An Interview With Check Please!
Check Please! just dropped a youthful and colorful indie-rock single that boasts all the pop sensibility you could want with incredibly catchy and smooth vocal melodies and a cinematic atmosphere that sweeps you up and takes you into it's dream-like soft verses.
"Dream Come True" is a beautiful and floaty feeling track that is an absolute love song that you can hear playing in your head when you see that certain person.
The song actually does make you think of your own situation or person. It;s like a soundtrack to that chapter in your life and it's completely nailed.
The single has this slightly 90's nostalgic touch that makes it all warm and cozy with layers of clean but full guitars, horns swelling in the background and a driving rock style chorus that hits with just the right delivery and depth.
The heart and love that went into this song is totally evident and the artist shows quite a gutso when it comes to the performance but it's those melodies that hooks you.
It's one of those songs where even if you don't remember the words, you sing that hook out loud without noticing.
It sticks. It's infectious and danceable during those choruses and soft and dreamy during those verses.
An excellent balance and arrangement done with a vibrant undertone and pastel soundscape that fits all too well.
"Dream Come True" follows the bands 2021 single "I Want You To Be Happy" which gleefully sticks to the band's staple feel but features a bit more of an alternative pop rock edge to it.
This artist knows how to write hooks that really float around in your brain for days.
If you like one song, you'll dig all of them.
With the release of "Dream Come True" we wanted to have a chat with Marissa Dai, the creator of Check Please!, to find out where this all came from.
TSWS: Let's kick things off with "Dream Come True". This track has a great pop sensibility but also an almost dreamy undertone with tons of ambience. Where did this tsong come from?
When I started making the song I wanted the chorus to sound like a late 90's - early 2000's song. I'm not entirely sure if that's what I achieved, but that's definitely what I was going for. When I'm making a song it's out of habit or relaxation. It's all just fun. I don't usually plan on trying to be a certain thing, although I am trying to take music a bit more seriously now that I have a better handle on what I'm doing when it comes to making music.
TSWS: There are certainly some different styles on this track. Who can you all say are your biggest musical influences?
In general, I think Rufus Wainwright, Taylor Swift, and Snail Mail inspire me the most. Snail Mail being the artist I sound the most similar to I suppose. I just like artists that have their own specific style of telling stories. Rufus Wainwright and Taylor Swift are just such great lyricists. A lot of their lyrics could read like poems on their own and that's what I love most about them. Snail Mail's lyrics have always been very relatable to me, as well as reading like poems, and I don't think there's a Snail Mail song I don't like. I realize my answer to this might be totally contradictory since my lyrics are more stream of consciousness. If I'm writing a poem it usually stays that way. It can be sort of hard for me to write extremely personal things into songs like the artists I just mentioned do. Hopefully that gets easier. I still like for my lyrics to be honest in their own way.
TSWS: When and how did this all start for you as a band?
I make all the music by myself. I currently don't have a band. I used to go under the name Catsica when I was making more synth driven music. I just sort of outgrew it. "Check Please" was always my first option for a name. Unfortunately that and my actual name are taken so I added the exclamation point and I've come to like it. As for how I started making music, it was just something I always wished I could do. I was homeschooled in 8th grade and had a lot of time on my hands. That's when I really started trying to learn how to make songs and be better at guitar and piano.
TSWS: What else really inspires or influences you to write?
Any experience that makes me feel a particularly strong emotion inspires me to write, but also just seeing other people make art with such a great passion inspires me. Whether it be film, writing, music, etc. Recently my future has been really inspiring me to write. I like to think about all the good things that might happen to me. Even though I get paranoid and anxious about the future ultimately, I'm optimistic.
TSWS: Will we see any videos this year from Check Please!?
Yes you will see some videos from me! There's a lyric video coming with the release of Dream Come True and a music video with my next single after that.
TSWS: Are you guys performing live right now? Are you planning on any shows soon?
Playing live is tricky for me. I don't have people to practice my songs with consistently and although it'd be very exciting, life has been pretty hectic with my first year of college so I'll probably be holding that off for a while. But who knows. If I find people that I gel well with it might be sooner rather than later.
TSWS: Who are you all listening to right now?
Snail Mail's new album has been on repeat since it came out. Especially the title track and Headlock. I've always liked Taylor Swift, but these past few months I've been listening to her a lot. I've also been listening to quite a bit of some of Wolf Alice and Remi Wolf.
TSWS: What are you all doing when you're not working on music?
The regular things like school, work, and hanging out with friends. I write screenplays. My ultimate goal in life is to be a working screenwriter. Music is what people are mostly seeing from me right now because it's more accessible. I'm interested in every facet of film really, not just writing. I'm majoring in film and it's something that I've known I've wanted to do since middle school. I'm always writing something. I get so bored with my life if I'm not writing a script.
TSWS: What's next for you as a band?
I'm releasing an album this year so y'all can look out for that. I've been working on it for a year so it'll be nice to have it out.
TSWS: This song feels like it was a great undertaking. What advice would you have for other up and coming artists out there?
Have fun. I know it can feel overwhelming and like you have to wear a lot of hats as an independent artist. Take your time and learn different techniques to producing little by little. You don't have to do everything right now. I've had to tell myself that a lot, especially recently.
TSWS: Before we go, what would you like to say to fans of the music?
I'm really grateful to the people who enjoy my music and stream it. It's always nice to hear when someone likes it and puts it on their playlist. All in all, thanks for the support!