A DAY IN THE LIFE: CONCHIS

SPECIAL THANKS LATCH MEDIA

Introducing Finnish artist Conchis, whose cinematic new single Trouble showcases her fusion of experimental sounds and thematic production. Describing the song, Conchis explains: "Fire represents energy, creativity, passion, ambition, action, and inspiration." Yet, she also emphasises fire's duality, as it can be both dangerous and destructive—much like the toxic relationship at the heart of this track. "Trouble" is a powerful preview of her forthcoming debut album, Chapters, which delves into the depths of human psychology, exploring themes such as loss, yearning, consumption, and desperation.

While creating Chapters, Conchis faced the challenge of living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). Despite this, she persevered, adapting her creative process. Instead of seeing this as a limitation, she embraced it, allowing the constraint to infuse the album with raw emotion and vulnerability, capturing both her struggles and her artistic journey.

We wanted to experience Conchis' world up close, so we asked her to take us through a day in her life, where she shares her world of writing, painting, and, of course, making music. Along the way, she offers insights into the creation of Trouble and provides glimpses into her thoughts and feelings.

F Word: If you had to assign a temperature, a colour and a taste to this single, what would they be?

Conchis: The temperature would be 37.2°C—just on the verge of feeling feverish and that something is wrong with your body. The colour would be an intense, fiery red that sometimes switches to a cold blue symbolising the push and pull in the song, and the taste would be like a sneaky chili—something that hits your palate as an aftertaste.

I start my day with coffee, a smoothie, writing in my diary and reading the news

F Word: What was the biggest change you made to the single during the writing process?

Conchis: The single didn’t change that much from the demo to the final version, but one of the key changes was replacing the synth bass with a real bass. Another was transforming the lyrics from gibberish into actual words. In the demo, I sang whatever came to mind, mostly gibberish. However, a few real words stood out, and I used those as the foundation to develop the lyrics.

Doing what I love the most

F Word: What are you hoping people will take from this song?

Conchis: I hope it resonates with anyone who’s experienced toxic relationships. Maybe it will help them recognise certain behaviours, either in themselves or others.

I like the Korg MS20 plugin although I prefer the analog version

F Word: What genre could you see yourself experimenting with for a future project?

Conchis: I’d love to explore instrumental, experimental music. Without vocals or lyrics to lean on, the instruments have to carry the entire song and keep the listener engaged. It would be a challenge, but I’m curious to see how well I could pull it off.

Going outside to look at autumn colours

F Word: If you had to choose one component for a great song/EP/album, what would it be?

Conchis: Emotion. Without it, music can fall flat.

I have to rest quite a lot during the day because of my ME/CFS

F Word: Go-to lunch on a studio/writing day?

Conchis: Nepalese or Thai takeout.

Painting

F Word: Fuck, marry, kill: album, EP, single?

Conchis: Fuck single, marry album and kill EP.

Waiting for the paint to dry

F Word: If you had to choose a new career completely outside of anything having to do with music, what would it be?

Conchis: My profession is actually an art director, but if I weren’t doing that, I’d pursue something equally creative, like pattern design.

This is how the painting turned out

F Word: What’s bringing the most joy to your days lately?

Conchis: I’m at my happiest when I make music and hang out with my nearest and dearest.

Other paintings of mine

F Word: What’s motivating you the most lately?

Conchis: The drive to constantly improve: I always want to learn and become better at what I do. That’s what makes making music so interesting—there’s always something new to learn.

Doing some tarot with tarot cards I designed for Conchis

F Word: What advice do you have for yourself for tomorrow?

Conchis: Trust that everything will work out. Just do your part, do your best and then trust that life will take care of the rest.

Watching a documentary

F Word: The world would be better without _______?

Conchis: War

F Word: The world would be worse without _______?

Conchis: Art

I read every night and right now I’m reading this great Tana French novel

F Word: Do you believe in manifestation?

Conchis: I believe in visualisation—creating a clear plan that you can see in front of you and taking small steps toward achieving it. In a way, that could be seen as a form of manifestation.

F Word: What is your favourite "F" Word?

Conchis: Freedom