cold To Be Alone” is just a straight up bop, “Falling Off The Edge” was written challengingly and is a much different style than what I’m typically used to writing in, and “Plan B” (CW/TW) was really special as it is a very personal song and at first I didn’t want to put it on the record. I then came to the realization that maybe some people do need to hear it and hopefully can feel a little less alone in this scary world? It also features violin by Camille Faulkner who is a sweetheart, and is more commonly known for playing alongside bands such as The Orchadist, Timbre, and Julien Baker.
What’s next for Hit Like a Girl?
We have a few tours coming up! I recently joined the band Kississippi, so when I’m not touring with them, I’m touring on HLAG. We have a weekender lined up in November with Coping Skills, and are currently booking two weeks in January with Jupiter Styles, and beginning to map out a full US tour in the Spring for SXSW.
You also run a nonprofit, No More Dysphoria. How did that start and what does NMD do?
No More Dysphoria was started long before HLAG about 3-4 years ago now. It is a non profit organization I run and our primary goal is to help transgender and gender non conforming individuals pay for major aspects of their transitions. That includes, but not limited too, gender therapy, hormone replacement therapy, gender reassignment surgery, etc. We run a clothes drive and donate gently used clothing to individuals who either A) can’t afford it or B) feel unsafe shopping in a retail store in a department that matches their identity. We’ve gotten quite a few binders for FTM individuals as well, and have donated to a few Trans friendly organizations and non-profits. For more information on that, anyone can visit www.nomoredysphoria.com or email me at nomoredysphoria@gmail.com
Is there anything else you want to say that I haven’t asked you about?
Be on the lookout in early 2019 for a split release from Hit Like a Girl and Warrington 😉
Follow Hit Like A Girl on social media:
Facebook // Twitter // Bandcamp
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Zac Djamoos | @greatwhitebison
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