Behind the Hive Mind: An Interview with mercury

Photo by Elizabeth Marsh

Late last year, rising Tennessee artist mercury, moniker of Maddie Kerr, released a trio of singles, “Swarm the Hive Mind,” “What You Want Me To Say,” and “The Fly.” The follow-up to her EP and short film Together We Are One, You And I, the songs oscillate between blasting, grungy guitars and more subdued, intimate moments. Working again with producer Alex Farrar, mercury continues to establish herself as a unique voice within the post/alt-rock scene.

All of mercury’s songs have layered, introspective lyrics that pair haunting vocals with intricate instrumentation. Raw and passionate, there’s something rousing about her songs, and I had the pleasure of asking mercury some questions about her newest project. Keep reading for the full Q&A!

Emma Zoe Polyak: 2024 was a busy year for you, from lots of new music to touring with Dreamer Boy to headlining your own shows. What was the biggest highlight for you?

mercury: It is so hard to choose! Playing music is my favorite thing of all time. I’d probably have to say the Nashville show at The Blue Room was my favorite. I hadn't played at home in so long, and my family and so many friends were there. It felt really special, and it was before the last few songs [I released] came out, (which we played!!) so I was so excited to show everyone what was next.

EZP: What is your process for songwriting? Do you just let ideas flow as they come, or do you have a more structured process?

m: I let ideas flow as they come! It’s always so different, sometimes I hear a melody, sometimes I have a lyric come to my brain, and sometimes I start with the music. I draw inspiration from listening to music, painting, dancing, watching live music, traveling, and just life in general. It comes from all over!!

EZP: Pairings of three seem to be a theme for you, first with your release of Together We Are One, You and I and now with the release of your three singles, was that always a conscious decision for you when creating the songs, or did they organically form these clusters?

m: They organically formed these clusters for sure. They all were written very close to one another at specific points in my life. So, it felt like each song told a different part of a whole story.

EZP: Together We Are One, You and I tackled grief, pain, loss, and resilience, is there a similar common theme between your new singles?

m: Absolutely, I always find myself writing about these things. As I’ve gotten older these feelings are so prominent everywhere, so a huge part of life recently has been coming to terms and learning to cope with that.

EZP: I really loved Together We Are One, You And I, especially the short film that accompanied the tracks. The music video for “Swarm The Hive Mind” was also super captivating! How important are these visual elements for your storytelling?

m: Thank you so much! The visual aspect of music is and has always been so important to me. I remember falling in love with the art of music videos from a young age. There’s so much freedom in them to say more than what’s already in the song! I am a super visual-oriented person so usually when I write I also get ideas for concepts I’d like to bring to life to go along with the music.

EZP: I love the lyrics in your new singles, and in particular “The hive mind mentality kills my head” has been rattling around my brain since I first heard it. Do you have any favorite lyrics that you’ve written?

m: Thank you! My favorite lyric right now is probably from a song that isn’t out yet called “Rollercoaster.”

“You come back with your hate You live in such a cynical way I wish that I could talk you back to a state Where you didn’t hate the sound of your voice or the look of your face” 

EZP: “What You Want Me To Say” is a much slower, softer song – could you talk about why you decided to leave the blasting, grungy guitars behind for that song?

m: I wanted it to feel intimate, I hadn’t ever gotten to put out a song that felt like a soft rattling of a feeling before. It was important that the lyrics and the intimacy of the vocal performance really came through with this one for me. I was directly addressing something, so I really wanted people to feel it.

EZP: I know some artists prefer to share their music with the world and leave any further interpretation up to the listener, but is there anything you want people to take away from your music?

m: I just hope that everyone who listens maybe feels a little bit more understood or feels a release of some sort. These songs are reflections of the toughest times in my life, and I make them to process my own feelings and to release them.

EZP: For the last few questions, I’d like to ask about your music taste – what is the last song you listened to?

m: “Looking at the Geese” by Renny Conti

EZP: What song or artist have you been obsessed with recently?

m: I’ve been obsessed with the song “We Are The People” by Empire Of The Sun hahaha,  I hadn’t heard it in forever and rediscovered it through a Tik Tok recently.

EZP: What 3 albums would you take with you to a deserted island?

m: Right now it would probably be:

• East My Love by Current Joys

• The Bends by Radiohead

• You Know I’m Not Going Anywhere by The Districts

EZP: Controversial pick: What is a song that you love but others hate, OR what is a song others love that you dislike?

m: I love “Rockstar” by Nickelback - I’ve known all the words since I was like 6 years old. There’s a secret sea shanty version of it out there I love too hahahah!

EZP: That’s such a valid choice! What is your go-to karaoke song?

m: “Wild Horses” by The Rolling Stones. I just took a little trip to Italy and sang it at a small karaoke bar and everyone knew the words, it was really special.

EZP: Last but not least, in your opinion, what is the best song of all time? 

m: “Hannah Sun” by Lomelda

Listen to mercury’s music below!