An Interview with Devon Thompson

An Interview with Devon Thompson

I had the amazing opportunity to sit down with Devon Thompson before her performance at The Feminine Energy concert on December 29th, 2024. She put on a superb performance at The Bourbon Room. Here is her interview below…

How did the band come together? Was it a specific moment or gradual?
I created my project in 2020 after wanting to make a solo female fronted act. At the end of high school, I really started listening to female fronted artists like Courtney Barnett and Angel Olsen, and was really inspired by them to try to do my own thing.

Who are the main songwriters, and what influences your songwriting process?
I am the main songwriter, among various other co-writers that help me craft my work. I mostly take inspiration from stories and fairytales, and also real-life experiences that happen to people around me. I love making songs that aren’t about me and really explain the not-so-comfortable aspects of life. I also really love writing about escapism as well.

How would you describe your sound to someone who’s never heard your music before?
Alternative Rock with a whimsigoth, Shoegaze-pop twist

What are some of your musical influences, and how do they shape your style?
Some of my biggest influences are Jack White, Mazzy Star, Paramore, The Sundays, Fiona Apple, & My Bloody Valentine. I really like to mix my style within those genres and sounds because it’s what really makes sense to me.

Are there any non-musical inspirations (such as art, books, or experiences) that influence your music?
Anything Gothic western, whimsigoth style, Anne Rice & fantasy romance novels, and dark influences stories like Dracula and the newer Nosferatu.

Can you walk us through your creative process when writing and recording music?
I like to start with chords first, which I play on my guitar. Once I find chords I like, I find a melody that sounds good with it. The story normally comes after all of that for me. It’s hard for me to demo things out, I normally like to fully or at least mostly write the song before I go in and record it.

What’s your favorite part about performing live, and how do you engage with your audience?
I feel my most confident and free when I perform. It feels right, like I’m meant to do it. I am very active on stage. I come from an acting background, so I use lots of facial expressions and hand gestures/ body moments to enhance my performance.

What do you want people to feel when they see your live performances? ⁃
Real, raw, unbridled emotion. That is the reason I am doing this.

What’s next for the band? Any upcoming projects, tours, or plans you’re excited about?
This year I am planning on dropping more music that is very exciting, while playing more shows on the east coast in New York & heading over to Nashville to play some shows there. There’s going to be a lot of really great things happening this year.

Are there any artists or bands you’d love to collaborate with in the future?
I’d love to work with Jack White or Hayley Williams. They are my two heroes basically.

If you could perform on any major festival stage, which one would it be?
My dream is probably at this point, Lollapalooza.

(Interview and Photos by Denise Johnson)

Devon Thompson on Instagram