The song title of Taryn Hadfield’s new single “Manic Pixie Dream Girl” had me absolutely sold. I loved everything about it and instantly wanted to know all there was to know about Taryn’s Rubik’s cube skills and Taco Bell preferences. So here goes! Another interview where we learn very little about a musician’s music and a whole lot about everything else!
Everyone says that every crowd is their favorite but, what city has the best audience and why is it Minneapolis?
Ah, I’ve never been to the midwest, outside of living in South Dakota and Oklahoma for a few years when I was really young.
But outside of Minneapolis (maybe one day I can get a show there? haha), I’ve really loved the crowd in Seattle. I moved here about 3 months ago from my hometown of Boise, ID.
Back in Boise, I played a bunch of wallflower gigs at bars and pubs. It definitely taught me how to play for hours at a time without breaks. To get even the smallest reaction from the crowd was a success, and I lived for the nights where people would dance and sing along if they knew the song.
But in Seattle, people love to listen to the lyrics. The crowd quiets down. They’re not there to hear covers; they want to hear original music more than anything. It’s kinda magical.
I’ll always love my hometown and all the awesome venues, people, and experiences I had along the way, but living in Seattle has definitely re-ignited my passion for performing live.
What’s your go-to coffee order?
If it’s a weekday and I’m in a rush, I’ll usually order an americano with a pump of vanilla. Hot if it’s in the winter. Iced the rest of the year.
But if it’s a Saturday and I’m in a treat-yourself kind of mood, I love getting a dirty almond chai.
How would you describe your music to your grandma?
It’s like if Fleetwood Mac, Led Zeppelin, Simple Minds, and Joni Mitchell all got in a room together and had one big long jam sesh after getting heartbroken and drinking some red wine.
What’s the most awkward date you’ve ever been on?
Met a guy at a bar, went on a date a few days later. Over the course of 2 hours, he launched into a monologue about his life and didn’t ask me a single question about myself. He allegedly used to be a drug dealer but was also trying to be a lawyer… Yikes.
I ended up seeing him for a few weeks just because he was kinda fascinatingly toxic. I know that’s probably terrible, but as a writer, I just couldn’t help it.
If you could compare yourself to a bird, what bird would it be and why?
I’m 100% a hummingbird. I’m constantly snacking throughout the day. I love to travel. I can’t sit still for very long. I always have a project I’m working on or somewhere to go. I’m just…flitting anxiously about, everywhere, all the time.
Favorite lyrics of all time? (it can be a full song, a phrase, etc. just please let me know who it is and what song!)
And if you don’t love me now / You will never love me again / I can still hear you saying / You would never break the chain.
– Fleetwood Mac, “The Chain”
What’s your favorite menu item at Taco Bell?
Black Bean Crunchwrap Supreme, hands down. It’s vegetarian, so I tell myself it’s healthy. I always get 10 packets of mild sauce to go with it. Usually, I’ll get it with a Baja Slush.
If you were to rob a bank, what would be the song playing in the getaway car asyou escape?
Edge of Seventeen by Stevie Nicks. What an epic female power anthem. The tempo is perfect for an intense getaway. I always listen to the song when I need to get inspired and pump myself up.
What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to?
Back in 2014, I got to see Alabama Shakes perform at the New Orleans Jazz Festival. Watching Brittany up there, being an insanely good vocalist and stellar guitarist at the same time, was super inspiring to me. She could command a whole arena and a band effortlessly. I legit crawled my way to the front of the crowd just to watch her. One of my favorite memories.
What were you voted in high school (i.e. class clown, most likely to have kids,etc.)
Probably “Most Shy.” I had a handful of friends in high school, and nearly all of them graduated before I did. I mainly spent my time in high school getting my homework done so I could go home and play music. I graduated with a class of 500+ people so it was pretty easy to blend in when I needed to.
Have you ever been able to finish a Rubik’s Cube?
Haha definitely not. I get way too impatient. I usually get frustrated when something doesn’t come to me right away.
What’s the worst concert you’ve ever been to and why?
Ah, that’s a tough question. I’ve been to some amazing concerts and music festivals, and I’ve loved them all.
I do have some memories of some pretty cringe-worthy choir concerts though. In high school, we used to do exchanges with other schools and watch them perform. The kids that really go balls-to-the-wall in choir are usually a pretty interesting bunch. There’s so much politics and drama and egotistical nonsense within every music program, and you can catch glimpses of it when you watch.
During one particular choir exchange, I remember watching this girl attempting to scat during a jazz standard. You could really tell she was trying to channel her inner Ella Fitzgerald, but she sounded like an opera singer singing Dr. Seuss. All the while, you could see the glares from the other girls who also clearly wanted the solo.
What’s an old-school fad that you wish would come back (i.e. jnco jeans; butterfly clips; etc.)
Samsung slide-y phones. I miss being able to text without looking at the screen and recording my own ringtones. They were indestructible. I remember running over my phone with my bike, dropping it from the top of a tree, losing it in the pool…and it still worked just fine. I feel like if I even just breathe on my iPhone wrong the screen will crack.
What’s one thing I should know before listening to “Manic Pixie Dream Girl”?
Have you ever watched an indie rom-com a la Garden State, 500 Days of Summer, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World?
Ever noticed how they often follow a similar plot: a disillusioned, depressed young man meets a quirky, vivacious woman who re-ignites his zest for life?
But then, at the end of the movie, we realize we know nothing about this woman?
That’s the premise of this album. That’s the manic pixie dream girl.
I watched way too many of those movies (and don’t get me wrong, I love and appreciate these films for sure). I realized I had been the manic pixie dream girl in way too many situations in my life. I knew a lot about everyone else, but very little about myself.
So, the songs on the album are definitely a little manic. There’s a lot going on. It’s eclectic and it can almost seem a little scattered. But that’s the point, and that’s the story.
I had to be a lot of different things before I learned how to be myself.
I truly hope that one day I can binge on black bean crunchwraps with Taryn while I pick her brain even more. What a thoughtful and full-of-life character with a huge and bright future ahead of her! Spend some time with Taryn’s new single “Manic Pixie Dream Girl” (which I have conveniently linked below) and be sure to follow her on all of her socials (also conveniently placed below)!
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