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The Badger Herald

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Hatchie talks musical influences, world travels before High Noon Saloon show

Joined by LA indie rock band Girlpool, the Australia native featured music showcasing her full self
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Photo Courtesy of Paul Hudson

High Noon Saloon filled up quickly on a Wednesday night for an evening full of emotional release. Bands Hatchie and Girlpool both delivered captivating performances at their mid-week show.

Harriette Pilbeam, best known by her stage name Hatchie, brought her glow and dreamy vocals to High Noon Saloon. With honest themes surrounding heartbreak and desire, she was comfortable on stage and let her personality shine. Pilbeam grew up in Brisbane, Australia, which had the small-town feel with a very relaxed, low-pressure vibe, she said.

This was important in the early stages of her career as it allowed her to meet the people she continues to work with now. Hatchie is enjoying her tour in the U.S. so far, getting an up-close and personal look at the country after completing two days of driving for a total of 30 hours.

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Oddly enough, she loves it and enjoys the change of pace from her homeland. She explained that, back home, there are four major cities, each 12 hours apart, and the drives are straight and flat, which don’t provide much scenery. The different landscapes and views she’s seen here maintain her excitement. Her most memorable moment of driving was from Vancouver to Montana, a scene she described as a “winter wonderland.”

“Even if it gets exhausting and drives you a little crazy being in the van for that long, I do love the driving,” Hatchie said.

While Hatchie’s show was emblematic of the dream-pop and shoegaze genres, her personal music taste changes often.

Every six months or so, she goes through phases with what she keeps in rotation.

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“I wouldn’t say that I listen to one type of music all the time,” Hatchie said. “It changes a lot but I’ve always loved pop music.”

Hatchie also mentioned that sometimes there will be an album she listens to for two weeks straight but then may never listen to again.

Overall, she is a forever-fan of pop music, especially songs with catchy melodies and memorable hooks.

Hatchie’s new album Keepsake is set to release June 21. When she was writing the album, she referred to a lot of 80s and 90s tunes. Her latest single “Stay With Me,” which came out earlier this year, holds the pulse of a track from this era, along with a rousing climax that really took shape on stage.

Hatchie said it is important for artists to have an open relationship with music and that they should try out multiple genres and styles.

In the future she hopes to pursue and strengthen her career in songwriting. Hatchie greatly admires Charli XCX and all the areas of the industry she is involved with, including writing.

“I’m obsessed with Charli XCX,” Hatchie said. “She’s just leveled up almost everything she’s done … I admire her and everything she does.”

Hatchie hopes to follow in her footsteps with her writing and full-circle career as an artist. But for now she is living in the moment on this current tour and anticipating her album release.

She is most eager to release something very different from her EP. She experimented with many genres on this new project, including some darker tracks like “Unwanted Guest” — her personal favorite.

“I do think there’s something for everyone on my new album,” Hatchie said.

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Hatchie’s live show encompassed all this passion and emotion into a musical experience.

Hatchie’s EP “Sugar & Spice” is a pure daydream filled with euphoria and lust. “Without A Blush” highlighted her dreamy vocals and dizzying rhythms. A fan favorite, “Sure,” her first single, featured a catchy pop hook and whirling guitars.

Next up came an indie rock band all the way from Los Angeles.

Girlpool, comprised of Cleo Tucker and Harmony Tividad, closed out the night with their punchy riffs and surreal sounds.

The duo showcased their latest release What Chaos Is Imaginary, and have undergone major growth as a band in this new era. The group brought a balanced mix of slow and upbeat tracks to please the supportive crowd. Tucker’s vocals blended beautifully with their noisy guitar lines. In “Chinatown,” the two harmonized and created an effortless sound, which is resonant of their studio recordings.

“It Gets More Blue” was the most captivating, featuring surreal melodies and huge guitars. The group bonded with the audience over popular television shows and mentioned that this is their first real show in Madison aside from their WUD show on campus in 2015.

Their entire set was packed with many visual effects that complemented the group’s energy and kept their set fresh and exciting. A riveting encore was filled with angst that built up to a freeing chorus sung with the crowd.

The show was a pleasant night full of calming melodies and breathtaking stage presence. It was a truly enchanting evening with the two underground indie-pop stars.

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