Sean Tweedley’s “Ooola Hooora” Bursts Open With Magnetic, Mood-Lifting Energy And Fresh Crunchy Grit
- STAFF
- 17 hours ago
- 5 min read
By: Staff
We got together with Sean Tweedley for an exciting interview to delve into the stories and happenings behind the making of this and learn more about the artist in "The Cage" Music Blog and we are excited to share it with you!
Here’s how it went:
The Cage: Hello Sean Tweedley, we’re thrilled to have you here for this interview! We've had an amazing time exploring your music and diving into your creative journey. Now, we’re even more intrigued to get a deeper look into both your brand and your personal and professional inspirations.
Q. We loved the opening notes of “Ooola Hooora.” The song has such an upbeat, magnetic, mood-lifting energy, but once your vocals come in, the deeper complexity starts to reveal itself quickly. Your delivery is smooth, clear, and serious enough to show there is more going on beneath the surface. Can you pull back the curtain and share what was going through your head when this song was born? Also, we have to ask about the title, because “Ooola Hooora” is so catchy it gets stuck in your head on its own.
A. My first thought was of a Marine in full regalia with fishnet stalkings and silk undergarments underneath. I thought about the teflon tough outward veneer that we wear around, [maybe when we're young or maybe when we're naive]
I imagined that eventually a softer empathic being surfaces and wins the day.
I was also just thinking about the struggles we go through with identity: who we present as and how much to present. Ooola Hooora seemed like the best way to say all of that!
Q. The arrangement has this melodic, floaty quality, but it also carries a crunchy grit that gives the song a really fresh edge. Those different textures work together in a way that feels unexpected but completely natural. The brief slide guitar moment lands hard, almost like a sing-along hook, and the bass also stood out in a major way. What were some of the key creative or engineering moments that helped shape this fresh sound?
A. I think the Bass led the way on this track. I'm not a natural bass player. I get by like most guitarists do I suppose. But on this song, when I was messing around with some bass runs I landed on this one and I was playing it well. The take on the song is the first and only take I recorded. I'm normally a 4 or 5 notes at a time with tons of punch ins, but I really felt comfortable in this groove. The staccato acoustic hits were a simple fill in under the bass.
Q. Did you set out to create a song that would instantly infect the mind and stay there, or were you more focused on making a statement? We ask because “Ooola Hooora” has been hard to shake, and it has the kind of momentum that could really catch on fast.
A. I have to say that I was just enjoying playing the song. I loved the rhythm and movement of it. I can't say that I was trying to do anything infectious or statement-like. I just really enjoyed the sound.
Q. Being based in Toronto, do you feel the city has had a major impact on your music, career, or creative identity?
A. I love Toronto, it's a great city. I spend a lot of time in LA too and it's also a great city. But when Im in my little 15'x15' studio I don't think I consider it one way or another. I love to immerse myself in the space with all the instruments at arms length reach.
Q. The artwork has this abstract image of a person who looks somber, but there is also a real sense of beauty in it. The eyes especially bring an emotional weight to the piece. Can you share who created the artwork, what it means, and how you felt it connected to the music?
A. My daughter painted the cover art piece. The image just feels like Ooola Hooora to me. For exactly all the reasons you stated in your question. The outer shell and the inner beauty. And ya, she paints eyes real good!
Q. When listeners immerse themselves in “Ooola Hooora” and pull their own meaning from it, what do you hope stays with them most?
A. The fun of it. The same thing I felt when I recorded it. I think there are a few things someone could pull from its meaning and make it their own. There are some things it means to me that I probably didn't properly express here but in the end I hope it's a fun listen that starts somewhere and ends somewhere else.
Q. We could not easily connect this sound to any obvious artist influence, and we listen to a lot of music. Who would you say influenced you most, especially when it comes to the sound you created on “Ooola Hooora”?
A. I struggle to come up with any direct influences myself. I have artists I love. I'm sure it's the list of the usual suspects that most everyone loves too. But I don't sound like any of them. Every time I finish a song I spend the first few days hitting up everyone I know to help me identify the genre so that I can send it out in the right direction.
Q. Where does the magic of your music production usually begin? Do you start in a home studio, work with an outside producer, or build the track in a different way? And when it comes time to finish the song, do you handle the mixing and mastering yourself, or bring in someone else to help perfect it?
A. I'm a one person show, for better or for worse. I play all of the instruments, record all of the back ups, mix and master. I want to collaborate in the biggest of ways. I just have to step into that world I guess.
Q. When meeting someone for the first time, and they ask what kind of music you make, what is the first thing you say?
A. Its never happened.
Sean Tweedley, thank you so much, we appreciate you taking the time to talk to us!
End Interview
We’re happy to have shared Sean Tweedley’s exciting journey with you and uncovered such inspiring insights about their creative process.
Now, click the links below to experience this incredible work firsthand!
