Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Violet Clare
Violet Clare, the moniker used by songwriter Violet Bowdle, aims to be authentic and unapologetically human. Originally from East Grand Rapids, Michigan, a town she has often referred to as her muse, she began writing stories of all kinds as soon as she could hold a pencil. Through lyrically-heavy reflections, Violet Clare weaves themes of guilt, change, childhood, humanity, and nature through her alternative indie folk music.
After ten years of writing in her bedroom (fondly nicknamed “the lab” by her mother), she had her first performance as “Violet Clare” at Grand Rapids venue The Stray in 2022 before moving to Chicago. Throughout the following spring and summer, Clare won second place in her high school’s talent show, performed at Grand Rapids’ Bizarre Bazaar, was interviewed on Kalamazoo College’s radio station, and performed in Holland’s Street Performer Series. In 2023, Violet placed in the top 5 of Uncommon Ground’s open mic competition and performed at Chicago venues including Bookclub, The Red Room, and Sofar Sounds Chicago.
In the past two years, 2025 Iowa City Songwriters’ Festival scholar Violet Clare has had the pleasure of performing at LAUNCH Music Conference/Festival in Pennsylvania, Bitter Jester Music Fest (twice) in Illinois, and venues such as Fallen Log, Cobra Lounge, Bassline, DePaul University, and tons and tons of house shows in between.
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
It’s not really a memory that I have myself, but all I know is that one of the first songs I knew all the lyrics to was “Karma Police” by Radiohead according to my mom. I must’ve been around four years old, so long story short, I’ve always been had pretentious taste!
How did your passion for creating music begin?
I’ve always loved telling stories and writing. I began writing novels on my mom’s work computer when I was in third or fourth grade, and I had been in music lessons for voice and piano for years. It wasn’t until I taught myself to play ukulele at eleven that I began funneling my love for both music and writing into songwriting. I’ve been writing ever since, and as of today, I have written over 400 original songs.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
My current project is just me. There is no concept beyond me as a person. Any mythology that winds up surrounding “Violet Clare” will, truly, just be my own life and my own ideas from my life – everything you hear is something that has been on my mind, whether it’s guilt, nostalgia, environmentalism, politics, love, or hate.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
Something between alternative, folk, indie, lo-fi, and singer-songwriter, with a bit of a 2000s feel.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
Opportunity is where luck meets preparation.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
All I need is my acoustic guitar, a capo, a microphone, and my computer. My other instruments come into play for certain tracks, but overall, I’ve been keeping it pretty simple.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
She Returns From War.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
My personal experiences haven’t just influenced my music and artistic vision, they are my music and artistic vision. Everything I create is completely informed by my own experiences, or at the very least, things and situations I’ve observed through living.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
My biggest goal is to make people feel less alone by putting feelings and stories into music, so if anyone has any kind of emotional reaction, good or bad, I consider it a win. Passion and catharsis for life, baby!
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
It’s slowly but surely teaching me how to handle my strongest emotions. Having to perform on stage in front of a sold out room, or worse, just the bartender? That’s some serious anxiety exposure therapy.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
A dream venue would be the auditorium theatre in Chicago, and a dream festival would be Newport Folk Festival.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
Oh God. That’s a massive question. The first three names that immediately came to mind are Jeff Tweedy, Thom Yorke, and James Mercer, because who can beat the songwriting of the lead singers of my three favorite bands of all time? Not sure I could shake being a fan enough to actually collaborate without making a fool of myself, but that would be a dream.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
Find me anywhere through my linktree: https://linktr.ee/violetclare?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=1137f4f8-cff3-40bc-9bd4-a0690bcf80eb
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
I plan on touring, performing at more festivals, expanding my social media presence, and releasing an album.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
Who’s to say? Let them discover what they want to, when they want to. That’s what I hope happens.
