She shows off her mother's fabulous bearing and her father's irresistible circles under her eyes, but she is far from continuing to be for culture the “daughter of” the most attractive literary couple of the century. Sophie Auster has accumulated experience, she has seen the wolf's ears in the world of music and today, happily pregnant and in a Zen attitude – “his name will be Miles” – she is brave and unbribable when it comes to showing a preview of her new record work. She has eight of the ten songs ready for Milk for Ulcers, which will be released in February. Today she sings a few in Malaga, tomorrow in Palma and on Sunday at the Auditori de Girona, within the framework of the High Season.
“I always said that it would be much better to tour the new material and then record it,” says the only daughter of Paul Auster and Siri Hustvedt. How is her father? La Vanguardia asks her on the sunny rooftop of her Barcelona hotel. The author of The Book of Illusions is undergoing more treatments against the cancer that he confessed to this newspaper that he suffered from a few months ago. “You realize how experimental medicine is,” admits her daughter. She has undergone immunotherapy and it worked remarkably, but then there are the side effects: now we are trying the treatment,” says the singer-songwriter. “It was good that we made it public, there is nothing to hide and it is moving to see how much people appreciate him, so many people.”
How do you feel about your fit in the music industry?
Writing within the limitations of another person's opinion is something I took as a challenge. I looked to do something that was commercial and would make the record company happy as well as me. With the pandemic, however, they could no longer finance what I do and I left the label. I took a big risk but I have found a new way of working, of writing, of facing my own life, with things that have happened in my family. It's okay to feel yourself emerging, although I'm still seeing how. I'm tempted to release this fourth album independently to have full creative control. Of course, sometimes you feel the need to go back to the big corporate company, setting your conditions. But if you look within yourself, you see that you made the right decision. It's funny because as a child you don't imagine that your career will be a constant reinvention, falling and getting back up. I thought I would climb step by step to the top.
People thought that being the daughter of novelists would open doors for her.
The thing is, no one is going to hire me because I have read one of my parents' books, that's not how it works. Especially in the American world of music. In Europe everything intersects more, but there they are separate worlds. Plus, the literary world is getting smaller and smaller. Music executives have no idea what's going on in the publishing industry. No, no, you have to prove your worth.
You transmit more in live shows than on your albums, don't you think?
Sometimes yes. Because the goal is to achieve the sensation of the live performance brought to the record, especially on this album that no one has heard yet. I want to capture a rawer feeling than in previous works. By touring you end up getting to know the material, you are freer to experiment if you record afterwards. But from a marketing point of view it doesn't work that way.
Do you create starting with the letter?
Not always. Sometimes I write down thoughts but things also come out playing the guitar... a melody.
But feel the power of the poet.
I have grown up reading a lot and emphasizing the importance of words. I would be remiss not to put emphasis on what I say in the songs, of course. I try to speak sincerely without falling into clichés. The music you create from a poem is very different than the lyrics you create for the actual music underneath. There are terms that are too wordy, you have to find round words: consonants and vowels that come off the tongue. Simplifying helps me sing better.
What motivated you as a child to end up making music?
I always wanted to be the best at everything I set my mind to, to a point that was not always healthy. I think that comes partly from insecurity, from having to prove something to yourself. That feeling was my main drive but also the freedom of growing up in an environment where I was allowed to explore myself. It is a luxury that your parents say... “ah! do you want to be a singer? Forward". For a lot of people it's crazy and I grew up feeling like it was a possibility. Life is simply about trying.
What does it say about the advance of artificial intelligence in creation?
Which is still a recreation of material that has already been published by other people. We've been talking for generations about AI taking over. I think people will continue to want the real thing. You can't satisfy it with a hologram at a concert: people want to get closer to the people they idolize.
What world do you think awaits your baby: wars, climate change, Trump perhaps re-elected?
Every generation has to deal with the chaos outside, but the core of the family you create is still something very special. I am optimistic that Trump will not be elected again, due to the accusations he accumulates. There could be a weird outcome with Kennedy running, for example.
He has made political songs...
I did one about gun violence, one about abortion, and one about how much I hated Trump that I posted on YouTube during the pandemic.
And how has your mother's feminist clairvoyance influenced you?
It was nice growing up with someone so outspoken and tough about how misogynistic the world is.
By the way, what do you listen to at home? Do you know Rosalía?
My husband grew up in Seattle, we listened to a lot of 90's grunge rock. Also soul, jazz... And Mozart is good for babies. He saw Rosalía live and said that she would have impressed me with how he gives himself. I also give it my all, I don't like people who pass by the stage with indifference.
