p h o t o   b y   b e c k e r

Being an art student at UGA is kind of like reliving high school—but with better clothes. After a couple of months of pulling all-nighter's inside cold white halls, faces start to become vaguely familiar, and occasionally, you know a name without even meeting the person. I recognized Kristine through mutual peers as a skilled and diligent printmaking student, but when I heard her sing for the first time, I was absolutely blown away.

With sharp-cut bangs and electric green eyes, Leschper's stage performance and presence bare striking resemblance (in my opinion) to the quiet sincerity of british folk singer, Elena Tonra, from Daughter—ironic due to their coincidentally similar pen names [Mothers]. But make no mistake, Leschper sets herself apart from the rest with the voice of a lyric soprano and forthright lyrics, and is capable of such lightness and ingenuity, that your ears will beg for more. I asked Kristine about finding her sound, her fondest musical memories, and just how she manages to create music in the midst of this chaos we call life.

PASTEL: How long have you been writing / making music?

KL: I asked my parents for an electric guitar for Christmas about nine years ago. I guess it all started there. I learned the basics, but I didn't really start writing my own songs until a few years ago. I've been playing shows in Athens for about a year now under my moniker Mothers.

PASTEL: Can you talk about where the name Mothers came from?

KL: It mostly comes down to my love of words and language. There are a lot of words that stand out to me just because they sound a certain way when you say them. Mothers felt appropriate for the work I am making because, to me, it sounds fragile and awkward. It also appealed to me because I think that the act of creating something is kind of heartbreaking. It takes a part of you.

PASTEL: Is anyone in your family musical?

KL: My cousin Brett Crenshaw is doing really well as a country singer / songwriter in Texas. I also apparently have a couple of distant relatives who were in bluegrass bands, but no one in my immediate family.

PASTEL: What are some of your fondest musical memories? 

KL: I play mandolin in a local project called Padre, and every time we play together is an adventure. Those guys are like my family. And the last show I saw that really stuck with me was Angel Olsen at Normaltown Hall in October of last year. The venue is so intimate and she has this incredible poise when she's whispering songs into the microphone -- the experience turned an otherwise ordinary Tuesday night into magic.

g of

PASTEL:  What's the first song (or artist) you remember hearing? Your first concert?

KL: My first concert was Hanson circa 1996. I had a beautiful time and regret nothing!

PASTEL: You've performed quite a bit this past year! Do you ever get nervous before a performance? What advice would you give to another aspiring performer?

KL: I still get nervous before every show, but I guess I've found a way to channel it and use that to my advantage. I have a pretty apparent emotional reaction when I play my songs, so feeling on edge before I play just seems to accentuate those sentiments. As far as advice goes, I have to paraphrase Sam Pink because I will never be able to say it as successfully as he does:

PASTEL: Is there a song of yours that you are particularly proud of? Why?

KL: I think Stairwell Song is my favorite of what I've written so far. It's simple and straightforward, but I think it's effective. It said a lot of things I had been wanting to say.

PASTEL: You recently had your BFA Thesis Show at the Lamar Dodd School of Art entitled Too Small For Eyes To See.  Do you mind talking briefly about the show and what it was like to build that body of work?

KL: It was incredibly satisfying to complete. The content of the work was based largely on insecurity and identity, which are themes that I also tend to address in my songs. I find that there is a lot of overlap in the visual art and music I make.

PASTEL: Do you find it's easier to express yourself through music or other forms of art?  

KL: I would say that I have the strongest emotional response when I'm working on music, but visual art is therapeutic for me, and it will always be a huge part of my life. I love the world of academia and hope to eventually become a printmaking professor.

PASTEL: Do you ever censor yourself? Have you ever written something and then decided it was too brazen or harsh? 

KL: One of the things I like the most about writing music is that it gives me the power to say things I might no say otherwise. It allows me to be kind of an asshole without necessarily directing my thoughts / feelings at anyone in particular.

PASTEL: Going off of that question - I like to ask other artists if they believe that exposure and vulnerability are necessary in order to be successful. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

KL: I can't speak for everyone, but I think a sense of vulnerability is vital for the sensibility of the music I write. I still get pretty terrified every time I play; my voice shakes, I stumble over my words, and in the end, I think people appreciate that sense of letting go in a performance.

PASTEL: What are some of the greatest challenges you face as a musician, and how do you deal with them?

KL: The hardest part is just figuring out how you want to sound, because the options are completely endless. Even once you've narrowed it down to like, "Okay, I'm going to use this guitar, with this amp, with this amount of reverb," there are still effects and pedals you can use to modify the tone / sound of it. Then you think about other instruments you could add to it and the same idea applies. There are so many ways to orchestrate a song. Its kind of a bottomless pit.

PATEL: What themes do you find yourself continually addressing in your music?

KL: Personal injury is a big one. I like to keep my songs as bare and sincere as possible—and address emotions that everyone experiences, but doesn't necessarily talk about. I try to find things that are simple, but more or less universally relatable, like I hate my body and I want to apologize to everyone I meet, because I think everyone's been there.

(Above: Print by Kristine Leschper)

PASTEL: What are you currently reading, listening to, or looking at to fuel your work? Are there any artists that have inspired your music?

KL: I've been reading a lot of Anne Sexton poetry lately. I also regularly revisit Charles Bukowski and E.E. Cummings.

PASTEL: If you could collaborate with any musician (living or dead) who would it be?

KL: Old smokey is one of my favorite projects in Athens right now; I'd love to work with Jim Willingham.

PASTEL: Can you list a few of your favorite songs? 

KL: I think I've probably listened to Barn Owl, Night Killer by Sufjan Stevens more than any other song. It was later released as The Owl And The Tanager on his   All Delighted People   EP, but I will always prefer the original version.

b a r n    o w l,   night   killer 

sufjan stevens

PASTEL: What are some of your favorite hobbies?

KL: Honestly, the bulk of my time is eaten up by songwriting and drawing. My life seems dull without those two things because otherwise I just like to read poetry, ride my bike, and tend to my plants. I'm starting up a poetry and art zine called Dirty Words, and hope to have the first edition printed and distributed by June. I'm really excited about that.

PASTEL: How do you balance time for your music with other obligations—school, work, friends? 

KL: I graduate in May, and I have to say that I'm beyond stoked to have more time to work on music. I find that most of the things I enjoy are incredibly time consuming—which drives me crazy because I feel like I never have enough time to do everything I want to. Generally speaking I get more gratification out of spending long hours in the studio than I do socializing, so in that respect it's pretty easy to stay focused. 

PASTEL: What can readers expect next for you and your music? Do you have any projects you are currently working on? 

KL: I'm trying to get my first EP,   Nesting Behavior   , recorded and available to everyone by this fall! I've been playing the same songs for a while, so I'm ready to get that out of the way and move on to the next thing. 

PASTEL: Lastly, what do you want your music to do?
KL: I just hope to write songs that people can relate to. There are certain emotions and experiences that I think are inherent to the human condition, and what I want is to define and expose those feelings. I hope to write songs that people can feel at home inside of.

p h o t o   b y   b e c k e r

Being an art student at UGA is kind of like reliving high school—but with better clothes. After a couple of months of pulling all-nighter's inside cold white halls, faces start to become vaguely familiar, and occasionally, you know a name without even meeting the person. I recognized Kristine through mutual peers as a skilled and diligent printmaking student, but when I heard her sing for the first time, I was absolutely blown away.

With sharp-cut bangs and electric green eyes, Leschper's stage performance and presence bare striking resemblance (in my opinion) to the quiet sincerity of british folk singer, Elena Tonra, from Daughter—ironic due to their coincidentally similar pen names [Mothers]. But make no mistake, Leschper sets herself apart from the rest with the voice of a lyric soprano and forthright lyrics, and is capable of such lightness and ingenuity, that your ears will beg for more. I asked Kristine about finding her sound, her fondest musical memories, and just how she manages to create music in the midst of this chaos we call life.

PASTEL: How long have you been writing / making music?

KL: I asked my parents for an electric guitar for Christmas about nine years ago. I guess it all started there. I learned the basics, but I didn't really start writing my own songs until a few years ago. I've been playing shows in Athens for about a year now under my moniker Mothers.

PASTEL: Can you talk about where the name Mothers came from?

KL: It mostly comes down to my love of words and language. There are a lot of words that stand out to me just because they sound a certain way when you say them. Mothers felt appropriate for the work I am making because, to me, it sounds fragile and awkward. It also appealed to me because I think that the act of creating something is kind of heartbreaking. It takes a part of you.

PASTEL: Is anyone in your family musical?

KL: My cousin Brett Crenshaw is doing really well as a country singer / songwriter in Texas. I also apparently have a couple of distant relatives who were in bluegrass bands, but no one in my immediate family.

PASTEL: What are some of your fondest musical memories? 

KL: I play mandolin in a local project called Padre, and every time we play together is an adventure. Those guys are like my family. And the last show I saw that really stuck with me was Angel Olsen at Normaltown Hall in October of last year. The venue is so intimate and she has this incredible poise when she's whispering songs into the microphone -- the experience turned an otherwise ordinary Tuesday night into magic.

g of

PASTEL:  What's the first song (or artist) you remember hearing? Your first concert?

KL: My first concert was Hanson circa 1996. I had a beautiful time and regret nothing!

PASTEL: You've performed quite a bit this past year! Do you ever get nervous before a performance? What advice would you give to another aspiring performer?

KL: I still get nervous before every show, but I guess I've found a way to channel it and use that to my advantage. I have a pretty apparent emotional reaction when I play my songs, so feeling on edge before I play just seems to accentuate those sentiments. As far as advice goes, I have to paraphrase Sam Pink because I will never be able to say it as successfully as he does:

PASTEL: Is there a song of yours that you are particularly proud of? Why?

KL: I think Stairwell Song is my favorite of what I've written so far. It's simple and straightforward, but I think it's effective. It said a lot of things I had been wanting to say.

PASTEL: You recently had your BFA Thesis Show at the Lamar Dodd School of Art entitled Too Small For Eyes To See.  Do you mind talking briefly about the show and what it was like to build that body of work?

KL: It was incredibly satisfying to complete. The content of the work was based largely on insecurity and identity, which are themes that I also tend to address in my songs. I find that there is a lot of overlap in the visual art and music I make.

PASTEL: Do you find it's easier to express yourself through music or other forms of art?  

KL: I would say that I have the strongest emotional response when I'm working on music, but visual art is therapeutic for me, and it will always be a huge part of my life. I love the world of academia and hope to eventually become a printmaking professor.

PASTEL: Do you ever censor yourself? Have you ever written something and then decided it was too brazen or harsh? 

KL: One of the things I like the most about writing music is that it gives me the power to say things I might no say otherwise. It allows me to be kind of an asshole without necessarily directing my thoughts / feelings at anyone in particular.

PASTEL: Going off of that question - I like to ask other artists if they believe that exposure and vulnerability are necessary in order to be successful. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

KL: I can't speak for everyone, but I think a sense of vulnerability is vital for the sensibility of the music I write. I still get pretty terrified every time I play; my voice shakes, I stumble over my words, and in the end, I think people appreciate that sense of letting go in a performance.

PASTEL: What are some of the greatest challenges you face as a musician, and how do you deal with them?

KL: The hardest part is just figuring out how you want to sound, because the options are completely endless. Even once you've narrowed it down to like, "Okay, I'm going to use this guitar, with this amp, with this amount of reverb," there are still effects and pedals you can use to modify the tone / sound of it. Then you think about other instruments you could add to it and the same idea applies. There are so many ways to orchestrate a song. Its kind of a bottomless pit.

PATEL: What themes do you find yourself continually addressing in your music?

KL: Personal injury is a big one. I like to keep my songs as bare and sincere as possible—and address emotions that everyone experiences, but doesn't necessarily talk about. I try to find things that are simple, but more or less universally relatable, like I hate my body and I want to apologize to everyone I meet, because I think everyone's been there.

(Above: Print by Kristine Leschper)

PASTEL: What are you currently reading, listening to, or looking at to fuel your work? Are there any artists that have inspired your music?

KL: I've been reading a lot of Anne Sexton poetry lately. I also regularly revisit Charles Bukowski and E.E. Cummings.

PASTEL: If you could collaborate with any musician (living or dead) who would it be?

KL: Old smokey is one of my favorite projects in Athens right now; I'd love to work with Jim Willingham.

PASTEL: Can you list a few of your favorite songs? 

KL: I think I've probably listened to Barn Owl, Night Killer by Sufjan Stevens more than any other song. It was later released as The Owl And The Tanager on his   All Delighted People   EP, but I will always prefer the original version.

b a r n    o w l,   night   killer 

sufjan stevens

PASTEL: What are some of your favorite hobbies?

KL: Honestly, the bulk of my time is eaten up by songwriting and drawing. My life seems dull without those two things because otherwise I just like to read poetry, ride my bike, and tend to my plants. I'm starting up a poetry and art zine called Dirty Words, and hope to have the first edition printed and distributed by June. I'm really excited about that.

PASTEL: How do you balance time for your music with other obligations—school, work, friends? 

KL: I graduate in May, and I have to say that I'm beyond stoked to have more time to work on music. I find that most of the things I enjoy are incredibly time consuming—which drives me crazy because I feel like I never have enough time to do everything I want to. Generally speaking I get more gratification out of spending long hours in the studio than I do socializing, so in that respect it's pretty easy to stay focused. 

PASTEL: What can readers expect next for you and your music? Do you have any projects you are currently working on? 

KL: I'm trying to get my first EP,   Nesting Behavior   , recorded and available to everyone by this fall! I've been playing the same songs for a while, so I'm ready to get that out of the way and move on to the next thing. 

PASTEL: Lastly, what do you want your music to do?
KL: I just hope to write songs that people can relate to. There are certain emotions and experiences that I think are inherent to the human condition, and what I want is to define and expose those feelings. I hope to write songs that people can feel at home inside of.