Agnes Aleesy is a remarkable multi-instrumentalist, classically trained in piano and cello. She infuses her compositions with rich textures and lush melodies, enveloping listeners in a world of strings and layered harmonies. Her upbringing in the small town Motueka, New Zealand has left an indelible mark on her creative process, driving her to explore themes of personal growth and liberation from religious trauma.

What sets Agnes apart is her fearless approach to music, playfully traversing the boundaries of genres with a sound that unites elements of baroque-pop, R&B, indie, and alternative. Her curiosity serves as her compass, guiding her down uncharted musical paths. In this interview, I had the chance to examine the musical journey of Agnes Aleesy, discovering her classical roots, the impact of her upbringing, and the vision she holds for her music.

Audi Locus (AL): Can you share your musical background and elaborate on how your classical training in piano and cello has influenced your music today?

Agnes Aleesy (AA): We literally had a family quartet growing up, my brother and sister on violin, me on cello, and my other sister on piano. So when I make music now, having access to strings is a luxury that most people don't have, so why not make the most of it? I love the romanticism of it and Romantic era music was always my favourite when learning classically. I was always terrible at sight reading music, so it's nice to be able to bring those classical instruments into a world where there's no music reading, it's all by ear which is way more my bag!

AL: Your music has been described as genre-bending, incorporating elements of baroque-pop, R&B, indie, and alternative. How do you navigate and blend different genres to create your sound?

AA: I don't think about genres at all, I just create and follow curiosity until it lands somewhere new. I often start with references of tracks I love the production of, but I end up somewhere VERY different from the reference every time! It makes it hard to see where I fit as an artist, which is cool because, perhaps it's new and innovative. But it also sometimes feels like my music doesn't fit anywhere and maybe I should make something more straight ahead. I'm sure as I release and add more colors to the palette, the picture of what I make will become clearer. That's something that I always have to remember to let go of - no one song is going to capture every element of me.

AL: Are there any particular artists or musicians who have had a significant influence on your musical style and approach? How have they inspired you?

AA: Early on in my writing, Gretchen Parlato was a big inspiration, she treats her voice like an instrument. Unexpected chords with melodies flowing effortlessly over them, she draws an invisible line between different keys and sounds. That opened up my mind to writing songs in a very different way. People currently inspiring me are Saya Gray, Ryan Beatty, and Nick Hakim. I love it when artists break the rules of form.

AL: You grew up in the small town of Motueka, New Zealand. How has your background and experiences growing up in that environment influenced your creative process and the themes you explore in your music?

AA: My upbringing was very sheltered and we didn't get to watch tv or listen to music, so there was more seclusion than just being in a small town. We were part of a very authoritarian church and school situation, I would call it a cult. There were only two people my age in the school, and every day we faced the wall and had wooden dividers between each student. I was a shy and suppressed person for many years, which is bound to happen when you're being told what to wear, what to listen to, how to feel and act and think, with no choices of your own. It has affected every area of my life and a lot of my music talks about religious trauma and uses religious imagery. I see music as my way of unravelling and rewriting the things I was taught.

AL: Can you discuss your vision for your music and how you aim to connect with your audience on a deeper level through your lyrics and melodies?

AA: I want to be a permission giver in life, that allows and invites people to turn up as they are and to be vulnerable together. In music, it feels somewhat the same - to allow space and find words for those moments. I think that's why the instrumental and production side of things is so important to me, it creates a new world where one can exist for a time and be fully engulfed and swaddled by the sounds and maybe feel like it expresses something they couldn't quite put their finger on.

AL: Your music videos have a visually captivating and artistic aesthetic. How do you approach translating the themes and emotions of your songs into visual storytelling?

AA: If i wasn't focussing on making music I'd definitely be in another creative field like video or design. I feel like I've always had a knack for making things aesthetic, whether that's a space or an outfit or a photo, so it's nice to have somewhere to channel my finessed Pinterest boards and creative ideas into!

When I'm thinking of visuals, I translate by writing down the themes of songs and then playing around with how that could become a movement or a scene or a color. I have to have a pretty clear idea before I invite anyone on board to help, but once I do that, my friends all bring their skills and we make it work on low or no budget. It's all for the love of creating I guess but also any sugar daddies that would like to fund my life would be welcomed ahah!

AL: As a multi-instrumentalist, how do you decide which instruments to incorporate into your songs? Do you have a favorite instrument to play, and does it hold a special significance in your music?

AA: I always start on the piano, and then when i take it to the computer I try to forget how it first came out and let myself reimagine it with different instruments. I'm definitely someone who makes multiple iterations of one song over making multiple songs, if that makes sense. Lately I've been playing around on guitar more - I feel like the less you know a instrument, the more creative you are with it. There's this little window of infinite fun creativity that happens in blissful ignorance.

AL: How do you see your music evolving over time? Are there any new genres or sounds you'd like to explore?

AA: I want to make music that is easier to play live! Right now I feel like I'd need a whole orchestra, which would be a dream one day in the future. I don't want to stop exploring wherever my songs take me. I don't mind if my genres change I think it's nice to just go with what flows out. The thing that remains the same is my perspective and my voice, so I think that's enough of a string to hold everything together. I want to be more collaborative in the writing process, it gets lonely when you make silly rules about no one hearing songs til they are polished. I feel like music that is less polished is going to make a comeback, things that feel so organic and like you're there in the moment with the artist, rather than polished perfection. I want to lean into the imperfections and the beauty and humanity of that.

AL: What can listeners expect from you in the future? Are there any upcoming collaborations or projects that you're excited about?

AA: I've got a new single coming out in July, and in the background I'm finessing a whole bunch of songs to do an album. I was watching "Next in Fashion" last night and the final collections are such an emotional release of ideas to the world, and I want that feeling of finishing a whole collection in music! I'd also like to sing or play on other people's projects, which I have been doing a bit on cello, I'd like to write for other people, and maybe do something totally different from what I'm doing and secretly release it under another name.

AL: Can you share any anecdotes or memorable moments from your musical journey so far that have had a lasting impact on you as an artist?

AA: Any moment where it feels like someone hears my music and gets it, either in a way of feeling touched emotionally and seeing themselves in it, or seeing me and the journey I've had translated into songs is a memorable moment for me. I need those little moments to keep me going, because I tend to overthink and want to give up a lot.

After playing a live show a couple of years ago, my brother in law sent me a excerpt from Doctor Who, in which an art curator is questioned about Van Gogh. "...He transformed the pain of his tormented life into ecstatic beauty. Pain is easy to portray, but to use your passion and pain to portray the ecstasy and joy and magnificence of our world, no one had ever done it before..." I felt so seen and validated that someone could see the pain that my music often comes from, but that it gets to live a new life in beauty that can be shared.

Keep up with Agnes Aleesy

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