New York-based “avant-garde art rock" (as described by Indie Rock) group Energy Whores have returned with their latest single, a protest anthem aimed at the changing tides of U.S. censorship. "Freedom Fadeaway" is a disco-infused, danceable track that uses witty, smart lyrics to expose and combat the recent political landscape, specifically the loss of abortion rights throughout the country and strict regulations for education.
Energy Whores is a duo, composed of singer/songwriter and artist Carrie Schoenfeld, and guitarist Attilo Valenti. Together, they use their musical innovation to not only meld genre, but create something entirely new that can be used as a vessel for true change. They hope to educate listeners on the state of the nation, and bring light to causes that matter to them. Just like the protest music of yesteryear, they combine influences of punk, electronic, and pop.
We sat down with Carrie to discuss the meaning behind "Freedom Fadeaway," the songwriting process, and what we can expect from the group next.
FLEX: This track is incredibly topical - when was it written, and was there a defining political moment that pushed you to start?
Energy Whores: This song was written in December of 2022. My anger and dismay about the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the supreme court and the growing amount of book censorship in the education system in many states of the US pushed me to write this song. Democracy is on a slippery slope to authoritarianism and the slope is getting steeper and slipperier every day.
F: How did Energy Whores come to be a band? How has the process been collaborating as a duo?
E: Attilio and I would go to each other’s studios and listen to each other’s music giving constructive criticism. This was interesting because we have two completely different musical styles. Surprisingly it’s a creative godsend because there are inspiring oddities in both our styles which lead to genre bending compositions. Becoming a band happened
spontaneously. One day we stopped critiquing and started collaborating. His addition to the previously one-woman band has been spectacular.
F: Carrie, your background is in art of all kinds: directing, visual art, studio art, etc. How does this transfer to your work as a musician? Does it serve as inspiration?
E: All art forms are related. They all seem to blur together for me. Notes are colors, designs are music compositions. It’s like when cooking, (I love to cook) flavors are notes and colors. Scents are colors and notes too, like when an aroma brings back a memory of an event or song. When I’m writing a song I think, I’ve painted this before. Every song has a
story, emotion, and message like a movie. Writing the script is writing the lyrics, directing is mixing and editing is mastering. So, in a way I have always been writing music.
F: Energy Whores cannot be categorized in one finite genre, which makes your discography so widely accessible! Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
E: Brazilian Girls, Jimmy Cliff, Phil Oches, The Ramones, Arctic Monkeys, Daft Punk, R.E.M., Astrud Gilberto, Status Quo, Rage Against the Machine, Talking Heads, Public Enemy, Alison Krauss, Blanket, Dar Williams, Dire Straits, Team Dresch, Electric Light Orchestra, Parliament Funkadelic, The Killers, Squeeze, Lizzo, The National and we will run out of room on this page if we keep going. They all influence us by wonderfully seeping into our brains.
F: What do you hope “Freedom Fadeaway” will accomplish in its message? Do you think it will push for an enlightening of listeners?
E: All we can do is publish this song and hope. In the best-case scenario, women dance in their homes, offices, cars and brains while singing ,“They can’t own my vagina”. We also hope they scream this in the streets of every city and town, not only in the US but around the world. Our intent is to inspire listeners to fight for women’s rights. Rights that we’ve fought so hard for since the beginning of the last century or since forever! We also wish everyone takes a stand against authoritarian politicians to stop them from banning books, and that parents fight for their children’s rights to a fully rounded and honest education. Hopefully stop them before more books disappear from school libraries’ bookshelves and students reading lists.
"Freedom Fadeaway" is available across streaming platforms.