Q&A
Kassi Valazza: “It’s hard to write when you’re not feeling grounded”
Where is Newman Street? Is it in Portland or New Orleans?
It’s in Portland. I started writing the album there. At the time I was taking a little break. I moved into a friend’s basement apartment on Newman Street, which is a little bit on the outskirts of Portland. But the city is really just a bunch of neighbourhoods, so nothing’s ever too far away. I went through a real reclusive phase where I didn’t really leave very much or talk to people. But I wrote a ton. I wrote most of the songs in that basement, and then the rest I wrote in New Orleans after I moved there.
Is that how you typically go about writing, by secluding yourself?
Definitely. I’m not a very social person. I love one-on-ones with people or small groups, but with big groups I have really bad social anxiety and spatial awareness. So when I’m trying to be creative, I really do have to be alone and focused and in my own space. If I don’t do that, my mind just goes crazy.