Chances are, you may not have heard of States. Well, today’s your lucky day! Comprised of frontwoman Mindy White (formerly of Lydia) and Copeland’s Stephen and Bryan Laurenson (guitars), Jonathan Bucklew (drums) and Dean Lorenz (bass), States serves up an exciting mix of pop rock with a deeper message.

I sat down with Mindy shortly after the release of the band’s debut LP Room to Run to chat about the band, the industry and the pressures of being a leading lady.

You worked with Lydia before and are now fronting States. How is your new band different?
“When I joined Lydia, I wanted to tour – since I was 15 and I found out about shows, I wanted to tour no matter what I did. I didn’t even know I was a singer at the time and once I got a chance to be on stage, I wanted it to be my career. I enjoyed Lydia and loved the music but my dream was to be a lead singer. I grew up singing Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera and that was the position I wanted to feel. Also, I wanted to be a writer – I would write for hours on end and I had to have that creative outlet. Lydia wasn’t really open to having other writers. I didn’t have the freedom I wanted – they were stern about not letting anyone else do anything. It got to the point where I couldn’t handle it and I ultimately didn’t feel like I was in my right place while playing piano. I was put in that position, you know?

I just wasn’t happy anymore. It took a lot of debating to quit Lydia because I loved it and didn’t know where I wanted to go, but I needed to do it. I don’t even know how I got where I am ,but I wish this is where I was all the time. At the same time, if I had this opportunity with States, maybe it wouldn’t go as well because I wouldn’t have the experience of how to run a band. But now, being on stage and being able to write is amazing. Also, being able to sing full-time makes me so much more comfortable. Being with the guys I’m with is like being in a family rather than just being in a band. We’re friends and everyone is 100% dedicated.”

What’s it like being a female lead in an all-guy band?
“You have to do some girly stuff to keep yourself sane – doing your nails, make yourself pretty – because it can be crazy. But I grew up as a tomboy. I played softball and lots of sports and was never really girl. There are little things you have to do, though – sometimes I have to call my girlfriends and gossip and let my mind go off. Then I can feel better when I’m a girl for a little bit!”

I found out about you via Hayley Williams from Paramore. What’s your relationship like with her?
“She and I both were both into hardcore music and we went to shows all the time. I knew of her from going to shows in Nashville at smaller little clubs. We had a lot of the same friends but I didn’t see her for a while and then we both joined bands. When we were doing Warped Tour years later, I realised, oh my God, that little ball of energy is Hayley! She was killing it! I was playing in my old band Lydia and nothing against them, but it wasn’t what I wanted to be doing. I was sitting down playing the piano and I wanted to be rocking out! So we got talking and reconnected and it’s great to see how well Paramore is doing. It’s hard to find someone who does exactly what you do, lives in your hometown and has the same personality type as you and Hayley is that person.”

How does States’ music differ from regular pop shows?
“It’s something about being a different production. You go and see Lady GaGa and Britney Spears and there’s so much going on, it’s a huge production, but at the same time it’s all synchronised and planned. Whereas you go see a band like ours or Paramore, they literally feel it so much that they just get out there and are spontaneous.”

Considering how tough it must be to do everything on your own, do you plan on or have any interest in signing with a major label?
“We decided in the beginning that we might stay indie. We’re kind of open. If someone wanted to approach us, we wouldn’t not listen. But the thing is that the industry is in such a bad place right now that it seems like a no-brainer to us to do it this way and keep the creative control. Right now with major labels, bands might want control but the label knows they have to make money. This is the road we wanted to embark on – it’s baby steps. It’s a lot slower and we’re not turned off by a big deal, but it has to be the right fit and I think we’ll know when it is.”

What’s your songwriting process?
“It started with my guitarist Stephen and I just throwing together songs. He and his brother had made songs with no vocals on them and I would take them home and sing on them. Those songs turned into our EP. That’s sort of how we do it – he writes a song and I’ll feel it out and try to come up with some melody. I’m not the best person to write music, but I can usually bring a bit of melody. It’s a mix, really – once we have a couple of songs that are worth working out, we get in a room and do that. everyone in the band is so talented with their own instrument that the songs become their own things.

What’s the reception been like on Room to Run?
“It’s been amazing! We were kind of nervous because there are expectations for past bands – fans only want to hear Lydia or Copeland so we figured people would hate it because States is nothing like any of those bands. It’s much more pop. But we love the record and we stand behind it, so if people don’t like it, there will be some people who do.”

What was the recording process like, especially since you finally had creative control?
“It was amazing! Every time I sat to think about it, I was blown away. I was a massive Copeland fan, too, so to have them as my band was incredible. I think – how am I running a band? How did I end up with such great people? Everyone had great ideas and it wasn’t stressful at all. And we had a great producer, as well. He didn’t try to change anything or impose his sound, he just gave us his feedback and it was exactly what we were thinking. It was also fun being in Seattle – we ate a lot of Top Pot donuts and drank a lot of coffee!”

You’re pretty active on Tumblr and Twitter – do you feel like that’s allowed you to develop a closer relationship with your fans?
“Whenever I was younger and was a huge fan of a band – like N*Sync or whatever, I wanted every bit of information. If I’d had the internet then and could go and read their personal tweets and blogs every day? It would have been amazing! I try to contribute all the time to it without putting too much out there. Like, fans don’t need to know that I’m walking my dog. But it’s personal – that’s what’s so special. Fans want to know you like a friend and want to be more than fans. Sometimes I call them friends because ‘fans’ sounds kind of weird.”

Who are some artists that are out now who inspire you?
“I’m kind of bad at new music – I tend to listen to the same thing over and over. Of course, I couldn’t stop listening to Adele’s 21 – I love her voice, it’s so classic, like from a different era. I’m also a huge Coldplay fan and love their new record, too. I also love Circa Survive and have been a big fan of them since before States even toured with them. Besides that, I stick to my iPod and haven’t updated it lately. I listen to a lot of classic southern rock and real pop like Britney and stuff. I also love The Carpenters.”

Read more about States at their website and as an exclusive to HelloGiggles readers, you can now listen to their cover of ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ RIGHT HERE!

States – All I Want For Christmas Is You by HelloGiggles

Image credit: Ethan Luck

Jennifer Still has an overwhelming fondness for iced coffee, long baths and the Whitney Houston song 'I Didn't Know My Own Strength'. She never smiles in pictures and rarely changes out of pyjamas during the weekdays. Or the weekends. She is the managing editor at HelloGiggles and TheConversation.TV and is also an entertainment reporter for DigitalSpy. You can follow her Tumblr at stilljennifer.com or Twitter at @jenniferlstill
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