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An interview with Hesta Prynn

Do you remember that band called Northern State? It’s only been three years since their last record – excuse me, their final record – Can I Keep This Pen, was released. I highly doubt that in that short amount of time you could have forgotten about the white girl rap trio from Long Island who were signed to Columbia Records and gained media acclaim from the likes of Rolling Stone.

Yep, that’s the one! The little band that coulda, woulda shoulda been the next Beastie Boys (Girls) but weren’t. Hey now, that doesn’t mean the music wasn’t awesome or that they didn’t have it in them, it just means it didn’t happen. You know what, s–t happens and we move on – and that’s just what Julie Potash aka Hesta Prynn has done, moved on.

Recently picked as the New York Post’s artist to watch in 2010, Hesta Prynn has been working in the studio on her first full-length solo record. She is a woman with a mission, and trust me when I say there really is no stopping this fast talkin’, loud singing, hot dancing vamp.

Her solo music is very different from Northern State. Taking a leave of absence from hip-hop, her new sound is more electro with pop-punk thrown in for good measure. Hesta recently talked with us working on her solo debut and her new tour with Tegan and Sara.

AfterEllen.com: When are you going to finish your new record?

Hesta Prynn: We finally finished recording on Sunday night! We are currently sequencing and deciding which songs for sure will and will not be on it, naming it and stuff. There’s like 15 completed tracks total. It’s dope.

AE: What can we expect, how many tracks? Any cool collaborations?

HP: The record will likely be 10 tracks. In the meantime we’re going to release a 7″ that will feature a cool collaboration that we’ll be announcing soon. I collaborated with some NYC peeps like my fave band Bear Hands and Tim Harrington from Les Savy Fav. Some amazing musicians are on the record too. Producer Chuck Brody is my musical partner on all of the tracks.

AE: What has Sara Quin’s involvement with the record been?

HP: Sara is my emotional backbone! Seriously she was great at urging me to really focus on my own music and encouraged me every step of the way. She came to town to work on some of the recordings and mixes with us. Her ideas are all amazing and she’s an artist through and through but also thinks like a businesswoman and business owner so her advice is invaluable. I can’t wait to be back on tour with her, she is basically the most talented person I know.

AE: How long will this European tour be? Why Europe before the US?

HP: The European tour will be about two weeks long – some dates with T&S and then the Wireless Festival in Hyde Park London on July 4. Going on tour with your friends is the s–t! I couldn’t be more excited, me and Sara e-mail about it every day!

AE: Are you nervous to go out with Tegan and Sara as they will be seeing you perform the new record for the first time?

HP: They’ve actually both seen my live show a few times so it will be super fun. They are both so supportive and amazing to me and my music, I couldn’t be more grateful. Also T&S have the warmest most receptive audience. You couldn’t really ask for a better room of people.

AE: What are you doing leading up to the record?

HP: I just shot a video for “Can We Go Wrong” here in NYC that is going to be dope. I did it with director Kurt St Thomas totally punk rock style all over Manhattan – on the subway, in the studio, on my roof, etc. It’s turning out sick, I can’t wait to share it with everyone!

Kurt directed the first Northern State video for “At the Party,” which was great for us. He also created Houndstooth radio which is a dope internet radio station that you should listen to. It’s basically like having a personal DJ 24/7. He’s an all around creative, amazing music guy with his hand in a lot of things. We had a blast together.

AE: How do you identify sexually?

HP: Everyone is always trying to find out if I’m gay or not and I’ve never answered the question ’til now. For the record, I don’t identify as gay – though I’m certainly a queer ally – but I definitely subscribe to the idea that female sexuality is fluid. I’ve had crushes on girls before, I’ve made out with girls before. If I walk into a party, I’m generally struck by the beautiful women before I’m struck by the beautiful men. Women are amazingly beautiful and smart and interesting and sexy. Dudes are sexy too but in a different way, a simpler way. Flirting with a girl is totally different than flirting with a guy.

You know, I’ve never gone all the way with a girl but it’s definitely something that I fantasize about. I’ve always preferred lesbian porn to straight porn. I read a lot of lesbian erotica. It’s something I’m absolutely open to.

When I’m in bed with a guy that’s the time that I feel the most “feminine” in the conventional sense of the word, like I’m the girl and being overpowered and that’s cool and I like that. But in life in general and certainly on stage I feel very powerful and have kind of an in-your-face, New York, “f–k you” you kind of attitude. That’s typically considered “masculine”. It’s a confusing and kind of antiquated thing – traditional gender roles – and I don’t think they really apply anymore.

AE: But with clothes and such it seems that you are definitely playing with these non-applicable gender roles I mean in NS days you were in jeans and runners, now you are looking a little more – let’s say womanly. Dare I say slutty?

HP: OMG! Lindsey did you just call me a slut? On this album, I sing a lot and there is an attitude to the music that is very sexy to me. It makes me want to dress in a sexier way – you know, dresses and long hair and stuff – but my performance style is definitely more Mick Jagger than Marilyn Monroe. I like blending those masculine/feminine identities onstage, same as I like blending dance and rock in my music. It ends up driving the dudes in the audience kind of bananas, which I find funny and also awesome. I like appealing to the guys but it’s really important to me to impress the women in the audience too. I try to be as powerful and creative as I can onstage and hopefully people are entertained or see themselves in me or both.

AE: What kinds of things are you writing and singing about?

HP: I’m inspired by movies and books mostly, then the city and my own life. I’m not someone who writes terribly confessional lyrics, I prefer to sort of fantasize a scenario and write about that.

AE: Do you ever think that you will just one day start trying to make your fantasies a reality and write about that?

HP: Who knows? After this interview runs, maybe I’ll get some offers!

AE: Ha! See, I knew you were a slut!

HP: Bite your tongue!

Check out Hesta Prynn’s European tour dates with Tegan and Sara at her MySpace page and listen to a new track from her upcoming album below.

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