Interview: Lindsay Mac Talks New Style and 'Animal Again' Debut EP

Singer-songwriter Lindsay Mac is taking the electro-pop world by storm with her debut EP, 'Animal Again,' set for release on February 17, 2015.

You may have heard of Lindsay as a folk rock artist with an incredibly unique style of playing the cello.

But with her latest music, Lindsay proves breaking barriers and defying presumptions is in her nature. 'Animal Again' is a new wave of cutting-edge dance-pop from the classically trained artist.

"Animal Again's" highly addictive synth-pop is drastically different from your early cello work. What inspired your lyrics and melodies? The title of the album?

After touring pretty heavily for several years, I had become disenchanted with the road warrior life. The physical toll from traveling and wearing the cello the way I did eventually wreaked havoc on my back, making it difficult play. I took a break to heal and to reassess and came to the realization that I wanted music to be fun again.

I wanted it to be energy-giving for me and for the listener too.

What transpired felt like a rebirth, a reincarnation, of my love for music and rhythm and melody. I morphed back to my primal self, thus the name "Animal Again".

Can you share any specific stories or momentous occasions that lead to the emotion behind "Animal Again"?

Teaming up with my producer, Jason (who goes by j declan), was a kind of collaboration I'd never really experienced and, although it took longer than either of us wanted, it was a real game changer. He helped me make the sounds I heard in my head a reality and that helped fuel the emotion of the lyrics and vocal performances.

In the past, I had used my own instrumental playing on the cello as the core of the track and added things around it.

This time, we started with whatever instrument or loop serviced the emotion of the song the best and that was really freeing!

Your music career so far is on an exciting, unpredictable path! What drives your inner creative direction?

I guess I just try and do things that move and are interesting to me. There's no way you're going to please everyone with what you write or put out but if you can feel good about it personally, that's something.

And that's what you can control.

I can't always do it, but trying to block out the noise and the self-doubt helps me create from my own unique and special place.


"There's no way you're going to please everyone with what you write or put out but if you can feel good about it personally, that's something.

Do you ever think of incorporating your original cello technique into your future work?

Sure. I love the cello and I love the journey we've been on together.

I just wanted to make sure I wasn't keeping cello in my music, ironically, simply to satisfy the Lindsay Mac "status quo".

I'm sure I could incorporate it again but I'm in a pretty different place right now.

I like to basque in that and let the creativity flow and if cello pops into my mind again, she'll be back in the mix!

What is your favorite song to sing on your new EP? Which did you have the most fun working on?

Gosh, this is pretty impossible to answer. I love singing them all and they all have so much internal history for me.

I think "Back To Right" was special because the melody and lyrics came to me almost in their entirety one day in my studio. Whenever that happens and you still like it a year later, you're pretty pumped!

When do you think we will see a full-length album?

Hopefully soon. We have several songs for a full length but knew we were still a ways away from having all the songs so just decided to share what we'd been up to with this EP. And our process is getting faster - thankfully.