Interview with Renee Yohe of BEARCAT

I had the opportunity to interview Renee Yohe of BEARCAT while she was on tour and I want to thank her for that. Renee started her musicial project called BEARCAT and she creates creative music that changes the way we look at musicians. Renee is a woman that gives back to her community because she helped a non-profit organization called To Write Love On Her Arms, that helps people with addictions and self-injuries.

Below are her responses to my questions: 

1. What bands do you like and how have they inspired your music?

I love a pretty big variety of bands and artists: Patrick Watson, Ours, The Dodo's, Miss Emily Brown, David Bazan, Radiohead, Fiona Apple, Pinback, Simon & Garfunkel to name a few. I think they have all inspired honesty in my music, creativity that doesn't follow the rules and allows itself to create moves/experience. I think the big thing is how much each artist has impacted me with their words. I have always valued being intentional and I think that shows in my music.

2. Did you always wanted to tour with Never Shout Never and because of this how do you feel it will affect your career?

I don't think I ever really imagined touring with anyone, this whole thing is so new for me and I have mostly just been in the moment absorbing it all as it comes. We certainly make different styles of music from what I have heard, but I know Never Shout Never has had an incredible amount of success, which is extremely admirable especially being so damn young. To have the opportunity to share my music with such a large audience is pretty exciting. I am not honestly concerned about my career being affected by who I tour with or any of that jazz for better or worse. I just want to make music and hopefully it will be a positive thing. I will be able to keep doing this and not have some shit job that I hate, you know? (haha)

3. Where did you get the idea for the name of your band?

I love flapper lingo, it is actually a term used to describe a fiery/feisty hot blooded woman, thought it suited me pretty well (haha).

4. What are your messages for the song "Silence Is Silver" that you want your listeners to know?

I came from a very non-confrontational home and I am very open, plus sometimes rather abrasive. I experience things very intensely and the majority of the feelings I carried around when I was younger were very heavy, negative things. I grew up with the slogan, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." That was a death sentence to me and I internalized a lot of my emotions for fear of negatively affecting the people I cared about. There's the phrase, "Silence is Golden," but it came to mind one day that this basic truth that secrets keep you sick, begged to differ. That silence makes us slaves. I think I would want people to walk away with the idea that it is okay to share their secrets that they can be free if they choose to be.

5. If you could describe your music in one word, what would it be and why?

Freedom, this is the first time I have truly just had an outlet or something that I have done for myself and one that I see as a gift. It is a place in which I am allowed to be whatever I am, everyone just wants permission to be... to be free... and music is that for me.

6. Where do you see your musical career 10 years from now?

I have absolutely no idea, I tend to just be where my feet are. If I were to dream, it would be this fluid, ever evolving masterpiece. I would have an obscene discography that people could just sit with for months or years and discover new stuff all the time. I would be comfortable and completely uninhibited and still madly in love, plus fully satisfied with every moment spent in it.

7. What struggles did you face as a musician and how did they affect your music career?

I have faced a phobia of singing in front of other people for one and that has been a crazy transformation. I think another "struggle" per say, would be that I don't have the slightest clue about how to write a song or play an instrument, but it has allowed me to just create without worrying about rules, since I pick up the important ones along the way. It has kept me teachable and pretty unrestricted. I think the biggest thing I faced was feeling like people didn't seem to get my music or really believe in me at first, but I just kept going and I have never felt more affirmed or validated in my life. I has been a gift because I didn't sing for anyone's approval and I did it because I needed to/loved it.

8. If you were a millionare for one day, what would you do with your money?

I don't think I can imagine that kind of money: me and my guitarist always joke about that We would probably forget we had it and keep living like poor people, which really is not that bad (haha). I think if I were intentional I would get some smart people to help me budget and manage my money so I didn't blow it, give back to as many people as I can, and invest in other people. Be nice and comfy, but not so much that I would get complacent and bored. I would definitely get something ridiculous just because like a strange exotic animal or have some stupid absurd childlike thing in my house like a slip'n slide or maybe a horse. I would really want to make sure I had a place to call home and I would eat steak. That is for damn sure (haha). I am not good with money shit amd I don't really care about it. I just want to be okay and to be able to help the people I care about. On second thought, after having our van brake down while we're on tour, I would invest in a trusty tour bus. We are stranded in New Mexico right now (haha).