“Untethered,” the new song from November Girl, signifies “freedom and grief” for singer-songwriter Willa Rudolph, “and the two intermingling with one another,” she says.
It also marks a transitional period for November Girl, which started in 2020 in Los Angeles and became a full band a year later. Rudolph moved to New York and NG released several singles and a 2024 EP called “Heart Prayer,” before she returned to LA, where November Girl has become a solo project.
With the video for “Untethered” released today, we asked Rudolph some questions about the track, how she blends visual art with her music and her mudwrestling endeavors.
What inspired you to write “Untethered?”
It’s about freedom, grief, and the two intermingling with one another. I wrote it after a long term relationship ended. Suddenly I had this phantom limb feeling– I was free but not used to it yet. It’s about just wanting to go out and make trouble, maybe leave some broken hearts in your wake… just take full advantage of being untethered. It’s written from a place of self assuredness, but with being untethered comes a bit of that lost feeling. Where do I belong? With whom?
Tell me a bit about how you and Attila Anrather collaborated on the song.
I hit up Attila because I was familiar with his band Quarters and of his production. I wanted really big drums, and I knew that was kind of his thing. I sent him the Untethered demo, which was only guitar and vocals, and he helped me build it up to what it is now!
What was the concept for the video for “Untethered”?
The concept for the video is to capture that free feeling. The most free I feel is while I’m having fun with my friends. I wanted the sea to be in it, because that’s the most unyielding, untamable force I could think of. And that’s how I felt when I wrote the song. That’s part of the feeling I was trying to capture.
What role do video and visuals play in your music?
Video and visuals are a huge part of my music. I’m an extremely visual person. I like to create an entire world with my music, so the sound is part of it. It’s a massive part of it, but what you see and feel is also super important.
The press release talks about your “revolution,” reclaiming independence, etc. What type of situation were you in that required this?
I moved across the country and I’m having to rebuild my music community from scratch, basically. So I’m having to really back myself, advocate for myself, put myself out there… All of these things really align with what I went through when I wrote Untethered.
Is this song about this process of part of the process?
It does have something to do with it.
What inspired your 2023 song “No Crying in Baseball?”
NCIB is about feeling like a mess. Feeling like you fuck everything up. But telling yourself not to cry about it. Get up, pick yourself up… I would hear in my head my dad’s voice going “no crying in baseball!!” He drilled that into me.
Tell me how November Girl started and how it developed from a band to your own project?
It started in a garage in LA in 2020, became a full band in NYC in 2021, and for the last year has kind of found me by myself again, the sole November Girl trying to push this thing forward. It’s always been my thing. It’s always been me fighting for it. But now I really don’t have any permanent band members next to me cheering me on.
What type of music did you listen to growing up?
Rock and roll – my parents played it non stop – Led Zeppelin, the beatles, Grateful dead, The band
My mom always played Joni Mitchell
Pop music – I was obsessed with Britney Spears and Avril Lavigne
When did you beginning writing and performing?
I wrote since I could read, literally writing songs since I was like 5. Performing wasn’t until 2021, my first set with November Girl!
What type of ’90s alt/grunge/shoegaze music caught your ear?
Oof – Hole was my first grunge love. I was shook to my core. I heard Dying by Hole first. Interesting intro to Courtney Love, such a slow, sad song compared to her most famous hits. But that one really got me.
I also first fell in love with The Breeders, Liz Phair, Melvins, Nirvana ofc…. Smashing Pumpkins…
How did you discover that type of music?
Truthfully, I think it was my babysitter in seventh grade. She was the coolest ever, we’re still extremely close. She showed me Hole. Then I fell down the rabbit hole.
Is there a new EP or album coming?
For now I’m working on some new singles.
Any shows coming?
Shows are on the backburner at the moment.
How did you get into mud wrestling?
I literally just made it up one day when my friend and I are planning a show. What’s an insane entertaining thing we can add to the show to get people to come? Mud wrestling!!
Is there crossover between your music career and mud wrestling?
No, other than the fact that I’ve thrown some insane shows for my band and friends’ bands with mud wrestling as the backdrop.
Mud and dirt was a huge theme for November Girl when I started writing and making videos. It symbolized my connection with the earth and my humanity but also how I put a lot of people on pedestals and there I was, in the dirt. I don’t really feel that way anymore, but I still love how many things mud and dirt can represent to me in my art.
Leave a Reply