Talking music (and rad lyrical patches) with Allison Weiss and Stay Home Club’s Olivia Mew

Guys! We have an exclusive announcement for you! Two amazing ladies came together to create the perfect collaboration. Indie-pop singer/songwriter Allison Weiss and the Stay Home Club founder Olivia Mew have teamed up to bring everyone the patches of our dreams. To celebrate the release of Allison’s new record New Love, Olivia created three rad and unique patches that were inspired by Allison’s lyrics.

Anyone who purchases a patch will get an instant download of Allison’s song “Back to Me” – which is amazing. I can totally picture one of Yang and Grey’s famous dance parties to this song. Her whole album is nostalgic and feel-good and catchy. I really can’t wait for you guys to hear it!

I asked the inspiring, badass role models some questions about the collab, New Love, and the Stay Home Club:

I love this collaboration— how’d it come about?

Olivia: Not a complicated story! Allison’s publicist approached me via email and being a fan of Allison’s, obviously I wanted to do it! It ended up being a really natural fit.

Allison: I collect patches and pins and stumbled across SHC on the Explore page of Instagram earlier this year. I was immediately drawn to their sense of self-deprecating / “over it” humor. When I started talking with my publicist Jamie about some brand collabs for the new album, she suggested Stay Home Club and then we both screamed about how perfect it would be! Luckily Olivia liked me back and here we are!

You chased your dreams and achieved them, any advice for someone going after theirs?

Allison: As cheesy as it sounds, you have to believe in yourself and never stop pushing forward. In addition, I think it’s important to always strive to be better. Find your role models and study how they did it. Challenge yourself to always make the best art you can.

Olivia: Ha – I mean so far so good, I don’t want to jinx myself by declaring “I’ve achieved my dream!” Seems a bit final! It’s definitely awesome to be doing a job I love (most of the time) but hopefully things will only get better from here. My only practical advice is to find a way to monetize the thing you love – in art school it seemed crass to chase money, but if you’re serious about being creative as a sustainable career it’s a must.

Any movies or TV shows that you’d love to see Stay Home Club products or your music in?

Olivia: Can I travel backwards in time and say Buffy? I suppose I would settle for Friday Night Lights. Clear eyes, full hearts, stay home.

Allison: It’s a dream of mine to have a song on the TV show Nashville. I don’t even write country music!!! I love it though. The song “Counting Down” actually started out pretty country. I was singing it in this weird low voice and pretending to be Deacon. I’m so weird…

I’m obsessed with the patches- how’d you go about designing them?

Olivia: I played the album through a few times before zeroing in on the songs I could relate to the most and the lyrics I thought would fit well on patches. Then I worked with imagery I hoped would fit in with Stay Home Club’s aesthetic while also doing something a bit different. I’m so glad with the way they turned out too – the botanical illustrations translated into embroidery so well!

The Stay Home Club website says, “We are a club that never meets, but a club nonetheless.” Would you ever have a super ironic Stay Home Club meet-up for everyone that loves the club?

Olivia: Totally! We vend at events all the time and it’s a super hilarious and endearing thing speaking to customers who totally “get it”. It’s always like “Hi there. How’s it going?” “Eh….ok I guess”. Perfect.

The new album sounds amazing! How excited are you for the release of the album and the collab with Stay Home Club?

Allison: Words cannot explain. This album is very near and dear to me. The producers Brad Hale and Forrest Kline helped me realize a vision and a sound that I’ve been dying for. The collab with Stay Home Club is the icing on the cake. As an artist/designer myself, the merch that goes along with my records is almost as important as the music. I couldn’t be happier with the patches Olivia designed. They’re beautiful and nostalgic and the cat one is hilarious. They’re very me.

Love them! How was producing your record with Forrest Kline of HelloGoodbye?

Allison: Forrest is able to capture a live energy in a recording like no one else I know. I feel like he’s a big reason that this record has the emotion that it does. Even though there are synthesizers and drum machines, it still feels very human. Plus he has a great studio and two wonderful dogs. Hanging out with him and Brad every day was one of the best parts of making this record.

If someone hasn’t listened to your music before, which two songs would you tell him/her to listen to? And why?

Allison: Honestly, the two singles from New Love that are out now. “Golden Coast” has a sweeping nostalgia that you’ll find in a lot of my music. “Back To Me” is just fun as hell and my favorite song I’ve written to date. I can’t wait to get out on the road and play these songs this fall.

I can’t wait to get my hands on these babies to put them on my jean jacket! If you haven’t checked out the Stay Home Club before, you need to. Their tagline is “a lifestyle brand for people who have no life.” I basically want everything in the store. Check out New Love out October 2nd  (it’s beyond awesome!) and catch Allison on tour!

Featured Image via SHC Instagram, New Love album cover by Catie Laffoon.