LASHES is captivating the ears and hearts of music lovers, as her music pulses with a dark and compelling vibe, a sound that's sure to leave you wanting more.
In a world where electro-pop is carving out its own distinct identity and the musical landscape is teeming with talent, an impressive force is emerging from the heart of regional Victoria, and her name is LASHES.
Crafting vibrant electro-pop anthems in a makeshift studio nestled in her parents’ garage, LASHES, whose real name is Yohanna Bright, creates a dynamic fusion of sweetly sincere vocals and a daring production approach, embodying the juxtaposition of delicate eyelashes and the raw emotion of lashing out.
Having discovered her love for songwriting at just seven years of age, LASHES has evolved into a self-taught instrumentalist driven by a passion for songwriting, and isn’t afraid to wear her heart on her sleeve.
She believes in the power of honesty in music, and her latest tracks, ‘Make Your Move’ and ‘Call Me When You Land’, is a testament to that ethos.
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‘Make Your Move’ carries a message that’s universal and deeply relatable – the need to express your feelings before they get lost in the chaos of life. LASHES explains, “I’m hoping to convey the message that you should tell people how you feel, otherwise, it endlessly simmers, and you’ll stay confused.”
But LASHES isn’t just about baring her soul through her music; she’s also a keen observer of human interactions. ‘Make Your Move’ is an anthem for those who believe that someone has to take the first step in love. LASHES declares, “It’s also me saying that someone’s gotta make the first move, and it’s not going to be me.”
Since releasing her debut single, “Treason,” in 2020, which received praise from industry figures and set the stage for her rise as an artist, it’s clear that personal experiences of life, love, and longing form the heart of LASHES’ songwriting. Writing is a compulsion for her, a way to process and make sense of the world. “Once an idea strikes, if I don’t write it out, it stays on loop in my head for all eternity,” she admits. “I was experiencing a lot of longing when I wrote ‘Make Your Move.’ I hope that comes across.”
“I wrote ‘Call Me When You Land’ about a previous relationship,” LASHES continues. “We tried time and time again to make it work but we couldn’t get it right. We had such a great friendship, but we magnified the worst parts of each other. Boundaries were pushed, warning signs were ignored and we ran it into the ground. This song was written after time had passed and I was able to look back with clarity and appreciate it for what it was; something that wasn’t made to last.”
Alongside a heart-on-sleeve approach to music, collaboration is a central theme in LASHES’ musical journey. Both ‘Call Me When You Land’ and ‘Make Your Move’, for example, were co-written with Michael Belsar, and their creative process is nothing short of fascinating. LASHES takes us behind the scenes, revealing, “I love writing with Michael. The process is almost always the same – I rock up and freak out that I can’t write a song, and then we throw a few ideas around, watch a bit of Cody Ko, and then we don’t talk for a few hours.” This dynamic duo’s creative energy comes together to create something magical.
“I write a novel amount of words and spend most of the time cutting it back to fit into a song while Michael goes into his sonic creative bubble. Midday we regroup and smash out the song. We usually end up somewhere completely different to where we started, but that’s the magic of it. ‘Make Your Move’ came about after a lengthy month of sessions together. We wanted to write something stripped back and moody. Its working title was “sexy town”.”
‘Call Me When You Land’, on the other hand, came together quickly during one of their studio sessions in mid-2022. Experimenting with different instrumental elements, the duo chose to layer a synth guitar and an old electric guitar together, resulting in the twangy, desert-pop feel in the chorus. “We wanted it to be a feel-good song,” says LASHES. “Like you’re hanging your head out the car window.”
In the past 18 months, LASHES has been on a whirlwind journey, from sold-out headline shows to festival appearances and support slots for renowned artists – a journey significantly influencing her music and approach to her artistry. Playing live has been a transformative experience, as it has taught her to trust her instincts and overthink less.
She explains, “Playing live shows has helped me immensely. I overthink less, and I trust myself more. The studio is such a different setting, mentally. I used to fixate on ironing out all the creases, but since playing live I no longer fight the urge to rid every imperfection.
“Now my main focus is to connect to my stories in real-time. When I’m writing I take into consideration how the song might translate to a live setting.”
Hailing from regional Victoria, LASHES found herself limited in her musical pursuits, but certainly not in her sonic influences – the likes of The 1975, Ellie Goulding, Hermitude, Flume, and even a self-confessed “emo phase” have formed the backbone of the project.
“I love the little intricate details these artists use in their storytelling. The Ballarat music scene isn’t huge, so I hermit crabbed myself away for years in my parents’ garage, keeping all of my songs to myself,” says Bright.
“Often I’d be serving a customer at the register, and a song would come to me,” she says. “I would take unwanted receipts and quickly scribble them down on the back and stuff them into my pocket. Most of the time they were lost forever in the washing machine.”
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With a treasure trove of new music ready to be unveiled in the not-too-distant future, LASHES promises even more honesty and experimentation.
“Listeners can expect even more honesty. I’ve really found my groove these past 12 months. I’m playing it less safe and am experimenting with different soundscapes. I recently wrote a futuristic hyper-pop song about living on the moon with my AI boyfriend but missing the simple things like body heat and human emotion.
“I’m just doing what I want and I hope people like it.”
Keep up with the latest and listen to LASHES here.
