You probably know her from "Yard Sale." Or "Fuck You Betta." Or possibly from guesting on Gym Class Heroes' "Ass Back Home." Well, Neon Hitch will be releasing her debut album, Eleutheromaniac, soon and you can help by contributing to her Indiegogo project and help her create a fan label. We recently spoke with Neon about the album, the fan label, her Yard Sale Tour, and what she wants for Christmas.How are you doing today?
Doing wonderful. I'm surprised if you can hear me over the crickets. They're singing very loud right now. Or frogs, whatever they are.
It's taken four years, but your debut album is going to be released soon. Would you like to talk about all the dealings you've had with the music industry over the years that's led you to this place?
All of the details would take too long for this phone call, but I will tell you this: I have learned so much along my journey and I am so much wiser. But I'm also kind of back to where I'd begun belief-wise and I feel good about it. I feel like I've been to college and I now have a degree and I'm ready to go out into the world on my own. So that's why I've teamed up with Indiegogo because the only thing that I really need is the financing because I'm ready to do this, just me and my fans.
You're funding the album, like you said, through Indiegogo and you're also starting a fan label. What exactly is a fan label?
A fan label is something I'm doing right now. In Puerto Rico, I'm working with a fan and she's actually on The Voice in Puerto Rico. I decided to do a song with her.
It's basically giving fans power. They give the artists power, I believe they deserve power equally. Fans are taking the place of the executives that were in my life. They're far more excited and passionate about me as an individual and they understand me so much more. I feel that it's the answer. It works for me.
Can you see having other artists on this label or possibly fans as well?
Yeah, I believe this is a new business model and I see it's working for many other artists. The thing that got me dumbfounded is there's all these amazing artists, they're getting dropped every day or they're not being allowed to release music. You hear all these problems and it makes the artists doubt themselves and I think that is so fucked up. That should not be the case.
So imagine if the fans are your label. You have a label for life. You're never in fear of your label. You never have to make music that a label is telling you to make. You can just be yourself and you'll be supported.
Do you have a release date for Eleu... How do you say it?
Nobody can say the word!
Eleutheromaniac? Is that close?
Eleutheromaniac. Yes! You did good.
Do you have a release date for it yet?
I have a release date in my head but the bottom line is it's all down to funding. The more we can raise on Indiegogo, the sooner I can put the album out, and the more I can do.
Cool. Between the album's name and songs like "Warner Blvd" and "Yard Sale," it seems like you're leaving your past behind while kind of giving it the finger on your way out the door. Is the rest of the album like this?
I don't want people to think I'm being bitter or spiteful, I'm just a very expressive artist. I think that as an artist, music is your tool. At that time when you guys recently heard the music, I was fucking angry. Those songs, I was a little mad. But there's some really beautiful loving songs on the album. I am a Gemini. I have many different characters and sides and moods.
What's your favorite song on the album?
That is tricky, but one of my favorites is a song called "London" that I did with Jon Bellion. It's just the dopest beat and the vibe is so cool and it tells the story about my place back home, London. It's a really good song.
You recently completed your Yard Sale Tour through the US. How did that go?
The Yard Sale Tour was a huge giant hurdle that I did not know how I was gonna jump. But like most things, I managed to climb up the side and jump over the top. It was amazing. I'm much stronger for doing it. No seriously, it was really enlightening to meet the fans personally. It's different than having it on the radio. You're getting to experience an immediate response to your music. You're singing into the fans' eyes and I'm hanging out with them afterwards and hearing their stories. It was really a beautiful time for me.
How did you go about setting up a yard sale at every stop on the tour?
Well, here's the thing: doesn't everybody have some crap that they want to get rid of?
Yeah.
Yeah. So there we go. One man's trash is another man's treasure.
Do you have any notable road stories from the tour you'd like to share?
Many words of wisdom. Just hang out with me for the night and you'll fill a book. I have a lot of silly things that I say, too.
I would hang out with the fans afterwards on the WERNEON bus and we'd just get into deep conversations about life and dreams. It was pretty cool.
Since we're entering the holiday season, I've got to ask you -- what would be the best gift you could find under your Christmas tree this year?
A flying carpet would be epic for no reason apart from it would just be magical. Also, I would like producer agreements signed from every producer on my album that says, "Hey, you're allowed to use this song so you can put your album out today." That would be dope! If you could tell Santa, I would be much grateful for that. Thank you.
I'll see what I can do.
Thanks.
We've got one final question we ask everybody. You're the opening act of a music festival and you get to pick 5 additional acts, dead or alive, to perform on the bill with you. Who do you choose?
Obviously The Beatles, Madonna, Carmen Miranda, Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros, and... let me think about this last one, it's very serious. Bob Marley!
What song do you all perform together as the final jam?
We all sing "Like A Virgin" together.
More Neon Hitch: Indiegogo | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | YouTube
