Five minutes with renforshort: The Canadian alt-pop star finding joy in the melancholy

There’s something refreshingly honest about the way renforshort discusses her relationship with happiness. “I wrote this song while I was still on my anti-depressants,” she tells me with disarming candor. We are, of course, chatting about her latest single “on my way”. “I was just thinking about my brain all the time,” she continues. This kind of raw introspection isn’t exactly what you’d expect from an artist whose intricate indie-pop hooks are designed to fill rooms — but that’s exactly what makes her one of alt-pop’s most intriguing voices right now.

“I always lean more melancholic when writing lyrics,” she admits, though that’s starting to shift. With her critically acclaimed EP clean hands dirty water still buzzing and a sold-out US tour under her belt, she’s learning to embrace the uplifting side of her sound, albeit with a renforshort twist. “Obviously I had to include elements of cynicism,” she laughs — it’s this balance of light and shade that’s quickly becoming her trademark. Now, with two intimate UK shows on the horizon – including a sold-out London date at The Lower Third – we caught up with the artist who’s mastering the art of turning introspection into indie-pop gold.

“on my way” blends uplifting indie-pop with your alternative edge. How do you balance these different elements in your songwriting?

I think this has always been a challenge for me. I tend to lean more melancholic when writing lyrics — I’ve found that’s always been easier. But I really wanted to challenge myself to write something more uplifting, as I felt that was lacking in my discography. I wrote this song with an idea of how I wanted to feel eventually, and picturing myself in that state of happiness and euphoria made it much easier to write. Obviously, I had to include elements of cynicism so it didn’t seem too out of the ordinary for me [laughs].

Your lyrics are often described as introspective. What personal experiences influenced the writing of this new single?

I feel I should mention that I wrote this song while I was still on antidepressants. I think I was so hyper-aware of my emotions when I was on them — I expected to feel instantaneous, consistent change, but that isn’t really how that medication works. I found myself constantly thinking about my brain, trying to gauge an ounce of change, which is kind of impossible. I was just imagining what it would be like to be more consistently happy, and that’s how this song came to be.

You’ve had a big year with your EP clean hands dirty water. How has that success shaped your approach to this new chapter?

I’ve kept a similar approach of doing what feels real and right to me. I think it’s so important to write and release what feels authentic — that will inevitably resonate with at least one other person who has had similar feelings and experiences. I think I’m always going to approach writing music the same way. I just hope to keep reaching more people who maybe need to hear these songs.

Your upcoming UK shows are in intimate venues, including a sold-out London gig. How does performing in these spaces compare to your recent US tour?

I love playing shows in the UK. My first headline show was my smallest, and my most recent was my biggest — both in London. I was a bit worried about people coming, having been away for a while, but they’re incredibly loyal and always show up! There’s a really special energy at my UK gigs, and I’m really excited to play more intimate shows there to really connect with the room. I had the same concerns on my US tour this year, but then realized people really do show up, and it was really important for me to see that and interact with these people who are such a massive part of my life. It was all a really beautiful, important experience for me, and I just feel incredibly lucky that I get to do it.

You’re known for your raw vocals. Any specific techniques or emotions you tapped into for “on my way”?

I really think the most important thing is to believe what you’re singing. It’s really difficult to fake emotion, and emotion is what makes a vocal performance special and unique. I just really believed everything I wrote down because I needed it to be real!

The press release mentions you’re “honing your craft even further”. What aspects of your artistry have you been focusing on lately?

I’ve really been focusing on trusting my instincts and not holding back. I want my music to be as real as it can be. I want to be able to extract the most raw emotion possible and spend time making sure every word means something. I want the music to speak to people and make them feel.

With your US tour behind you and UK shows ahead, how do you adapt your performances for different audiences?

The show becomes what it is because of the people. Every audience brings a different energy, and every show there’s a new crowd that deserves the best performance you can give them. There are always nuances in my set. I never plan banter because I want to honestly talk about the show that’s happening at that moment and connect with the crowd that’s interacting with me.

“on my way” is described as free-spirited. Does this reflect a new personal or artistic direction for you?

I’m not sure if it represents a new artistic direction – I think it’s just an expansion of what I’ve always made. I’m always going to be writing about different things and experimenting with different sounds. It’s super important for me not to confine myself to specific sounds or content. While it is a new concept and style of writing on this song, to me it still feels like it’s in the same world that I’ve always floated in.

You’re mixing new material with tracks from your EP at these UK shows. How do you curate a setlist that showcases your evolution?

I think it’s so important to include music from every stage of my career. I love playing the whole discography, and I think people appreciate hearing the song that maybe introduced them to me. Not everybody has been to one of my shows before, so I always want to ensure there are bits from every project on my setlist. I like to have them all mixed together so that it’s always a surprise what’s coming next!

As one of the “most exciting voices in alt-pop”, do you feel any pressure following up your critically acclaimed EP, or is it more liberating?

I think I always feel pressure from myself. However, all I can do is continue to make what feels true to me and hope people connect with it. I love everything about what I do, and I really hope to be able to continue doing it forever. The pressure will always be there, but I think that pressure is good for me — it pushes me to make the best music I can.