With “tssbfy”, genre-defying artist and shamanic sound weaver Claraty delivers a synth-laced breakup anthem that merges spiritual depth with modern pop sensibility. Ethereal vocals, textured string layers, and sleek electronic production underpin a track that explores the bittersweet moment of emotional release — where love lingers, but clarity leads the way.
Rooted in sad-pop aesthetics reminiscent of Gracie Abrams or early Olivia Rodrigo, Claraty’s sound is wholly her own: an alchemy of folk, lo-fi electronica, Afrobeat, house, and hip hop. The result is a sonic atmosphere that feels both intimate and expansive, ceremonial yet accessible. Her multi-instrumentalism and producer chops shine throughout, with subtle shifts in tone that elevate the emotional weight of each lyric.
We had the opportunity to sit down with Claraty to learn all about “tssbfy”, how she carves through her unique sound, and much, much more here at LOCK.
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‘tssbfy’ stands for “this song shouldn’t be for you” – Can you talk us through the emotional spark that led to this lyric, and how the song evolved from there?
I sat down with my guitar one night with the intent to write a song. I had been primarily focusing on my career as a producer and it had been awhile since I had given myself an evening as a “songwriter”. So I decided that I would turn off the computer and pick up my guitar to see what would happen. I was still healing from an emotionally rough break up and when I picked up my guitar my compulsion was to write about the hard and sad emotions that I was still experiencing. At this point I had already written a sad song about this person and I had already used a lot of creative energy giving that relationship attention. I also noticed that I was feeling tired of the breakup story in general. I’m very intentional about what I write, the prayer behind it, what field of energy it’s creating for my listeners. I decided in that moment that it felt boring to write about sadness and heartbreak and that song had already been written – for both my myself, my own story and also in our collective consciousness. I felt bored by it and I didn’t want to do it. So I decided to ask myself, “what’s beyond this story?”. When I write I’m always asking myself “what’s the MOST real way to talk about what I’m experiencing”. So, the most real experience I could summon is the statement “this song shouldn’t be for you”. It honors both the experience of, regretfully, still being consumed with thoughts about this person – while also recognizing that the story doesn’t deserve any more attention. It is about a readiness to move on while still being plagued by looping and challenging feelings. The energy of the song declares that I “wake up” out of this mental emotional loophole and write a new more positive and uplifting story. It ends that cycles and calls forth a new wave of happiness and healthy relating.
There’s a fascinating tension in the track – sleek synths and melodic hooks meet something more ceremonial, almost sacred. How do you navigate that space between the dancefloor and the devotional?
I am a big fan of dancing, of pop music, of really good high quality music that makes people feel something. I don’t believe there is any separation between “the dance floor” and the “devotional” or “the ceremonial space”. Anywhere that we are gathered collectively and subjected to something sonically – we are having a devotional experience and we are being subjected to the programming inside the lyrics and mindset of the creator. Whether we are making people dance, or providing music to listen to in the car or the headphones – we as creators of music are responsible for setting the tone of the spiritual and devotional impact that our listeners will go through. It’s a great responsibility to be creating music and influencing others, and it doesn’t matter what genre or vibe that is delivered through.
Your sound draws from such a wide palette – from folk to afro beats to underground house. Were there specific sonic or emotional references that guided the production of ‘tssbfy’?
I’m a big fan of studying all kinds of genres – for the purpose of becoming a better music producer that can create literally anything. I have always loved pop music because of the infectious joyful vitality of it and the premium production quality. Over the last couple of years I’ve been specifically exploring and investigating the production behind Billie Eilish (and Finneas) and Taylor Swift (and Jack Antenoff). I was also studying the energetic arc of Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” to try to understand how to create such a big exciting climactic song. When I started to make the fully produced version of this song (later in the night the same night that I actually wrote it) I aimed to emulate the production styles of these three artists to create something similar, that is also totally my own.
There’s a moment of clarity in the song – a refusal to let someone live rent-free in your creative space. How did it feel to reclaim that space through songwriting?
It felt really empowering to find a moment in songwriting where a song could have been just another breakup sad song – and to turn that moment into a reclamation of my own power and choice point to create a new story. It felt like I offered myself healing and release in the process of making it. It offered levity to my system and brought me to a stage of kind of funny, slightly petty, and empowered reclamation. It felt like relief and it allowed me to move on.
As both a producer and performer, how do you know when a song like “tssbfy” has reached the point where it feels complete? Is there a moment of inner stillness, or something more instinctual?
Often when I’m truly in a fluid place with my writing – I can write an entire song in one sitting. The whole thing is available to me and it comes through as fast as I can put pen to paper. So in terms of the writing process – if I’m connected to something very real and my conditions are right – I can simply write the whole thing without much effort or mental stress. In terms of the production – it is quite similar. If I’m in flow state I do most of my production in a short amount of time. I’m obsessive and I can’t stop. At some point I committed myself to the muse and prioritised its presence over anything else in my life (to the detriment of cancelling any plans that would get in the way of creative flow). I have shaped my life intentionally so that I can make such a choice. What I mean by this is that when “the muse” is present, or in other words the creative force of energy that is holding this song in my space, there is a lot of life force energy available to hear what needs to be done. I can sometimes work for 12-16 hrs or days on end without stopping until it’s done if the muse is still in the room. If I can “catch a song” in this way – most of the true creation happens in a matter of a few days. As a producer – I do as many extra sessions as I need to get the mix landing right. This is a process of listening to it through as many devices as possible (my car, my iPhone, bluetooth speakers, amazing high quality speakers, low quality speakers – anything and everything I can listen to). When a song has that special indescribable feeling (on all kinds of speakers) that it’s “there” – it’s undeniable. I can compare it to songs I love that are in a similar genre – and I feel like they could be on a playlist together without any apologies. Sometimes when you know you just know.
“Sad-pop” is having a real moment, with artists like Gracie Abrams and Olivia Rodrigo making waves. What does it mean for you to carve out space in that world, and how do you make it unmistakably your own?
Generally, I love the genre and I love the sound. I believe that it’s accessible and it attracts a widespread audience because of the addictive and simple but fun and relatable nature of the genre. What I don’t love about it is that most artists are stuck in victimhood consciousness – complaining, gossiping, whining, and talking down on others. Not taking responsibility for their own experience or impact and generally perpetuating stories that we don’t need running our collective consciousness anymore. I am here to be a bridge between the worlds of mainstream media and a more healthy spiritual consciousness. I, as well as much of society, love the vibe or pop music – so innately we’re all going to continue listening to it. If I can enter a genre that the masses are listening to and infuse a mindset that has a more positive and empowering outcome – I’ve made a positive mark in this world.
And finally, what does the rest of 2025 bring for Claraty?
Later this year I’m releasing my solo concept album called “The Gift” which is a full ceremonial journey in an album. Lost are the days of full concept albums that are intentional and made to be listened to as a unit (other than some artists like Beyonce or Taylor Swift). Most artists are releasing floating singles constantly without a unified intent. I will be releasing The Gift and touring it around the US throughout the end of 2025 and into 2026. These will be special performances that are theatrical and ceremonial in nature. I’m very excited about the release of this album and look forward to sharing a brand new sound with my listeners that combines all of the worlds I love – bass, electronic, house music, pop, afro beats, and sound healing – all in one. And on top of all of that – it’s about DRAGONS! My favourite.