TROUT: “IT’S SO SPECIAL TO SEE AN AUDIENCE’S SUPPORT RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU”

VOCAL GIRLS chat with Cesca of Trout about their beginnings, making music with synesthesia, and their upcoming EP - Colourpicker, out August 31st via Chess Club Records. The Q&A is accompanied by a series of exclusive photos taken by Marieke Macklon.

Trout have released their new single ‘in my room’ and announced their debut EP - Colourpicker, out August 31st. Liverpool-based and recently signed to Chess Club Records, Trout is the alias of 23-year-old Cesca, who joined us to share a bit more about their beginnings in music and forthcoming plans.

Photo by Marieke Macklon

When and how did you begin making music as Trout?

I had been making music under my own name for a very long time, but Trout only really formed a year ago. I had a growing collection of songs, and was really keen to be playing live again after lockdown and developing my songs in that way. I was really lucky to find a group of people – that I’m now super close to – to be part of the project. To be playing music that I care so much about with all of them under this silly-fishy alias is the best. 

If you had to pick three words to describe your music, what would they be?

Layered, durgy pop 

You’ve moved around a fair bit, but said before that your move to Liverpool to study music had a significant impact on your creativity, what was it about the city and community you found there that had this effect on you?

I had just never been around so many people who loved music like I did before. Previous to that I was living in rural Wales serenading my pet goat, so it was a welcome change. Being surrounded by equally passionate and creative people is just really inspiring, and definitely spurred me on to keep creating more and more things. 

Your debut EP, Colourpicker, is out this August, and you’ve just released the EP’s latest track, ‘in my room’ - what made you choose this as the next single? 

It’s the song I’m most proud of, and definitely, the most honest I’ve ever been in a song. Literally saying ‘I love you’ over and over - I’ve never done that before in my music, and it felt pretty good. I’m developing in my ‘sound’, and ‘in my room’ is the beginning of that, so it felt appropriate to showcase that. 

Photo by Marieke Macklon

Which song was the first track you decided to include on the EP, and why did it feel right to do so?

‘bugs’ was the first song I’d fully finished in a while, and it felt like the start of a new sound for me. I was able to fully capture my life at that time in that song, so I knew everything else on the EP would be a development from that. It’s the little baby of the EP and what started the whole thing off, so it’s quite important to me. 

What are you up to in the lead-up to releasing Colourpicker?

We’re planning a live show with the local bands that we love around the release, which will be a big-fat-ocean-themed bonanza, so having a lot of fun doing that. Also doing a lot of things that inspire me creatively as I work on new music, like seeing live music and art shows, going on little trips away from the city, reading, writing - all that romantic stuff.

Is there a particular song of yours that you’d tell people to listen to first? If so, why?

I’d say ‘bugs’. It encapsulates the different aspects that are in my music, so people would probably get an idea of what the project is from listening to it. It’s got all the glitchy vocal effects and the layered guitar parts. Lyrically it’s a song I still resonate with a lot, so that’s probably another reason I feel so comfortable sharing it with people. 

You can speak three languages - and have synesthesia - do you think your ability to understand and communicate in so many ways affects your creative process?

Having synesthesia definitely affects my creative process. The way I write music and go about the production of it is highly influenced by what I ‘see’ and feel from the synesthesia. I’ll often focus on creating certain colours and textures rather than on the music itself, and that’ll shape the sonics and direction of the song. It’s kind of like a sixth sense that I can use when I’m struggling to finish a song - very handy!

Photo by Marieke Macklon

Where have you played so far? What has your live show experience been like?

We’re pretty new to the gigging world as Trout, but have had some great shows so far that we’ll remember. On the whole, they’ve been really amazing experiences. When anything’s gone wrong we learn from it and move on, and I feel grateful that we all have that same mentality. It’s so special to see an audience’s support right in front of you rather than through a screen, and it always cements my love for creating things when we play a show. I can’t wait to branch outside of the cities we’ve played and be able to go places we’ve not been before.

Who would you consider your main influences at the moment and how do they inspire your music?

Right now I’ve been listening to a lot of feeble little horse and Blondshell, who I think are really special, and have such a strong attitude come across in their music. Alex G and Sparklehorse are also big influences to me at the moment. I think their writing is really youthful and the blend of that with their twinkly/soft production just makes me really nostalgic and emotional, which is a fun time.

Are there any up-and-coming musicians around you that you feel particularly connected to or excited about? 

We’ve started this collective in Liverpool of musicians that we’re all passionate about. We put on shows and all play in each other's projects (look out for Al Maudra, Gladness, Hank B). It’s so inspiring to be around so many talented friends and I feel really excited about what everybody has ahead of them.

Out of all the things you have planned for the rest of 2023, what are you most looking forward to?

Honestly probably the EP release. It feels like it’s been such a long time coming and I’m so excited that people are going to be able to listen to the music I’ve been working on for so long. It’s really surreal and I feel so grateful for it. Also playing some more exciting shows, and seeing what’s next for us… :)