NPR’s Juana Summers talks with musician Wyatt Flores about his new album Welcome to the Plains and his honesty round psychological well being.
JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
It is a uncommon factor for an artist to be this sincere.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
WYATT FLORES: That is the one factor that I’ve ever cared about, and for some purpose, I can not determine – I do not really feel a factor. I am battling it, and I am sorry, guys.
SUMMERS: Twenty-three-year-old nation singer Wyatt Flores confronted a crowd stuffed with followers in February. He was in the course of a serious tour. His music had simply blown up, and he was overwhelmed.
FLORES: I am simply writing the complete time. After which rapidly, we hit the street and begin touring once more, and I used to be like, what – I can not do that anymore. I imply, I am both going to finish up useless or by no means coming again to music.
SUMMERS: Flores’ early music was usually about dying, disappointment. He says he is at all times been open and sincere about what he is feeling, however this second of vulnerability on stage was simply as essential.
FLORES: We posted a video from it simply because I used to be like, nicely, if we will be open about it and, , speak about psychological well being at each single present – so why would not I present them this half?
SUMMERS: Flores took a break from the street, went to remedy, and fewer than a yr later, he is already again touring. And he has a model new album referred to as “Welcome To The Plains.”
(SOUNDBITE OF WYATT FLORES SONG, “WELCOME TO THE PLAINS”)
SUMMERS: In comparison with his final venture, the album is joyous and happier. It is a celebration of life and of the individuals and locations that made Flores the particular person he’s at this time, like his residence state of Oklahoma.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “WELCOME TO THE PLAINS”)
FLORES: (Singing) Now it is crimson filth tears and damaged mirrors and just a little trailer park simply south of right here. Finish of the world is getting close to, however I nonetheless really feel the identical. And it is…
The largest praise that we get is we are the nicest individuals. And I am very proud to say that as a result of we’re. You may stroll in anyplace, everybody normally holds the door open, says, sure, please. The manners are simply superb over there. However the individuals are robust, simply the farmers that I’ve labored for. And I imply, this yr, soy beans are – they’re dried up. They don’t seem to be even going to have a harvest. It is a fixed battle in Oklahoma to try to make it out. And I do know from private expertise of attempting to get out of Oklahoma, I fought actually, actually arduous to make it out of my city and go and make a reputation for myself, and now I am combating with all the pieces I’ve to make it again.
SUMMERS: I do know that you’re somebody who grew up round music. Your father was a musician in a band within the ’80s and ’90s. It looks like that is at all times been a relentless to you. Is there anybody reminiscence you possibly can share from rising up concerning the impression that rising up in that type of tradition had on you?
FLORES: Oh, man. There’s so many recollections ‘trigger my dad’s been drumming in bars since he was, like, 12. I needed to learn to play drums, and I did not even wish to be a singer/songwriter. I simply needed to learn to play lead guitar, which I am nonetheless engaged on. However yeah, with out my dad and him educating me in our store and our storage – of sitting there and studying how a band actually operates, I do not imagine that I would be sitting on this chair as a result of, , a lot of at this time’s music is – they name them TikTok artists. And I imply, yeah, in a method, I am utilizing all the pieces that I presumably can to get acknowledged, and TikTok is simply one other software of platform. However what’s totally different from a TikTok artist and an actual artist is once they go and play dwell, and if they’ll. And I am very fortunate that I had the background that I do and my dad with the ability to sit there and me and him simply jam out.
SUMMERS: Is there a tune in your new album the place we hear echoes of that early affect, that familial love of music that your dad helped construct up in you?
FLORES: I do not know. I needed to create an album that, in some methods, made individuals pleased with America once more.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “LITTLE TOWN”)
FLORES: (Singing) Now I am holding on after everybody else is shifting on. I’ve by no means felt the necessity to go search larger floor. So long as I bought you, I will stick round this little city.
I actually needed to seek out one thing that was, like – made your coronary heart really feel just a little bit happier about the place you come from, as a substitute of all of the chaos of issues happening. I imply, simply watch the information anytime. There’s a lot ruckus happening. And I simply needed to present individuals just a little piece of hope, I assume.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “LITTLE TOWN”)
FLORES: Let’s get it.
SUMMERS: I wish to speak about a distinct tune, and it is a tune that you have mentioned is one that you simply actually wrote in your followers. It is the tune, “Oh Susannah.” Let’s take a hear.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “OH SUSANNAH”)
FLORES: (Singing) Oh, Susannah, do not you go cryin’ for me. It is all getting higher. I could not be who you need me to be, thought I used to be a savior. However I used to be a idiot on drunken habits. Why did I imagine I might prevent, darling, with out killing me?
SUMMERS: Wyatt, what have been you hoping to inform your followers with that tune? I imply, it is so deeply emotional and clearly so private.
FLORES: I used to be attempting to assist as many individuals as I presumably might as a result of lots of people have been like, that your music is saving me and maintaining me going. After which I would have conversations with followers, which I’ve needed to come down on my VIP expertise simply because there was a whole lot of trauma dumping. And I did not know tips on how to deal with that.
SUMMERS: Yeah.
FLORES: I imply, one among our first sold-out exhibits was in Asheville, North Carolina. And I did – I met with 300 individuals. I simply informed them, line them up, and I will speak to each single one among them, signal all the pieces. And throughout the first 5 individuals, I had a child come as much as me and hand me his buddy’s ID, and he goes, I promised him that I would get one thing signed as a result of he had dedicated suicide.
And with “Oh Susannah,” it was like – it was an apology of simply being like, I can not truly save anybody. I am glad that this music has accomplished the issues that I would like it to as a result of I wish to be there for those who want it. I imply, I wish to assist, and I wish to change the world. However I can not bodily try this. And it is a arduous factor to do, calling your self out, ? I used to be a idiot on a drunken habits, and that is simply absolutely the reality. I used to be ‘trigger I did not know tips on how to cope with all of it, and I did not know tips on how to assist actually anybody as a result of I wasn’t serving to myself.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “OH SUSANNAH”)
FLORES: (Singing) Solely attempting to be the treatment, I used to be the issue. Solely attempting to be the treatment…
And truthfully, I discovered that in my private life, too, of getting to take steps again from individuals and take a look at once more as a result of generally you simply get caught up in all of it – of attempting to assist. And that is the place, like, the codependency factor – I am nonetheless attempting to determine that one out – no less than noticing it now and with the ability to take a look at it and try to give your self a wholesome step again, in order that method you possibly can deal with your self earlier than you deal with others.
SUMMERS: So you have bought this new album that is out, and also you’re additionally again on tour. How does it really feel being on the market in entrance of followers, performing dwell?
FLORES: It is nonetheless the perfect feeling in the complete world. Watching the group sing the songs again – I imply, that is at all times the scary half is like, nicely, I will rip my coronary heart out and put it on show for y’all, hope you prefer it. After which to see them sing these songs again, it is the best feeling, and it by no means will get previous. I didn’t anticipate this album, and I simply can’t imagine – all of the blood, sweat and tears, the sacrifices that went into it, after which to see the reactions of followers, that is the best half.
SUMMERS: We have been speaking with Wyatt Flores. His newest album, “Welcome To The Plains,” is out now. Wyatt, thanks.
FLORES: Thanks.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “THE GOOD ONES”)
FLORES: (Singing) I am lacking somebody rattling close to on a regular basis. And proper now, they’re weighing heavy on…
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