“Can’t you look at me? / Am I that hideous to you?” And so starts the cutting opening first few bars of the haunting new track from Los Angeles-hailed singer-songwriter mehro.

In “Hideous”, ethereal vocals dance upon plucked guitar strings before the song builds to a crescendo with a swirling production.

The track marks the second release from the artist, a lament over the catastrophic end of a relationship which has had harmful effects long after the curtain has drawn.

We caught up with the promising new artist below and talked lockdown and his new track…

Hi mehro! How’s lockdown been for you?
Strange and incredible. Releasing my first song while the world is in limbo has been surreal. I was literally on stage in grand rapids getting ready to play Chicago the next night, when i was told i needed to come home and quarantine. having to cancel those shows was heartbreaking, but putting anybody in harm’s way would’ve obviously been worse.

How has it affected your creativity?
Things move slower… I like it. I can be more mindful, more focused, more deliberate. I’m also not feeling any pressure.

How has growing up in LA impacted your sound?
If you can keep your feet on the ground, growing up in LA has a lot of advantages. I was lucky enough to be surrounded by many amazing, creative people, artists like Elohim and Yoshi Flower who have been incredible mentors to me coming up.

Your debut track “Perfume” is a timeless track, what was the inspiration behind tune?
Thank you! At first, there wasn’t a conscious inspiration. It just happened. But somehow in retrospect, I can see that there were many catalysts that inspired perfume. The moment with no expectation, the desire to make that moment last as long as you can, and the acceptance that that moment has passed. I’ve had that feeling so many times with so many people I’ve cared about, and without those experiences, “Perfume” wouldn’t exist.

What is the creative process like when you are writing and producing your songs?
It’s different almost every time. I’ve learned to get out of my own way, and lose myself in the process.

What do you want people to take away from your music?
The fact that anyone would take anything away from anything that I’ve made feels impossible. I couldn’t believe it when “Perfume” hit 1k streams. It was a life affirming moment for me. I guess my deepest hope, is that someone resonates with what I’m doing. That’s enough for me. I don’t want to sound selfish, but I make this music as a form of self therapy. I’m not sure where or what id be doing of it wasn’t for this.

Who are your main inspirations?
I draw most inspiration from life, and sometimes I blush when I hear records that i’m but a faint echo of. Elohim turned me onto Elliot Smith, early days, when I heard him I thought, “cool, i’m not alone”. I get lost in greatness. Frank Ocean, Mazzy Star, Phoebe Bridgers, but there are so many. It would take up an entire page.