New York-based quartet Shower Curtain began as a solo project by bandleader Victoria Winter and has since become a staple of the city’s music scene. With Winter on vocals/guitar, the lineup is rounded out by Ethan Williams (guitar/vocals), Sean Terrell (drums), and Cody Hudgins (bass). With a fuzzed out, shoegaze-esque sound, Shower Curtain blends elements of 90’s nostalgia with modern production, wrapping listeners in hazy guitar layers. Recently signed to Fire Talk’s Angel Tapes, Shower Curtain is gearing up for the release of their debut album words from a wishing well, on October 18th.
Ahead of the album, Shower Curtain has released the lead single “wish u well,” a track that combines pop tendencies of earlier Shower Curtain with heavier production. With layered guitar lines and a catchy chorus, “wish u well” is a reflective track that serves as the perfect segue into this new era of the band.
Following the release of the single, I was able to chat with Victoria Winter about the upcoming album, her journey as a musician, and what’s next for Shower Curtain.
Brigid: Thank you for taking time to chat with me today! First off, congratulations on the release of “wish you well,” the first single from your debut album! How are you feeling about the response and reception?
Victoria: I feel pretty good, honestly. It’s hard to quantify things, and sometimes I feel like especially with our record… I did so much work for it, all the art, and editing of the video as well. A lot of behind the scenes work, that when it came out I was so busy, I didn’t have a moment to really take it in. But, it’s been really nice. Honestly I think it’s been even better than I could imagine. It feels like everyone is really excited for us, and everybody in New York, or at least our community, has known we’ve been working on this record for a very long time. So I think people have been pretty happy that it’s finally coming out. I’ve been happy about it.
B: Totally. You mentioned how you edited the music video, I wanted to ask about the vision behind that video and what the filming process was like? I love how so many emotions are conveyed through her journey of picking up trash, like when she smashes the bottle… It’s really cool. What can you share about that video?
V: Historically, I’ve been pretty involved with all of the Shower Curtain videos. I’m pretty hands on with the execution of all of the visual elements that go into it. But I knew that I wanted someone else to direct it, and film it and all of that, because it’s just a lot to do all the single art and also be in charge of the video. I reached out to Trevor [Scholl] who has done some music videos for that New York band Been Stellar. We met up and I basically was like, I really want this music video to have a protagonist that’s not me. That was a first time, for the focus to be on someone else. I said that I feel this song is more pop compared to the rest of the record. I really didn’t want the music video to be too literal, or cute. I felt that would take away from the song, I wanted it to be a little more abstract. Those were kind of my criteria, I guess. I do feel like I care about music videos having a story, and having meaning, but at the same time I’m down to do something a little more experimental, and not so literal. We were kind of just bouncing ideas back and forth, what should this person be doing? What should she be doing? He was like: what if she’s picking up trash? I was like, yeah, that’s really cool! Very random. I was like, okay, what would be the meaning of that? And he was like, oh, maybe it can be signifying emotional baggage.
We chose Brenna [Gonzalez], who’s the girl from Lola Star. She was super down, and has experience acting. I just knew… we talked about how ideally we’d have someone who was a friend, but also was down to act. Sometimes you’re like, ‘hey can you be in my music video?’ and people are like, yeah sure! But then they’re just miserable the whole time. It’s a long day, you have to wait around a lot. She definitely was used to that. We shot it, and I feel like I had a vision of how I wanted it to be edited. I knew Trevor also wanted to edit it, I work with graphic design and motion graphics at my day job, so me and Trevor sent each other versions back and forth, until we found a solid middle ground. It was the first time I had fully put in a couple hours of work into editing a music video for the band. It was kind of cool. It was satisfying because I felt that I had more freedom to show what I actually had envisioned. It was definitely kind of a cool thing that I’d be down to do again in the future.
B: It was cool because there was a concept, but it was open ended enough where viewers could have their own interpretation. I feel like it fits the song really well. “wish u well” was one of the last songs you wrote for the project, what did that creative process look like?
V: Most songs, I would say, I’d come up with a skeleton of it and then I sit down with Ethan, who was the producer for the record and is also in the band. [He’d] mix all of it, he’s really the brain of it all. I usually sit down with him and we finish a song, then bring it to the rest of the band, then we’re with the band. It kind of goes through different steps. I wrote that… It was one of the only songs that I felt was pretty quick. We met in a day and wrote everything. We were at the very end of recording everything, and we really wanted to finish the year with the album done. At that point, we had had sessions for the whole year, which I think I’ll probably never do again. Just have such a slow process through it all. We were kind of writing then recording, writing then recording. That took a whole year of just cranking stuff out. For that song it was around holiday time, that one and the interlude we have on the record were [in the] very last stretch of putting in work. Sean, our drummer, was out of town in Texas where he’s from. So we were like, if we need to wait for Sean to come back, and work on this song, and let it exist for how long it should exist for… because it kind of takes a while for everybody’s parts to come in together. That’s just going to take so long. So I just texted Sean like ‘yo, do you mind if Ethan just plays drums in this one song that everyone else hasn’t heard?’ And he was like, no, I don’t care, go for it, it’s more important to just finish this record. So it was kind of cool because it’s the only song that was just me and Ethan doing all the parts. I feel like it shows that by that point we had kind of cracked the formula of the production style.
I definitely feel like it’s not a coincidence that that ended up being flawless, it was just after a whole year of working on everything, thinking about it… by that point I was already like, you know, ‘how is this going to be conceptualized?’ I was already kind of a bit in the next steps. I think it’s interesting that that’s the song that everybody had the most reception to be the first song. That was definitely the one that I felt like by that point we were confident. ‘This is going to be a record. We’re going to put it out, let’s get this shit done.’ When we started recording it, we were like, is it going to be an EP? What if we don’t get a label, what’s going to happen then? It was still very up in the air. So yeah, we had it down.
B: As you mentioned, you had been working on this album for an extended period of time, and this is your debut record. Can you walk me through the emotions you’re experiencing, knowing that it’s done and it’s coming out? What does that feel like?
V: Well, it’s definitely more scary. I’m definitely very scared, because you kind of never know what’s going to happen. Sometimes I feel like especially in a place like New York, the grind kind of never stops. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like you have the satisfaction as much as you should. It’s like, okay, the record’s done, but… the unknown is kind of scary. It’s like, will it be well received? Are people going to like it? So much shit is beyond your control. If you get to the next step… I do think people are going to like it if they hear it. But then it’s like, what if… these things things that are beyond my control don’t go the right way, and people can’t even have a chance to listen [to] it. So much of it is just putting it out and being like okay, well I can’t physically control if it’s going to do well or not. All I can do is fully give it my all. I think this is the first time that every single thing I’ve been being picky about. I’ve always been like, oh, that’s good enough. But, in the back of my head, being like: that’s not 100% how I want to do it. For our record, I’ve definitely tried to not be uncomfortable to ask for one more edit. It’s also from being a woman. Asking for your standards and not being worried about coming off as considerate or rude… stop trying to accommodate everyone, because at the end of the day, [the person] who put the most work into this was me. Being picky is definitely something I’ve been trying to exercise more. It feels really good. Honestly, I’ve always wanted to work with the Fire Talk team. It feels like I kind of manifested it, because from day one, literally when we had two songs from this record recorded, that’s been my eye on the prize. I don’t know if I manifested it, or there was some weird premonition or some shit. I was always wanting to work with them. It feels insane that it worked out. It feels crazy because I didn’t even know how I was going to get there, but it worked. So it feels very good to have that. It feels like finally we’re getting songs out, recording that sound like our live performance. I’m just super ready for an actual rebrand. Feels great. I’m ready to move onto the next.
B: You’re based in New York, I was curious about how that music scene has impacted you as a musician, but also as a person. What can you share about that?
V: I’m originally from Brazil, so it’s very different. I feel like New York pushes you in so many ways. I think New York is definitely not a place for everyone, but I have really found myself here. I think it’s so great. I’ve felt like New York definitely loves me back, you know? I’ve definitely felt like I’ve had a really great time meeting people here, and truly feeling like I have a community. In New York, there’s always going to be the best of the best, and there’s always going to be people that are better than you in pretty much every sense of the word. I’m not a classically trained musician, so there are going to be people that are a lot better at the instruments that I play. People that are more successful. I think that motivates me a lot, I love being around that. Not even just guitar music, I also go to a lot of raves and I love electronic music. I’ve felt like I’ve never had so many good references in regards to everything: music, fashion, art. I’m not even from a major city in Brazil. I’m from the eighth largest city, a city in the south of Brazil. So like, so many things I just did not know about at all before being in New York. I feel like it’s made me not only push myself, but also to be super grateful. The fact that we can just play in New York and more people know about us than if we were from a smaller town… it’s really a privilege, and I never want to forget about that.
B: Shower Curtain started off as your own project, what is it like to reflect on that evolution? Having additional band members, moving to New York… is this what you envisioned when you started music, or did it just play out that way?
V: It sort of just happened. At first I was just a drummer, when I was 17-18. Then I drummed in a lot of bands when I lived in LA, very briefly, for like a year. Shower Curtain was just a name I had to make up to post something on my Soundcloud or my Bandcamp, which I regret so badly! [laughs] I don’t like that name! But at the same time, I can’t think of any name that feels original… You know? I’m just like, damn, if I had to switch my name, it’d have to be something I’m actually comfortable with. But anyways, it started just as a name to post random Ableton things I was doing on the internet. I honestly didn’t have a full band show until… Well, I did have one full band show, kind of, and then when I moved to New York I had written a couple of songs during the pandemic. I honestly did not know anyone. I wasn’t a part of the scene, I wasn’t cool or in or anything. I just knew these girls that I had met from LA… my drummer had never played drums in a band before, and the bassist also. I was like: I have these songs. It was mostly a way to get to know people, and do something. It was fresh off the pandemic. I was never like, I’m going to start this band, with all these songs, and I’m going to be fronting it. It was a want to get to know people and connect. Once it kind of started developing, two and a half years ago I met Ethan. That was kind of the first person who I fully was writing with. I was like damn, this is kind of going somewhere. But it kind of felt like it was more accidental than intentional. I’ve always just loved performing, I’ve loved hanging out at shows, but I was never envisioning like: I’m going to have this band. It was more like: well now this kind of feels like it’s going somewhere, so we might as well keep doing it and having fun.
B: That’s cool that it started from building a community! When you were writing this album, what did you find yourself inspired by?
V: I would say lowkey the first Wednesday record. I feel like our record would’ve been totally different if that hadn’t stumbled [into] my life. I was so inspired by that, I guess back in 2022. I guess a lot of more 90’s and 2000’s alternative rock, shoegaze influences. I guess also… I definitely feel like this record has some grungier elements as well, even though I wasn’t intentionally trying to do that. The oldest song written on that record was 2021, and then we were writing and recording it, and definitely by the end of it I started being like, okay, we’re going to start going gaze-ier and heavier. By the end of the recordings, when we did “wish u well” for example, that song doesn’t even have distortion. By that point I was like, I’m down to do something a little more eclectic. Let’s put some violins in this song. Maybe this song should have electronic drums the whole time. By the end of it, I definitely wanted to free myself from my references a little bit and just do whatever the song wants. I would say those were big references.
B: Looking back on the album creation process, do you have a favorite memory? Maybe a specific session that stands out to you?
V: Honestly, I think… [there are] two. One of them was when we did track a fake quartet, kind of, for “benedryl man.” Definitely that was one of my favorite moments, because I was like what the hell, this is something I’ve never done before. Including strings. I’ve always wanted to, because when I hear strings in other people’s songs, I’m like, I want that! Literally since that song was written, I’ve wanted violin on it. Ethan was like, ‘it doesn’t need it,’ but I was like, I feel like it does. When Will and Zach started playing together, we were like: oh shit, yes. Especially because in very Shower Curtain fashion, Zach, the violin player, he pulled up and was like ‘what do you want me to play?’ And I was like, umm, just some creepy sounds? We did not have any instructions. Since Ethan knows more music theory terminology, he was able to describe it a little bit better. I’m always just like, you do what you think you should do. It ended up working out perfectly. Then our interlude, we fully did that within a couple of hours. So many people have listened to the record and been like, that’s my favorite song, and I’m like, what?! We literally were just pounding on our MacBook keys on Ableton. Somehow I’ve had two different people say that’s their favorite part of the record. That’s the part we put the least amount of work in! It was super fun to do that. I was definitely more involved in a part of the production I’ve never been before, which is kind of setting up more electronic parts. That’s definitely not my forte. That was definitely one of the highlights for sure.
B: Strings in shoegaze type songs are so cool, I wish more people did that.
V: Especially because so many strings are keyboard, they’re fake. It was cool to hear real ass strings. I’m so happy I knew two people in the rock community that also play strings.
B: You just wrapped up your mini tour on the East Coast, what was that experience like?
V: It was so awesome. We had not been to any of those places besides Philly. It was really cool. The first two days were with Joyer, who I really love. I love their newest record. They’re our friends, one of them used to live in Brooklyn. They’re just super sweet people. We met up with Flooding and did two shows with them, and then Bleary Eyed, two shows as well. It was cool because all of those bands sound so unique and different from each other. At the same time, I kind of love that. You don’t want to go to a show and see two of the exact same vibe. It felt super inspiring. Flooding’s front person… her stage presence was super inspiring to me, very badass, very cool. Bleary Eyed, by the end of it, I was singing every song. It was super sick. It was really cool to have that experience with bands that weren’t my immediate friends, but I’ve always admired through the internet. I feel like I really learned a lot, a lot of those bands have a lot more touring history than we do. I was taking notes! Every time we go on tour I’m kind of reassured of how great the rest of the band is, and how much we get along. It’s always just a very chill vibe, so I feel very grateful.
B: Absolutely. To wrap up, is there anything you can share about what’s upcoming, prior to the album release in October?
V: Definitely more singles to come. I’m really excited because they all sound pretty different from each other, so I’m excited to flip a 180 in regards to sound. Totally different. We’re playing with Winter, my sister, in September at Baby’s. Really excited about that. We’re going on tour again once the album’s out, which I’m very much looking forward to. We’re going to totally new places that I’ve never been. I’m really excited about it. I hope the reception keeps growing. I hope everything goes well. I’m super excited to keep pumping out more and more surprises. If “wish u well” wasn’t exactly the vibe for some people, to catch their interest with another single. I’m confident that that’s a possibility.
Listen to Shower Curtain here!
