Five Minutes with Misty Boyce

I first discovered Misty Boyce at the legendary Late Night at Rockwood Music Hall sessions, where she'd play the piano in the jamband and sing covers of hits from yesteryear. Then to gigs of her own songs, and now an eponymous debut album, released on NYC's Modern Vintage Recordings. Indie Sounds found out more about it, and what's in the future for Misty.



Indie Sounds: So, Misty Boyce - the album!  What's the elevator pitch?

Misty Boyce: Elevator pitches are hard.  In a nuttshell, I'm really proud of these songs.  They came out of a lot of pain and a lot of joy and a lot of work. And that's all I want people to hear.

IS: Tell us about making the record?

Misty: Well, it wasn't as simple a process as it had been in the past for me. When I made recordings on my own, it was pretty much me getting my friends to play in my band and we'd rehearse for a few months and record in a week.

This was a lot different.  It was produced by Eshy Gazit and Patrick Ermlich from Modern Vintage, and started with just me recording the piano and vocal, and them building tracks around it. The whole process took about a year, during which I was on and off the road, and I think you can hear me changing throughout.  My voice developed more, the songs became more hopeful in love, I became more myself.  It's an unfolding.

Download Misty Boyce at iTunes.

IS: Let's backtrack a bit ... what's the musical life story of Misty Boyce?

Misty: Woah!  Um ... that's the wrong question to ask a long-winded gal like myself.  I'll try to keep it short-n-short.  I started piano at five. Pretty heavily classically trained.  I started writing little songs to Billy Ray Cyrus at nine.  I started writing more songs at 13.  I got into jazz at 14.  I majored in jazz in college at CCM in Cincinnati.  I came back to writing songs.  I moved to New York and started playing keyboard for people as a day job, which led me to some really cool things. 

I toured with Tim Williams ... went to Sundance and SXSW with him.  He's one of the biggest influences on my current musical musings and one of the best friends I've had.  I started playing with Nat and Alex Wolff from the Naked Brothers Band, which is really fun and I was on tour with them while making this album.  Through it all, writing songs and digging for the best me.

IS: How was working with Modern Vintage?

Misty: MV has been great.  This record is only possible because of them. They got a really great PR team behind this project, and I know they worked hard for me.  It's hard to break new artists.  But I'm thankful they believed in me and this music enough to take the risks they've taken.

IS: Was the CD release show a blast?  And what 's next on the live agenda?

Misty: It was!  I had so much fun, and I think everyone else did too! There are a few things coming up I'm excited about ... a party for Best Buy at Webster Hall, a solo show at Rockwood on April 21st, and a full band show at the Living Room on May 26th with Chris Cubetta and the Liars Club.  I'm also going on a short tour to the midwest and back in May with Nick Africano.

IS: What's next on the musical plan for you?

Misty: Honestly, I think I need to "re-set."  "Fill the well," as they say.  I might skip town for a month or so and disappear and go explore and get out of this madness for a while, and then come back and get writing
again.

I have a couple projects that I'm excited about, one called "Clyde," which is a Gillian Welch/Elvis Perkins inspired duo with Nick Africano, and another dark, electro-pop experiment with Matt Basille. I've never written with other people before, and I like how it inspires things I could never have come up with on my own.  I also don't want to be "Misty Boyce" forever.  I want a long career with a lot of different avenues.  It makes me crazy to think I might have to write the same kind of songs my whole life.  My headstone should read: "Does not play well in boxes."

Comments

[Jonathan]

I love misty's record! The best new up and coming artist from NY by far!