Cameron Mesirow’s first album as Glasser, 2010’s Ring, marked the debut of an exciting new musical talent. The modern-day lounge feel of Glasser won fans with songs that layered Mesirow’s thick, smooth voice over electronic tracks. Three years later, Mesirow is back with Interiors, a new collection of songs that feature the same spectacular set of pipes singing markedly more intimate lyrics. As Mesirow tells DuJour, she wanted to “hone the Glasser sound” this time around.
Inspired in part by Mesirow’s move to New York City, the new album (out October 8) is a strong next step for the artist both professionally and personally. Here she speaks with DuJour about finding her muse, letting people in and finding her musical niche.
So you’re about to release a second album. What was the genesis of this project?
I definitely wanted to write another album. When I set out to write the first record, it was like, “I am making an album, and this is so amazing.” But then you have to make another one. I did it, but then the idea of starting the process all over again is daunting. It took a lifetime to lead up to the first one, so to do it again—it’s as if you might not make it. But luckily I had some momentum—I fell into it pretty quickly.
What did you want to try on Interiors that you hadn’t previously done?
I had consciously steered clear of talking about my personal life in my music. I was nervous about being a female musician and about what it means to be in public. There’s lots of scrutiny of your love life rather than of your creative and intellectual pursuits. I had an aversion to writing about my emotions. But I had a change of heart about that on Interiors.
What made you change your mind?
I saw a public that wanted to understand what was going on, but perhaps didn’t have enough information provided by me. I want to write songs about myself but also about ideas that have less to do with being me. I want to write about lots of different things.
You also moved from Los Angeles to New York while working on this record.
It definitely had a big impact. L.A. is really great, but I felt so disconnected there. In New York, I feel just a little bit closer to the music world. And everybody here—whether they’re musicians or artists or bankers—they’re all working really hard and taking things seriously and making it work in a much tighter spot with a much lower standard of living. Maybe that pressure helps me thrive.
How do all of these things play into what fans hear? How does a Glasser song come to be?
These things are a little bit magical. In a lot of ways, I just follow the muse. Usually it starts with a melody; music is sort of magic, and I’ll have a melody I’ll hear in my head and will mean something to me. Then I’ll write lyrics that are inspired by a similar meaning. It really is just sort of a mysterious process.
Do you think that you succeeded in making Interiors a more clearly personal record than Ring?
Maybe I’m on my way. It’s hard to say. I feel like I started the process of writing from my own heart and I don’t think I’m finished with that yet.
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