Aubory Bugg
Aubory Bugg is entering a new chapter with the release of her debut album, i think i had something once — a deeply personal collection of songs exploring identity, love, loss, growing up, and the messy process of finding your place in the world.
From building an audience through daily covers on TikTok to finding her voice as a songwriter in Nashville’s creative community, Aubory has grown tremendously throughout the making of this record. The album is vulnerable and bittersweet, but also playful at times, reflecting the many sides of both her music and her personality.
I caught up with Aubory to talk about the stories behind the album, turning painful experiences into songs, the importance of collaboration, her musical influences, and what she hopes listeners will take away from i think i had something once.
Congratulations on the release of your debut album, i think i had something once ! Looking back, what emotions come to mind now that this record is finally ready to meet the world?
Thank you! I think more than anything I am incredibly proud of the time and effort and honestly we put into the record, and im SO excited for people to hear it.
The album explores identity, independence, and leaving home. How did this period of your life shape you both as a person and as a songwriter?
I think I’ve changed and grown more in the last year and a half since starting this record than in the first 20 years of my life. I think I’m more confident in both myself and my music, and I think I have a bigger capacity for vulnerability than I did when I started this record.
The title i think i had something once feels nostalgic and bittersweet. What does it represent to you personally?
It’s funny, that line was maybe the first line I wrote for that song like 2 years ago. I was trying to capture the fuzziness of memories if that makes sense. Like yeah this was real at one point and I remember it but its long gone now.
Your music balances vulnerability with strength. Was there a song on the album that was particularly difficult to write or record?
My favorite song on the record is called ‘farewell to dreaming’ and its the only song I wrote completely on my own. I wrote it on piano long after a terrible breakup and finishing the rest of the record. It’s about this resignation, this giving up hope for something you wanted, that still feels hard to sing live sometimes.
Your new single “nosedive” transforms a painful experience into something both emotional and playful. At what point did you realize humor could be part of telling that story?
Ya know “nosedive” I think is the outlier of the record, and I think it’s because it was a song a HAD to write before I could write the more honest and self exploratory songs that came after. I wrote it with a couple of my close friends, Cece Coakley and Matt Martin when I had kind of hit rock bottom of feeling bad for myself. I remember thinking “look maybe this song won’t ever come out but i’m gonna be honest and not take it too deep”.
The music video for “nosedive” shows another side of your personality. How much of yourself do you enjoy bringing into your visuals?
I LOVED shooting the music video. And I love bringing myself into visuals as much as I can, but I try to leave the visual creative direction to people who understand it and love that side of things. I’ve always been better sonically than visually but I’m lucky to be surrounded by super talented visual artists and videographers like my friend Sofia Valladares who directed the Music Video.
Many listeners have compared your songwriting to artists like Joni Mitchell and Phoebe Bridgers. Who have been the biggest influences on your musical journey, and how do you make sure your own voice shines through?
I will say I do listen to a bunch of Joni and Phoebe alike, I’d also throw in artists like Carole King and Lizzy McAlpine for inspiration. I think I spent a lot of time wanting to write like the people who inspire me that I learned a couple tricks from all of them. I think everyone. I’ve ever listened to has fingerprints on my music but I also believe that so long as I’m not sitting down to write like one person or the other then I am being as authentic as I can!
Before releasing original music, you built a large audience by posting daily covers on TikTok. What gave you the confidence to take the leap and start sharing your own songs?
It was less confidence and more “ok well if I want to do music Im gonna have to post online.” I don’t even think the possible scope of it crossed my mind.
Your songs often focus on very specific moments that somehow feel universal. When you’re writing, do you think about the audience, or is it first and foremost a personal process?
It’s a mix of both I think. The first draft is always super personal and specific and then I’ll take another pass to make it as accessible as possible for the people who maybe weren’t privy to the ins and outs of whatever I write about. I think my job is done well if someone can understand a song that still feels 100% honest to me.
You describe finding a sense of belonging in Nashville and within its queer creative community. How has that environment influenced your creativity and your confidence as an artist?
I think I’m a lot more inclined to experiment musically now that I’m surrounded by people who do it constantly and are so supportive. I think I’m a lot more confident now that I don’t feel like I’m a man on an island creatively.
The album touches on love, loss, childhood memories, and grief. Was there a common thread that connected all these stories as you were writing the record?
Honestly, this record to me is a large collection of songs from one specific period of my life. I wrote a LOT last year and I think I was just finding the common thread of things being different than you thought they’d be - and when we programmed the record we definitely leaned into that!
You recently toured with Courtney Marie Andrews and have been playing festivals in the UK. How have live performances changed your relationship with these songs?
My favorite thing in the world is playing these songs for new faces. Getting to talk to people and hear their stories after the show is such a privilege and I LOVE to connect with people like that. I’m also a little farther removed from the potency of these songs because I’ve been working on them for so long - so getting to hear how people took them and applied them to yourself kind of reignites my pride for these songs.
If listeners could take away just one feeling after hearing i think i had something once from beginning to end, what would you hope it is?
Ooooooh this is hard. I’d love it if this record could make people a little more empathetic. I’m not sure that’s a feeling as much as a trait. But, I’d love for people to think about the people around them a little more, whether that be a misunderstood loved one, or an ex, or someone who did you dirty, anybody!
Now that your debut album is out, what has surprised you the most about this chapter of your career?
I was definitely surprised by how much I LOVE collaboration. I wrote, recorded, produced, mixed, and mastered my first record, an EP, almost completely alone. And I’ve always been a little bit of a control freak but this record is almost entirely a collaborative effort. I worked with so many talented writers, engineers, producers, mixers, master engineers, photographers, videographers on the creative side and management, label, publishing, PR, agents etc on the business and logistics side and it has been the honor of my life. I am so lucky to have a robust network of creatives making me and this record so much more well rounded and I cannot imagine making music alone again.
What biggest life lessons have you learned so far ?
Showing up earnestly and seeing the best in people and situations, and meeting every person you see with kindness and understanding, is endlessly better than being a cynic – even if you get disappointed sometimes.
Finally, what’s something about Aubory Bugg that listeners might not know yet—but that you’d love for them to discover?
Shockingly, considering my music is very sad, I am a very happy person and I lead a very happy life! And I’m always excited to get to spread the joy I feel with people at shows and on socials, just maybe not in the songs !!
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