One day Claire Hawkins is going to have one hell of a memoir on her hands as she’s been traveling with her music for *checks notes* many, many years. It’s taken her from New York City down to South America, across the Atlantic, and more – and there’s no sign of her slowing down anytime soon. Of course, over the years we’ve chatted about her suitcase life, but as always – we get into the music of it all. This time around we’re talking about her latest, “Oh Daisy,” as well as middle school memories, France, and what’s to come!
Kendra: You have a handful of new songs, including “Oh Daisy,” that you wrote as part of the Artist in Residency in France. Ever since we crossed paths, you’ve always been involved in or doing something that I feel helps keep the beauty of creativity alive from this to playing in hostels. With that, I can imagine you walk away from every experience with some newfound insight, both personally and artistically. Would you say that’s true – and if so, what would you say was the most significant learning experience you had writing in France?
Claire Hawkins: I definitely feel that I gain something new from every experience I have making music abroad. Usually, that is thanks to the people I meet and the different perspectives I’m exposed to. The unique thing about this artist residency in France was that most of my time was spent alone. I was based in the beautiful beach town of Canet-en-Roussillon, which I imagine is very busy in the summer, but I was there in the off-season when most of the apartments and houses were still empty.
Even several of the businesses had their doors closed for the month I was in town! I hadn’t really experienced anything like that – being somewhere at the “wrong” time like that. It forced me to look inward and really reflect on who I am when there aren’t other people around. I don’t think I’ve ever had so much uninterrupted time alone with my guitar. It was the most productive period of songwriting I’ve ever had.
Kendra: Abroad is where you seem most at home, but have you looked into – or are there even – those types of opportunities in the US that you are interested in?
Claire Hawkins: Very much so! I was extremely fortunate earlier this year to be selected as an Artist-in-Residence at Crabtree Sessions on the island of North Haven in Maine. North Haven is a small island with a population of about 300. Coming from New York City, I didn’t exactly know what to expect and was prepared to feel as foreign there as I do in another country. The community there was so welcoming and very eager to show me what life on the island is like. I got to eat oysters farmed on the island, try beer from the local brewery, go for a swim in the freezing cold water, and even hold 5-day-old lambs on a farm! The entire residency was full of new experiences and the concert I performed there remains a special memory. I recently shared a video from the residency on my YouTube channel.
Kendra: Back to “Oh Daisy.” In it, you mention sixth grade, and for me – while that’s the shortest chapter in regards to school, it’s also the most significant. So many changes and experiences at that age. Were you lost in a true middle school memory when this song came to mind?
Claire Hawkins: I remember 6th grade as the first time that I started to think critically about the world beyond my very limited 12-year-old experience. At that point in my life, the travel I had done was mainly family road trips to other parts of the Northeast. I remember studying Greek mythology and Ancient Egypt in school and trying to wrap my head around the idea that the pictures in my textbook of the Acropolis in Athens and the pyramids in Giza were real places. It was difficult to fathom not only the idea that one could actually visit these places as a tourist, but that they exist as a part of regular life for people who live in those cities. Now, as an adult, I’ve been so incredibly lucky to get to visit so many of the places that seemed unreal to me as a child. The more I travel, the more my perception of the world changes and expands. In writing “Oh Daisy,” I wanted to give a nod to the very different lens through which children try to understand the world.
Kendra: “Oh Daisy,” produced by Overcoats’ Hana Elion. Was this a connection made through the residency?
Claire Hawkins: Hana and I actually met several months after my residency ended. I was spending some time working on music out in Los Angeles, and we were connected by a former music teacher. During one of our first recording sessions Hana and I discovered we had a shared background of moving to Ireland after college. We talked a lot about our experiences in the Dublin music scene and how it has inspired our music. The Irish folk influence is always there in my songs, and it felt extra special to be working with someone who shares that connection.
Kendra: In “Oh Daisy” you mention New York City. As someone who lives their life out and about, how often does homesickness kick in?
Claire Hawkins: No matter where you travel, the first question people always seem to ask is “Where are you from?” I find myself thinking about my identity as a New Yorker much more often when I’m traveling, and I feel incredibly connected to my NYC upbringing even when I’m far away from home. I think my curiosity about the world comes from being surrounded by so many different cultures growing up. New York is a mix of so many international influences that I often see things that remind me of home even when I’m on the other side of the world. Homesickness does still show up from time to time, but I am usually able to find some version of home comforts that gets me through it.
Kendra: With all you’ve done thus far and will continue to do, have you ever thought of stepping away from music and vlogging for a minute to write everything down in a sort of memoir, or at least a book about your musical travels and creations thus far? Memoir sounds too weird for someone still so young, haha, so let’s just say book!
Claire Hawkins: A few years ago the idea of stepping away from music and travel would’ve scared me. I’ve recently gotten a lot more comfortable with the idea of living in phases – sometimes I’m in a songwriting phase, sometimes I’m on tour, and sometimes I’m backpacking through Southeast Asia finding the inspiration for my next record. I’ve started to accept the idea that I can’t do everything at the same time. I would love to write a book someday and try to capture the magic that I’ve experienced on the road with my guitar. When the time comes, I’d love to lean into a book-writing phase. For now, I’m collecting my memories in songs, vlogs, and travel journals.
Kendra: With “Oh Daisy” out now. What else can we expect as we edge closer to the end of the year?
Claire Hawkins: I am so excited to release the music video for my latest single “Oh Daisy.” This project was a very fun collaboration with Meg Mann, who shot, directed, and edited the video. This song was written in France and recorded in Los Angeles, so it felt really right to return to New York to shoot the video. I’m so thrilled with how it turned out. I have another full-band NYC show coming up on October 22nd at Brooklyn Music Kitchen, and following that, I’m heading out on another big trip. I haven’t shared where I’m headed just yet, but I’ll say this: this one is far from home. Stay tuned on my YouTube channel to see where I’m going!
Kendra: Lastly, because you did your latest residency in France, the home of the 2024 Summer Olympics, I’d love to know what 5 songs you’d put on your Vagina Sing-Alongs Workout Mixtape?
Claire Hawkins:
“Future Enemies” by Yola
“Malamente” by Rosalía
“Dance Apocalyptic” by Janelle Monáe
“Dancing On My Own” by Robyn
“La Dot” by Aya Nakamura
Claire Hawkins
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Apple Music: music.apple.com/us/artist/claire-hawkins/904495472
Vagina Sing-Alongs 
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