RACHEL BOCHNER STAYS UP TILL 2AM TO WRITE ABOUT YOU

New York City singer-songwriter Rachel Bochnerā€™s new EP 2AM is out now and it is all the sad angsty subway songs you could ask for. Late night thoughts are intertwined throughout the whole project. Weā€™ve all been there. Iphone notes from the late hours of the evening and early mornings of our sleep deprived city lives. Bochnerā€™s EP collects that feeling, that edge of a dream feeling, and translates it into her music. Sheā€™s lucky to have the big apple as inspiration, it certainly is something and somewhere you stay up till 2AM writing about.

Her youthful silk-like voice paired with synthy energetic instrumentals serve us major vibes for all our stay at home angst. Bochnerā€™s first EP has a promising reception into the world. Sheā€™s already talking about another one. She keeps learning and we canā€™t wait to see what comes next. I got to talk to the NYC artist about getting into music, what sheā€™s been listening to on the subway, and writing her debut EP 2AM.

Whatā€™s up Rachel! What are you up to today? Whatā€™s it like in New York right now?Ā 

Hiii! Right now, Iā€™m drinking coffee in my parents house with my dog sitting at my feet looking for attention. Heā€™s a golden retriever, so naturally he has a LOT of emotions. My version of New York looks different than I thought it would at this pointā€¦ Iā€™ve been in the suburbs since last March. Itā€™s an interesting energy shift spending so much time in your hometown after going away to college and living independently for so long. I miss the hustle and bustle and magic of the city, and I canā€™t wait to get back to it!

Whatā€™s your favorite thing about living in that iconic city? Whatā€™s the music scene like?

My favorite thing about the city is how massive and small it feels at the same time. Itā€™s the kind of place where you will quite literally never run out of places to go, people to meet, and things to try, but as Iā€™ve started to meet more people in the music scene, whether it’s writers, artists, producers, or whatever, there are so many overlapping circles – itā€™s kind of comforting as someone new to the scene.

So this will be your first EP? Exciting! How does it feel to finish up that chapter?

EEEK yes! Itā€™s a cool milestone to have a body of work out, and I feel like this project enabled me to really explore and hone in on the direction I want to take my sound and future projects. Even in the past few months I feel like Iā€™ve grown as a writer, so Iā€™m excited to take what I learned from working on 2 AM with me as I start my next EP.

What made you decide to call the whole project 2 AM?Ā 

Most of the ideas behind the songs on 2 AM came to me at night! Sometimes the only time I feel creative is at odd hours of the night – Iā€™ll be laying in bed with my phone 2 inches away from my face typing random ideas in my notes app and singing absolute groggy nonsense into a voice memo. Itā€™s always a journey trying to decipher those the next morning. The song 2 AM was actually the last song written for the EP, but once we landed on 2 AM as the title for the song, it just felt right to name the whole project 2 AM.

How long did it take to finish? What was the process like? Do you have a certain song that really stood out to you?

I started writing specifically for it towards the end of March. I got laid off from my day job and was living at home, so I wanted to make some good out of a shitty situation. The EP became a sort of escape – channeling those feelings of nostalgia and yearning for excitement into a world that looked VERY different to the one I was living in. Lol, I canā€™t believe I just used the word yearning.

The process wasā€¦ humblingā€¦ I recorded all the vocals in my bedroom at my deskā€¦ lots of Zooms/FaceTimes with my co-writers, the producers, etc. I collaborate with some really close friends, so it feels extra special that they played such a huge role in the project. I got the final masters back in October, but the process doesnā€™t feel totally complete yet. Iā€™m filming videos for 2 AM and Ultraviolet in February (shoutout to Itā€™s A Long Story Productions!). I think being able to share a visual representation of the story will bring it full circle and close the chapter for me. A song that especially stood out to me was Ultraviolet, because it allowed me to understand myself a bit better while writing it. I wonā€™t give too much away – thatā€™s what the video is for. šŸ™‚

Do you remember a specific moment where you knew you wanted to be a musician?

I think itā€™s always been buried somewhere deep down. As a child I LOVED being the center of attention and putting on shows for anyone who was unlucky enough to get roped in. But, as I got a little older, the idea of putting myself out there to that extent became intimidating. I knew I wanted to work in music in some capacity, so for a while I told myself I needed to find a job at a label. I did actually work at a label as an A&R intern during the summer of 2018, and thatā€™s what made me realize I really wanted to create and share my own music.

What do you listen to when youā€™re taking a ride on the subway?

When I want to feel like the main character: Cinnamon Girl – Lana Del Rey

When Iā€™m in a man-spreading contest with the dude next to me: Truth Hurts – Lizzo

When Iā€™m in a sad girl mood: House With No Mirrors – Sasha Sloan

When I want to lose myself in a music video in my head: Green Light – Lorde

What are you looking forward to in 2021?

LIVE SHOWS!! Hugging my friends and literally never letting go. Getting out of the suburbs and back to the NYC I miss (but still visiting often – I canā€™t be away from my dog that long). Traveling via airplaneā€¦ can you imagine?! Oh, and a new president.

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photos / Megan Clark & Rachel Bochner

story / Vogue Giambri