18 November 14 - 20, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents it all and they cared,” Clark says. “They were so giving of their spirit and so un- abashed in their love. And I thought, ‘Well, OK, so if they’ve been coming to me for this many albums, maybe I can try to meet them halfway and sing in their language.’” Clark describes the process of making To- dos Nacen Gritando with Ortiz as “Classic Annie and Alan being in theater class or Eng- lish class together, talking about poetry.” Though the project posed many chal- lenges — some English phrases don’t trans- late well to Spanish, and vice versa — Clark and Ortiz found ways to make the messages of the All Born Screaming songs equally im- pactful in Spanish as they are in English — in some cases, even more so. In a line in “Sweetest Fruit,” Clark sings, “The sweetest fruit is on the limb.” On the Spanish version, titled “La Fruta Mas Dulce,” the phrase she sings translates to “The sweetest fruit is on the vine.” “It’s different,” Clark says, “but also very powerful, I think.” Another song from All Born Screaming, titled “Reckless,” is called “Salvaje” on Todos Nacen Gritando. “I remember early on suggesting ‘salvaje’ for ‘reckless’, which is more like ‘wild’ or ‘savage’ and she really liked that. Literally, ‘reckless’ is closer to ‘imprudente,’ but it just didn’t give off the right emotion,” says Ortiz. “She really leaned into putting the puzzle back together in a new way and that was ex- citing. There was a lot of, ‘Now that the song is heading in this direction, what are some lyrics that will support that?’” Though Clark is revered in the rock and alternative world, she has maintained a sub- tle presence within the pop landscape. Around the time Clark released MASSE- DUCTION, New Zealand singer Lorde re- leased her sophomore album, Melodrama — which was also primarily produced by Antonoff. On X (still Twitter then), Lorde posted the line, “You’re the only mother- fucker in this city who can handle me” from the album cut “New York.” The tweet sparked a meme, with one fan notably quote-replying to the post, “Me drunk on the floor talking to my dog.” Clark doesn’t remember this moment, but is “so touched Lorde did that.” To this day, “New York” remains one of Clark’s signature songs. “That’s the one, without fail, I think brings people together, which is quite sweet,” Clark says. In 2019, Clark was credited as a co-writer on Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” from her Lover album. Though “Cruel Summer” wasn’t marketed as an official single upon its release, the song became an instant fan fa- vorite through viral pandemic-era TikTok videos and from performances on Swift’s Eras Tour. Due to demand from Swifties, “Cruel Summer” was released as a single in 2023 and was sent to radio to drill into listeners’ memories. In 2024, the song remains in rotation on pop stations. “I knew it was such a cool song,” says Clark of the Swift track, “and I always thought like, ‘This is a banger,’ but I had no idea [it would be a hit] because it wasn’t a single at the time. and Taylor’s fans just be- ing just a real force of nature, they were like, ‘Wait a second, hold on. This song’s a hit. We’re going to make it a hit. Even though this is from five years ago, it doesn’t matter, this is a banger and we choose it and we’re going to march it up the charts and make it a sleeper hit.’ I was truly blown away by that.” Self-producing an album is never an easy task, but throughout Todos Nacen Gritando, there’s a palpable softness within the music — a wisdom Clark has gained from having already written these songs. There’s also a sense of newness as the three-time Grammy winner continues to push the envelope through composi- tional risk-taking. “Life is hard,” Clark says. “It’s hard for everyone. To live is to suffer, it’s to dance with fire. But, ultimately, we’re here, we get to live it. So let’s go.” Alex Da Cortesm Para Español, see St. Vincent’s album Todos Nacen Gritando. Screaming from p17 B lair Brown Tours in Latin countries inspired Annie Clark write a Spanish-language album. Hand built not bougHt. Franklins TaTToo and supply TWo loCaTions: 469-904-2665 • 4910 Columbia ave, dallas, TX 75214 903-710-2028 • 17581 old Jacksonville hwy, flint tx 75762 proFessional TaTToo supply For pros only Call for your appointment or design commissions today! ICYMI IN CASE YOU MISSED IT SUBSCRIBE TO OUR DAILY NEWSLETTER DALLASOBSERVER.COM/SIGNUP
