The Molly Bogin Interview
Editorial
By Glitch & Gold
March 2026
4 min read
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1. The Balance
Your music feels very controlled, but never forced. How do you balance structure and instinct when writing?
“Hmm… I definitely have a music-theory-nerd-brain, so some aspect of my writing is always operating within a sense of structure. That said, I think all language has “structure” at its core– conjugations, ‘i before e’, ‘adjective describes a noun’, etc.; and music is ultimately another language. Knowing that certain chords “live” in certain keys or naturally move to some chords versus others becomes background to instinctual writing and musical “rule-breaking”… which I suppose is all to say: the structure operates as baseline knowledge, but most of my songwriting is instinctual and comes down to what sounds good to me, what lodges itself in my brain, and what do I want most to sing.”
2. The Instrument
Acoustic guitar seems to sit at the center of your sound, while piano stays more in the background. Was that a conscious choice?
“Sort of! When deciding which songs to produce for the first EP, I went with my guitar-forward songs. They were the newest, and I liked working on the groovy, “fun” songs. Transparently, I was also nervous to share my piano ballads because I didn’t know how they would be received, and I didn’t want to get pigeon-holed into one genre. But my upcoming album dives into a couple of the ballads I’ve had sitting in my google drive for the last several years, and I’m really excited about them. Piano was my first instrument, so I’m looking forward to giving that side of my musicality a chance to shine.”
3. Rhythm & Groove
There’s a subtle neo-soul groove running through your songs. How important is rhythm in shaping your sound?
“So important!! I listen to music all the time, and driving to a groove, cooking to a groove, walking down the street and leaning into the swing of the sound… it just makes life so much more fun! I love finding songs that make me want to dance, and I want to make music that does that for other people!”
4. Genre
Your music sits somewhere between indie folk and neo-soul. Do you see yourself in that “indie soul” space?
“I suppose so… I shy away from putting myself in any one genre because I like exploring a lot of different sounds, but I think soul and folk are most consistently in the mix.”
5. Minimalism
Your arrangements are minimal, but never empty. How do you decide what to leave out?
“I come from the live performance world, so I think that has shaped my produced sound. I grew up singing at open mics, accompanying myself singing ballads at the piano, and performing in musical theater productions. Adding production elements is so much fun, and often gives new direction to the song. The process of creating a soundscape is so exciting, AND, at the end of the day, I love my music when it’s just me and an instrument, so I try to honor that in the arrangements. I work with a handful of producers, and each one has a deep understanding of my particular flavor of artistry. I trust them all inherently, and a lot of the arrangements come from them. Trusting that they understand the production process more than I do, and that they understand the art I’m trying to make, allows me to let go, and celebrate the final product as a collaborative creation.”
6. Vocal Placement
Your vocal delivery feels very integrated into the production, not on top of it. Is that something you actively think about?
“Yes, actually!! In every song I write, I think about all the other instruments that could solo in a live performance. All I want is to play shows alongside artists and instrumentalists I admire, and watch them do their thing on top of a song I crafted (or helped craft). For sure, though, I also feel nervous about making my voice the focal point. It’s funny how, even now, drawing attention to my voice in a song that I wrote and decided to release makes me nervous.”
7. Restraint
There’s a strong sense of restraint in your music. Do you ever feel the urge to push things further, or is holding back part of the identity?
“Oo, such an interesting question. As a kid, the only way I knew how to sing was at top volume. I have this vivid memory of belting “Defying Gravity” as an eleven-year-old in the front seat of my family’s minivan during the carpool home (with five middle school boys in the back). When I started voice lessons, I learned that the way I was singing wasn’t healthy for my voice, and I stopped belting, for fear of harming it in an irreparable way. After many years of voice lessons, I’m no longer afraid of hurting my voice, but the little voice (ha) in the back of my head still pulls the reins on occasion, and has ultimately shifted my sound towards something a bit less… I don’t know… dramatic? I like to believe that my musical identity will change and grow naturally, and over time I might push things further again.”
8. The EP
The EP “Attachment Cycle” feels cohesive, almost like a sequence rather than separate tracks. Did you approach it as a full story?
“Not really! But in pulling together the songs I felt most proud of, I realized that there was a throughline. Given that I wrote the EP over the span of a couple years, it makes sense to me that my lived experience and emotional state would be cohesive in some way. And it was interesting to realize how cyclical my emotions are when looking back at the collection of songs next to my collection of experiences.”
9. Lyrics
Lyrically, a lot seems to sit just below the surface. Do you prefer suggestion over explanation when writing?
“I think it’s song-dependent! For instance, “I want you to be sad” delves into the specifics of the post-breakup experience (crying in bed at night, stalking an ex on the internet to see if they look different, not expressing frustration out of fear I would come across as ‘difficult’, etc.), while songs like “Familiar Roads” and “Dancing in the Rain” capture a suggested feeling through imagery rather than direct storytelling.”
10. Where to Start
If someone is hearing your music for the first time, which track would you want them to start with, and why?
“I LOVE this question. I would have them start with “Bad Party Guest” because it feels like the truest blend of groovy music and lyrical humor. This song still makes me laugh and I love the idea that people out there hear this song and they’re like… “wow this song is so fun to dance to and also… wait wtf is this about?”
After that, I’d have them listen to “Dancing in the Rain” while driving with the windows down or “I want you to be sad” when experiencing heartbreak and needing something raw to mirror that feeling.