We connected Eduardo Zighelboim, the creator of the New York City based alt-rock music project Scotch Mist, for an exclusive interview to discuss their new music video “Mariposa”. We also asked Eduardo about what places, things, and people inspire his creativity as an artist, the two upcoming mini albums the band is working on, his goals musically for 2020, and much more.

After reading our Q&A with Eduardo, be sure to connect with him and Scotch Mist on their website and social media, and check out more of their music on Spotify.

Tell us about your alt-rock music project Scotch Mist; what initially motivated you to develop it? Also, how did the name "Scotch Mist" originate?

I had been in rock bands since I was 14, and with each of those groups, we’d try to scrap up any money we could get to get in studios to record our music. We sucked at it because we were kids. We learned the hard way.

With Scotch Mist, the motivation was to create something more layered and expansive than a 3 minute pop rock song, as well as something that was a lot more deeply personal THAN* clichés about singing about a broken heart or whatever… the first album is like a alternative prog-rock therapy session.

The name Scotch Mist is a phrase that literally means: something hard to find or that doesn’t exist at all… But the actual truth is that it’s just an obscure Radiohead reference. They made a live webcast back in 2008 that introduced me to their music called Scotch Mist, and I was obsessed with it. Find it on YouTube; it’s amazing.

What are some things/people/places that inspire your creativity as an artist?

Living in New York the past few years, definitely the city. But lately it’s my peers. I’m so proud to call artists like Quiet Luke and Magdalena Bay my close friends. They’re killing it and make me want to make way more than I do.

Describe your creative process when writing the “Mariposa” song, for which you've dropped the new video for, that centers around the unfortunate death of your girlfriend.

I had the intro down for like 6 months, even before Lydia passed. I knew it was special at the time, I just didn’t know what it would be about. I had a semblance of the hook but it was Spanish gibberish.

When I finished the song structure, I realized that it sounded like a pretty peppy indie rock track, so it was important to me that the lyrics contrasted that.

When Lyd passed, I was in a state of shock for like 4 months. I wrote everything I felt down on my phone: thoughts, phrases, nonsense. The lyrics to the song were basically collaged and made up from those notes.

What can you tell us about the 2 mini-albums that you have been working on? Do you have release dates in mind for them? Also, what will they be called?

Yes! They’re called “Gold” and “Silver” and yes, they are Pokemon references.

It’s almost 2020. The decade is ending. There’s a very weird nostalgic feeling behind that, and I wanted to mark this period of Scotch Mist by grouping our singles together.

Basically, these are like little compilation albums. “Gold” is for our harder, more “rock” sound, and “Silver” is our version of space-rock electronica. There’s one new song on each of them, too.

With 2019 winding down, what are some of your goals musically for 2020? And what do you think that you need to do to achieve them?

In 2020, there are two goals: more live performances (only had time for one gig this year), and starting the next album.

I just need to focus and do what I say I’m gonna do. Which for the past month or so has been working.

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