Through Mistine's Eyes: A Reflective Journey on Loneliness

Mistine‘s latest EP “lonely,” takes us on a “journey through the depths of what it means to live in this world. It captures moments in time of growing in love, heartbreak and friendship, confusion, longing and loneliness. My songs are made to be listened to while driving, just before sunset, when the sky is just turning orange; windows down, hair blowing in the breeze, timeless nostalgia. I live from the connections between others and myself. Why are we the way we are? Why do we do what we do?”

These wonderful thoughts are beautifully captured in her songs. Mistine experiments with her musical style, encapsulating the human palette of emotions through evocative melodies and upbeat pop. The question of what it means to live in this world is one everyone can, or must, answer for themselves. And the confusion never really ends; just when you think you can escape into the beauty of regularity and routine, life confuses your heart again. “Garden State,” for example, makes you feel the heartache of missing someone, yet it’s wonderful to listen to.

Mistine is an alt/indie pop artist known for her ability to blend the rhythm and warmth of classic rock with angsty pop sincerity. She draws inspiration from artists like Aerosmith, The 1975, and Avril Lavigne, creating a unique sound that resonates deeply with her fans.

Join us as we delve deeper into Mistine’s world in this interview, exploring the inspirations behind her music, her creative process, and the messages she hopes to convey through her art.

Cover photography by Dimitris Tzoytzoyrakos

Can you share the inspiration behind naming your EP “lonely”?

It was weirdly an easy choice – after I wrote lonely, I knew this era of my music was finished. It was the last piece of the puzzle before I was ready to explore new sounds and new writing concepts. The song title felt like it encompassed all of the confusion and love in the rest of the songs. I think I really spent a lot of time thinking about loneliness the last two years – what triggers it, where it comes from, does it even exist, how it can create space for self discovery, etc. Finally reaching a place where I understand that we are never really alone has been so full circle and peaceful.

How do you approach the songwriting process, and was there a particular track on this EP that challenged you more than others?

I actually finished all of these songs over FaceTime with my producers in the UK and NYC. I think working remote in itself is always a challenge, but also naturally gives you more time to sit with the songs for long periods of time and just let it simmer until you know exactly what it needs. I would say that probably IDEK took the longest to finish – we really put a lot of writing sessions into the storyline.

“I really wanted to be an anesthesiologist because I love caring for other people and making their lives better if I can! But… luckily I came to my senses and went to music school instead.”

I absolutely love the acoustic version of ‘Lonely’—there’s something special about stripped-down renditions. What inspired you to create an acoustic version of this track, and what do you feel it brings to the song that the original version might not capture?

The song was originally written acoustically… I knew there was something special to me about the song when I was writing it and wanted to share a taste of that moment with everyone else since the final version turned out quite differently. Lonely was written at my apartment in Los Angeles. My partner at the time was sitting at the keyboard in our living room playing various chord progressions… I suddenly felt so inspired by one of the chords he played, I grabbed my guitar and this song just started to flow out of me. My roommate, Margie, was lying down on the couch listening and dozing in and out of falling asleep the entire time. Being around two people who are never really around when I’m writing songs but mean so much to me and made me feel so safe to let it flow…there was something so intimate and special about that moment in time.

“… I tend to gravitate towards songs I loved in my childhood when I’m going through tough times – I think there’s something very comforting by unlocking that innocent part of my brain again.”

Your EP explores loneliness and connection. What message do you hope listeners take away about coping with these feelings?

I hope that everyone can feel less alone by knowing that other people feel disconnected sometimes too. It’s really helpful to me to know that I’m not the only person in the world that feels this way and whenever I bring it up to friends, I end up having some of the most fulfilling conversations …connecting over feeling disconnected helps me to feel more connected! (laughs) Even when we feel lonely, we are never alone in this world. We are also so special and so loved.

In an interview you mentioned that music has saved you many times because it makes you feel seen. Can you share a specific moment or song that had a profound impact on you during a difficult time?

This may sound a bit silly – but the first thing that came to mind was listening to When You Look Me In The Eyes by the Jonas Brothers when I was going through a temporary break up last summer…the song was on constantly. Crying and singing along in every car ride – headphones in on every walk…tissues in hand. Besides feeling seen, I tend to gravitate towards songs I loved in my childhood when I’m going through tough times – I think there’s something very comforting by unlocking that innocent part of my brain again.

“The easiest part is to keep going and keep creating – the hardest part is learning how to survive in a capitalist society in a profession that is based on art and spirituality.”

What has been the most challenging aspect of your musical journey so far?

I think the easiest part is to keep going and keep creating – the hardest part is learning how to survive in a capitalist society in a profession that is based on art and spirituality.

If you weren’t pursuing a career in music, can you imagine yourself doing something else?

Well, before I fully chose to pursue music, I was about to go to college as a Pre-Med Biology major… I really wanted to be an anesthesiologist because I love caring for other people and making their lives better if I can! But…luckily I came to my senses and went to music school instead.

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