Photo Credit: Najá Lewis

If you’re lucky, there will be a passion by your side from the earliest moments of your existence. While music also serves as their saving grace, it’s also something Black Polish has been enamored with since they “gained consciousness.” So it’s not shocking that they’ve managed to bring life to sounds that showcase not only a raw sense of emotion but range. We talked about their lack of enthusiasm towards set genres, forest surroundings, and more like the debut LP, ‘Forest (Monsters Live In The Trees),’ that’s set to drop on January 26th. 

Kendra: At 13 I was going to my very first concert, but you were starting to realize – music, that’s what I want to do. What led to that moment of thinking you wanted to make music instead of just listening to it?

Black Polish: Music has always been a passion of mine since I gained consciousness. It wasn’t until I saw how one could build a world in concert. Every decision, the lights, and the costumes showed music isn’t just sound, it’s a story. I had too much to write about and knew I had to scream it on stage. Being in front of a crowd is where I feel most comfortable. 

Kendra: Fast forward a couple of years and you’re in high school and living the nightmare that was the pandemic. A lot of adults tend to forget how hard being a teenager is, so many don’t take into consideration the nightmare of being a teen and pairing it with the horrors of distraught isolation, among other things. Did you turn more to music during that time as a way to get through the days? 

Black Polish: Writing was the only thing keeping me alive during that time. 

Kendra: You dropped some music between then and now like “Baby Tonight” and “Sad Lesbians,” but now you’re on the verge of your debut LP, ‘Forest (Monsters Live In The Trees)’ in early 2024. You’ve noted this forest is more a state of mind than a place, but if it were a location on a map – what do you think this forest would look like based on the sounds and moods found on this record? 

Black Polish: There’s actually a forest I wrote in when I was writing this album. It’s located in Lusby Maryland. The trees were never without water droplets so the humid air always felt heavy. 

Kendra: I’d imagine eclectic because this record definitely serves up variety from Warped Tour vibes on “Graves” to more folk elements on “Street Signs.” It goes along with something I’ve noticed in many newer artists, and that’s a dismissal of defined genres. With that, when you have a song idea and you start jotting down lyrics – do you often play around with what music will fit best with the words, or do you tend to have a style in mind once the first verse is down on paper? 

Black Polish: I think genres are weird, I just create songs that sound exactly like my emotions. However, I always hear the song before I write down the first word, but I never think too hard about genres. You can tell this record is more of a ballad with slow guitar noodling. The pandemic felt like a never-ending day and this style was all I could feel. 

Kendra: Being that you got your start during a time when live music was taken off the table, how have you navigated performing and getting out there? Did you take advantage of live-streaming performances during those years? 

Black Polish: It’s funny, I thought of starting a Twitch channel at one point, but I quit as soon as I began. I took it as an advantage to get guitar and vocal lessons so it looks like I just appeared on stage out of nowhere. 

Kendra: Time for a side note – With it being January and us all starting a new year, I’d love to know what non-musical resolution you have set for yourself. 

Black Polish: Trying to get ripped at the gym with my personal trainer. So far so good! We have to take a lot of pictures in this industry. 

Kendra: Lastly, with ‘Forest (Monsters Live In The Trees)’ out on January 26th, what else can fans be on the lookout for as we get into 2024? 

Black Polish: Shows and visuals galore. I’m most excited about the merch drop tailored specifically to ‘Forest.’