Brooklyn-Based Caroline Lazar Announces New Honey EP

Caroline told us about her songwriting inspirations and gushed about her beloved pet cat.

What kinds of things were you grappling with while writing the songs on Honey?

I wrote these songs over the course of a little over a year. I was finishing up my last year of college; I was cutting ties with my first love; I was battling with my depression and anxiety and all that; I was finding new loves/something lateral to that; and I was just being a millennial in America during an incredibly polarizing time. It was a really transitional time, and on top of all that I was still figuring out who I am as a writer and as a person.

You moved to New York relatively recently. What drew you here?

I’ve had a lot of different dreams and goals, but living in New York has always been number one. My dad is from Queens, and my mom moved to the city after graduating college. It feels like a rite of passage to be here in my 20’s. Everyday I leave my apartment I find myself in total awe that I get to live here. I don’t know if it’s the best place to be a musician [for everyone], but it’s the best for me!

Was there a specific moment when you realized, “I’m going for it, I’m going to be a singer/songwriter for real”?

Not particularly. I never really felt like I had the choice. I started writing in high school and couldn’t stop. It’s like a compulsion, I don’t think I could be doing anything else.

Last year you shared a cover of “Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High”? What’s your connection to that song?

Alex Turner and The Arctic Monkeys are a huge influence on my music. I strive for Turner’s poeticism in everything I write.

Do you usually write your songs on piano, or on guitar?

I started writing on the piano, but over the past couple years I’ve transitioned to pretty much only guitar, mostly because I can’t fit a keyboard in my tiny room. We do what we can, haha.

What do you like about writing a song together with friends versus writing on your own?

IMHO (in my humble opinion) the best thing about music is the collaboration with other people. There’s something so magical about being vulnerable and writing with someone else. At the same time, I’m most honest and brooding when I’m writing alone, so I try to keep a healthy mix.

Can you give us a preview of your show on Sunday?

I’ll be playing at Pete’s Candy Store on March 17 (Sunday) at 9:30pm! I’m so excited–Pete’s is such a fun, intimate room to play! I’ll be playing all of the songs off the new EP, a few that are still unrecorded, and probably maybe an early 2000’s angsty girl bop.

Because of your Instagram handle I have to ask about your cat! What is her name? How did you find each other?

I thought you’d never ask!! My cat’s name is Luna, and she is the light of my life. I rescued her a couple years ago–she has brain damage and no front teeth, and her head is permanently crooked and she’s had a UTI for the past two years, and I love her. My roommates maybe not so much.

Who are some other local NYC musicians or bands who inspire you right now?

I never miss an Êmia or Souvenir show–and not just because they’re my roommates, and my head would be on a platter if I did. Some other NYC faves are B. Miles–she’s an amazing indie badass and a huge role model to me–as well as Plastic Picnics, and Samia.

What else are you looking forward to this year? Any trips or tours planned?

I’m just gonna keep making music and keep playing as much as I possibly can! I have a fun project coming up with Leestevall Recordings this May, and I’ve been working on some new-new with my bud, Jack Mullin. I’ll also be making a trip down to Nashville later in the year to work with the co-writer/producer on this record, Reed Gaines.

Follow Caroline Lazar on Instagram at @carolinelazarlovescats, and like her on Facebook at /carolinelazarmusic.

Listen to her new EP on streaming platforms or purchase it on Bandcamp starting Friday, March 15.