Forest Claudette Drops Stunning New EP 'Everything Was Green'
Photo Credit: Michelle Grace Hunder
Today, alt-R&B singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Forest Claudette (They/He) releases an intoxicating EP Everything Was Green. An eclectic excursion that dabbles in soul, hip-hop, and pop, the 6-song set boasts previous hits “Motor in the Sand,” “Mess Around,” and “Two Years” as well as three new tracks. Each one of the six vignettes on the EP simply takes you into Claudette’s world where their thoughts and emotions are vibrantly personified.
Among the highlights is “Violence,” a mellow, acoustic track about police brutality with a simple, gut-wrenching refrain that captures unthinkable loss. The beautiful accompanying black-and-white music video finds Claudette performing in front of a stoic family.
Meanwhile, the playful “Hi Vis Teeth” vignette showcases their effortless rapping skills. In the unbelievable visual, a snowy picnic gets interrupted by a sasquatch! Equally as playful “Pool Boy,” a tongue-in-cheek tune with a weird and wonderful visual that depicts Claudette as royalty.
From production to lyrics and their colorful visuals for all of the tracks, everything the Australian-American artist touches is carefully constructed and full of meaning — whether sly or downright obvious, each as complex and masterful as the next.'
“‘Everything Was Green’ follows the more impactful moments in my life over the past two years. I grew up in green, in the forest. Green represents everything I’ve known, everything that is safe and familiar. It was my first time traveling solo and my first taste of living alone. I learned a lot about myself and my hope is that folks can feel that throughout the EP.”
The songs aren’t ordered chronologically,” Claudette continues. “Instead, they map a cycle of thoughts and life that I’ve been experiencing since 2019: Heartbreak, freedom, excess, gratitude, awareness, and finally, tracing most issues back to systemic injustice. I feel like these themes whirl around my head on a loop, near constantly. I go through phases of seeing them everywhere or seeking them out.
To celebrate the release of Everything Was Green, Forest will perform new songs from the project at Genghis Cohen in Los Angeles on Saturday, June 17. Guests can expect live instrumentation, exquisite range, and emotion. More information is available here.