Wallice
We went to high school with Wallice.t had been over four years since graduation and to our delight, she was just as friendly and kind as ever. Wallice is less than 8 months into releasing her first song and is well on her way to finding her sound. We could feel the energy of her talents mounting as we paddled around Echo Park Reservoir. Through it all Wallice was humble and happy that she can spend her days making music with her friends—the moments of laughing on the reservoir will be ours to keep, but inside these pages are the light that shines through.
What do you create?
I would say music and ceramics.
When did the music start?
I put some really bad quality GarageBand recordings on SoundCloud when I was 15, they're still out there. My friend from middle school, David, messaged me after hearing one of my terrible demos saying "I want to try producing, would you want to work together?" I was like, “Okay?” He helped me make a song, it was my first professional sounding song, even though he didn't really know what he was doing either. That was when I was 17, and I've worked with David since. The two songs I have out now I made with him.
How do you usually work on songs?
I get really attached to what I originally write for a song. It's hard for me to change things up or move lyrics. I've tried to move certain things - from other songs that I didn't like - to make new songs. But it just doesn't work, there's something about when it comes out organically. "Punching Bag" and "23" we both wrote. I wrote them with David in two days total and most of it was on the first day. I think that for some reason when songs are written quickly, but not in a rushed way, it feels very genuine and people can relate to them a lot.
When it's not overworked.
When we overthink it, it's not as genuine.
I feel that you're not rushing anything. It seems you're being really poignant about releasing things that mean something to you.
That's another thing that people have really kind of liked because each song is so carefully thought out. If you're signed from a young age it's less intentional. I made music before these last two songs, but it wasn't really representative of what I wanted. This new direction is more indie rock, which I've always liked to listen to more.
Growing up what were some of the bands that you really liked?
My first favorite bands were Weezer and Radiohead.
Fuck yeah.
Well, now Weezer's like incellcore on Tiktok, but I stand by Weezer.
Have you heard the Weezer x Teach Me How to Dougie remix? It’s incredible.
I have to listen!
I would say music and ceramics.
When did the music start?
I put some really bad quality GarageBand recordings on SoundCloud when I was 15, they're still out there. My friend from middle school, David, messaged me after hearing one of my terrible demos saying "I want to try producing, would you want to work together?" I was like, “Okay?” He helped me make a song, it was my first professional sounding song, even though he didn't really know what he was doing either. That was when I was 17, and I've worked with David since. The two songs I have out now I made with him.
How do you usually work on songs?
I get really attached to what I originally write for a song. It's hard for me to change things up or move lyrics. I've tried to move certain things - from other songs that I didn't like - to make new songs. But it just doesn't work, there's something about when it comes out organically. "Punching Bag" and "23" we both wrote. I wrote them with David in two days total and most of it was on the first day. I think that for some reason when songs are written quickly, but not in a rushed way, it feels very genuine and people can relate to them a lot.
When it's not overworked.
When we overthink it, it's not as genuine.
I feel that you're not rushing anything. It seems you're being really poignant about releasing things that mean something to you.
That's another thing that people have really kind of liked because each song is so carefully thought out. If you're signed from a young age it's less intentional. I made music before these last two songs, but it wasn't really representative of what I wanted. This new direction is more indie rock, which I've always liked to listen to more.
Growing up what were some of the bands that you really liked?
My first favorite bands were Weezer and Radiohead.
Fuck yeah.
Well, now Weezer's like incellcore on Tiktok, but I stand by Weezer.
Have you heard the Weezer x Teach Me How to Dougie remix? It’s incredible.
I have to listen!
More From Issue 03
You went to New School for music?
Yeah, for Jazz and then I left.
How quickly did you realize, “I gotta get the fuck out of here?” Or was it more missing LA and home?
I did miss home and LA, but the bigger issue was that I was put in beginner classes. I know how to read music all the other people there didn't. I thought, How could you be in a music school without that skill? They just wanted to do pop and this isn't a pop school. I wasn't their biggest fan. There were also mean girls there that never left high school.
Is there an album on the way?
I went to Utah at the beginning of the month, and we finished an EP, that'll come out in May, which will have three new songs.
What was that experience like?
The first two days David and I were trying to write things but I was pressuring myself too much. Really pushing that we needed to get the good stuff out. Then David and I were working on something and both agreed that it didn’t seem right. We decided to just go play catch at the Mormon church and revisit it later. We came back and ended up writing the two other songs in the following three or four days. I'm really happy with those.
How do you compare the themes for "Punching Bag," "23," and "Hey Michael?" Do you feel there's a thread through them all? Or do you feel that they're each touching on different aspects of yourself?
They're all different aspects of me. It's funny, because "Hey Michael" is about really bad guys and boyfriends, even though I've had one really amazing boyfriend for 6 years. I guess it's almost like an alter ego sometimes - if I haven't directly experienced that - or something comparable. What I really liked for "Punching Bag" and "23" is that people describe them as really witty or sarcastic, which is fun. When I sent "Hey Michael" off to get mastered, the guy who masters my stuff said the first time he listened to it he was just laughing at the lyrics. It's funny because usually, you don't want people to laugh at your lyrics, but something about it makes people smile.
Yeah, for Jazz and then I left.
How quickly did you realize, “I gotta get the fuck out of here?” Or was it more missing LA and home?
I did miss home and LA, but the bigger issue was that I was put in beginner classes. I know how to read music all the other people there didn't. I thought, How could you be in a music school without that skill? They just wanted to do pop and this isn't a pop school. I wasn't their biggest fan. There were also mean girls there that never left high school.
Is there an album on the way?
I went to Utah at the beginning of the month, and we finished an EP, that'll come out in May, which will have three new songs.
What was that experience like?
The first two days David and I were trying to write things but I was pressuring myself too much. Really pushing that we needed to get the good stuff out. Then David and I were working on something and both agreed that it didn’t seem right. We decided to just go play catch at the Mormon church and revisit it later. We came back and ended up writing the two other songs in the following three or four days. I'm really happy with those.
How do you compare the themes for "Punching Bag," "23," and "Hey Michael?" Do you feel there's a thread through them all? Or do you feel that they're each touching on different aspects of yourself?
They're all different aspects of me. It's funny, because "Hey Michael" is about really bad guys and boyfriends, even though I've had one really amazing boyfriend for 6 years. I guess it's almost like an alter ego sometimes - if I haven't directly experienced that - or something comparable. What I really liked for "Punching Bag" and "23" is that people describe them as really witty or sarcastic, which is fun. When I sent "Hey Michael" off to get mastered, the guy who masters my stuff said the first time he listened to it he was just laughing at the lyrics. It's funny because usually, you don't want people to laugh at your lyrics, but something about it makes people smile.
