Q&A with alt-rock artist WRENN

WRENN, 20-year-old alt-rock artist, featured on "American Idol," "The Voice" and "Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve," is performing in Greensboro today. 

She will accompany gnash as a supporting act on the u, me & us tour at Greene Street Live. Swerve writer Alexis Hinnant spoke with her about her upcoming show and her music. 

The Daily Tar Heel: What’s your favorite part about being on stage?

WRENN: My favorite part about being on stage, particularly for this tour, is hearing a lot of people sing the songs back. I think that’s kind of been the most exciting part because it’s the first time that’s ever happened, and it’s cool to see the things that you wrote in your bedroom sung back to you, which is amazing.

DTH: Who inspires you musically?

W: I would say right now Keaton Henson, Nirvana and Patti Smith too. They’re like my three favorites right now. 

DTH: What’s your relationship with gnash like? How did this tour collaboration come about?

W: Well gnash has actually been one of my good friends for quite a while. It was something that just kind of happened. He gave me a call, we talked about it, and he said, “I would love for you to come on this tour,” because the whole point of it is basically just a bunch of friends playing together. It was a very chill way to bring the tour about.

DTH: What are two must-haves in your changing room?

W: Hummus and pita chips probably — that’s kind of a thing I always have as a food item. I always have a leather jacket with me because you can put it on your arms or your body or your legs if you get cold.

DTH: What do you do to get into the groove of the creative process?

W: It’s always different, truthfully, for me. One of my favorite artists always says that writing a song is like burning a candle — you only have so long before the wax dries and you really can’t go back and mess with it anymore. That’s kind of how I feel. To get into the groove of it, normally I’m just overcome with an emotion. I normally will write things really, really quickly and have everything done, and then I’ll come back and edit from there, but there’s not really one way in particular.

@aIexishinnant

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