Add to Queue: This Must Be the Place by Clay
⤏ A PLAYLIST FOR BELONGING
⤏ CURATED BY CLAY
“I've got an answer / I'm going to fly away / what have I got to lose?"
— Crosby, Stills & Nash, “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes”
What is the theme of your playlist?
If I had to choose a word I would say Nostalgia. I think with Artery I kind of tapped into, —anytime I release a song, it’s a song that kind of wrote itself. I don’t really know how else to say it but It’s almost like I put the plug in the outlet and it came through me. Nostalgia, I kind of built the playlist around that feeling where it’s classics like Talking Heads but also Frank Ocean who also taps into that nostalgia.
How did you select these songs?
Five kind of came to me then I built from there. I knew the song, Les Fleur — this song quite literally is all of my musical goals encompassed in one song. I am floored by this song every time I hear it. I was thinking about songs that have a big chorus because my song has so many stacked vocals in the chorus. I was like, “okay, what are songs that have a big chorus” and that’s where I went. I went to a song that I just can't. I don't even care how popular or whatever. This song I just can’t get out of my head and I can’t get over the song writing. Phoebe Bridgers’ Motion Sickness like that shits just too good. “I have emotional motion sickness, somebody roll the windows down” that lyric is absolutely fantastic. It lives rent free in my mind and damn that’s some lyricism that I would like to emulate. It was kind of a mix of either the general vibe of nostalgia or it was lyricism that I resonated with. I feel like because I’m lyricism above all else; I like to write poetry and figure out how to put it into a song. Really, that song by Minnie Riperton was the first song I put on the playlist because I was like what has a big chorus and is flowery but also so haunting at the same time.
What’s the most underrated song/band/artist out there right now?
Alewya, shit is fire. Dua Saleh, they are so fire.
What’s one song everyone needs to listen to?
I don’t want to be corny as fuck but I also low key think it should be Lovely Day by Bill Withers. Everyone’s going through shit you just need to turn something on and have a moment but also the song I listen to more than anything right now is Jhene Aiko, B.S.
What does everyone need to listen to right now?
Terrifying question. Let’s do Les Fleur. Everyone needs to listen to Les Fleur by Minnie Riperton. Go listen to it on the playlist.
Which three artists would you invite to a party?
Rhianna, Kendrick Lamar and Stevie Wonder. Honestly, I would just not even talk. I would allow them to talk and see what they talk about. I’m just there.
If you could collab with any musician, who would it be?
Kendrick Lamar.
If you could feature one of your songs in a movie or tv show, which song would it be and what movie/tv show?
It would be my song Numb, which is going to be the third single off the EP. I would have it in the first season of Euphoria.
*CLAY’s side note: she has not written a song yet but wants it to be the theme of a Bond movie.
You can only listen to one album for the rest of your life. What would it be?
That’s a mean question. Songs in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder because I would get tired of anyone else.
What’s your most recently played song?
It’s by my friend Ora, The Molecule and it’s Helicopter.
What do you think Rhianna’s going to name her baby?
I would never dare to presume whatever Rhianna is ever going to do.