blondestandard
Gets Deep With New Single “BLUE EYES”
By Chichi Valle Riestra
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Caroline Grace Vein was surrounded by powerful women in the entertainment industry. Gaining inspiration and wanting to create a path for herself, she discovered a love for visual art which meshed her many interests: politics, psychology, and criminology. She came up with the name blondestandard, which pushes beyond looks and superficiality. Self-worth is what it’s all about.
Realizing that confidence comes from within, blondestandard began writing music based on her own experiences. She now shares her wisdom with those who listen. Having faced misogyny in the workplace, her bold alt-pop debut single “BLUE EYES'' reminds listeners to be aware of the red flags and take a deeper look into a person’s character. Do they really have your best interests at heart?
“I’ve been going to therapy my whole life, but writing this song gave me real closure for the first time ever,” she said.
2022 will be a big year for blondestandard as she takes a huge leap of faith and prepares to embark on her journey within the music industry for the first time. We get deep with the artist discussing her upbringing in Los Angeles, how to overcome misogyny in the music industry and plans for 2022!
Hi Caroline, thanks so much for speaking with us, and congrats on your upcoming debut single! How are you feeling now that it’s out?
Hi! I am so excited to finally be sharing my music with the world. I’m hoping that taking this leap and releasing “BLUE EYES” inspires others to take their own - just like music inspired me to do.
You were born Caroline Grace Vein but go by the artist name blondestandard. What was the inspiration behind that name?
blondestandard is the name I created for myself as a visual artist at the age of 15. I felt stuck and uninspired with my situation at the time and had many interests including politics, psychology, and criminology. My interests ended up inspiring how I came up with my artist name and profile. blondestandard describes the idea of going against the grain while also ironically pointing out looks and what you’d first expect from someone before digging beneath the surface.
You grew up in Los Angeles - a hub for music and artist development. How do you think that environment has crafted your art?
I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to surround myself with the entertainment industry from a young age. I learned the ins and outs of the movie business, a male-doninated industry, from my mom. It definitely pushed me to work hard in order to achieve my dreams as an artist.
“BLUE EYES” Cover Art / Click to Listen!
How would you describe your music? What genre do you consider it to be?
I would definitely consider my music as something that falls into many
different realms, specifically pop-rock/alternative partnered with a lofi-bedroom vibe.
Who are some of your biggest musical inspirations and why?
This one is a no-brainer for me: Mark Ronson, someone I look up to for a multitude of reasons. First, he is an encyclopedia of music, but his pursuit of music is beyond seamless and motivating. His drums are undeniably the best of the best, and everything he touches, in my opinion, should be hung up and framed in a museum. My favorite Ronson project would have to be his Version album with an insane amount of features including Lily Allen, Daniel Merriweather, Phantom Planet, Amy Winehouse, Santigold, and ODB just to name a few. What an enigma!
What’s your creative process like? Is there any concrete method to writing a blondestandard track?
I feel like I'm constantly writing every day - always looking down at my notes to write down a new lyric. I don't necessarily think I have a concrete process as it constantly changes, but more often than not, I come in with a concept that I want to write about with lots of outside influence and inspiration for the production.
As a singer and songwriter, how do you keep developing your skills?
As a singer-songwriter, I think developing skills comes from life experience, perspectives, and stories to share with others. In these last six months alone, I can say I've grown tremendously, and I constantly learn from those around me. As an artist, I continue to improve through accepting feedback and consistently training my voice. Feedback and criticism is a blessing to me and it means everything to an artist.
Let’s talk about the new single – What inspired “BLUE EYES”?
“BLUE EYES” was inspired by the misogyny I’ve experienced in the workplace. Though the track was inspired by a heavier topic, it does have a lighter approach to it, both sonically and lyrically. On the surface, it sounds like I am just singing about a boy that I liked in the past. However, the deeper meaning behind it urges anyone to feel comfortable in themselves despite what others may say or think about them.
“BLUE EYES” was written during a moment of frustration. How do you cope with your emotions and allow yourself to write songs others can relate to?
This is a great question! I think coping comes from processing, talking about it, and most importantly, writing about it (at least, in my case). I take therapy very seriously and have been going since I was younger. Growing up in LA has come with harder times and experiences (girls can be so mean!), but, with that, I learned to embrace and process hardship in a healthy way. This has helped me translate my thoughts and experiences into my music in a more vulnerable and therapeutic way. In the end, it helped me gain different perspectives about situations and I hope my music inspires others to do the same.
How did you sort out the vocals and sound production for “BLUE EYES”? Explain the studio process.
The studio process was collaborative and fun! Over the last two years, I’ve come to love hearing new ideas, collaborating with different people, and their talents. Though I had come into the studio with a sense of where I wanted the song to head, “BLUE EYES” was not something I expected to write. Starting off with a beat, my producer and I pivoted very quickly after having a conversation about what was going on with my current work situation, and the rest is history!
What do you want listeners to take away from “BLUE EYES”?
I want people to understand that it is within themselves that they can succeed. I know many people have others around them that detract from their energy and happiness. This was hard for me as well - especially when finding my confidence as an artist. Releasing my music was a big leap of faith for me, but as the song says, it is important to look past those “BLUE EYES” - whether it’s one or more people, we’ve all come across this obstacle.
You’ve been vocal about female representation within the music industry. Why do you feel so passionately about this topic and are you seeing a positive shift?
I grew up in Los Angeles and surrounded myself with lots of powerful women in entertainment. I also went to an all-girls school - though it challenged me at times, it helped me build a backbone. Years later, I now understand that the women I surrounded myself with shaped me into who I am today as they have inspired me to carry on their power in my own work and life.
Lastly, what can fans expect from you in 2022?
Lots of new music! Now that “BLUE EYES” is out, I’m hitting the ground running. I am very excited to be sharing new stories, experiences, and offering listeners new memories and inspirations.