Growing Pains and Uncertainty with Postcard Boy
by Liv Bjorgum
featuring behind-the-scenes images from the Wish We Made It music video, shot by Dillon Matthew
Garrett Seamans’s new single as Postcard Boy, “Wish We Made It,” continues the eighteen-year-old artist’s exploration of the confusion of growing up. The single is his first release since his nostalgia-filled EP, Scrapbook, which came out in June. Postcard Boy’s music often works to make sense of the intersections among emotions, experiences, and dreams. He combines echoing electronic instrumentals, vulnerable vocals, and imagination-provoking lyrics. In addition to music, he also produces photography and video work documenting adolescence under the name Phylm.
“Wish We Made It” is a song about being a teenager today as much as it is about being an artist. The song uses guitar prominently alongside other instruments to build a sweeping single that exhibits the many facets of Postcard Boy’s voice. Despite being about the experience of an individual, the song is like a time capsule of emotion that can be applied to anyone’s life.
The atmospheric narrative of the video demonstrates the cinematic feeling of his song. Seamans directed and edited the video by himself, which contains additional work by Lauren Cassiano, Bennett Coast, Angus Johnson, and Dillon Matthew. Confined to the park and the surrounding streets, and with only a hazy sense of other people in his surroundings, the video shows vulnerability in suburbia. The video explores illusion as well; the camera pulls away to reveal the pretend freedom contrived by the bed, a trampoline, and some streamers. The video for “Wish We Made It” offers a glimpse at the artist’s perspective on the world while the accompanying song asks you to think more deeply about yours.
Here, Postcard Boy discusses his new single and video, creativity, and making art as a teenager.
“Wish We Made It” is the longest song you have released. What was the process like for this song?
I started this song right after I finished Scrapbook so back in June. I think it is very clear thematically that it is from that same era. I think there was so much relief to have finished Scrapbook, so there was no pressure at all about making a good song for some time. Ironically, I remember the process for this song being super quick. It was fully done possibly before Scrapbook even came out.
What are your musical inspirations?
Musically it really varies honestly week to week, even day to day. It is hard for me to speak to the time when I made “Wish We Made It” because it was quite a while ago. However, currently I’ve been listening a lot to this artist Wyatt Smith who I absolutely love. I also got really into the Star Wars soundtrack last week for some reason.
What are some pieces of art that mean something to you, like your favorite books, films, or music?
I originally was going to list my favorites for each medium, but being fully honest I would have to say the most influential piece of art to my life is undoubtedly Maxwell Young’s album Daydreamer. Leaving it at that.
You are alone in this video. It feels very vulnerable and it has a beautiful dreamy quality to it, not quite hazy, almost pearlescent. It reminds me of a lot of Jack Larsen’s work. What is the story behind it?
Very interesting that you mention Jack Larsen because I love his music, although I haven’t looked into his visuals too indepthly. The video opens in a performance which serves as “the dream.” From there, the video goes through day to day activities I would take before a show in real life (breakfast, making the bed, watching TV, journaling, skateboarding). At the end of the day I get to the performance, but in a dark twist, everything goes wrong. The video is a metaphor for going through the day to day in hopes of reaching a much larger aspiration (the dream), but even if one finally gets there, it might not be everything they imagined.
A lot of your music videos involve moving household furniture outside, moving through different landscapes, and creating your own illusions and little worlds. Can you talk about this and the influence of place in your work?
I really look up to people who are able to develop themselves as more than just a single art form. If you are able to represent something more than just yourself, whether that be a whole community of people or just a single emotion that attaches with a song, I think that is something a visual can help create. Generating a world for music to live in is very important, yet I don’t want it to distract a listener from the world they construct in their own head. I am still figuring out what that world is for my sound, but I am also still figuring out my sound. I think that is why there is a clear uniqueness to everyone of my videos, but I hope eventually to find some cohesiveness to it all.
“I really look up to people who are able to develop themselves
as more than just a single art form. Generating a world for music
to live in is very important, yet I don’t want it to distract a listener
from the world they construct in their own head. ”
In addition to music, you use photography and videography to express yourself, and you document others’ lives and your own. How do you know which medium to use to express which ideas?
Most of my photography and video work is very journalistic and candid and not thought too hard about. Music is much more of a self therapeutic process for me. I don’t really consciously think about choosing between either, and often a visual idea might become song inspiration or vice versa.
What is it like to look at yourself through different lenses, and to be both in front of and behind the camera, since you direct yourself?
It is a learning process for sure. Having the knowledge of behind the camera definitely allows me to articulate and execute my visual ideas better. It also gives me perspective on how a shot might be possible, what outfit I should wear, and finding a location and the right timing. However, it can also be frustrating when things don’t come out how I intended them too. Although, having another creative eye behind the camera encourages new ideas I wouldn’t have even thought of. Performance wise, having captured many other individuals and being the editor, I know what is generally going to look cheesy and what will look more believable. I am very far from being a good actor and often I cringe at the raw videos, but it is always fun to get in front of the camera.
I feel like there are a lot of growing pains in your work, all the beauty and wonder and struggle of adolescence. What messages and themes do you hope to communicate?
Being eighteen, my problems and thoughts are often about figuring out growing up and dealing with how fast things are changing. I adore teenage stories like Juno, Palo Alto, Perks of Being a Wallflower, End of the F*cking World, Submarine, etc. I really like how those films make me feel okay with being lost and uncertain even though it seems like the whole world is expecting more. I want my music to radiate some of that similar energy.
Your songs discuss time and nostalgia a lot, especially “Wish We Made It.” What are your hopes for the future?
I do feel like I am gaining confidence in who I am as an individual and artist so I am working harder than ever to make the best art I can. However, I mainly want to be a better version of myself. I really overwork myself between college, videography, and music. I strive so hard to get better and keep progressing, I often don’t appreciate how far I’ve come already. I think just spending some more time surfing, skating, and hanging out would be a good start.
Thank you again to Garrett for taking the time to talk to Pure Nowhere. Make sure that you check out the rest of his work!