Bishop Briggs talks ‘Blurryface,’ lyrical honesty on debut album ‘Church Of Scars’

[Photo by: Jabari Jacobs]

We can’t help but agree with Bishop Briggs when she gushes about Panic! At The Disco CEO Brendon Urie’s immaculate voice. “I think Brendon has some of the absolute best vocals out there,” she says.

But if there’s anything that Bishop and Brendon have in common, it’s their powerhouse vocal ability. With the release of her album Church Of Scars, the alt-pop songstress channels a raw, soulful power a la Banks and Florence Welch, with alternative influences such as Twenty One Pilots making her a vocal force to be reckoned with.

Although, Bishop likes to stray from genre barriers, which makes sense once you give her debut a listen.

“I think we live in a really cool time where there are so many different genres,” Bishop says. “There are artists dipping their toe in so many genres at once, and I hope that when people listen to the music, they connect to it in some way. I think lyric-wise, that’s always been the start to all of this for me. It was pen to paper.”

Which is why it makes sense that Bishop channels Twenty One Pilots when it comes to the art she’s creating. Tyler Joseph’s songwriting has been one of the biggest influences on her lay-it-all-on-the-table lyrics, and though it’s easy to put up facades and “tell people we’re fine when we’re not,” for Bishop, it’s about diving into the grit of it all to connect with people where they’re at.

Because really, that’s exactly what TØP do, too.

“I think the reason why Twenty One Pilots have, and will continue to have, such a long standing career is because of Tyler Joseph’s lyrics,” Bishop says. “I’m someone who loves poetry and metaphors, but you can hide behind them if you’re not careful… I found myself taking inspiration from TØP in the sense that you know exactly what they are talking about. There’s just something I take from that.”

That honest influence seeps through Church Of Scars as a whole, with tracks like “Lyin’,” featuring Imagine Dragons’ Dan Reynolds, and “Water” shining like gems on a record with a message of being true to yourself.

For Bishop, it’s a human experience focused on breaking down the barrier between artists and listeners. It’s about creating music that represents who she is when she’s “feeling those scars so deeply.” Church Of Scars is about breaking down barriers and letting people in, and she hopes she’s able to connect with listeners the same way she has connected with music that inspired her.

“I think what I love so much is that Twenty One Pilots broke down the barrier of artists not being humans and being this untouchable thing. They really let us into who they are as people and their thoughts on the music industry and mental health,” Bishop explains. “Just as humans grow and change, there are still those qualities that remain and stay the same no matter how much we grow… They have the ability to break down that barrier and let people in.”

Fans of Twenty One Pilots will appreciate Bishop’s raw lyrics, pop sensibility and live performance that’s undeniably electric. But it’s her honest look at the world that makes Church Of Scars such a memorable debut.

“It’s so much more liberating to talk about things that aren’t all bubbly and perfect,” Bishop says. “Just to dive into the world of grit… There’s something about that that’s always been appealing to me, and as far as genre goes, you just hope people can connect to your music. I think the key to that is being true to yourself because you can’t lose.”

Church Of Scars is available now, and you can check out Bishop Briggs’ forthcoming tour dates below!

Dates:
4/27 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
4/28 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
4/29 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
5/1 – Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
5/3 – Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
5/4 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre
5/5 – San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park
5/8 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
5/10 – Kansas City, MO @ Truman
5/11 – Minneapolis, MN @ 96.3 Go Show @ First Avenue
5/15 – Toronto, ON @ Opera House
5/16 – Montreal, QC @ L’Astral
5/18 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
5/19 – Boston, MA @ Royale
5/22 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
5/23 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
5/25 – Charlotte, NC @ The Underground
5/26 – Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage
5/27 – Charleston, SC @ Music Farm
5/29 – Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
5/30 – Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works
6/1 – Cincinnati, OH @ Bunbury Music Festival
6/2 – Chicago, IL @ Metro
6/21-22 – Rothbury, MI @ Electric Forest*
6/23 – Hamilton, ON @ Tim Horton’s Field (w/Arkells and Cold War Kids)
6/24 – Rothbury, MI @ Electric Forest*