Hi, I'm musician Mal Bloom,
and you're watching Speed Date with
Xtra Magazine.
What inspired you to make
this, sort of, country-influence
album?
Loneliness.
Ain't it nice to pretend.
I was listening to a lot of John
Prine at the time.
Just come on home.
It was during the first lockdown
and I
was no longer
in practicing
distance of my band.
"Better go, better go, better go without me."
So I was like, "Well, back to the
back to the original, the original
solo songwriting thing.".
Why can't they see me? Why can't they see me? Why can't they see me?
What
is it like being an openly trans
musician in the industry?
So awesome.
I was being sarcastic it sucks.
[laughs].
I
mean, like, it's
not any worse than any other
industry, but like, nothing's great,
you know?
But I don't know the alternative,
I suppose. It's the, I guess it's
the best time to be
trans anything in the arts,
and yet it's
not that great
yet. But I I have
hope that it will be.
"Ain't it nice to rest your head."
What advice do you have for young
trans musicians who want to get
started? I would say if you
are young and
like, still
like living with your parents and
stuff, then
music is a great outlet.
And don't be afraid to
try things and play and
figure out what you like
and what you don't like in terms of
music and creating and
like sharing with your friends,
like sharing songs and stuff
with your friends, like that's some
of the best stuff you
can do.
But don't put too much pressure on
yourself as far as like
needing to be any one thing
or needing to, like,
monetize it super quickly
or anything.
When I see not like just
trans, but any musicians,
their careers get super popular,
super young.
"Me, I guess I'm still something of
an amature...".
I feel like a little sad
that they don't get the chance to
like, play and do things wrong and
like, you know, Lord knows I had
like some very embarrassing years
of figuring out songwriting and
stuff and like, I'm really glad it
wasn't on like a global stage, you
know? So that would be my advice, is
like, don't be afraid to like, do
embarrassing, weird stuff early
on and don't be afraid to change.
And
don't be afraid to say no, this
stuff.
That would be my advice.
Who is your celebrity crush?
Oh, wow.
Gosh, I don't know anymore.
I used to say,
Do you want to know what I used to
say? And I think this was just me
trying to be shocking, but
also not inaccurate.
But whenever people would be like,
What's, who is your celebrity crush?
I would say either of the
Gyllenhaal's.
"You better watch out.".
I don't think that's true anymore.
"Damnit! Damnit! Damnit!".
So
I have to find a new thing to say,
that's also true.
Who is your dream musical collaboration.
So I'm primarily I'm primarily a
songwriter.
And I like to do co-writes.
But I don't do a lot of—like I do
co-writes for publishing, for like
film and TV stuff.
"You make me want to be someone.".
But
I don't do a lot of co-writes
for other artists, you know?
But I
would really like to
write for like
there's like a there's I feel like
there's like a rock resurgence
happening in pop music right now,
and I would
love to write some
breakup songs with Olivia Rodrigo.
If I was dreaming really big.
"You're doing great out there without me, baby, like a damn sociopath!"
Thanks for watching speed with Xtra.
You can find me anywhere
on the internet @MalBlum, M-A-L
B-L-U-M.
I have a new EP out called
Ain't It Nice.
Available on every music
platform that you may use
and uh, where
else can you find me?
I do other stuff, but you know,
just you'll you'll
you'll see it when you see it.
I don't, ha!