Family isolation sparks inspiration for singer Troye Sivan
Singer-songwriter Troye Sivan is making the most of lockdown with his family. It has inspired him to accelerate the release of new single Take Yourself Home forward six months.
Hibernation
Don't miss out on the headlines from Hibernation. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Troye Sivan is doing some serious family isolation.
Landing at his parents’ house in Melbourne from LA just before lockdown, the singer is now isolating with not just five family members but selected partners.
“There’s a lot of us all under one roof right now,” Sivan said. “It feels like being on Year 12 school holidays.”
As well as Sivan and pop star brother Tyde Levi and sister Sage – their isolation is being well documented on Instagram and Tik Tok.
Sivan has even used the forced downtime to accelerate the release of new music, bringing single Take Yourself Home forward six months.
“I feel really inspired when I’m bored. More importantly, I saw a bunch of my favourite people – all these creatines – whose jobs were all pulling out. Every show was cancelled,” he said.
“It’s a really tough time. I’m lucky, I’ve got music ready.
“So I spontaneously decided, with no plan, let’s take this money we’d use for music video budgets and employ as many people as we can over Zoom or, however, and see if we can keep things going.”
Sivan is selling T-shirts which raise money for out-of-work bands and crews, and released a video made online in lockdown.
“It’s forcing people to be creative in different ways. It was surreal and strange to re-listen to the song and take something really personal to me and it’s completely changed meaning,” he said
“There’s the literal take yourself home self isolation but it’s also a song about going back to basics and having to rethink everything about how your life is built. That readjustment is happening to everyone.”
Releasing a song from home in Melbourne means Sivan has pressed reboot on how his future music will come out.
He is not sure if he will be involved in Charli XCX’s iso album (“maybe I’ll just insert myself into it”) but Swedish singer Tove Lo emailed him songs to work on.
“I’ve always wanted to release music in a more freelowing way,” Sivan said.
MORE HIBERNATION
‘Welcome to Hell’: Laurie’s podcast helping parents
Born in the bush: Regional groups combat COVID-19 challenges
Gleisner’s surprising isolation hobbies
“I started my career online, so I was attracted to the traditional album cycle, that felt exciting. Now I’ve done that twice I want to do away with all of the rules.’’
Sivan revealed how he was also staying sane.
“I’ve been singing a lot. That’s normally my job but when you’re told to be somewhere to sing, it’s different to singing out of the love of it. I feel like I’ve remembered that I love what I do,” he said.
“And I’ve been doing an interior design course online.”
His eating and drinking habits have also changed a bit.
“It’s Beer O’Clock every day at 5pm but I’m limiting it to two a day. I haven’t even used Uber Eats,” he said.
“We’re having family meals around the table every night. It feels nice.”
He has thought about the first thing he will do once this is over.
“The world is going to go insane that first weekend,” he said.
“Best believe I am going out! I’m going to restaurants, I’m getting a million cocktails with my friends and we’re going dancing and then I’ll lie in a park.
“Gives us all something to look forward to I guess.”
Originally published as Family isolation sparks inspiration for singer Troye Sivan