“Anything you need to know about me I feel like you really can learn from the music,” Los Angeles-based alt-pop singer/songwriter OSTON tells me during a recent interview. OSTON – who has toured alongside our phriends VÉRITÉ and The Greeting Committee and written a song with our good buddy UPSAHL — is currently on her first-ever headlining tour, which wraps this Wednesday, July 31st, at The Lounge at World Café Live. The tour is in support of her recently released Saint Rich. EP, which dropped this May. Last week I got a chance to chat with OSTON about her first half-decade or so of making music and what you can expect of Wednesday night’s show.
Izzy Cihak: You just released your Saint Rich. EP a few months ago. Have you had any favorite reactions to this batch of songs, whether things fans have reached out to tell you (either online or at shows) or just reactions from live audiences? I know you toured with Hunter Hayes just before the EP dropped.
OSTON: Yes, I just released the EP a couple months ago and the response has honestly been better than I could’ve expected. The song that the most people have reached out to me about is definitely ‘Burton St.’ It’s the sad truth that a lot of people have been through a really shitty experience similar to what I went through in a past relationship. But the way that song has helped people heal is really everything I could ask for as an artist.
Playing the song live for the first time at these shows has been so cathartic and seeing the way that people absolutely lose their mind when the bridge hits has honestly brought me to tears almost every night.
Izzy: How do you feel like this collection compares to previous EPs like Melancholia and Sitting at the Kids Table?
OSTON: I feel like it’s such a trope for songwriters to latch onto the most recent piece of art that they worked on, and sometimes even start to resent their early pieces of music – and I am no exception to that rule. If you listen to my discography, I think the progression of my work with each release is pretty apparent. I don’t even consider SATKT to be in the same world as my newer releases.
My previous two EPs were written and produced primarily with my boyfriend (which was an incredible experience in itself) – but writing ‘Saint Rich.’ with a new set of collaborators helped push me out of my comfort zone. In a way, I was sort of “forced” to talk through my experiences and evaluate them from outside perspectives that I hadn’t considered before. Working with multiple producers on the project also helped mesh so many of my favorite production styles into one cohesive space. It’s not too far off from Melancholia, but it’s more evolved and mature. Which I think is what’s supposed to happen as you grow through your career.
Izzy: Late in May you released an official visualizer for “Carsick.,” which sort of makes it your latest single, so I’m curious how that particular track came about, whether sonically or narratively?
OSTON: The entire ‘Saint Rich.’ project depicts a relationship that I went through a couple years back and finally felt ready to write about. I actually had a very vivid dream that I was back spending time with that person and catering to them like I used to. I was overwhelmed with a sick-to-my-stomach feeling and in my dream, I wanted to do something completely outrageous like hit them with my car just to get them to leave me alone and regain a sense of autonomy. I woke up from that dream with the verse melody and the beginning lyric ideas in my head, and I immediately took it to my friends Katie and Nydge to help me finish writing the full song.
I actually had a different song I’d written that I was going to release a long time ago called “Carsick” (that the person described above knew about). I thought it would be fun to call this new song “Carsick.” so they’d have no doubt it’s about them. Pretty spiteful, I know – but it’s also pretty funny.
Izzy: You’ve actually made a number of really cool music videos over the years (“Mouthwash,” “Whatshisface,” “HARD TO LOVE,” “New Year’s Eve,” “Sour,” and “Hurt Like___”). What is it that most influences the visual aspects of your work?
OSTON: To be honest, the visuals and music videos are not one of the things that comes easiest to me in the creative process. I spend a lot of time brainstorming with my friends and peers, pulling inspiration from movies that I’ve watched, building Pinterest boards and talking through storylines with creative directors. It’s one of those things that I usually put off until the last minute and then think of a very extravagant idea that can’t be pulled off with the timeframe or budget I’m left with. I’m actually really looking forward to having a team in the future that can help me get the ideas out in a more efficient way… So, I’m actually really glad to hear that you think the visuals are cool, haha.
Izzy: This is a big question but, considering that you’ve been doing this officially/professionally for about half a decade now, what have been some of the personal highlights of your musical career so far?
OSTON: Going on a headline tour of my own is something that I’ve alllllways dreamed about and is definitely what I’d consider to be my biggest accomplishment to date! On top of that, I do feel so grateful to have had the opportunity to do so many cool things in my career thus far – Playing Lollapalooza was always a huge goal of mine and I got to do my own set in 2021, as well as come on stage with my friend JORDY in 2022 and Friday Pilots Club in 2023. I’ve also gotten to tour with so many amazing people that I look up to – including some of my best friends (JORDY, my boyfriend who played in my band for a long time, and now kate the dreamer). Another huge highlight was my first K-pop cut with VIVIZ!
Izzy: Is there anything you think is especially important for fans, and potential fans, to know about you as an artist?
OSTON: This is gonna sound like a really basic answer, but anything you need to know about me I feel like you really can learn from the music. My newest EP is me through and through. I’m literally just a girl who feels a lot and very intensely, and I do my best to help other people move through what they’re feeling and the only way that I know how to.
Izzy: This is a three-part question, but you’ve worked and toured with a lot of my favorite artists that I’ve covered a number of times: VÉRITÉ, The Greeting Committee (who was just here the other night), and UPSAHL, who I’ve interviewed every time she’s been in town. How did you connect with each of these artists, and what are your thoughts on the things they’re doing?
OSTON: That’s awesome that you’re familiar with all of those artists! They’re all super incredible and I’m grateful to have gotten to work with each of them.
UPSAHL is friends with and works with my friend Jonny Shorr, who is an incredible producer and human. I think one night they were hanging out at his studio, and he played one of my demos we’d made together. She DM’d me that she really liked it (to which I fangirled for a moment because I’ve been following her for a long time and really appreciated the support). From there we set up a session and actually ended up writing my song “Whatshisface” together with Jonny. She’s an incredible talent and hang – and I’d love to work together more in the future (when she’s not off touring the whole world – which she always is).
I actually met The Greeting Committee a few years ago through a mutual friend who I was visiting in LA who was filming their set at The Wiltern. I came backstage to the green room and met them all before they went out and opened for Rainbow Kitten Surprise. I think maybe they remembered meeting me and thought I’d be a good fit to open for their headline tour in 2022. I of course said yes, and it was such a great experience. To anyone who hasn’t seen them live before – they put on a killer show! Love those guys.
I think my team knew I’m a big fan of VÉRITÉ and had pitched me for the support slot on her tours a couple times – so I was over the moon when she was down to have me. That tour was such a blast – her crew was fantastic and I met so many amazing people along the way. Her fans were also lovely. Huge shout out to her and her crew for having me!
Izzy: You’re on your first-ever headlining tour, the Saint Rich Headline Tour, and your final night is actually right here in Philadelphia. What can be expected of the live show, in terms of setlist, production, and just the general vibe of the night?
OSTON: Yes, closing night of the Saint Rich Tour is in Philly! How exciting! This tour has been amazing so far. We’ve got an awesome show with old songs, newer songs, and of course all of the Saint Rich. EP. Show up ready to scream-cry and work through some trauma together. Crying makeup is encouraged (see my EP cover art!!!)
Izzy: You’re on the road with kate the dreamer, who I also really love, and who I know you’ve worked with before and known for a while. What are your thoughts on her and her music? Are you excited to have all this time on the road with her?
OSTON: Once it was solidified that I was going on this tour, I knew exactly who I was going to ask to open for me. No question in my mind about it. Katie is one of the best people that I know, one of my frequent collaborators, and my bff/roommate for years, so touring together and supporting each other through the ups and downs has been so key. It’s really important to me to help showcase artists that I think are stupidly underrated – and Katie is one of those people. You see it on the crowd’s face every night. She just needs more people to know who she is and then she’ll take over the world from there.
Izzy: You’re playing kind of a variety of venues on this run and here you’re going to be playing The Lounge at World Café Live, which is a listening room. So, I’m curious how you like playing intimate, mostly seated spaces?
OSTON: I did play a lot of seated venues when I was opening for Hunter Hayes, which was actually a really nice change of pace. I played my set acoustically with a guitarist, which was very intimate and a great showcase of my songwriting. However, most of my songs are really made to be danced (or at least jumped??) to, so even if the lounge is meant to be seated, you best believe I’m gonna get people up and moving with me.
Izzy: Finally, what’s next for you? How are you hoping and planning to spend the remainder of 2024, after these dates wrap? Is there anything you’re especially excited about?
OSTON: All I know is that after this tour ends, I’m so excited to sleeeeep. So much has gone into prepping for this tour and giving all of my energy on the stage every night, so I am really looking forward to a couple days off when I’m home. And then it’s gonna be back to the drawing board to come up with more music that we can sing together for the next tour 🙂 All updates will be posted on my website (ostonmusic.com) and my socials @ostonmusic !!
*Get your tickets here.
