Alanis Morissette's new album "Such Pretty Forks In The Road" is released today. The singer spoke about this and more in an interview.
25 years ago, the then only 21-year-old Alanis Morissette (46) with "Jagged Little Pill" proved to the music world that commercially successful rock music does not have to be based on template-based genre thinking. Influenced by the grunge of the nineties and classic singer / songwriters like Bob Dylan (79), Morissette processed her complexes, fears and despair in the twelve songs. The low-budget recording was initially rejected by all record companies, and when it was released, the music industry was turned upside down.
"Jagged Little Pill" gave the very young Canadian tremendous success, with over 25 million officially sold records worldwide, it is one of the best-selling albums of all time. With her first record in eight years, "Such Pretty Forks In The Road", the 46-year-old now wants to look ahead. Alanis Morissette spoke about this in an interview with the news agency spot on news – and explained why she wouldn't have survived without the music.
Alanis Morissette, welcome back. Would you like to come to Germany?
Alanis Morissette: I love it. I lived here when I was very little, between three and six years old. I spoke fluent German with my twin brother, my parents couldn't speak German at all. Imagine two siblings talking German to each other while their parents ask themselves all the time: "What did you say?" I love being here, it feels a bit like home.
Do you have any memories of that time?
Morissette: Oh yes, I have a lot of memories. "Children's school" (laughs) and the teacher – both teachers. And my parents took lots of photos. So a lot of good memories.
Her new album "Such Pretty Forks In The Road" is a very emotional and melancholic, but also a very powerful one. How did this record come about?
Morissette: I wrote it with Mike Farrell – every song very quickly, in about 20 minutes. So I went through the whole story and when we started writing about it, it just channeled. I call it my piano album because all the demos consisted only of piano, vocals and lyrics. And when I looked at the sequence of the songs one day, I thought to myself: "Oh this record is melancholic" but with that little spark of hope in it. It felt like I was singing about something very dark while leaving room for the light.
The rather melancholic mood and sad lyrics have always been a common thread in your songwriting. Do you think happy people can be good songwriters without any conflict?
Morissette: I don't know if these people exist. I don't know anyone who – if they're really honest with themselves – can say: "Oh everything is perfect." I think love, anger, fear and sadness are all great impulses. The song "Ablaze" for example: Whenever I was sad or did not feel loved, whether because of my children, my husband or the people I dated at the time: It is easier to write in a delusion. Basically, it is easier to write if I just record what happens. But with this album, I didn't really think about topics before I started, but rather let it come to me. And when it was done I thought, "Oh, that's pretty intense."
In addition to your new album, "Jagged Little Pill" is also celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. It is definitely your most successful, but is it the most important thing for you personally?
Morissette: No … but I still love it. And the good thing is that I can still sing the songs even though I wrote them when I was 19. The fact that I can stand behind the topics and values and everything I felt then – that's fantastic!
Looking back, you were in your early twenties. What does early success do to a young woman? Do you wish it hadn't happened so quickly?
Morissette: Oh yes, and being in the entertainment industry and having a ten-year record label, and all the acting and dancing and singing. Thank god I had a lot of good therapy – I'm happy to be alive. Fame is a strange, strange thing. I naively thought that you would get to know and get to know all these friends. And basically it was not exactly what I imagined. It was all a little lonely, to put it simply.
The coming months will be extremely productive for you. It is definitely a liberating feeling after all the difficult moments that you have had to go through recently and sometimes still go through. Does this outlook help?
Morissette: I have fulfilled a lot of personal dreams, which has helped me with the three children over the past few years. That grounded me. And the amount of humanity that you show me on tour and all the new people – I really like that. I love the charm of the new and traveling. There are just so many great things.
And music can be an incredible asset …
Morissette: Yes, a great force. It kept me alive so much. That is why I attribute being alive to music.
And don't forget the support from your husband.
Morissette: Yes! I mean, I can't do this without a family because at one point I had to ask myself, "Okay, do I have a career or will I become a mother?" And it was one of those decisions that I couldn't make, no chance. Because I was born both as a mother and as an artist. So I needed a partnership and a family order. Frankly, a touring community that allowed me to show up with all the typical stuff. And it works. I am tired and exhausted, but I can handle it.
Her song "Ironic" later caused academic discussions. If that happened to a musician today, his career would probably be ruined forever. Is it much harder and harder for young artists in the music business these days?
Morissette: There are more processes that take place on the surface. And to whatever extent an artist can contribute – the focus is so much on the exterior, aesthetics, sexualization, vanity. In my opinion, it's all very brutal. If it always happens outside, it won't last long. So when I see people suffering, it's because of their personality and soul. No matter whether they are young artists, male or female. It would be great to be surrounded by at least one or two people who are interested in how you feel.
Would you recommend someone to start a career in this business?
Morissette: It depends on the person. I understand when someone has so much talent and talent that it is imperative to express yourself. I would not advise anyone born to do so. It's about the extent of how you stand in public and how open you are with likes and things like that. I haven't read a single comment in twenty years. I would advise anyone who is in the public eye not to read their reviews. This is an immediate killer for self-esteem. Talk to your friends if you want to hear an opinion about something. The people who love you will tell you.
Are you currently confident about your own self-confidence?
Morissette: Yes, there is a certain strength at the moment. I mean there is a certain amount of persistence that has always been there, but I feel much more resilient. I have to knock on wood when I say that. And when certain things challenge me, it's quicker to deal with them.