Box Blonde doesn’t make music that plays it safe. The alternative pop artist writes with emotional precision, digging into desire, power, and the stories we tell ourselves when we’re in love. There’s softness in her work, but it comes with backbone.
Fully independent, she builds each release like its own world. She writes all of her material with a close circle of collaborators, leans into real instruments, and keeps her hands on the visuals too, directing, editing, styling, producing. If it looks or sounds a certain way, it’s because she meant it to. Her latest single “Crush,” written with Zach Palmer and Jake Goldman and produced by Goldman, plays with the idea that sometimes a fantasy is better left untouched. A crush can be safer when it stays an idea.
With a 2026 album on the way, moving through different shades of pop while staying rooted in a sharp female gaze, Box Blonde is circling big themes: power, romance, ego, obsession. In 18 Questions, she talks cats and strong coffee, bad dates, Virgo “boss baby” energy, the realities of betting on yourself financially, and why the one thing she hopes you feel after listening is simple. Hot.
1. What’s the first thing you usually do when you wake up in the morning?
If you asked me this a year ago, I would say grab my phone, but I have been trying to stop doom scrolling. So now, I cuddle the cats and immediately make the strongest black coffee known to man.
2. When you’re feeling creatively blocked, what actually helps and what absolutely doesn’t?
When I’m feeling creatively blocked I like to travel, even if it’s just a day trip. I’m the most myself when I’m exploring a new place, experiencing a new culture, living my life. I also go to the movies a lot to get inspired by other people’s stories. What doesn’t work is forcing myself to go to the studio trying to create something when it’s not there yet.
3. Are you someone who sits with your emotions, or do you turn them into songs straight away?
I have to sit with my emotions for quite a bit before I am ready to write about them. I wish I could pick up the guitar in the middle of a cry sesh but my thoughts are usually too messy and that would lead to some pretty shitty songs.
4. What’s a small habit that keeps you grounded when everything feels loud?
Daily long walks are therapy for me. It’s a habit that I absolutely won’t break and helps regulate my emotions and bring me back to my body when everything feels like too much. It’s also a great time to catch up on phone calls to mom and dad.
5. Do you feel more powerful in the studio or on stage?
Definitely on stage. I’ve been performing since I was a little girl and there’s no place I feel more in my power than in front of an audience. The studio is a different kind of power. It comes from clarity and knowing what I want. Not compromising on that is something I’ve practiced over time.
6. What kind of music did you obsess over as a teenager?
Oh gosh, I was a VERY obsessive fan girl in my teen years. But I was all over the map in terms of genre. I’d be listening to Britney & *NSYNC one minute then Nirvana & The Velvet Underground the next. Ella Fitzgerald & Broadway soundtracks one day then Taking Back Sunday and whatever death metal my brother was blasting from his room the next.
7. What’s something people often misunderstand about you?
I’m sure that there are times that my passion is misunderstood as bossiness. My nickname as a little girl was “boss baby”!! But I feel misunderstood because I’m not trying to be bossy I am just a Virgo… who typically knows… how to do things best 😉
8. Are you more drawn to control or chaos in your everyday life?
I think if you asked my friends, they would say a mix of both control and chaos. I think I love to control things ahead of time so that I can be chaotic and free in the moment. This feels counterintuitive, but I’m definitely more chaotic now than I was as a teenager.
9. What does a perfect day off look like for you right now?
Sleeping in as longggg as possible. A long walk ideally in the rain. Taking a book to a cozy restaurant for a solo pasta dinner and a glass of red wine. Coming home, taking the longest hottest shower. Giggling on FaceTime with my man then putting on season one of True Detective. Finally, getting a full 9 hours of sleep. That’s my idea of luxury right now.
10. What’s one fear you’ve had to work through as an artist?
I know the fears will continue to pop up, that’s just a part of being an artist. The biggest fear that I’ve had to overcome is the fear of not being palatable for everyone. I’ve always had the desire to be liked by all, but that’s just not realistic, especially if you’re coming with a strong point of view. I challenge masculinity in my music and question the dynamics we’re taught to romanticize. And at first, I did feel afraid to speak my mind as honestly as I wanted to. As women, I think we’re conditioned to want approval, but at some point, I realized I don’t want to be neutral. If I’m appealing to everyone, I’m probably not standing for anything.
11. Your music lives in the tension between softness and control. How conscious are you of that duality when you’re writing?
I don’t think I am very conscious of it at all because that duality is inherently in me. I’m both soft and self possessed by nature, so that tension naturally finds its way into my music and honestly into everything I create.
12. You write all of your material. What does a typical writing session with your close collaborators look like?
If I’m writing alone, it usually begins with just me and the guitar in my room, maybe I’ll start with lyrics, maybe I’ll start with chords, it changes every time. But if I’m writing with one of my close collaborators, it always begins with a lot of yapping, snacking, therapising and luckily usually ends with a killer song and a post session dinner.
13. “Crush” is about keeping someone blurry on purpose. What inspired that idea?
I was going on a string of bad dates and started noticing that I liked these guys more when they were just an idea in my head and not the real man in front of me. There’s a reason why everyone loves to have a crush. A crush is safe. It’s a beautifully created version of someone, full of possibility. I wanted to write about the choice to preserve the illusion. What if we both knew we were participating in a fantasy and decided not to disturb it??
14. The line between obsession and self awareness runs through your work. Why are you drawn to that emotional grey area?
I’m drawn to that gray area because it’s truthful. We all experience obsessive thoughts in love and work. We replay moments, we project, we over analyze. Having self awareness doesn’t erase being obsessed, it just lets you watch yourself do it. The tension is interesting to me. You can be fully aware that you’re spiraling and still choose to stay in it God knows I’ve done that countless times.
15. You direct, edit, style, and produce your own visuals. Why was it important for you to own that side of the storytelling?
I just realized that if I wanted it done the way I saw it in my head, I had to do it myself. World building through visuals is very important to me and I knew I needed to have my hands on every frame. Learning all of these new skills has been incredibly empowering for me not just as a musician, but as a storyteller. That said, I deeply value collaboration. I work with incredible creatives, and knowing when to lead and when to delegate is very important.
16. Being fully independent can be empowering but intense. What’s the hardest part of doing it all yourself?
Empowering but intense is a perfect way to describe it. Full transparency, the hardest part is betting on yourself financially. When you’re independent, you’re not just the artist, you’re the investor. There’s a pressure in that and a risk. But the payoff is autonomy. The work is entirely mine which makes any win feel even more joyful.
17. Your upcoming 2026 album plays with different pop subgenres. What threads hold it all together so it still feels unmistakably Box Blonde?
I think the thread is the point of view. Yes, I’m playing with different shades of pop, but it’s always filtered through a very specific female gaze. I’m examining power, romance and ego. Sonically the album moves around but thematically it’s all aligned.
18. If someone listens to “Crush” or the album and walks away feeling one thing, what do you hope it is?
Hot.
“Crush” is out now, follow Box Blonde via @box_blonde
