Amy Bezunartea has been bowling over the indie world with her nuanced songs for years. NEW VILLAIN, out Sept. 25th on Kiam Records (and available now for pre-order on iTunes) has her set for a major breakthrough. Among its jewels: the gorgeous, genius The Things a Girl Must Do, a feminist anthem with an explicitly ear-opening line that's shocking listeners in a very good way.
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We asked Amy about the song and the response. You can stream The Things a Girl Must Do below, and download it free right now with an album pre-order..
1. Was this song inspired by things you’ve seen happen? Things you’ve experienced?.
It’s a little bit of both. I wrote this song over several years. I kept putting it away and coming back to it. I’m a big fan of pop music, tv, award shows, fashion, all that stuff. So I’m always seeing the rise and fall of all these women and then the comeback and the backlash to the comeback. It’s crazy! I admire their resilience so much..
At some point Lindsay Lohan tweeted something like “ The things that girls must do, if you only knew” It really stuck with me. Also, I was so upset when Whitney Houston died and that’s also something I thought a lot about while writing this song. In my own experience it’s just the feeling of being stuck playing a part..
2. Did you expect “shocking” to be part of the feedback you got for the song? How has the response felt to you?.
I didn’t really expect it. It’s pretty funny to be labeled sexually explicit and NSFW though!.
3. How much of the shock factor do you think relates to your sound? Are women who play and sing quietly subject to different expectations than women who play loud?.
I think it’s definitely part of it. There seems to be less room for complexity as a female songwriter and a lot more dismissal. Everyone is always trying to come up with qualifiers for you. It can’t just be what it is..
4. Part of the reason the pussy line is so resonant is how it gets to the core of the feminine object relationship. Do you think we’re making any progress with that dynamic?.
Yes!!! On one hand we have all these politicians debating so graphically about women’s reproductive systems and contraception and rape. It’s so perverted and unbelievable. On the other hand we have all these smart, hilarious women just taking over. It’s really spectacular to see. We’re reaching a “Who asked you?” kind of moment with less pandering for acceptance and permission and just more doing. There’s a chapter in “Bossypants” by Tina Fey called “I don’t care if you like it”. It’s great..
For more info on Amy, NEW VILLAIN, and tour dates, check her out on the Kiam site..
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