Rachel Bochner Turns the Tables with “It’s Not Me, It’s U”
Article by Isabel Dowell
Photo by Carina Allen
Starting in the music industry with an A&R internship, the New York-based Rachel Bochner realized her true passion was in creating and releasing music. Since 2019, that’s exactly what she has been doing and this starlet is not slowing down with the release of her third EP, It’s Not Me, It’s U.
With four of the six tracks released before the EP, “Here for The Drama”, “If I’m Gunna Be Sad (I Might As Well Look Hot Doing It), “Sucker Punch” and the most recent “Hard To Please”, fans got a larger than life look into Rachel’s latest project. Two of the EPs tracks, “You Don’t Want Me Like That” and “Men Like You” were left a secret until the day of its release. Rachel mentions, “You can listen to one after another, but they still can hold their own against each other. They also represent the two moods of this EP – heartbroken, dramatic, a little whiny and confident, angry, god complex.”
Further, Rachel shares, "'It’s Not Me, It’s U' is about how we try to make ourselves feel a little better through messy emotions and heartbreak, even if they aren’t the healthiest coping mechanisms," she says. "The project was inspired by highs and lows I’ve experienced - from the mental gymnastics I've done to justify avoiding blame to feeling empowered to speak up when someone does me dirty. Before I even realized it was happening, making this EP helped me learn to lean into my feelings, find humor in the darkness, and remember that I’m in charge of my self-worth.”
Being noted as her most confident and sonically cohesive work to date, It’s Not Me, It’s U is destined to open up a world of new opportunities for this rising alt-pop artist. The songs on this EP bounce between a variety of sounds and genres, perfect for any audience or if you’re looking for your new favorite song to put on repeat. It’s definitely very heavy on the alternative pop side, but each track is unique in its lyrics, melodies, and the emotions they elicit. We can’t decide if our favorite is “Sucker Punch” or “You Don’t Want Me Like That”! What’s yours?
Thirteen chatted with Rachel about her favorite track and went more in depth about her latest project, It’s Not Me, It’s U. Read about it below!
THIRTEEN: You’ve been making music since 2019, but please introduce yourself to someone who might be new to your music!
Rachel Bochner: I’m an indie pop singer/songwriter based in New York City. I like to make music that balances grit with vulnerability and a little humor. I write the type of songs that I’d want to scream in my car with the windows down on the highway.
THIRTEEN: How do you feel like your sound has both evolved and stayed the same since you began putting music out?
RB: I only started really seriously songwriting in 2018, so it’s been amazing to see and hear myself evolve as I’ve released more music. I’ve grown a lot as a writer since then, but I think I’ve always had this specific kind of conversational way of writing that’s stuck with me throughout. When I first started out, my imposter syndrome made it really hard for me to confidently share my opinions in a writing or production session, so it took me a little bit to figure out who I was as an artist and what my sound was. Now that I’ve found myself more as an artist and person, I know that what sets me apart from everyone else are my ideas, my vision, and my direction.
THIRTEEN: It’s Not Me, It’s U is your third EP, tell me a little bit more about this project.
RB: It’s Not Me, It’s U airs out some of the dirty laundry that comes with navigating heartbreak and self empowerment. It's toys with all the things we do to make ourselves feel a little better while dealing with messy emotions… even if they aren’t the healthiest coping mechanisms. The project was inspired by highs and lows I've experienced so far in my little life, from the mental gymnastics I’ve done to justify avoiding blame at all costs, to finally feeling empowered to stand up for myself when someone has done me wrong.
THIRTEEN: It’s mentioned that this is your “most confident and sonically cohesive” project to date. Could you expand on that a little more?
RB: This EP was the kind of project that found me before I found it. I was writing a ton, especially last summer, with the intention of creating a new body of work. I had a tentative EP title, a whole other working tracklist, but I had this moment of clarity after Sucker Punch was written and I knew exactly what the EP was actually going to look and sound like.
THIRTEEN: Is there a certain song on the EP that you are the most proud of?
RB: I love every song on this EP, so it’s tough to pick a favorite. For example, “Hard To Please” definitely feels like the most lyrically earnest track, but “Here For The Drama” is one of my favorite songs to play live, and “Men Like You” makes me want to literally wall twerk and party with all my girlies… I’m just really proud of the EP as a whole.
THIRTEEN: Why did you choose “You Don’t Want Me Like That” and “Men Like You” to be released with the EP?
RB: You can listen to one after another, but they still can hold their own against each other. They also represent the two moods of this EP – heartbroken, dramatic, a little whiny and confident, angry, god complex.
THIRTEEN: What was the process like in creating It’s Not Me, It’s U?
RB: It was cathartic, fun, and I learned a lot about myself in the process. I got to work with some of my best friends during the writing and production process like Tiger Darrow, Sasha Campbell, Annick Blaize, and Deza, and I met some truly amazing collaborators/new friends as well. The actual art of making the music is so sacred and important to me. I want to do it with people who understand me as an artist and person and who make spending hours in a session or studio feel like the best day ever.
THIRTEEN: I love the play on the ages old saying, “It’s not you, it’s me”. What is the significance of using its reverse as the title for the EP?
RB: As women, we tolerate so much shitty behavior and make excuses for people just because we’ve been conditioned to be accommodating… and polite… and likable. There’s definitely a deep sense of sarcasm in the title, and within the context of each song on the EP, you can have a slightly different interpretation of what the phrase means. In a way, it represents my journey of going from an unsure people pleaser to reclaiming my power and reminding myself that I am that bitch.
THIRTEEN: What were your biggest inspirations for this EP? Musical and not.
RB: Heartbreak, rejection, pettiness, empowerment, and being a little stupid. Sonically, this playlist (including artists like UPSAHL, Taylor Swift, MUNA, Baby Queen, and Conan Gray) is a good representation: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4lNN5SK1grjH7dtIrhPsjy?si=f1d763187f834a2c.
THIRTEEN: Once the EP is out in the world, what can we expect from you afterwards?
RB: Maybe… another project… soon…
THIRTEEN: What is your biggest goal you hope to achieve as an artist?
RB: I’m not sure I can pick one specific goal as my biggest one, but I think overall I just want my music to reach and connect with a ton of people. Getting to talk to fans about the way a song of mine resonated with them, made them feel seen, or even just feel anything - that’s so amazing to be a part of.
Photo by Carina Allen