Backstage with Wallice
The indie-pop singer-songwriter discusses life on the road before her Philadelphia show, the eighth stop on her headline tour across North America.
By: Spencyr Aronson
February 18th, 2025
Sounds by Spencyr: Hi Wallice! What has a day in your life [on tour] looked like so far?
Wallice: It depends if it's a show day or an off day. If it's an off day, we're usually in the car for six to ten hours driving. If it’s a show day, then ideally we're already in the city. I wake up around 10, sometimes later depending on when we got in the night before.
My ideal schedule would involve rock climbing and then vintage shopping; that's my favorite thing to do on tour. We’ll usually go to the venue around three and sound check. After that, we’ll go and get food somewhere close by if time permits. Then we come back to the venue at seven, and I get to do my makeup which is really fun! Once I’m ready we’ll play the show and hang out at merch for a while after to meet everyone. When it’s time to go, we pack up the van and drive to a hotel that's close. If it's a long drive then I’ll just go right to sleep.
Great. Lots of your fans know that once the show ends, you don't perform an encore. What's the first thing you do when you get off stage?
W: Once the band and I are unseen, we take a second and debrief the show. Did it feel good, or not so much? After that, I’ll quickly grab a Sharpie, take off my wireless pack, grab a water or ginger beer and head to the merch stand. It's always good to take a mini deep breath too. I remind myself we checked off another set.
The only show that was pretty rough was the first night, just because it was the first show. There's always kinks to work out in the beginning. Yeah, that one was interesting!
Your debut album The Jester dropped last fall. It discusses imposter syndrome along with your gripes that come with trying to “make it” in the music industry. Do you have any advice for young people going through similar struggles, either in music or other fields?
W: Just to keep going. We've seen it this year with so many of the pop girlies who just won at the Grammy Awards. Charli [XCX] has been around so long. Sure, she’s had huge hits, but she was quite niche for a long time. And Chappell [Roan] has been working on making it for so long. Doechii, too! It really is such a grind.
Going off of that, how do you navigate trying to promote yourself during such an uncertain time within the industry? How did you feel when TikTok temporarily shut down?
W: It’s been really hard. I was actually really excited when we thought TikTok was gonna go. It feels like every day these apps get more and more saturated with really talented people. I was just talking about this with my friend David Marinelli who produces for me. So many people we know are only making it work as full-time artists because they have rich parents.
It's so frustrating some days, but I want to keep making music that I believe in and I would like to listen to. Hopefully that will pay off! I do always love touring and seeing fans connect with the music. Especially since my album came out last November.. it's been a second. You don’t know how online reactions will play out in person. But watching people sing along to my new music.. [it’s] an awesome feeling.
I really love the pottery you've been selling. It’s so cool that the pieces go along with the circus aesthetic of the album. Did you pick up pottery as a side hobby recently, or has it always been a passion of yours?
W: Growing up, my mom had a kiln in our garage so I did it often. I started again right before COVID hit. All of a sudden I had so much free time, so it made sense. After that I started doing it very regularly; It's really nice to have another outlet besides music.
Is there anything that's been inspiring you lately?
W: Not necessarily inspiring, but we've been watching Claim to Fame season three.
That's a great answer.
W: Yeah, we watched the first two seasons when they came out. I just love the show so much. Also, I always love Sam Evian’s music. He's so underrated. Spill tab too, she’s my good friend. Plus, she has an album that's gonna come out soon. Inside scoop!
You're opening for the six-time Grammy winner St. Vincent later this spring. How are you feeling about doing a run as an opener after you finish up this leg, which was your second headline tour?
W: I’m excited. I love being an opener; I always appreciate it. It's a new crowd and she [St. Vincent] is so respected. So who knows, it might be a little bit harder to win over her audience, but I feel like I can do it.
Let's get into a few fun ones. What are your top four favorite movies, Letterboxd style?
W: Triangle of Sadness, Isle of Dogs, Crazy, Stupid, Love, and maybe Twilight for some range. Those would be my top four.
What's your death row meal? Also, Crazy, Stupid, Love is in my top four too.
W: Miso soup with sushi, like a sushi set. I love Japanese food.
Last question. What's your favorite song on this setlist to perform live?
W: So far, I'm really enjoying “Clown Like Me”. It's the first song of the set. I play bass on that one and it’s so fun. I also like “Heaven Has To Happen” because I bring out a Soprano saxophone. Actually, I just learned [how to play] the saxophone recently, so I hope it goes well on stage tonight!