Following the release of her latest single ‘Selfish’, LOCK had the pleasure of speaking to rising Pop and TikTok sensation Claire Boyer to discuss the single, her future plans and how she’s dealing with her growing online presence.
Hi Claire and welcome to LOCK, for our readers, could you tell us a little about yourself?
Hi! My name is Claire Boyer and I am a 20 year old singer/songwriter from Charlottesville, VA. I’ve been singing all my life, and over the past couple years, I have focused more on songwriting and producing original music. Last April, I had a video go viral of me humming to a kitchen fan. It gave me the drive and the confidence to work on music full-time and pursue my dreams.
Your latest single “Selfish” is such a unique twist on the word—how did that concept first take shape in your notebook?
I remember walking out of my room one night from this overwhelming feeling of self-consciousness, and feeling the urge to sit down and write. I find in my most vulnerable moments, I like to put my feelings into words, and I remember feeling extremely vulnerable. I sat at the dining room table and began writing with my roommate’s ukulele. The lyrics, “am I selfish cause all I think about is me?” came into my head almost immediately, and I quickly began humming the chorus melody.
I wrote around the chorus and experimented with explaining my take on the word ‘selfish.’ I began to think about the definition of selfish and how it’s usually described as someone who only thinks about themselves in a conceited manner. Although “selfish” is usually used as a negative adjective, the word came to me as a hyper-fixation on my insecurities and personal perception. I remember thinking, “I don’t only want to think of myself, but sometimes when I’m feeling down, I’m all I can think about.” I had an awesome moment of connecting this word to how I was feeling in the moment, and the lyrics helped me process my own personal dialogue.
The track balances heavy emotion with light, vibrant production. Was that contrast intentional from the start?
I wanted this song to stray away from a melancholic sound(which I usually love) but instead almost replicate an anthem I could sing and others could sing as well. After I wrote the chorus, I could immediately hear the pop-style acoustic guitar and drum beat underneath. I decided this song would almost resemble personal frustration with not feeling confident, and almost a plea to my own consciousness to be kinder to me.
One of the most powerful ideas in “Selfish” is being stuck in your own insecurities. What’s the hardest part about turning those private thoughts into public music?
Weirdly, I’d say it’s actually easy for me to translate my thoughts into public music. I’ve always been relatively open about my mental struggles and self-consciousness since I was a young kid. Talking about it and making others feel less alone is so important to me as it truly helped me.
I think maybe the most difficult part is how overwhelming it can be to write extremely personal lyrics. Not just because opening up is scary, but I love the craft of songwriting so much that I want it to be absolutely “perfect.” It can be a lot to write and produce a song, as everything one hears when listening to a track of mine is intentional. It has gotten easier as I’ve been producing and working in the studio, but I’ve learned that having rough times with writing as an artist is inevitable, so I’ve learned to embrace it.
Do you think the pressure to appear “put-together” in the social media age makes that inner voice louder for young people?
1000%. I feel like I’m still and likely will always be trying to figure out how I want to present myself to the public. If I’m being honest, I most definitely don’t have everything figured out. I think I tried to be a “mysterious” musician for a little while(haha), hoping that people would be more curious, but that simply isn’t me.
I love to connect with others, make fun of myself, and be a source of light during challenging and confusing times. I intended to post more “real” videos of myself from everyday life as a young musician with big dreams, trying to figure it out.
How did your collaboration with producer James McLaughlin influence the sonic direction of “Selfish”?
From the first recording session I had with James, I knew he would be an amazing partner to work with on my music. Over the past 8 months, we have been working together on multiple songs, and at this point I’m pretty sure he can read my mind.
Quickly after recording the vocals for, “Selfish,” I described how I wanted this song to be a “bop” and how I desired a bright and warm sound despite the lyrics. We experimented with various vocal effects, instrument ideas, and drum beats, and after a few months, we began to finalize the song’s construction. James killed it playing drums on the track, combining our ideas and his expertise on the percussion side of things.
James and I didn’t want the song to be cookie-cutter, and adding unique elements such as the “phone” effect on some lyrics helped emphasize the inner dialogue theme and created a fun and vibrant sonic atmosphere.
At just 20, you’re already finding your voice both sonically and lyrically. How has your sound evolved since your first viral moment on TikTok?
Since April of last year, I have noticed such a shift in my musicality and growth as a musician. I was just wrangling my sound as an artist when the video blew up on TikTok, and since then, I believe I have truly found my sound.
Not only has my music theory improved, but experimenting and working with a producer has truly fueled my creativity and made me a more versatile songwriter.
Vulnerability seems central to your music—why is that emotional honesty important to you as an artist?
Emotional honesty is extremely important to me because I tend to be a constant rollercoaster. I have days where I compare myself to everyone, feel as though I’m not good enough, and criticize everything I do. On the contrary, I have days where I’m feeling more grounded and confident, and as a young woman, hearing other people describe their struggles helps me feel less alone(and insane).
Life and emotions aren’t linear, and I have experienced dark times in my life, yet I have survived. When feeling down and anxious, it’s so easy to overthink everything and not see the light at the end of the tunnel. My lyricism is about helping myself and others process everyday emotions and feelings.
Your TikTok presence has helped you reach millions. How do you balance sharing your real life with the pressure of being “seen” all the time?
Not going to lie, I don’t think I have it quite balanced or figured out.
I am grateful every day and still honestly shocked that a short video of me humming has reached millions of people. Connecting with people is something I have always dreamed of, and seeing the numbers explode every time I refreshed my TikTok page is something I’ll never forget.
I’m still trying to figure out how to post content that I love and that other people love. I love to cover songs and post behind-the-scenes content of me creating music, but sometimes I struggle to come up with content to post.
I’m grateful for the platform the video provided, but I also want to dedicate my time to writing and creating new music. I want to focus on releasing more songs and developing my artistic identity.
What kind of themes or sounds are you excited to explore in your upcoming music?
I’m excited to experiment and see where my creativity takes my new tracks. I love to write about my feelings and emotions as it’s a way to relate to others and process my own thoughts, but I can see myself expanding where my lyricism goes.
I am genuinely open and willing to write about anything, and I’m excited to see where my writing goes and to challenge myself with new concepts. I’ve always been interested in having classical music elements in my pop songs, as I love the unconventional twist classical sounds bring into a popular music style. I love a good synth sound, and artists like Billie Eilish inspire me to add unique sound elements.
Are there any dream collaborations on your radar—producers, artists, or even visual creatives?
My list of things I want to do and concepts I want to develop is endless. I can see myself performing and designing a gripping and immersive show. I can see myself writing music videos and portraying characters I create through that medium.
I am so inspired every day by the incredible songwriters/actors/producers of the 21st century. I am so excited to collaborate with other artists. I love the idea of sitting down with an artist I admire and love creatively, bouncing ideas back and forth, and writing a song that complements both of us.
What’s one “selfish” thing you’re learning to do just for you?
Saying no. Haha
In better words, standing up for myself. Although I sometimes struggle with wondering if voicing my opinion or saying no is rude, I’ve learned that people are often made to feel as though it’s selfish to say no.
I’ve often said “yes” to things just to please others and make everyone else happy. As I’ve grown older, I’ve become more assertive and understand the power that comes with being a young female artist. It’s not selfish to stand up for yourself; it’s powerful.