INTERVIEW: CHLSY
Photograph by Elina Carrasco
AUSTIN, TX | NOVEMBER 2022 | BY ELINA CARRASCO
Chlsy is a three piece Nashville rock band consisting of lead singer Chelsea Gillilan, Sawyer Dodds on drums, Sean Swanson on bass and accompanied by guitarist Jon Carmen. The 90s rock inspired group rocked out at the Ballroom in downtown Austin, one of the groups favorite cities to visit on tour. This show was the last of their tour alongside Beauty School Dropout. Chlsy will never leave you bored during one of their sets. For their song “Garden” Chelsea and Sean switched instruments and both Chelsea and Jon joined the crowd during their last song to rip out on their guitars together. After the show we sat down to discuss what inspires the young group and what keeps them going on the road.
On the subject of interviews, you (Chelsea) have your own radio show tell me about that.
Chelsea: That’s a crazy time. That’s on 96.7 (Nashville), I basically host a show on Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and I bring in artists that I believe in and love, really artists of every genre. Well talk for the first half an hour and then they’ll play an acoustic set for the second half. It’s a lot of fun and I’ve learned a lot from interviewing people, just how to better my music and how to be a better musician myself.
What’s some advice from those musicians that’s stuck with you?
Chelsea: I always ask people guitar questions because I really don’t know a lot about guitar and that’s really helped with my growth, my guitar journey. I talk to people a lot about how they get past their limiting beliefs, why they make music, what motivates them to make music and what they want their legacy to be. I think that really helps inspire me to see that there’s other musicians making music for the art of it and not just for the fame and the money. It’s cool to talk to people that are in it for the right reasons
As musicians, what do you want your own legacy to be?
Chelsea: I feel like I’ve been the kid that doesn’t fit in any setting, for me, having music that’s what got me through the really tough shit I’ve been through. Having those peoples’ voices like, Thom Yorke, Billy Corgan, Julian Casablancas, Kurt Cobain and Gwen Stefani, all of them, they were like friends growing up. I just want to be able to help heal people and help people feel less alone.
Saw: For me especially when it comes to live shows, when I was a teenager going to like local shows in Austin and Dallas. Showing up right at doors and being the first one there, I was that kid and like most of those bands made me feel so good and so welcome. Especially where we’re at right now, I love being able to reciprocate that to people younger than me. That’s just something that really helped me through tough times so now that we’re getting older, trying to be an example is such a huge motivation.
Sean: My dad’s an accountant but he plays in a rock band with his friends, so when I was a kid, we’d always go to dive bars and stuff to watch them play. Since I was a little kid, this is always what I wanted to do, so I figured why try to get a “real” career when I can just go see the world with my best friends and play music with my friends.
Jon: For me it’s like a creative drive, getting lost in something. My first love for music came from being in middle school and being depressed, sitting on my parent’s roof and zoning out to music that had really subtle parts to it and paying attention to it and getting lost in it. I want to create the world to just forget about things, because I love getting lost in it when creating and when listening.
The three of you (Chelsea, Sawyer and Kyle) all live together currently, how does that affect your process of making music together?
Sean: It’s kind of nice because Chelsea is always working on music in her room. Any hour of the day you can faintly hear her guitar and walk in and be like ‘yo that shit was dope.’
Jon: It definitely has its ups and downs, if you’re with any group of people too long you’re going to get annoyed with each other. The thing we pride ourselves in at the house is, even when we are absolutely pissed at each other, we say it straight up. We have to talk it out.
You’re on the road with each other and you come back home and you’re together again, what’s keeping you guys afloat?
Chelsea: The music, but these guys are definitely people I’d choose to be my family, so it helps, you know, it’s not like I’m stuck with people I don’t enjoy being around.
You (Chelsea) always mention having a hard time performing your song Vancouver because of its vulnerability, how do you get over that fear of writing and singing such vulnerable songs?
Chelsea: Growing up with a Spanish mother, she embarrassed me so much that I cannot feel embarrassment anymore. She’s so blunt and it transferred over to me, there's been points where I’ve been too direct with my songs, and we’ve actually had conversations where the guys have been like ‘I don’t think we should play that.’ It’s not hard for me to be vulnerable in my songs.
How has touring with bands like Beauty School Dropout and The Criticals been?
Sean: We came down to Texas with Criticals and we really love it down here.
Sawyer: They’re friends of ours from Nashville and I’m originally from Texas. So, when they were coming down here, with our album coming out, I was looking for any artists we look up to and realistically can come play with and just reached out to them. The same thing happened with Beauty School Dropout. Being able to support them is huge just because we look up to them and they’re also our friends, it’s pretty cool.
When you’re touring all these places and seeing new faces, can you put into words what it feels like seeing people sing your songs back to you?
Chelsea: I heard someone screaming the chorus to Vancouver, and my life was complete! I honestly usually can't even see people on stage.
Jon: I wear my glasses on stage so I usually can’t even see.
Sawyer: I think it’s just cool meeting people who know about us in different places other than Nashville. We love every time we come to Austin.
What is the music scene like back at home in Nashville?
Chelsea: Having worked as a songwriter in LA a lot and Nashville, in terms of writing, Nashville is the place to be. It’s so collaborative and so inclusive and it feels like everybody is trying to help each other be the best musicians they can be.