Her soon to be released covers album, “…but i’d rather be with you”, is a cheeky play on many of her personal inspirations. Covers with reimagines of FKA Twigs, Harry Styles, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and more. We spoke with Tuttle on everything from music, inspirations, who she wants to become, and how alopecia is now apart of her everyday.
Thank you so much for doing this interview with us—for our readers who may not know you, if you were looking at yourself in third person, who is Molly Tuttle?
I would see a someone who used to tour nonstop playing shows, and now sits at home in Nashville and playing guitar for herself or people on the internet! This question is interesting because without being able to tour which was a huge part of my life before 2020, I’ve had to ask myself “who am I?” regularly. I don’t really have an answer but I think at my core I just love creating and connecting with others.
How would you describe your sound? We would say sort of folk-esque but it’s probably better that you put it into your own words.
I always have a hard time describing my sound. Genre doesn’t feel important to me when I’m creating or thinking about music, because all of my favorite musicians just sound like themselves. I mainly try to focus on what resonates with me and what messages I want to send into the world. I think my sound has changed a lot over the years because I’ve changed and evolved as a person. You could call my music folk or americana or indie or a mixture of things! I was a guitar player first and I think that comes through.
How did you get into music? Who were your muses as you came into your own?
I learned to play music from my dad. I asked him to teach me guitar when I was eight years old and one day he brought me home a small Taylor guitar that I learned to play on. My early influences were Hazel Dickens, Gillian Welch and bay area bluegrass musicians like Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick. They all inspired me to find my own voice with my music.
Do any of your muses still influence you to this day or do you look at more modern contemporaries?
My early muses are part of my musical DNA so they definitely influence me to this day! I am always searching for new music to devour though, so I don’t go back and listen to my longtime musical heroes as much as I used to.
If you don’t mind, tell us about how alopecia and you play hand in hand in life, music, etc?
Alopecia has affected me on every level. When I was younger I really struggled with my self esteem because I looked “different.” Playing music and writing songs helped me process those hidden feelings and also find self worth and joy. Now that I have come to love having alopecia, being different gives me a sense of purpose with my music and life. I want to show people that it’s beautiful to be yourself.
What have been obstacles in your journey that have defined who you are today?
Learning to take charge of my life and my decisions has been a challenge for me. I think a lot of women in our society have been conditioned out of trusting themselves and standing up for themselves, but these are crucial skills for living a fulfilling life. I know that I have made compromises in my life and career to satisfy others because I want to keep the peace or don’t want to make people uncomfortable, and I always regret it. I just read Untamed by Glennon Doyle and highly recommend it for any other recovering people pleasers.
To switch gears just a bit, tell us and our readers about your latest body of music—what inspirations, energy, etc did you draw upon to flesh out all of the songs?
My latest album “…but i’d rather be with you” is a collection of songs that I’ve loved throughout my life. I made this record in my room during quarantine and sent it to Tony Berg who had other musicians overdub parts onto it in their home studios. I was feeling down and having a hard time finding my own words this spring, so I felt the urge to revisit these songs that have gotten me through tough times before. I also wanted to have something to share during this time because so many people are struggling and music is so important right now. I hope these songs that I love will resonate with others like they do with me.
What has been the most rewarding part of your day to day? It can be anything small or big picture.
The most rewarding part of my day to day is having extra time to be creative. I have loved digging into songwriting more during my time off the road. Aside from music, I like reading tarot cards for myself and for friends over zoom as a way to stay connected amidst all the chaos and hardship. I’ve also been meditating more which is super rewarding.
We also want to know, who was Molly, who is Molly, and what will Molly become?
A post shared by Molly Tuttle (@mollytuttle) on Aug 12, 2020 at 9:22am PDT
A seed turned into a tree turning into a forest!
What can readers do if they want to listen to more of your work, find you on social, or any special digital concerts?
Follow me on social media for updates, and listen on any streaming service or order the album! You can find me by searching my name or going to my website mollytuttlemusic.com
// mollytuttlemusic.com; photography by Zach Pigg.
