Q&A: S. L. Houser's 'Hibiscus' EP is a Blossoming Journey of Growth and Liberation
☆ BY Sophie gragg ☆
EMBARK ON A MUSICAL JOURNEY WITH S. L. HOUSER AS SHE UNVEILS HER LATEST INDIE-ROCK MEETS ART-POP CREATION, THE HIBISCUS EP. Released through Spaceflight Records, this six-track odyssey resonates with the vibrant sounds of Houser's Floridian roots. Beyond the catchy melodies lies a profound exploration of growth and ego death, symbolized by the ephemeral beauty of the hibiscus flower.
Breaking free from the constraints of defining a specific sound, Hibiscus marks a departure for Houser. The EP embraces diversity, with each song dictating its own sonic landscape. For those newly discovering S. L. Houser through the new project, the EP serves as an invitation—to learn something new about oneself and connect with emotions that may have been elusive.
As the year concludes, Houser looks ahead to a period of rest, reset, and recharge, reflecting on a transformative year filled with musical expression and personal growth. Read below to learn about the making of the project and catch S. L. Houser live at our show this week in Austin at Cheer Up Charlie’s.
Photos By Brynn Osborn
LUNA: Congratulations on the release of your EP Hibiscus? Can you share the inspiration behind the title, and what thematic elements listeners can expect from this collection?
HOUSER: Thank you! I grew up in Florida and have always subsequently had a thing for Hibiscus flowers. They remind me of home quite a bit. The song title which led to the album title came about because I was staring at my Hibiscus plant and thinking about how poetic it is that they spend all this energy to produce these big beautiful flowers that don't stay in bloom for very long. But they also produce many many flowers in a season. The process of growing and letting go is a big theme on the EP and I felt like the plant really embodied that.
LUNA: You've described Hibiscus as centered around growth and ego death. How did these themes influence the creative process?
HOUSER: It really freed me to shake up my writing process. I found myself approaching these songs more like compositions in a lot of ways or tiles on a mosaic. Lyrically, I also cared less about giving the listener a full story and more about creating a feeling that people could connect with even if they didn't know what the song was intrinsically about.
LUNA: In the EP, you mentioned a departure from the struggle of defining "your sound." Can you elaborate on the creative freedom you embraced in ‘Hibiscus’ and how it differs from your previous work?
HOUSER: I think I've never really known what my sound is honestly. I have such a wide array of influences that inform my writing. I used to think that the variety was a bad thing - like it made me a hard product to sell or something. But truthfully most of the artists I really love write all kinds of records. I worked on letting go of a lot of narratives I had written about myself on this EP. The biggest exercise for that was to learn to just let a song be whatever it wants to be and stop trying to shoehorn songs into something that doesn't feel genuine.
LUNA: How does it feel to bring your music to the live stage, and what can attendees expect from your live performances?
HOUSER: It feels great! I have an insanely talented band that can pretty much roll with every weird idea I have. At our EP release show, I had so many people come up and compliment my bandmates which is really special to me. I am very accustomed to my support roles as a touring musician but fronting a band for me is hard. I couldn't do it without this crew.
LUNA: Your musical journey has seen you collaborating behind the scenes and touring with notable acts. How has your diverse experience influenced your approach to creating your own music, especially with this latest release?
HOUSER: I think just generally upping my technical know-how has made a huge difference on my ability to communicate in the studio and translate those ideas to the live show. I'm not sure I would've learned as much as I've learned the last year without all of the touring and session work I've been asked to do.
LUNA: Are there any particular themes or directions you're eager to explore in future projects?
HOUSER: I have a couple things that have been on the back burner for a bit this year that I'm planning on diving back into in the chill winter months. Definitely excited to have the space to write more new material but I'm also working on my instrumental compositions/scoring and a potential electronica project that is very TBD but hopefully will be fully functional in 2024.
LUNA: For those who are just discovering your music with Hibiscus, what message or feeling do you hope they take away from the EP?
HOUSER: I hope it makes you learn something new about yourself or connects you with a feeling you haven't been able to understand.
LUNA: What intentions do you have for the rest of the year?
HOUSER: Rest, reset, recharge. I have been very go go go this year and it's been great but I'm overdue for some down time.
