We hung out with Stevie Scott, front lady of machineheart as she and her band prepare to play at this year's BottleRock festival in Napa Valley. With the spirit of a gypsy and the style of a rock muse, Stevie gave us the low down on who she is, what her music is about and what inspires her. We're so stoked to see machineheart and one of our rock muses take the stage this weekend!
Introduce yourself! Where are you from, where do you live now, what are a few of your favorite things?
I'm Stevie. I sing and write for my band machineheart. I'm originally from Northern California but the guys and I have all lived in Los Angeles for the last four years, which is when we met. My favorite things are: coffee, Fleetwood Mac, flowers, laughing late into the night, finding great vintage pieces and playing dress up in real life.
How did you come to be Stevie Scott of machineheart?
We met four years ago. We wrote together and loved the songs we had, but we hadn't really decided what we were doing yet, like was it a band or a side project or what? But we loved the music so much so we decided to name ourselves, and we came up with machineheart. We released our first song about two years ago.
How do you feel about playing at Bottlerock this year? Have you played there before?
We are so excited to play Bottlerock! We're drooling over the lineup so it should be a great time. We haven't played Bottlerock yet, but we've played a couple of festivals and I think for me, they're my favorite kind of show to play because you get to see so many friends and bands all at once. I can go from performing on our stage to being a fan in the crowd at the next show. I love it.
Tell us about your typical routine leading up to a performance. Do you have any unique/funny/weird rituals?
We all hang out backstage beforehand just listening to music, stretching, warming up and chatting. To me, it's vital that we feel really together before we go on stage. You know, music is very spiritual, creating it together and then playing it together, so I really like our mindset to be intentional and focused on what we are doing. We'll all huddle together before and then I like to have a few minutes alone right before we head out so I can really center myself.
Nickel Kimono + Bailey Longline Top
What are the best part(s) of being on the road, as well as performing?
I mean, our job is literally to travel the world and do our favorite thing in front of amazing people every night. It feels absolutely electric when we are out there and hearing the fans sing back our songs to us. Who's really getting a show, us or them? Its a beautiful dialogue between the crowd and the stage. If we have time, I love getting to explore the city we are in. Sometimes load-in and soundcheck can take up a good portion or your day, but we still try to go somewhere new to eat or grab coffee. We definitely have our favorite spots in so many cities.
Who are the artists you are currently most inspired by? Who is your rock muse?
I pull tons of inspiration from Fleetwood Mac, Kate Bush, Smashing Pumpkins, and The Cranberries. My rock muse is for sure Stevie Nicks--my queen. She's so effervescent and mysterious and slightly wild, and I feel that same energy when I perform. I love watching old footage of Fleetwood Mac shows. That is rock and roll, right there, in those shows.
Dazed & Amused Muscle Tank Top
What are your favorite pieces from Amuse?
Love my Nickel Kimono! I can wear that thing everyday and with anything. I love my outfits to dance around me as I wear them so kimonos are perfect.
What are your (and your band’s!) goals and dreams?
We have pretty big hopes and dreams and I think we are already starting to live out the things we've been hoping for, which is playing our music for a living. Right now, we're soaking in all the water and sunshine that our music needs to see it grow leaps and bounds in the next year.
What drives, motivates, and moves you?
My love for music and my love for people. I think our music carries a sense of freedom, I know thats how I feel when I'm singing it so I hope that when people listen, they feel that freedom for themselves.
Photography by Stefanie Vinsel
