Audrey Mika Tells the Story Behind Her Bouncy Yet Bittersweet Hit ‘Red Gatorade’
Singer-songwriter Audrey Mika is a master of crafting absurdly catchy, yet totally relatable pop tracks, and she's an artist everyone should be watching.
Her latest track, "Red Gatorade," is an irresistible song about affection and heartbreak that you'll want to play again the second it's over. We can't get enough of her voice or her lyrics, and since learning what inspired the song, we've fallen even deeper in love with it.
Curious? Keep reading our interview with Audrey below to find out more about what makes this fabulous track work:
Sweety High: What was the songwriting process behind "Red Gatorade"?
Audrey Mika: We were hanging out and just talking and then I started talking about this guy, who is the topic of this song, and everything just flowed out really easily. My producer Midi Jones had a fire guitar loop that he was playing and I got my voice memos out and the melodies just flowed out. It always feels good when everyone is feeling the song—it all really comes together so magically.
SH: Is the song based on something that actually happened? What kind of emotions did you want to channel into this song?
AM: Unfortunately, yes, it is based on true events, but I am happy I went through that because it allowed me to create a song that I know people really relate to. When I began to write this song, there was a lot of frustration, but by the end, I was able to remind myself of my self-worth.
(Photo credit: Lauren Lamboy)
SH: Do you have any advice for anyone who might be with someone who isn't 100% invested in them?
AM: My advice would be to put yourself first. If you are putting 100% in and they aren't, get out of that relationship. You are better than that and you deserve better, don't be scared!
SH: Were there any sounds you wanted to channel in "Red Gatorade"?
AM: I just really wanted it to be fresh and bouncy. When making music, I like to reference songs, but also if I'm lucky I love it when the song just comes as naturally as "Red Gatorade" did.
SH: We love the way you blend a bouncy, romantic sound with lyrics about heartbreak. What do you think that lends to the track?
AM: I think it was a mixture of putting in a lil bit of bittersweet into a bouncy track, and balancing out the sadness of the lyrics with the fire beat.
SH: Where did the ideas and aesthetic for the music video come about? What was your favorite memory from the shoot?
AM: The first thing I actually came up with was the outfit. I knew I wanted a very specific look that my stylist really came through with. But I knew I wanted to keep the video super minimal and very colorful. The mirror hallway was something I was like we must have this in the video no matter what. That was most definitely my favorite shot from the whole music video. I'm really happy with how it all turned out!
SH: How has the pandemic changed the way you make music, if at all? Has it been a challenge?
AM: It was so hard in the beginning. The biggest thing for writing is inspiration, and you get that from living your life. But we weren't able to do that, so it was very challenging to find things to write about. And we didn't wanna write about being in a pandemic. I don't think it's necessarily changed the way we make music. Now it just makes me grateful when I can now because I couldn't then.
SH: Are there any artists that are particularly inspiring you during these unusual times?
AM: Rihanna was able to pull off a whole fashion show for her lingerie line. I thought that was incredible. Kehlani was able to put out one of my favorite albums in the heat of the pandemic. And last but not least, Ariana Grande released her album, which is one of my other favorite albums of 2020. They inspire me cuz they're such powerful women and they know and do exactly what they want.
SH: Is there anything else you'd like to add?
AM: I'm extremely grateful for everything I've learned this year and the biggest thing I'm ready to do again is perform and see and hug all my fans. Hopefully, it's coming soon!
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