2021 was a prolific year in music for women and gender non-conforming people. From Doja Cat’s triumphant third album Planet Her to Adele’s long-awaited fourth album 30 to Demi Lovato’s comeback album Dancing with the Devil… The Art of Starting Over to Indigo de Souza to Lorde to Megan Thee Stallion to Yebba to Snail Mail to Jazmine Sullivan to Billie Eilish to Olivia Rodrigo and so on and so forth—a bounty of music has been released into the world during this turbulent year following the beginning of the pandemic.
One standout album amongst the spoils of 2021 is that of Detroit’s own Alex Maniak, the artist known as Shortly. Shortly’s debut album Dancer arrived in September and with it came 11 tracks that were years in the making. Alongside releasing their debut record, Maniak has also been playing bass for Chloe Moriondo on her fall tour, as well as opening as Shortly on select tour dates. It seems to be only the beginning for Maniak; they graduated from Wayne State University with a degree in design and is currently completing a residency at Detroit-based music label Assemble Sound.
We recently caught up with Shortly on Zoom after they closed out the fall leg of Chloe Moriondo’s Blood Bunny tour. They were a sweetheart.
(This interview has been edited for clarity/length.)
WRVU
Hello!
Shortly
Hi! Okay, there it is. Hi, how are you? I am but so I seem to not have very good connection here. Is that on your end or mine?
WRVU
Okay, it’s probably on my end because I’m walking but I’m about to sit down. So hopefully that fixes it.
Shortly
Okay. Where are you at?
WRVU
I’m walking through campus. I just ate some lunch.
Shortly
Yum.
WRVU
Yes. Oh my goodness! You look so cute. Where are you at?
Shortly
I am in my apartment! I’m here. I’m in Detroit.
WRVU
Yes, yes, yeah, I’m from Grand Rapids. So I was really excited to get the chance to interview you specifically-
Shortly
Oh my god, you’re from Grand Rapids. That’s so cool. I love Grand Rapids. It’s just too far from Detroit to go regularly. I always feel like every time I drive out to Grand Rapids, I’m like, I’m never doing this drive again. But then I’m just drawn—I ended up going because it’s just so cool. Like, there’s just so much going on there.
WRVU
That’s how I feel about Detroit as well… from the other side.
Shortly
I think it’s a Michigan thing. It’s like, we’re like long lost lover cities.
WRVU
Yes, that’s true. That’s true. Well, I guess we can get into it. I love to hear everyone’s Michigan experience whether it be an up north story or a lake story. What’s your Michigander story ya know?
Shortly
Oh my gosh! Up North stories—quote-unquote, up north stories. I love talking to Michiganders! Wow. Ah, my very first cell phone. I was listening to some commercial jingle. I remember I had to download it from the Internet browser as a 10-second clip and I was just listening to it. I was sitting on this dock and I dropped it. My instinct was just to, like, dive in after it immediately. I was fully clothed in the seventh grade, and I guess I didn’t think at the time. I thought that maybe if I got it out of the lake, it would be fine. But that was how I broke my first cell phone—at the lake up north. That’s not a very good like Michigan story!
WRVU
I feel like it’s a very typical one! Everyone has lost a phone or some electronic device within the depths.
Shortly
Yeah! Something about the taste of Michigan like water is just so unique. I don’t go up north very often. But I did just go to Sleeping Bear Dunes for the first time. A year or two ago, which I consider recently because of COVID, you know, back when things were normal, I went to Sleeping Bear Dunes. It was absolutely beautiful. I felt like I was in a different world. I love Michigan because there’s just so many different things like that. So yeah, I go everywhere else in the country on tour, but whenever I come back to Michigan—even though the roads are really bad—I love having seasons. Obviously, I love the trees changing color but there’s also all of the lakes and there’s like mountainous areas like not mountainous but like for the Midwest and I don’t know, I just think it’s a really really, really cool place. So glad to be from here.
WRVU
This is great for me. This is like me selling every one of my friends on the idea of Michigan. I’m in Tennessee for school, so everyone here just is like Michigan, blegh, they kind of think it’s Canada.
Shortly
No, what? I am right next to Canada. So sometimes I get Canadian reception. It’s so funny. It’s actually why I was like, Is this on my end, am I Canadian right now?
WRVU
That makes sense! So, thinking about all the pre-pandemic time. How do you think that that time influenced the album? I know that a lot of the songs were written a bit ago, so how did that influence all these things coming together and finally becoming an album?
Shortly
So we recorded Dancer in January of 2020. It was like, I had been waiting for years to record my first Shortly album, a lot of those songs, like you said, a lot of them are really old at this point. But you know, they’re still new, if you haven’t heard them, and I’m proud of them. So it was interesting because I was excited to launch my career in 2020, after years and years of waiting, and then all of a sudden, I had to push it again. And it was just so depressing. I just felt like, you know, I’ve been waiting for so long to release it, but I didn’t want to take away from the Black Lives Matter movement. There were way more important things going on that summer and fall. So, in 2020 COVID impacted my album by delaying it. But then it was also spending enough time with myself that I now understand that I don’t ever want to delay music again, now I’m like: “Okay, there’s never a right time.” That’s kind of what it taught me. It was like what am I waiting for now? It was the same way with my label, we were just like touching base every now and then. It was like, I don’t want to release it just because it’s finished; this isn’t the state of the world that I had always pictured it being for my thing that I waited for four and a half years for. So that’s kind of that’s how it impacted it. Then the release itself. It was interesting, not working with so many people in person; like I had so many touring ideas and in-person collaboration ideas, and I finished college and I was just expecting to be able to focus a lot of my time on being more social in music. So it also kind of had me writing new—like a lot of new music, which really, you know, put me at odds with having this album. It just felt so old. You know, by the time we released it, it was like, I don’t even want to release this anymore. I’ve written so much better stuff.
WRVU
Totally.
Shortly
But it’s out. And I like it. So!
WRVU
Yes, I like it as well. I’m a big fan! You know my friend Chloe?
Shortly
Chloe?
WRVU
Yes.
Shortly
Chloe with the big hair Chloe?
WRVU
Chloe with the big hair, yes.
Shortly
Oh, I love her. She’s amazing.
WRVU
She’s amazing. And so are you! I love to celebrate Michigan creators. You know, that’s kind of my thing. Speaking of Chloes, I also saw you backing Chloe Moriondo in Nashville. So I wanted to know what that experience has been like playing bass for her and then also on some dates performing as your solo act.
Shortly
Oh my God, it was so hard. Have you been on tour?
WRVU
I haven’t ever been touring. I go to a lot of shows.
Shortly
I really underestimated touring as far as actually being working and what I was thinking touring would be before that. And then like, what touring actually is. I was very spoiled on that tour. So luckily, I could just focus on just my job as a musician, but even then, like, you’re already working all the time. You wake up wherever you are, and you drive for five hours, you get there for load-in—and this was my first time playing in a headlining act like that. We’re in such a large professional tour, so load-in is a lot earlier because soundcheck happens before support even shows up. I’m so used to just support. I literally wake up we’d get there at 3:30, we’d set up everything. It takes like, two hours to snake everything because we have so many triggers with her drums and we had in-ear monitors and stuff, we wouldn’t finish sound checking till like 6:15. Then the support act would soundcheck for half an hour. So I would have half an hour to myself suddenly. Then I would get on stage again to soundcheck as Shortly. And then doors would open. And then I would have an hour to do my hair and makeup and choose my outfit from a suitcase in a trailer in the cold depending on how late I woke up, and then immediately, you know, an hour after, I just get on stage as Shortly, I get off stage at half an hour. And then I get on stage again right after the other support acts. That’s usually when I eat my dinner. Yeah, after Shortly and before Chloe. Sometimes I would get so nervous that I would just like be like, oh, I’ll just eat later. So it’s really taxing, mentally and physically. I didn’t really think about how much downtime I’m used to having. There’s nights that I was playing in both acts, you know, loadout happens, we would have an encore and loadout happens so late, we get to this hotel. Those days were so long, so long—always at the end of the day, I’d be like: “Man, that was this morning!?” But living them was really cool. There was so much to do. When I’m at home, I’m so bored. So I think being able to be a musician full time, whether it’s by being at the gas station and traveling, or just like, you know, doing my hair and makeup for an hour; it’s a life that I enjoy living because I am always so bored. I have such bad ADHD too. So I just need to focus on something. It was also a really good mental thing where I was able to be like, Okay, wait, let’s just work all the time. Those nights, it was super cool, though. I got to meet people as Shortly—I wouldn’t think a lot of Chloe’s fans know me. And then people would be showing up in Shortly t-shirts, but coming for Chloe, and I was like “oh, people do like me still!” You know, I’m like old news at this point. But these kids are listening to my album and they’re discovering me for the first time or I’m seeing people again or I’m in cities that I’d never played in before as Shortly… that was something that I think I really needed. Especially to feel more legitimate about playing in a larger band—to feel like I’m not like losing what I made and what I like doing with my own music, too.
WRVU
Yeah, for sure. That makes sense. I feel like it’s definitely just the beginning for you because I don’t know, I just really appreciate your music. In saying that, what’s ahead in 2022? I appreciate everything you’re saying because it’s so relatable. I feel like we’re kindred spirits.
Shortly
I love talking to you. I feel so comfortable. Sorry, that I’m rambling! Thank you.
WRVU
No, I appreciate it.
Shortly
It’s so bizarre to me that I have like, fans or people that are fans of my music—people that I’ve never met, and stuff. Especially when I talk to people who are so I’m like, all shy now. [giggles] But in 2022 I’m releasing more music, I haven’t talked to my label about it yet. If you write that that’s fine. They can find out like that. But I’ve been writing a lot. I spent the last year in this artist residency here in Detroit called Assemble Sound. I haven’t gotten to go to as many meetings as I would like to, because I was on tour for two and a half months. It’s this licensing firm songwriting thing where I have access to studio space, and I can go whenever I want and just work on writing for a year, and then once a week we get together and have \ little meetings, and learn about songwriting or licensing or you know, copyright or whatever. It’s really really, really cool. Now that I’m home, I’m going to be spending a lot of time there. So I imagine that this next year releasing a lot of collaborative work because I have all these people in this residency of all these different genres that we’re just going to, like get in the studio and work together; rappers, producers, beatmakers, other indie artists, hyper pop artists, people who are just good at lyrics. I’m understanding more that I just like making and creating. I think I’m just going to be making a lot. And I expect that there’ll be songs that like, don’t come out as Shortly, but they’re just songs that I’ve written or songs that I’ve worked on with people, because I just, I want to work in all of these different genres. I think Dancer is kind of like that, where there’s just a lot of different things. I’m going to be exploring that a lot. So there’s going to be a lot more music for me, especially since I’m tired of waiting. I waited for so long, and then I had to wait again. I think creativity loves speed. So I’m hoping to release a lot of stuff.
WRVU
That’s good to hear.
Shortly
I’m exploring a lot. I’m excited.
WRVU
Yeah, no, that’s super exciting. Especially for me, this is great to hear, because I also do some art things. I guess I’m an artist, it’s hard to allow yourself to say that.
Shortly
I hate saying it! It feels so stupid.
WRVU
It feels like I’m being egotistical, but you kind of have to, if you want to, like, sell yourself, I guess.
Shortly
Yeah. I mean, everybody, sorry, I’m cutting you off. Like, when there’s doctors, they say “I’m a doctor,” and it has its own weird ring to it. Right? I think it’s just the identity of it. And I think if you take pride in that identity, then we can like, say, like, I’m an artist. And like, I just recently I’ve been trying to think that like making art is very brave—
WRVU
It is!
Shortly
—you have like, the gall to just take life as it comes at you. You’re not going to get out of college and get a regular job and have that safety net. So yeah, when you’re feeling weird to say like, I’m an artist, or like I make art, it’s like kind of the same thing as my album Dancer—I’m gonna be an interviewer person—the point of Dancer is that I have this really big imposter syndrome, about the things I like, and the things I do and feeling valid as saying I’m an artist, or I’m whatever. But the idea is that you can take that identity and run with it. If you love something enough, that is a part of you, and you give energy to things that you want to give life to. And that’s really, really cool. So yeah, you’re an artist.
WRVU
You’re so right, thank you! So you do design; I wanted to know about how you think that your music-making interacts with your visual art.
Shortly
It’s so much, but it’s so meta, or whatever, where it’s like, I see colors with music and like, structure, you know, composition, it’s all the same kind of stuff. I actually did have a fun little thesis I did in college about this. I really like song structure and I think I really like graphic design. Like, genuinely like graphic design. It’s another one of those like, “I’m a graphic designer.” I really love it. It’s because I think I like how changing the composition of something, communicates something. I think that art is like a form of communication. I really like the idea of like, proximity, and the elements of design. I think that they are the core, like the core basics of songwriting as well. I kind of see the song, building itself as like, blocked designs. It’s kind of like when you see recordings, and you see the different tracks that are on top. It’s like that, but with the hierarchy of sound. So I see like, right here, like this guitar is there for the whole song. But it’s not relevant half the time. It could be doing the same thing the whole time, so what is that but a base layer, and you can play with that. You can play with having just a few instruments and being super simple, but then changing the hierarchy of them to create. It’s kind of like a movie, right? It’s kind of like taking the plot and moving it around and making it mean something until you’re communicating something different with that sound, that song. It’s really interesting because music is not tangible. So it kind of only happens while you’re listening to it. It’s something that you really have to like, stare at as it’s happening to really know if it’s working. I think that’s the same kind of hyperfocus headspace that I really like with design—kind of like, I have to focus on what I’m doing to do it, and then obviously, there’s stuff like art direction, right? I feel like I can make my own posters and flyers, and that’s easier for me. As far as like, the way that they actually impact each other, I would say it’s more of this weird—like I’m thinking of it as the same kind of storytelling.
WRVU
Yeah! When I describe how I see filmmaking and cinematography I feel like I’m looking out and I can see it in my mind. You did a great job explaining that better than I could.
Shortly
Thank you.
WRVU
Another thing that I want to know from you, is what you are listening to right now. Cuz like, you know, some of what I’m listening to is you.
Shortly
It’s so cool. It’s so weird. What’s your favorite songs of mine? I’m interested. What do you like?
WRVU
Oh, goodness! Spare Time! I went through a big breakup this year so I love Midwest-Sad.
Shortly
Thank you. I just, I got curious because you’re like, some of what I’m listening to is you and I feel like I can get a good emotional gauge on you… like, why you like my music. I’m sorry about your breakup!
WRVU
It’s okay!
Shortly
What’s the question you asked me?
WRVU
What you’re listening to!
Shortly
What I’m listening to, that’s right. Um, so I’ve been listening to a lot of K-pop.
WRVU White
Okay. That’s so fair.
Shortly
I love it. I have a really big soft spot for really glossy pop.
WRVU
Me as well. It’s so fun.
Shortly
And like all these Taylor remixes, these new Taylor releases. I’ve been listening to those a lot.
WRVU
What’re the K-pop groups that you like? I know a few of them.
Shortly
Twice, I think Twice is so cute. There’s so many of them.
WRVU
Yes, exactly. I love them. They’re all so beautiful. It’s so fun to watch them dance.
Shortly
Yeah, I like K-pop because it’s like musical theater. I really look at them as the same. When you’re going to see a K-pop show you’re not going to see just a concert, you’re going to see what you would expect in a musical.
WRVU
You know, it’s so true. The choreography is so good.
Shortly
I love BTS. I have a BTS pillow right there. I really like BLACKPINK. I think they’re cool. LOONA is good. What’s her name? God, IU. I have been listening to IU a lot. Her production is actually super fucking cool. And her art direction is really cool.
WRVU
I understand! I have some weeb friends, so it all kind of links together—
Shortly
I’m a weeb–not proud completely.
WRVU
I’m a weeb too but exactly like I don’t like—I shouldn’t be proud of it.
Shortly
[Laughs] Us connecting.
WRVU
Yeah, I know. I got off the rails here. You said K-pop. And I was like,
Shortly
Yeah, you weren’t expecting that.
WRVU
Honestly, no, but I respect it. How do you feel about Doja Cat?
Shortly
She’s cool.
WRVU
Yeah, okay, that was just for me. I just love her and Megan Thee Stallion when I’m feeling like a girl boss.
Shortly
Oh my god, she’s so good. I’ve been listening to so much. I’ve been trying to like, challenge myself and listen to a lot of like, not emo. I’ve been listening to a lot of hyper pop and stuff, which is fun. I think touring with Ashnikko helped do that. So I’ve been listening to a lot of that stuff. I mean, I also love like, I love the new Japanese Breakfast release. I would say that’s another thing I’ve just been spinning. I read her memoir earlier this year and it was heartbreaking. I was very much looking forward to listening to her album and being sad with her.
WRVU
I totally understand. That’s how I felt about there was a Mitski released today… the music video.
Shortly
I haven’t seen it yet.
WRVU
I haven’t either. I just know it happened. The last thing that I haven’t already talked about, when I was researching all the things that you’ve previously said before in interviews, I found that you have a coffee at what is rooted, rootless? How did that happen? I was like, I gotta buy her coffee.
Shortly
Oh my god. It’s just a friend’s coffee shop. They had done collaborations with artists before and I love coffee. And I wanted to support my friends as well out in Flint, so I just reached out to them. I was like, Hey, how did how did they do this? And they were like, Oh, we just kind of have rotating roasts that we rotate with artists. I was like, Can I do that? They were like, yeah, and that’s it. It was very exciting. It was like, let’s partner and be two Michigan creators and we can both benefit from this, and I just I really like coffee. I really like drinking coffee when I listen to music, especially sad music. I like associating smells with things. I was thinking about releasing like a candle with the album. Way too expensive. I was like, what if there was like a sensory thing here? So I released Reaper Roast.
WRVU
That’s like one of the cooler things that I feel like an artist can release, I was impressed. I listen to a lot of Midwest emo, like you. So, who are your emo faves?
Shortly
My emo faves.
WRVU
A shortlist!
Shortly
I really love the Hotelier; like a lot. Like a lot. I would say that they were like one of the most influential bands for me as far as like getting into emo. Those were really really big ones for me. But I would say the Hotelier’s like a band that I still regularly listening to like a lot that I would consider like Midwest emo. There’s just so many does Oso Oso count anymore? They did back in the day when we were DIY at the same time. So I don’t know.
WRVU
Exactly. That scene it changes so much.
Shortly
It changes so much! I don’t even know who’s considered what. As far as emo goes, I did like American Football and the Hotelier. I write a lot of songs with the American Football tuning that I learned when I learned American Football songs. So there’s that.
WRVU
My last question: Have you ever been to Kalamazoo?
Shortly
I wish I had a more exciting answer. I think I’ve been there once?
WRVU
That’s so fair!
Shortly
I have a question for you! Did you ever have to go Frankenmuth?
WRVU
Yes! Yes, my best friend, her family is like German, German so they lived by Bronner’s and we would go there. I know, so Michigan.
Shortly
That’s my Michigan story, always having to go to Bronner’s. Always seeing those—fucking as soon as you hit Michigan you see those advertisements. Okay I can connect with you on that.
WRVU
Yes, okay, good!
Shortly
Have fun in class!
WRVU
Thank you! And thank you so much for talking to me, this has been so great! It’s been like a chat with a friend.
Shortly
It’s been really nice. I loved talking to you, I hope you have a great day.
WRVU
Yes you too there in Michigan, I’m jealous of you.
Shortly
[laughs and waves] I’m jealous of you.
WRVU
Adios!
Listen to Shortly’s album Dancer here:
