Courtside Betty's new release, "Worry," is out now!
Meet the band Courtside Betty! Based in San Diego, California, Courtside Betty is a diverse indie rock band that formed in early 2023. With member Catherine Skinner adding a unique twist to the standard rock band sound with her skills as an electric harpist, this band will blow you away with their unique and complex sound. On January 31st, 2024, the band released their most recent single, "Worry," which is now on all platforms! I had the pleasure of asking the band some more in-depth questions about who they are, the creation of their single, and what they have in store for the future! "Worry" follows the release of their debut single, "Poison," which I would also highly suggest you listen to!
LISTEN TO "WORRY" BY CLICKING Button BELOW.
Where are you all from, what is your background, and what brought you all together?
Felipe: "Before Courtside Betty, most of us were pretty much strangers… just a bunch of San Diego transplants eager to play music with fellow musicians. We all landed in San Diego for a variety of reasons: Felipe for work, Clay wanted to explore something new, Catherine for an internship, and Conner for Catherine. I moved here from Connecticut, Clay drove out from Virginia, and Conner and Catherine came down from Oregon, so we're really from all over."
"Early last year, Clay (Vocalist/Guitar), posted an ad on Craigslist seeking musicians who were interested in forming an indie rock band. Our electric harpist, Catherine, was first to respond, and Clay was intrigued by the prospect of adding an unconventional instrument to our more typical 'rock band configuration' and saw it as an exciting songwriting challenge. Shortly after, I joined on guitar, and, most recently, Conner took up the mantle of bassist. But, I guess you could say that it was really Clay that brought us all together."
How would you best describe the music you make?
Clay: "I think our sound would be best described as modern indie rock heavily influenced by 90s alternative rock and 2000s indie. I believe my initial ad header was something to the effect of 'Seeking musicians for sad indie band,' which isn't entirely inaccurate either. We mostly write cathartic songs exploring difficult topics (failing relationships, depression, anxiety), but there's often a bit of self-aware, tongue-in-cheek attitude as well."
What is the story behind the name "Courtside Betty"? How did you come up with your band name?
Catherine: "It holds special meaning to us as it took forever to come up with it. We probably came up with at least a hundred iterations and ideas before we landed on Courtside Betty. The name itself was a combination of other ideas that some of us liked but didn't make the cut. We know what it means to us and who Courtside Betty is, but we think we'll keep it under wraps for now. I guess what we can say is that none of us actually personally know someone named Betty."
Photo taken by Mikayla Pock
Tell us about your most recently released single, "Worry." What was the main inspiration behind this track?
Clay: "I wrote this song about the collapse of a relationship that I was terrified to leave. Lyrically, I tried to capture the constant internal conflict and eventual (more) bitter-(than-)sweet resignation I was feeling immediately after the break-up. I use writing music almost as a form of journaling sometimes and writing 'Worry' and 'Poison' was immensely helpful in processing the swirl of emotions I was feeling at the time. Sometimes things are easier to digest and accept when they rhyme, haha."
What was the creative process behind this song?
Clay: "I remember writing the chord progression for this song on New Years Day 2023. The harp melody came shortly after, although at the time, I didn't realize it was going to be played on a harp. I remember really taking my time writing the lyrics, but I wrote the line 'Worry takes up all of my time' first, and it really stuck with me. In terms of song structure, I didn't put a whole lot of thought into it, but I felt like the unconventional flow of the song really matched the narrative I wanted to tell. The verse tells you how I got there, and the chorus brings us to the present tense and lands on where I am and what I'm feeling at that moment."
Photo taken by Mikayla Pock
What was your favorite part about this project?
Catherine: "I think we all really enjoyed the studio process! We all had varying degrees of experience with recording in a studio environment, but we had a great time recording these tracks! There's something so rewarding (and, if we're being totally honest, a little scary) about seeing the songs you've poured your heart into over the past year come to fruition. And we basically got to spend two days hanging out and doing the thing we love!"
What was the most challenging part of this project?
Felipe: "I'd say one of the bigger challenges of this project was finding our voice as a band - from Clay's singing style to the role of Catherine's electric harp and making sure all of the melodic instruments were balanced in a way that made sense. Clay brought a lot of song ideas to the table, but figuring out which ones worked best with our line-up and learning how to write collaboratively and navigate everyone's different communication styles is a challenge I think most bands can relate to when they first form."
Do you have a favorite lyric in the song? If so, tell us about it. Why is it your favorite, and what is the meaning behind it?
Clay: "'Worry takes up all of my time' is probably the easy answer because I'm not sure I've ever written anything that rings as true for me as that line. But the beginning of the verse ('Hold my breath, count to ten, going deaf from the sound of my chest') might actually be my favorite line in the song. I'm a pretty anxious person, and I'm pretty proud of this description of the panic attacks (and my attempts to keep them at bay) I was experiencing at the time. Deep, slow breathing turned into 'how long have I been holding my breath?' and my heartbeat would get so loud I could barely hear myself think."
“Worry” Cover Art
"Worry" follows the release of your debut single, "Poison." After the release of these two songs, what can fans expect from Courtside Betty in the future?
Conner: "2024 is going to be a big year for Courtside Betty! We've got one more single coming out in March, and then we're back in the studio in May to record an EP! Our first studio experience involved a lot of trial and error, and we've learned so much from releasing these singles. I, for one, am incredibly excited about what's going to come out of those sessions! Additionally, we currently have a vacancy for our drummer position, but we have a full set's worth of music ready to go, so we can't wait to begin playing shows later this year! So definitely stay tuned and make sure to give us a follow on Instagram and Spotify!"
"Worry" is about wrestling with anxiety and struggling to let go of a failing relationship. Staring wistfully out of a window on a rainy day, phone in hand, waiting for a text or phone call that's never coming, the narrator sings about the all-consuming anxiety and exhausting feeling of walking away. He contemplates lying to prolong the charade just a little bit more, longing to hear the sound of her voice once more and ultimately acknowledging that there's only one way to move forward.
