Christine Schatz is the mind behind “Shiloh Eyes”, she’s an L.A.-raised artist, songwriter, engineer, and producer who alchemises great change in her through pristine, mostly down-tempo electro-pop grooves and confessional lyricism. Some time ago, Christine made a bit of a name for herself online as the founder of “The Loop”, a music blog for “the savvy, flexible-eared music lover” that she founded in 2010 and ran for the next 8 years, before eventually becoming a fixture in the SoCal DJing scene.
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As Shiloh Eyes, Christine has been using her music as the energy to come back from a dark, difficult situation following her divorce. Her melancholic and vulnerable songwriting acts as the perfect element for both catharsis and recovery, with her newest song “Mad River” utilizing the image of the deceptively calm Delaware River (where she lived most of her married life) as a metaphor for what her marriage was really like, saying. “A lot of people drowned in it, actually.
It had a really strong undercurrent but looked deceptively still. And I feel like that’s sort of how our relationship was – seemingly calm on the outside, but underneath there was so much turbulence.”
Out now, Mad River is about the space between yearning for what once was, and breaking free. The song starts with a buildup, a feeling of longing, and ends with an outro that feels like catharsis.
Musically speaking, who is Shiloh Eyes right now? what space do you think your music occupies?
As an artist, I’m no longer in that super raw, painful space I was in back in 2019 and 2020. I’ve done a lot of processing and healing since then. When I first started writing and producing, I felt a sense of urgency, like the words, the music, and the feeling that had to come out. My first two songs “Me Time” and “Mad River” deal with the past. Right now, the music I’m working on occupies the “present moment” of my emotional world. And perhaps the next two songs will deal with a future self, a projection of where I want to go next.
Mad River references the Delaware River. Is it featured elsewhere in the upcoming EP?
Not at the moment. Living by the Delaware River was really impactful and almost perfectly represented the situation I was in. Calm on the outside, but turbulent underneath, basically drowning under someone else. But still flowing freely and powerfully. I like to use physical spaces as a vehicle for songwriting and in the case of “Mad River” – the visual foundation for the music video. The upcoming EP will reference a place I’ll be travelling to in the future.
Genre-wise. Where would you say your music is headed to and/or coming from?
My debut song “Me Time” is a dreamy ballad. My music is evolving into the electronic pop/dance sphere but will still remain somewhat therapeutic. I like to feel swept away and tend to gravitate toward sounds and arrangements that capture that feeling. So I hope to continue making music in this vein.
Your first single and “Mad River” deal with the fallout from your divorce. Has this stage of songwriting helped you move on?
Absolutely, yes. With each song, there was a period of reliving the trauma of what happened. By recreating some of the experiences I had in my music videos, I was able to process so much. The video for “Mad River” was filmed near the town where my ex and I lived. Encountering people I used to know, and seeing those familiar streets, the dilapidated sidewalks, and barren tree-lined streets stirred up a lot of memories. Being exposed to a former life and letting those emotions flow through me was incredibly therapeutic.
What can you tell us about this upcoming debut EP? What are your hopes going into this stage of your career?
The upcoming debut EP is going to reflect the “second act” of my life. And this act represents letting go, recreation, and celebration of a new self. My hope would be to collaborate with some of my favourite artists.
If you could get the chance to write a song for an artist living or dead. who would you like that artist to be?
Wow, such a tough question. It would be amazing to write a song for Lana Del Rey. Her voice is just so beautifully haunting. Maybe Elton John (I was a huge fan in high school). Kacey Musgraves and Romy also! For artists not living: George Michael, Prince, Chris Cornell.
Let’s get to know you a bit more. Outside of music, do you have any other artistic pursuits or interests?
I’m currently learning Italian and have been reading a book about ancient Rome. I’ve also been toying with the idea of writing a short story but music is at the forefront of my mind right now. Outside of artistic pursuits, I love hikes in the woods, exploring walkable cities (can’t wait to go back to London and then visit Edinburgh), cooking, and reading. I also just tried paddle boarding for the first time recently and fell in love with it.
How do you usually like to decompress after a hard day’s work in the studio?
With a glass of wine, a TV series (lately it’s been The White Lotus or Fleabag), and a bath if I have the time. I also like to practice meditation before bedtime.
How did you fare in 2022?
2022 was a weird year. There were quite a bit of up and downs, health-wise, and well-being-wise. I’m looking forward to ringing in a new year, let’s just say.
