Rendezvous with Glume Harlow
The Emergence of Play Girl Records
Glume Harlow + Huntington
Last October, shortly before her European tour, I interviewed pop synth sensation, Glume. She delivered a vulnerable interview, to say the least. The artist’s past, what it was as a child actor, and the stories that shaped her sophomore album, Main Character were outlined and discussed. Since, Glume has been busy touring, writing, creating artful videos and building her future. Throw in a bit of sexy content, and a record label emerged. For our second interview, I met Glume at the office of her new label, Play Girl Records, super close to the iconic Capitol Records building.
I was greeted in the lobby with a warm, big smile. Glume was excited to introduce me to Huntington, the first signed artist with her professional love child, Play Girl Records.
Huntington’s new single, Closer to God, was just released. The accompanying music video debuts here, November 17.
Laila Alamiri: Wow! You’ve had a busy year. Tell me about your new label, Play Girl Records. What inspired this new endeavor?
Glume: As an indie artist, the business model I’ve experienced wasn’t working for me. For the past year, I’ve been constantly creating, touring, writing, gaining notoriety, but struggling financially. I started an OnlyFans, just to exist and have money to eat. When it blew up, I knew I had to create something lasting. This money is substantial – not the kind of money to just shop with. I wanted to invest in a future and my career. I grew up struggling, have always worked really hard, and want to end that cycle. I told myself not to fuck up. I thought about my talents, my goals, my visions. Those ideas sparked Play Girl Records. This is a label for artists, managed by artists.
I know so many great artists that aren’t getting attention. I’ve been part of this industry since I was 6. I know how to manage the right PR team, how to get the best billboards. I understand how to put together a team based on creative needs. The last three years of being with a label, I did most of the work. I brought in all the collaborations, the deals, the festivals, the events…that’s how I knew I could do it on my own.
LA: And Huntington was the first artist you signed?
Glume: Yes, Huntington’s talent is unbelievable. His songwriting is insane. I want to get him on the road, headlining and working with other artists. I believe in his music and want to be a driving force behind sharing it with the world. Yes, Play Girl Records is a fun and catchy label, but most fans aren’t like…fuck yeah, I love the label. Fans just love the artists. This is greater than me. It’s about creating a world where artists can thrive and grow. Of course I’ll still create my own music, but want to see this label succeed. I’m removing ego and focusing on growth.
LA: Huntington, I’ve seen you perform live with Glume, at shows here in LA. Tell me about your history together.
Huntington: We’ve known each other since 2018, and have been making music since. I remember the first time Glume came over to my place. We made music on my mattress in the living room. We’ve come a long way.
LA: How did you guys meet?
Huntington: I was working at a coffee shop in DTLA. Glume would come in, with 6 inch platforms and her dog, at like 4PM. That’s when she’d wake up. I just thought she was really cool. We started talking and she invited me to hang out one day. We’ve been hanging out since.
Glume: I remember those early days, and first hearing Huntington’s music I was blown away!
LA: Huntington, I know you helped produce Glume’s album, Main Character. What was that process like?
Huntington: I love producing. There’s a lot of producers that can just work with anyone. That’s an awesome skill to have. But for me, I must feel a strong emotional connection. I need that personal intimacy. With Glume, her story is so powerful. We worked on some of those songs for three years. Some were done in a couple hours.
Glume: ‘Main Character,’ the title track, that one happened quickly.
Huntington: Some of it was long term labor, some was quickly bottled. “Main Character” seemed like a 5 minute song.
LA: As a producer, do you consider yourself a composer of sorts?
Huntington: I suppose I would. Composing is just coming up with arranging parts. That’s a big part of what I do. I wouldn’t call myself a classical composer, but a composer of sounds & composition.
LA: I think it’s interesting when artists give their producer songwriting credit, and fans, without an understanding of how things work, assume the artist doesn’t write their own songs.
Glume: So funny & so true. I think it’s really scummy not to give your producer credit. Just because I write the chords & lyrics, the producer can give things life.
LA: Huntington, I read in your bio that you’ve gained a lot of inspiration through exploring your shadow self. How has that shaped who you are as an artist?
Huntington: I would say that shadow work is at the forefront of what I write about, even when I write about love. I struggled awhile as a solo artist. There were a lot of parts of myself that I locked away. I was disconnected from what was really going on inside. It wasn’t until my mid 20’s that this changed – due to circumstance & willingness. When I started embracing the difficulties in my past, that changed the game. I stopped writing what I thought people wanted to hear. My work now is a direct result of embracing that darkness, and accepting who I am. If it doesn’t come from that vulnerable place, I’m not interested.
LA: Your single Blue was released two years ago. I’d love to know more about that track.
Huntington: That song is super special to me. I wrote it two weeks after the passing of my best friend. He lived in Oregon and was hit by a semi truck. There aren’t many words – mostly “I’m Blue” in cadences & waves. I was searching for the words to express that grief, but there was no structure to how I was feeling. It’s dedicated to my dear friend, Eric.
LA: One of the things that I found compelling about that song is your vocal range. Have you trained vocally? Did you grow up singing?
Huntington: Yes! I’ve been singing since 9 or 10. I began college as a musical theatre major but soon realized that I didn’t want to be in plays or focus on acting. I was always hiding in my room, making music. As a kid, I had a super high voice. My voice changed a lot and I had to retrain. I figured out different ways for my voice to shine. I love using my voice as an instrument, like a synthesizer when recording. I also love a big falsetto that sets an atmosphere.
LA: As a musician do you have an instrument that you resonate with most?
Huntington: I would say synthesisers. I love electronic music and analog synthesisers. I also use soft synths. The way we can manipulate sounds this way has unlocked so much that can’t be accomplished with organic instruments. The potential is big and gives us full control to make what we want.
LA: And Glume, you’re working on a musical? What does a musical from you look like?
Glume: Everyone expects something edgy. In reality, this will be the most wholesome, 1940’s great American musical. I just want to make a Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Judy Garland, Gershwin type musical.
Huntington: She sent me a clip and it’s so good! I was weeping in my bed at 11PM.
Glume: The musical is inspired by being in Paris, but it’s a great American musical. So far it’s a 94 page feature film. I wrote the songs as if I were writing for Judy.
Huntington’s excitement made me so happy. He’s a very honest person.
Huntington: I’m not very excitable, to be honest. But this musical makes me happy.
LA: As for your work, Huntington, Closer to God is your first music video, directed by Manny Liotta. This is the same director that worked on Glume’s video, Brittany. What’s it like working with this director?
Glume: We don’t stray from Manny. He’s a genius. He’s only 26 but and already beloved by A24. Everyone knows he’s going places. We’re so happy he’s working with us.
Huntington: He has such a strong sense of direction, and editing.
Glume: Yeah, normally we would need to hire an editor, but Manny does it all. He’s always down to party and always down to get down & dirty when it comes to creative projects. He is great at working within our budget. He directed my Queen of LA video with a 2K budget. Another record company thought it was a 25K project.
LA: So tell me about it! Closer to God, your first video…premiering on November 17.
Huntington: The visuals are closely married to the sonics – a very industrial & dark vibe. It chronicles confusion & restriction. There’s some religious undertones. For me though it’s about being drawn to things that aren’t good for us. There’s something alluring and seductive about danger. This song is about the battle between knowing better and succumbing to something we want badly. There’s a lot of shots where I’m chained and restricted, but there isn’t a clear vision of who’s causing it all. It’s reflective of self sabotage.
LA: Where did you film?
Huntington: Monarch Studies in DTLA. It’s a rad space.
Glume: And your performance was so good! The DP told me that Huntington would be opening for me someday. That made me smile.
LA: On the theme of God, did you grow up religious?
Huntington: Yes, was raised Catholic – grew up going to catholic school. When it was time for confirmation though, my mom asked me if that’s what I wanted. I said absolutely no. So I stepped away.
LA: As a queer artist, do you view God as masculine or feminine, or both?
Huntington: I would say we all want our God to be different things, based on what we need. I believe more in an energy, something devine, more than a personified form of God.
LA: And Glume, what was your role in the production of the video?
Glume: (Laughing) I held chains and choked him! I watched the playback, yelled at Manny so that Huntington looked pretty. Huntington and I come to each other for every shoot. We know what the other wants. I helped with lighting so that everything looked seamless. I knew Manny had it with the narrative, the story and everything. I stepped in to make sure the production captured Huntington’s true beauty, the way he wants to be seen.
LA: So cool! We all need a friend like that around. I’m curious what other artists you’re inspired by, Huntington? Aside from Glume…
Huntington: I grew up listening to a lot of 80s music, mostly in my dad’s car. That’s where my ear for synthesizers came from. He listened to a lot of Depeche Mode and new wave stuff. But my mom, she listened to Enya & Frank Sinantra. So all of those things are within my music. With Sinatra, there’s so much purity because so many songs were yet to be written. Enya’s ethereal voice is so inspiring, just her process…
Glume: I mean, she ended up recording her albums in an Irish castle!
Huntington: Yes, I want to do that! She’s such a detail freak. Some of her songs, to get that richness, she’d layer her vocals 500 times. I find her drive to achieve that sonic vision inspiring. Those are from my childhood. Modern music wise, I’m obsessed with this artist EarthEater. She has a lot of folk qualities, fuzed with heavy percussion and grinding electronic songs.
I actually started writing and playing music because I was obsessed with Lady Gaga at 13. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have sat down at a piano. Oh, and Lana del Rey is one of my favorites. She’s the queen of songwriting, her voice, and the way she uses that as an instrument. I respect her uncompromising vision.
LA: Same! I was so happy when Rolling Stone UK interviewed Glume, and Lana was on that cover! Lana is definitely underrated. You have to be good to have haters, though.
Glume: Haters are essential. It just means you’re doing good.
LA: True, nothing mediocre gets criticized.
Glume: I learned that the hard way! I wanted everyone to be happy. Then there was all this nonsense online. Shirley Manson actually reached out to me. She was like, it just means you’re doing well. So that’s my stance on hate now. Bring it on. I love my haters.
Huntington: Growing up, I always thought that to be worthy, I needed to be liked by everyone. For me, it took until just 5 years ago to shake out of that. It’s now my dream to be polarizing. My goal is to piss people off…well, not everyone.
LA: Any upcoming shows?
Glume: We’re launching officially in late January, early February. Around then, we’ll totally have some shows, some parties…a fun time.
Huntington: After the video release, I’m going into an editing/hibernation phase to work on my full album. We’re also doing some writing for Glume’s third album.
LA: When do you envision having these albums ready to go? I can’t wait!
Glume: Huntington’s album will come first. I’m focused on the launch of Play Girl. We both have so much content, and are always writing more. It’s all about choosing a narrative, and being purposeful. I feel like a realistic goal for me is late Spring/early Summer.
LA: That’s quick!
Glume: That’s rock & roll. I like to move fast because for many artists, the turn around is hard on their process. I don’t want to sit on things for two years. There are artists that make fast turnarounds. I’m always happy for them. That’s gratifying. When you’re a Lana, or Taylor Swift, you gotta just put it out there. A lot of labels are like, no every two years. I don’t want to be like that. The world wants music. When you find a new TV show and realize there are 6 seasons to dive into, that’s a great thing! Everyone is different and the creative process needs to be respected. For me, when I have something to say, the swiftest amount of time that I can get it out there, that’s the most cathartic thing. It’s what keeps us going as artists. It’s never sad to find an artist you like and dive into an abundance of music. I love the PR team we work with. They are ready to be drowning in work. The kids are taking over!
Interviewed by Laila Alamiri
