Susannah Joffe’s Cult Leader: blending cinematic sound and Texas grit

This interview has been edited for length and clarity

BellaJoli Gedeon: First and foremost, congratulations on your latest single "Call Me Pretty" and its recent music video. The track has a strong atmospheric tone—especially dreamy with a touch of country. What kind of visual stories and moods felt important for you to include on your upcoming EP?

Susannah Joffe: I'm from Texas, so I'm trying to find a blend of that grit that comes from those landscapes while mixing it with the femininity of Texas, and also the femininity that represents me and my queerness. I've always been fascinated by that kind of Americana aesthetic. As a kid, Ultraviolence by Lana Del Rey was a huge inspiration, and sound-wise I've recently been influenced by Wolf Alice, Mazzy Star, and Suki Waterhouse. I like a mix of all that while visually taking inspiration from what I grew up around.

How has your relationship with openness in your songwriting evolved the past few years when it comes to your queerness and self-expression?

From the jump, the first song I wrote was one of the most personal things I've ever said out loud, which is probably why I gravitated toward music so quickly. Once I started writing, I realized it was such an important outlet and release for me, and that it had so much power to connect with other people through being open and being vulnerable. I haven't struggled with being personal in my music because that's been my relationship with songwriting from the start. At the end of the day, I'm always inspired by my own experiences and the things I consume, so while not all of my songs are necessarily about being queer or having a girlfriend, the queerness is baked into it because that's just my lived experience.

Through the lens of the track "Sofia Coppola," what draws you to either the aesthetic or characters of her films?

When I was a kid, I remember watching Marie Antoinette, and it was one of those things that really stuck with me among so many movies I don't remember. The aesthetic really resonated, and with this new project, I wanted to make songs that all felt cinematic and put you in a visual world. Production-wise, I wanted the song to sound like how the dreaminess and the reverb of that movie felt. The song itself feels like light pink clouds, which is what I associate with that film. That's where the inspiration for the production style came from.

For sure, even with your latest single, "Call Me Pretty," it definitely sounds like a track that could be in a coming-of-age film. That's the vibe I got from it.

Right! Maybe a really dark one. [laughs]

Is staying connected to your Texan roots something that still feels important to you as an artist considering that you're now touring while reaching a wider audience?

When I first started making music, I really wanted to pull away from that. I didn't want people to know I was from Texas or have that influence seep in. But I think now that I’ve been living outside of Texas for a few years, I miss it. I've become more introspective about my relationship to Texas, especially considering the political landscape. I'm more inclined now to let it inspire me and influence my costumes, persona, and music. It makes me feel closer to home.

From what I've seen, you're a fan of the series Yellowjackets. Has it inspired you or do you think it will influence future songs?

It has definitely inspired me. The show has so much queerness and literal cannibalism, but the cannibalism itself is also metaphorical, especially with Jackie and Shauna. I have a song called "Antler Queen" on my upcoming EP, and I feel like that fandom has given me a lot by supporting "Die Your Daughter," so I wanted to give something back to them.

Lastly, what are you most excited for with this next chapter as an artist?

I'm excited to create bigger and better visuals. I think that's something I've been having so much fun with. I'm also excited to keep buying wigs, wearing them, and experimenting with cool, freaky outfits.

Check out Susannah Joffe's music here.