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UPSAHL is an artist who is not afraid of honesty and embracing her full self, no matter what judgment may follow. This energy is carried into her current 'Melt Me Down Tour,' an environment where people are encouraged to let loose and celebrate what makes them feel like their hottest selves. We chatted with the badass singer-songwriter about her recent releases, touring, and all things UPSHAL. 

OnesToWatch: First, congrats on being on tour! Talk to us about who UPSAHL is.

UPSAHL: Whoa. I’m always figuring out who UPSAHL is, because I think it's a mixture of who Taylor is, just me when no one is around, but also who UPSAHL is—my ideal, most confident version of myself. I think that's why I love touring so much, because I get to live in that part of myself and embrace that piece of myself the most. But in general, UPSAHL and me as a person are a mixture of super confident and super insecure and open about sex and whatever but also super shy. It's both sides of the spectrum for me.

Let’s talk more about your newest single, “Tears On The Dancefloor,” which is the perfect storm of sad and high pop energy. Name some of your favorite sad pop songs to cry on the dancefloor to. 

Oh, my god. That is such a scary question. There's an FKA Twigs song called “Tears In the Club” that is really good which I didn't even know existed until I was looking up tears on the dancefloor type songs. Another one I love that sounds really carefree and fun, but when you listen to the lyrics, it's sad is “Cool” By Gwen Stefani.

What are your essentials to have during a summer that's so hot?

UPSAHL: Definitely a bikini that makes you feel hot and sexy, lots of caffeine, and some good friends. Also, a large body of water, whether that's the beach, a lake, whatever it is.

Let’s talk a little bit more about your songwriting experience. You’ve written for artists like Dua Lipa, Renee Rapp, and Madison Beer, how do you compare writing for yourself to writing for other artists? 

It's really different. When I'm writing for myself, it's a lot more emotionally exhausting because it all comes from a very personal place. And I think that's why I love writing for artists so much. I get out of my own artist brain and just focus on helping them share their story, and get their emotions across. It's definitely a nice break. I love having the balance of getting to do both.

And your music is so honest and raw. It screams your truth and who you are. You've described Sagittarius, which is one of my favorite projects, as “every part of myself, the good and the bad.” What was the writing process like for the THE PHX TAPES? 

Every project I do is a snapshot of a moment in time for me. For Sagittarius, I was just writing however I was feeling on any given day. With THE PHX TAPES, I wrote that entire project during a time in my life when I was feeling, in a really good way, lost creatively. And so I was just down to experiment. I made the whole point of that project to be about experimenting with genre, trying different things and just having fun in the studio. Making THE PHX TAPES felt a lot like how I first felt making music when I was a kid back in Phoenix, which is why I called it that. 

Talking about Arizona and Phoenix, it's such a core element of your artistry. Who do you credit your sound to? And where have you drawn your inspiration from growing up in Phoenix? 

My dad has played such a big role in me pursuing music and learning how to write songs, play instruments and tour because he was doing that all throughout my childhood. He's still doing that. So he definitely is the biggest influence to this day, but I grew up listening to a lot of music. I loved No Doubt, I loved Gwen Stefani, and I loved Weezer. I listened to some Outkast, but this was all just shit that my parents were playing around the house. It has snuck its way into my music that I make.

Going on tour is definitely one of the most challenging but also rewarding experiences as an artist. What's your relationship like with touring? 

I love it. I could do it year-round. I love being in the studio, I love writing, but something about just being in a room full of people screaming these songs at your face, lyrics you've written, and they're relating to them and crying and jumping and dancing. The most connected I feel to my fans is when I'm on the road. 

What should your fans look forward to on the 'Melt Me Down Tour?'

It's definitely the most I've tried to build a world with a tour. In the past, I wanted my shows to feel like a rock show, where we're just gonna rage the whole time, which is still the case. But I think with this tour, specifically, I wanted to center the whole world and the visuals and the feeling around my album that's dropping next year, which is all ice-themed. It's very cold-hearted. So I split the 'Melt Me Down' set into two halves, one is ice and one is fire. It tells a story for the first time ever with a show of mine. 

I'm stoked that my fans have been eating it up. They've been dressing up in icy or fiery outfits. Everyone's sinking their teeth into the whole world, which I feel very lucky that I have fans who are down to down to do that with me.

At this stage in your career, what's the most challenging aspect of being an artist to you? 

Oh my gosh. I think probably just remembering why I do this. I think with any job or any career that is your passion and was once your hobby, it sometimes gets overwhelming, obviously, because you're putting 110% of yourself into it all the time. And so I think it's really easy to get lost in the hustle of it all or get lost in the stress of it all. And I think whenever I am feeling down about that shit, I just have to remind myself why I make music in the first place and why I love to play shows. And I think that's why I love being on tour so much because it's just this constant reminder of, “Oh, this is the feeling that I want!” Being in the room with these people that I love, screaming my songs… it's just a nice reminder of when I was 10, why I wanted to do this.

I first caught you on your first headline tour back in 2022, and it has been so thrilling to see your artistic journey progress. If you could give any advice or encouragement to your younger self or even you two years ago, what would you say?

I would say to trust your gut more. Being in music, being a woman in music especially, it's so easy to look at other people or let all the outside noise get to you sometimes. I'm always reminding myself and talking to other women in music about it too. Remind yourself that as an artist or as a writer, as a creative person, you're the special sauce that people are drawn to. And just having pride in that and owning the shit out of that. Of course, taking outside opinions, but also trusting your taste and your creative integrity, I think I've been getting better at that. But it’s a constant thing that I'm working towards.

Who are your OnesToWatch? 

Oh, Zoe Ko she's on tour with me right now. She is the baddest bitch. Like if Gwen Stefani and M.I.A had a kid or something. She's amazing. Connor Burns is also opening for me. He's incredible. He reminds me of IDLES, but like IDLES meets pop music. Who else is one to watch? My friend, Michael Simon Armstrong. It's not the type of music I'm always listening to, it's singer-songwriter, and he just dropped an EP that I love, called Love Songs for No One. 

Is there anything you want to share with anyone who's going to the 'Melt Me Down Tour?'

If you're going to come to the 'Melt Me Down Tour,' dress up, wear your icy fits, wear your fiery fits, wear your glitter tears. It's been so fun. A lot of people have been DMing or tweeting me, being like, “I don't have anyone to go to the show with.” Come alone! You'll make friends! This tour is such a community of fucking cool people that are all meeting each other and becoming friends. It’s a safe space, so just come and rage.