St. Vincent, the moniker used by musician Annie Clark, talks to Carrie Brownstein in a BUST Interview about their film The Nowhere Inn.
It is difficult, if not impossible, to pin down exactly who Annie Clark, also known as St. Vincent, truly is. That’s because, with each new album, she transforms into a new version of herself. At the time of her 2017 Grammy-winning record Masseduction, for instance, St. Vincent was a neon-hot, futuristic dominatrix, dressed in pink latex and fixated on power.
But one of the most compelling components at the center of The Nowhere Inn is the personal and creative bond between Clark and Brownstein. As Clark’s character says early on in the movie, “She understands what it’s like to be a performer. But more than that, she understands me.” CB: That’s weird—I’m auditioning for the prequel. [laughs] Alright, let’s dive in. Do you remember when we started discussing the idea for this film?
CB: Yeah, it’s exactly what everyone imagines. Like in those 1970s tour stories. Private jets, groupies....CB: One thing you brought up as a motif was authenticity. We were talking about some of the music documentaries we had seen. Like, the Lady Gaga movie and the Katy Perry one.CB: Very intense for sure. And a lot of things that would be questionable by today’s standards.
CB: No judgment here. I mean, it’s a hot day and everyone should be able to take their shirt off. But that’s not something you would see yourCB: [laughs] Sorry. Your mom, absolutely. CB: One thing I thought about while making the movie was—What do people prefer? What version of knowledge gets you closer to the experience you’re trying to have with art?
CB: I know. And then at the end, for the Q&A, we just slithered up to the front of the theater like two chastened worms. Did you enjoy acting? CB: Do you have as much distance between Annie and Masseduction as you do between Annie and Daddy’s Home?