Singer-songwriter Claud has had a big year — from releasing their second album “Supermodels” in July on Phoebe Bridgers’ record label, to having Paul Rudd star in the music video for their song “A Good Thing,” to taking off on a headlining tour.
Claud signed to Bridgers’ label, Saddest Factory Records, in 2020 and released their debut album “Super Monster” in 2021. Best known for songs like “Soft Spot” and “I Wish You Were Gay,” Claud’s sparkling bedroom pop tunes cover themes of yearning and growing up.
Ahead of their show in Boston at Brighton Music Hall on Sunday, Claud spoke with GBH News about the joys of performing live, their appreciation for fan culture, and why it's important to support other musicians. Lightly edited excerpts from the interview are below, and you can listen to the full interview by clicking the player at the top of this page.
Haley Lerner: Your new album, “Supermodels” came out in July. Did you feel any pressure releasing your sophomore album, and can you tell me about the writing process behind it?
Claud: I was so in my feelings that I wasn't really thinking about whether people would like it or what it was going to sound like. I was just kind of writing it because I was very much in that headspace, very emotional. I mean, I wrote it over like a two-year period, but the bulk of the writing period, I was very in my feels and just only could think about that, for better or for worse.
Lerner: Now that the album has had some time to breathe and you’ve been able to perform it, how has it felt?
Claud: For some reason, I was not expecting people to know the words to the new songs. Especially in Nashville, and especially in Atlanta, everybody was screaming the words back to me — and I was just stunned. Honestly, I was not expecting that. So yeah, it's been feeling really good.
Lerner: For fans anticipating your shows coming up, what can they expect from a Claud show?
Claud: It's a very respectful audience, which I love. Everybody is very considerate and aware of each other. I think people make friends with one another in the audience. I think a lot of people will go alone or with people they met on fan Twitter and stuff like that. I often think that people are with a group of friends, and then I learned that they just met each other there.
Lerner: Being a fan of other musicians, how does it feel now to be an artist with your own dedicated fanbase?
Claud: I don't know. It feels very weird. I've waited outside of concerts for people to come outside. To walk out of my concert at midnight and there's still people waiting, it's very shocking. Surely, they're waiting for their friend to pick them up, not for me, you know? I'm like, I don't believe this, even though it's happening.
Lerner: What is the relationship you have with your fans like?
Claud: I reply a lot on Twitter and Instagram and stuff. I feel like I have a pretty good memory, so the same people will comment and comment on a lot of my stuff. So I feel like I know people by their handles, which is so weird, but then they'll come to a show and I'll be like, "Yeah, I know exactly who you are, cause you've been tweeting at me for like two years."
Lerner: You've worked with some big names in the industry lately. You’re signed to Phoebe Bridgers music label, you had Paul Rudd in your recent music video after meeting him at a Taylor Swift concert and telling him you had a song on your album named “ Paul Rudd.” How do you feel getting to work with these really big icons and having this recognition for your music?
Claud: I used to be very embarrassed about fanboying over somebody, but it's honestly only ever worked in my favor. ... For example, I’m a rom com nerd, I've been a fan of Paul Rudd for a long time.
Just like being a fan has led to good things for me. Not in a weird, creepy way, but just in a respectful, “Oh, I love what you do and I know everything about it” kind of way.
It's been really cool and it's been very enlightening. My parents are from the Midwest. No one was in the industry. So immediately getting so welcomed by people that I never thought in a million years I'd ever meet was just really surprising. And I'm still surprised by it, honestly.
Lerner: Have you felt you've had to fight for yourself in the industry, or had any allies that really helped you work to build your career?
Claud: Being a musician is the hardest thing on the planet. The music industry is horrible and really, really wears you down, especially for marginalized artists. And I think artists like Hayley Williams or Jack Antonoff or Phoebe [Bridgers] who have really rode for me, they've been through the trenches and they know how hard it can be. I just hope that if I'm ever as successful as them or have as much say and power as they do, I would absolutely do the same for other artists who are like just really going through the trenches with music, you know?
I think they know how helpful even just saying in an interview that they like my music could be. I just think artists should constantly be lifting each other up.
Claud is performing at Brighton Music Hall on Sept. 17. More information can be found here.
