Q&A: Susannah Joffe Embraces the Ache on ‘Cult Leader’
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY SHEVON GREENE ☆
Photo by Alli Miller
ON HER NEW EP, CULT LEADER — Susannah Joffe builds a world where old country sounds meet dream-pop haze, and where emotional honesty cuts straight through the quiet. Raised in Texas but now based in New York, Joffe once attempted to transition from her southern roots, but this project leans into them instead. Across its tracks, she channels the ache of separation, the sting of heartbreak, and the strange beauty of growing into a sound that’s uniquely hers.
Whether she’s mourning a breakup at 3 a.m. in tracks like “You’d Kill Me If You Could” or sprinting freely across open fields in “Horses Can’t Outrun Me,” Joffe’s voice rings through in an unapologetically cathartic and honest way.
The Luna Collective sat down with Joffe to talk about embracing discomfort, building immersive live shows, and telling her story in bold color. Read below for more.
Photo by Alli Miller
LUNA: “Cult Leader” really sets the tone for the EP. It’s haunting but also soft and beautiful. What inspired that track, and did it always feel like the opener?
JOFFE: I wanted to make a song with country influence—more like old-time country—but also mix in that dreamy Mazzy Star vibe. Somewhere between a country ballad and dream pop. I struggled with the tracklist for a while and originally thought about releasing “Cult Leader” as a single, but it just sonically encapsulates everything else on the project: the country, the dreaminess, a little pop. It felt like a perfect blend of all the songs. And since I wasn’t releasing it as a single, I wanted people to really pay attention to it. It’s longer, slower, and I hoped it could give listeners a moment to settle into the project.
LUNA: Even the title alone is super intriguing. Texas shows up a lot in your lyrics and sonic influences. Now that you’re based in New York, how do those two places influence your music in different ways?
JOFFE: I grew up in Texas, and when I first started making music, I really wanted to distance myself from that. Sonically, I didn’t want to be associated with it. I was self-conscious about my voice—I have a hearty alto tone and a vocal flip that’s very country—and I wanted to sound more alt. When I moved to New York, that feeling intensified. Everyone here went to fancy liberal arts schools and I was like, “I went to University of Texas. Let me make alt-rock and distance myself more.” But the longer I’ve been away from Texas, the more I miss it, and I’ve had to reflect on what it really means to me. There’s a lot of fondness, but also pain. I’m more willing now to embrace that it’s part of who I am and let it show up in my music.
LUNA: I love that you’re able to pull from both experiences—the nostalgia and heartbreak of Texas, and the growth that came in New York. “You’d Kill Me If You Could” feels like a really raw moment on the EP. Where did that song come from emotionally?
JOFFE: It’s definitely the most emotionally vulnerable track. I wrote it at like 3 a.m., a couple months before turning in the project. I just grabbed my voice memo and wrote it in about 30 minutes. It was tricky—there’s this balance of wanting to be honest while also respecting people’s privacy. But I’d been going through a really painful breakup, and after some time passed, I started seeing the relationship in a totally different light. I saw a video of my ex covering a breakup song at a show and shouting “F*ck your ex” into the mic, and the anger really shocked me. It made me feel sad and kind of scared. I started thinking about how I had excused a lot in that relationship, convinced myself I was the bad guy. Writing that song was a way of reckoning with all that. It was the first time I’d really said how I felt. And honestly, I barely touched it after I wrote it—just went into the studio two days later and recorded it.
LUNA: That’s heavy. But also, I feel like the best songs often come from those deeply emotional places, even when they’re painful.
JOFFE: Yeah, I’ve always felt that. “Cult Leader” came from a lot of pain too, and looking back, I’m honestly grateful. I’m like, okay, this hurt, but it gave me a song that I think is really good—and that’s going to help my career. So I’ll take it.
LUNA: “Horses Can’t Outrun Me” is such a powerful closer. How did that one come together, and why did it feel like the right ending?
JOFFE: That one’s had a journey. I originally wrote it in LA with my friend Eva—it was about the music industry and LA culture. But six months later, after the breakup, I rewrote most of the lyrics. I wanted it to feel more anthemic, like a full-on “leaving a bad relationship” anthem. I brought it to a new producer and reworked it completely. The vibe I wanted was like—you know the movie Spirit? That horse running free through pastures? That’s what I pictured: wind in my hair, titties out, running through open fields. That’s the energy I wanted the closer to have.
LUNA: Yes! That Nicole Kidman divorce photo energy.
JOFFE: Exactly. I wanted to take people on a journey—bring them down, then back up again.
Photo by Alli Miller
LUNA: You’ve been on the road with artists like Mt. Joy, Alix Page, Indigo De Souza, and now you’ve got your first headline show at Baby’s All Right coming up—congrats! How are you feeling about that and your other upcoming shows?
JOFFE: Thank you! I’m so excited. I really want the Baby’s [All Right] show to feel immersive and special. I know money’s tight and ticket prices are up, so I want to make it worth it—maybe a face painter doing classic Susannah looks, a VIP experience, screening an unreleased music video. Just trying to make it fun. I’m also opening for Esha Tewari at The Fonda in L.A. in August, which I’m pumped about. She’s a friend and so talented. And hopefully more tour dates in the spring!
LUNA: That’s awesome, and I love that you’re thinking of your fans and trying to make it an experience, not just a show. Once the EP is out, what are you most excited to explore—musically, visually, or personally?
JOFFE: I just shot a new music video for one of the EP tracks, and I’m excited for people to see it. It’s aesthetically a little different from my past stuff. I’ve already started working on the next project—writing and producing—and I just feel way more confident now. This EP gave me a lot of clarity about what I want sonically and visually. I went into it unsure, but now I’m ready to really dive in. I’m excited to play more shows too.
LUNA: I love that. The visuals so far have been amazing—you can really tell you’ve put thought into every detail.
JOFFE: Thank you! It means a lot. I’ve had so much fun with that side of things.
LUNA: Also, obsessed with the wigs—especially the ones you show off on Instagram.
JOFFE: I just got a new one actually! I filmed two videos with it this month but haven’t revealed it yet.
LUNA: I’ll be watching for it. If Cult Leader were a movie, what would it look like? Any directors or film inspo?
JOFFE: I feel like it’d be if Sofia Coppola directed Thelma & Louise.
LUNA: That’s perfect. We need to make that happen. Which songs are you most excited to perform, and what kind of energy do you hope they bring to your live shows?
JOFFE: I’m really excited about “Horses Can’t Outrun Me”—I haven’t put out anything poppy and upbeat like that before, and I can’t wait to bring that energy to a crowd. We just did a rehearsal for Baby’s [All Right] and “Cult Leader” and “You’d Kill Me If You Could” sounded so good. I haven’t played “Cult Leader” live much yet, outside of small gatherings, so I’m really looking forward to that.
LUNA: That’s going to be amazing. I’m so excited to see how it all comes together. Looking back on when you first started writing these songs, what would you tell that version of yourself now that the EP is finally out?
JOFFE: Honestly, just “We did it, Joe.” I felt so unsure of myself when I started. I’d tell myself to trust the choices I’m making—and that even if I end up changing my mind or outgrowing a song, that’s part of evolving. It’s all okay.
Photo by Alli Miller
