Goldbug - On Our Radar Q&A: "Being a third culture kid, you’re pulling from a lot of different things in life. You can see that in my music"

Where did the name Goldbug come from?

When I was a kid, I loved insects. I spent all my time outdoors hunting for them. It was a part of my childhood I loved. And gold, maybe it’s because I’m blonde, but gold is just my colour.

What was it like working on the new album?

The process was very funny, because I didn’t even get a chance to play any of the songs live, or workshop them in that sense. I went deep into learning production, and getting my skills up to scratch, by making the album on my computer.

What were the album’s main influences?

A lot of early post-rock, mixed with classical instrumentation – vibraphones, strings, and horns – and rock. Also, a lot of ambient; the kind of music that makes you feel you’re meditating. I hope to bring people into a fantasy world – it’s kind of escapist in the way it feels like a dream. Something that just takes you somewhere else for a bit.

How did being raised in a commune in Provence affect your music?

I like to think of it as a religious community in a beautiful place out in the country. I grew up in an extremely isolated and religious place. I guess the record is me trying to figure out things like the meaning of life and my perception of it.

How has your upbringing as a ‘third culture kid’ inspired your music?

I moved so much when I was a kid. I followed my parents to a lot of places. I was born in Canada, but I moved to France when I was young. Being a third culture kid, you’re pulling from a lot of different things in life. You can see that in my music. The record is also varied. I kind of have music ADHD, where I want things to always go somewhere else and be a surprise. I guess my life growing up was always moving about and surprises at every turn.

• Swings & Roundabouts is out now