Inside the Music with pop-folk trio Trousdale

Trousdale is a folk/pop trio known for their stunning vocal harmonies, heartfelt songwriting, and genre-blending sound. Comprised of Quinn D’Andrea, Georgia Greene, and Lauren Jones, the group has built a devoted following through their dynamic live performances and emotionally resonant tracks, and they have just released their sophomore album, Growing Pains. We caught up with Quinn and Lauren to discuss how the band came to be, how TikTok played a big part in their success, their penchant for vocal harmonies, and their advice for aspiring musicians.
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Interview with Trousdale
Sheet Music Direct ("S"): Firstly, can you tell us your first experiences of music as children?
Quinn ("Q"): I started playing piano when I was like two, but I started taking lessons I think when I was three, maybe four. My parents had a piano in the house and I just talked to my mom about this because I couldn't quite remember, but I watched a ton of Barney as a kid, and they saw me go over to the piano, like reaching up to it, and I played the Barney theme song. Just like by ear, from memory. They put me in piano lessons very soon after. Very easy piano lessons. But my first memories were of taking piano lessons and loving it. I had the sweetest teacher. And I remember playing for my grandparents in their music room. Me and my cousins would put on a whole talent show. But yeah, I grew up doing piano mainly, up until late elementary school, so that was my formative years of music.
Lauren ("L"): So I grew up in a small town in Michigan, and when I was really little, we lived an hour and a half away from where my grandparents lived. And my parents would pack my sister and I in the car and we would do these road trips. And it's funny because an hour and a half is like nothing. But I think for a kid that's like an eternity. So I would get so bored on these car rides, and I remember just looking out the window, being just so bored and thinking, what can I do to occupy my time right now? And I would just, like, write these little songs. I'd be humming to myself, looking out the window, writing these little songs. And that was how I passed the time. So yeah, that's my earliest memory. And I would always be super enamored with the songs from various Disney movies and children's movies. And then I picked up guitar. I don't remember being really little and thinking about doing music for a career, but there's a book somewhere, one of those like fill in Dr. Seuss books where you have to fill in what your favorite things are and what you want to be when you grow up. And in one of those books it says, "I want to be a famous singer." So, oh my gosh, I must have been thinking about it.
S: That's great. So I believe you as a band met in college on a songwriting course, is that correct? And can you tell us how that formation came about?
Q: So all three of us were in the popular music program at USC, at University of Southern California, and there were less than 30 of us in our class. But I was a vocalist, and Lauren and Georgia were both in a songwriting class that I wasn't in, and they ended up pairing up for a songwriting project. We had individually become friends at that point and hung out, but not just as the three of us. And I was big on harmonies at that point. I did a lot of a cappella, and they knew that I was really into getting deep into the background vocals, even in our assignments for our performance classes. And so they asked me to come add a third harmony for that songwriting class project. And I did, and it was a song that we ended up putting out a few years ago now called "Do Re Mi," but that was 10 years ago that we wrote it. Lauren and Georgia wrote most of it, and I came in and helped them finish it and added harmony. But then the three of us performed it for the class a cappella, like patting our legs, and it was really amazing. Something definitely clicked in that moment because we just kept going after that. I think very soon after that, Lauren was like, "So should we like, be a band? What's our name going to be? We should go on tour." And then we wrote some more songs.
S: That's awesome. And who would you guys cite as your influences as a band?
L: We say Fleetwood Mac a lot. Yeah, there's a certain genre-bending that I think's present in a band like Fleetwood Mac which we love. Maybe a little Crosby, Stills & Nash, The Eagles, The Chicks.
L: I feel like it's been an interesting combination of our individual inspirations and influences and then also the influences that people have put on us. People say we sound like certain bands and we've listened to them and we agree with it! And it's kind of melted together into like a very large group of people that we are very much inspired by.
S: That makes sense. I can hear a little bit of Wilson Phillips in your sound as well?
Q: Yeah, totally. Thank you.
S: So it feels like things went up a notch for you in 2021 when your music kind of exploded on TikTok. I'm intrigued about your relationship with social media and how it helped you grow as a band?
Q: So we had an Instagram when we were in college, and for the band that is still the same Instagram now. It's funny because we made it after our freshman year when Georgia flew to Michigan, where Lauren's from, and stayed with her for a week. They wrote a ton. And then I flew out the next week, stayed for another week, arranged the harmonies and had a group of songs that we've never put out. But they were very experimental. And we started our Instagram account then and we posted some silly things, but we followed all the people that we followed on our personal accounts. So our account now still follows some very random people from each of our high schools. But anyway, we didn't really like push social media much at that point. And then over Covid, I joined TikTok and I became addicted to it. I thought it was such a cool way of people being able to connect on social media in a way where you didn't have to have a lot of followers to have a video do well. And it was such a cool way to explore and find new people. And great for people that didn't have record labels or money to get their music out there naturally just by how good it was.
So we made a TikTok and started putting out covers. And we've always known that our covers have hit well, even when we would do them live, because of our harmonies and our personal take on them. So we just started posting a ton of them. I kept trying to pick songs that were floating around, and other people were doing covers of, and it started moving a lot more and we did get a lot more followers, and even our publisher found us through TikTok. I think lately we've been working really hard on splitting up the work between the three of us. And we have like a calendar that we're working off now that our management is helping us with because it can be overwhelming and sometimes feel soul sucking to do it. And other times it's really fun and inspiring to sit down and sing. But I think it’s just so volatile. There can be times where you'll be posting stuff that's really good, honestly, and no one will see it. So it can be tough. But it's been a way that a lot of people have found us, and we're very grateful for it.
[TikTok] is just so volatile. There can be times where you'll be posting stuff that's really good, honestly, and no one will see it. So it can be tough. But it's been a way that a lot of people have found us, and we're very grateful for it."
L: It's always interesting thinking about the future of algorithms on social media platforms and stuff, because obviously right now, in the grand scheme of things, all these are very early forms of social media on the internet, and the whole point behind them ultimately is for them to make money. And so that's where the algorithm is driven-so that they can make more ad revenue. It's interesting to think about one day having an algorithm that is actually specifically written and curated for the consumer.
S: Very much so. So, a key part of your identity as a band is about self-acceptance and empowering young women. Do you ever hear from fans of yours about how your music has helped them?
L: That's been such an unexpected joy to our career as musicians. I think we all came to music because it's something that gives us comfort and helps us through life. And it's a lens with which you can kind of process and live your life. So it's cool to watch that process happen through us to other people. It's really special. I mean, it's so important for us as women to empower other women to be messy and make mistakes and feel empowered to do so. I think there's a lot of situations where women are not really allowed that time to not be perfect. So that's something we always love to talk about. And I think there's also a lack of examples of women supporting other women in the public and just showing that it's possible to do that, and it's actually really beneficial to do that. Some really amazing things can happen when women do support each other and have that kind of bond and communication.
S: Very well said. So we've just released the sheet music to "Growing Pains," the title track from your latest album. Can you tell us a little bit about the inspirations and themes behind the album generally?
Q: I think the song "Growing Pains" is such a great place to start, because that's really where we started with the album, and it's the first one that the three of us sat down and started together. It was right at that point where we had finished our first album, which was so much work. We spent two years on it, and we're so proud of it. We did most of it just ourselves, and it took so much time and love and we learned so much from it. And then there was maybe a year of us playing it and promoting it. And so then at that point we were like, "OK, we're going to do another album." And we had a general plan of how we were going to go about it, but it was just one of those songs that came about from us talking about our experiences and what it felt like to be in this exact point in the industry. Talking about doing it ourselves and appreciating everything that we've done so far and being so grateful for the place that we're at, but also recognizing how difficult it can be. And we're always feeling like we're not quite there yet. And like, when is it going to be just a little bit easier? And I think there's a lot of bonding that happens when we can talk about that, because it's hard to talk to other people about this exact place that we're at. So we're lucky that there's three of us because we all really get it. So that kind of inspired the idea for "Growing Pains," of likening it to that physical feeling of when you're growing up and you can feel that, and it might be painful and difficult and there are obstacles, but it's a true sign of growth that things are really happening. So we wrote that and we kind of fanned out to other ideas that we started pulling in for the rest of the album. But it still comes back to learning and growing and where we're at in our lives as people and our careers and our relationships. I think the songs really capture this time in our lives.
Appreciating everything that we've done so far and being so grateful for the place that we're at, but also recognizing how difficult it can be…that kind of inspired the idea for "Growing Pains."
S: Fantastic. I love "Over and Over" by the way. I think that is my favorite from the album.
Q: We love that one too.
S: So, vocal harmonies. We talked about this a little bit, but they're obviously a key part of your sound. Can you talk to us about how you go about arranging those harmonies?
L: I feel like it's changed quite a lot over the years. We used to write the song, and then we would have a whole other session where we would do the vocal arrangements, and it would be the same amount of effort as the songwriting session because it was so in depth. We used to do such elaborate vocal harmonies on our songs. I mean, we still do, but like the ones that we used to do were crazy.
Q: Yeah, those were pretty cool. If you were to make sheet music for some of our earlier music, especially our unreleased songs that we were doing in college, whoa, it'd be crazy.
L: Yeah, I think it depends on the song what the vocal arrangements are really asking for. As we've grown as a band, we really look at vocal harmony as almost a production tool or an arranging tool, honestly. Arranging and production are really just like the same thing. So we were super excited about the idea of working with you guys and getting sheet music for our songs because such a huge part of what we do is the arrangement aspect of it, and we put a lot of time and care into it. So it's cool to have it in a written format for people to discover. But yeah, take "Sleeping at the Wheel," which is a song on the record. There's hardly any vocal harmonies on that song. We actually did a full pass of three-part harmony on the whole thing. And then we went in and chopped it all up and kind of made it what we imagined the song to be. And then you have a song like "Growing Pains" where we took like two full days to just record the vocals for that song because it's got this like Queen bridge harmony stacking that we wanted to sound crazy. So it really just depends on the song, but we love doing that part, obviously.
We were super excited about the idea of getting sheet music for our songs because such a huge part of what we do is the arrangement aspect of it, and we put a lot of time and care into it. So it's cool to have it in a written format for people to discover."
S: Yeah. It shows. And it really works to have that kind of individuality to your sound
Q: I feel like we've simplified things, but then there will be moments where we do something like "Growing Pains," so that's nice to hear. I think listening to popular music, sometimes I'll be like, "Are we not supposed to be doing what we're doing?" Because people aren't really doing that so much. Like, is it too much? Is it not tasteful? But I think we're thoughtful about the moments where we'll load on the harmonies and we're thoughtful about the moments where we don't.
S: Here's maybe a trickier question to answer, but what are your goals or aspirations as a band?
Q: A lot of the people that we referenced that were inspired by, I think our greatest hope would be to be like that…to be able to make our music for decades and have that music have a lasting impact on people. We've always said that we want to take the band as far as it will go, as far as it feels like it's meant to go, I suppose, but it still feels like it's meant to grow from here. I think all three of us are very ambitious in that way. I think with us coming together at school, it felt like there was something very special there. For me personally, not knowing what I was really going to do with my own career, when I met them and we sang together and started making music, it felt like something that had a real foundation to it. Something very magical that really could go far. We'd love to be playing in arenas someday and also to be able to do our own individual projects at some point, like years down the road.
L: Yeah, all three of us are such big fans of each other as solo musicians and solo artists. And so that's something we've talked about many times of just being so excited for the day when it feels right, for all of us to do our own projects. I'm a big Marvel fan, and I feel like there's something there, like having a universe, like the MCU or whatever. But I think with bands that have multiple leads, it's pretty typical for them to have this big blowout where everybody breaks up and you're like, "This is my band." And they go to do their solo project or whatever. And for me, I'm just thinking like, "I cannot wait to listen to the Quinn solo record!" because I'm just gonna sit down and cry for, like, an hour probably, because it's gonna be so good. And I think all three of us have just such different flavors and different takes on songwriting and music. And I think that'll be a really cool addition to the Trousdale world to be able to see those things. And then a couple years after that make another Trousdale record. I think the sky's the limit. We're always looking to just continue to make more great music and continue to have fun with it.
S: Fantastic. I'm just wondering if there are any other bands or musicians out there that you'd like to kind of shout out who maybe don't get the exposure that you think they deserve.
Q: Well, this band Bailen featured on our last album. They're a three-person band of siblings. They also do harmonies. They're not super similar to us in style, I would say, but they're amazing. They're making fantastic music.
L: My friend Rett Madison is an amazing songwriter and artist, and I think she could deserve some more love, for sure. And this artist, Ken Yates out of Toronto, who we recently worked with. He's an amazing songwriter. I've been really loving his music recently.
Q: I'm at my boyfriend's right now. He just walked out the door. I was waiting, but he's in a band called the Nova Darlings that are amazing. I didn't want to call him out while he was still in here, but they're just releasing their music again, and it's so good. We went to school with a lot of really, really amazing people that I think deserve to be heard. It's just crazy how many amazing musicians are out there in the world that don't get the time.
L: Yeah, I love that question because it really is so hard to make it as an artist. It's so much more than just the music. It really is. It's like you have to be good at giving interviews. You have to be good at working really hard all the time. You have to be good at traveling for months at a time, and then coming home, and communication, and working with people. And then there's the business part of it. And it's just so much more than I would have thought when I was growing up. I wouldn't trade it. I love it, and I think it's a privilege to be doing this career, but it is really tough.
Q: There's another, Haleigh Bowers. She's another songwriter who has music out. She's amazing. And Remi Wolf, she's amazing. She's getting the time, her music is being heard. But there were a lot of really, really incredible people in our class, and I do think in like 15 years time there will be more people that are really deep into the industry that were from our class, but who knows? I think it's luck too. It's not even always about how hard you're working and how good it is. Like it's just timing. And we, I think, are very lucky.
S: And my last question is, do you have any advice for young musicians who are looking to have a career in music?
Q: I feel like what you said earlier, Lauren, is always a good piece of advice-to not be afraid to be imperfect. Like, make mistakes. Do it. Experiment. Put yourself out there. Let it not be perfect first, that's how you learn. I think a lot of us are afraid to even put anything out into the world, because it's not quite right. But the only way to get yourself there is to actually do it. To say the things you want to say, to tell your story and see where it goes from there. And I think when we hold back, we don't even get to see where it could go.
I think a lot of us are afraid to even put anything out into the world, because it's not quite right. But the only way to get yourself there is to actually do it. To say the things you want to say, to tell your story and see where it goes from there."
L: I think back to the masterclass situations that we had in college. A lot of people would say, "If this isn't everything you eat, sleep and breathe every day of your life, then you should just walk out the room right now, the door is right there." And we've talked about this, the three of us, many times, how that is just the worst thing to hear as a young musician, because it just makes you question everything. And more than anything it's just a stressful thing to hear, especially when you're at a college that you're paying a lot of money to attend for music. But at the same time, I think there's a degree of truth in it. I would modify it to say, you have to really think about if this is something you want to do for the rest of your life. And I mean that in the basest of ways, like spend time thinking about, "Could I do anything else?" Could I do another job and be happy doing that? And really sit with that. Like not sit with it and make a decision right then and there. But just like bring it up in your mind every now and then. And if the answer is, "Yeah, I think I could be happy doing something else" then maybe you shouldn't. Or maybe you won't at some point, because there's a ton of people that do music for 10-20 years and then pivot to doing something else.
My experience with it is that I've thought about doing other things. And at the end of the day it's always been like, "No, I want to do this." Even though this is hard and even though there's things that I would like to change about it, I still couldn't really imagine myself doing anything else. And I think that's really just something that you have to come to terms with, and come to terms with within yourself about doing music for a living. There's also a ton of people that do music for their whole lives, and they don't do it for a career. My boyfriend's dad is a doctor. That's his full time job. And he's in like two different bands that play regularly around town. And that's like a huge source of joy for him. And I think that's something that's really special, too.
S: Absolutely. Yeah, that's a good answer. Well, that’s all the questions we have for now. Is there anything else you wanted to add?
L: I would just say about our tour coming up, that's going to be really fun coming to the UK and Europe!
Q: We're honored to be talking to you and to have some sheet music with you guys. The amount of times I grew up reading your sheet music, like in choir and stuff. I mean, it's awesome. It's very cool.
S: Well, we look forward to seeing you guys grow as a band. All the best for your tour and everything beyond that, it's been great chatting to you. Thank you for your time.
Q: Thank you so much.
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