Coming off being named one of Spotify's new Fresh Finds, Melbourne-based artist Lara Buchanan has released her new EP, Skeleton of a Butterfly. Of the six tracks, Lara says, "The wings of a butterfly deteriorate the more they are touched. This EP is about all the ways we can be touched, and the everlasting marks they can have on us, all the way down to the bone - the skeleton. The physical aches, the emotional wounds, the things that make us what we are.” We spoke to the singer-songwriter about writing the new project and what's next:

Tell us about the starting point for this new EP? What did you want to express? Did you have a clear intention?

This EP for me was a lot of experimentation at the start. I had just started working with my friend, bandmate and producer Mitchell Watson making music, and I had never clicked with someone creatively more than I had with him. We started spending a lot of time in the studio together with our other friend, and drummer, Matthew Morgan. My intention was to always create art that felt true to me and to not cage myself in any way. We made pure pop songs, and more alternative music and I found there were so many thematic crossovers despite the varying soundscapes. I had written a song called ‘Skeleton of a Butterfly’ when I was 16 about all the ways we can be touched, after learning when you touch a butterfly's wings they can be weighed down or no longer fly. This concept felt so fitting to all the music we had been making and I felt it summed up everything I was wanting to express.

How do you think that you have evolved as a songwriter since your last project?

I think that I have always been a very honest songwriter, but there was a time I was afraid of baring too much of myself to the world and so kept my details somewhat minimal. I have just grown more honest and specific. I am no longer afraid of what people may read into my words, I just want to speak my mind as openly and as raw as I can. This project feels so much more me and so much more intricately detailed in the lyrics.

Who did you work with to craft these songs? How did they help shape your sound?

My main collaborators for this project were Mitchell Watson and Matthew Morgan. I think the most beautiful part about working with these two is that our relationship pivoted so fast from being professional and just became a beautiful friendship to the point we moved in together! I think working with people who understand you is so important, and like I said before - I had never met someone who understood me so much creatively. These 2 had a big role in shaping my sound because they were willing to experiment and mess around, but they also just know me so well now that half the time I never have to say anything about what they are doing. They also always push me to be better and to try new things. I’m so lucky to have them.

Is there a song you are particularly proud of, lyrically?

I think The Crypt is one of my most favourite songs lyrically. No pun intended but it is quite cryptic - however, once you figure out what the metaphors are saying as the song goes on I feel like it becomes much clearer. This song was so specific in what it was talking about but I feel like there's a lot of universal feelings throughout it. No one wants to be diminished to just their physical form, humanity is beautiful because of the things that happen in our souls. I could probably write an essay on what every lyric in this song means but I want people to find their own meaning in it. Everyone has a crypt of sorts.

Which artists are north stars for you in terms of songwriting?

I have always admired artists who can capture really truly specific feelings. This is something I am always trying to capture. It’s not necessarily about specificity - but the way a melody, a line, or a phrase can make you deeply feel something. Some artists I feel like do this really well are Lorde, Ethel Cain, Phoebe Bridgers, Lizzy McAlpine, and Audrey Hobert. I am such a big fan of all of these incredible writers and will continue to be inspired by them.

And what about sonically, too?

Sonically I am so entranced by artists who experiment and include unexpected sounds or use them in new ways. I also love the combination of soft sounds with harder ones - things that seem like they shouldn’t fit together. To name a few artists, I would say I’m very inspired by Fontaines DC., Lorde, Phantogram, Erin LeCount, The 1975, Charli xcx, and Magdalena Bay.

In terms of your visuals, where do you draw inspiration? How did you dream up the world of Skeleton of a Butterfly?

I draw a lot of inspiration from things I see in my real life, and also come up with a lot with my best friend Alicia Adorna. I feel like the title of this EP is already quite visual and so are a lot of the lyrics. There were so many references to bones and the human body and I think the human body is a work of art. It’s really beautiful and I love to play with that in my visuals. I am also a filmmaker so I feel like I generally think quite visually. A lot of the time the images come into my head as I’m writing the song.

How do you hope people feel listening to this EP? What do you hope they take from it?

I really just hope people feel something. Whether they love it or they hate it, there is nothing worse to me than indifference. We made bold choices in the production, and the lyrics are far from generic. I hope people resonate with it, but at the same time I wouldn’t wish a lot of these experiences on people. So, I hope that the people who do connect with the stories find comfort in it, that they can feel seen and understood.

Which other rising Australian artists are you excited about right now?

There are so so many incredible artists coming up at the moment who I cannot wait for them to take over the world. Some that I am obsessed with at the moment are Aleksiah, Joely, Peach Fuzz, REDD, Cat & Calmell, Daine, Avery Pickup, Lily B, and Erica Avenue.

What’s next?

There is a lot to come! I never want to stop doing this and I never will so really everything is next. I will let you know that there is always new music in the works, and I love performing live. So you can expect some more new sonic ideas, and deeper personal lyrics. I can’t wait for everything that’s next.

Listen to Lara Buchanan HERE.

@notlarabuchanan