When Ms* Gloom logs onto Zoom, she’s still shaking off a night of vivid dreams. It’s fitting considering her creative universe exists in that same surreal space. Visually, she’s drawn to stark palettes and theatrical severity—red, white, and black—a self-imposed uniform for her cinematic reality.
Raised in Orange County’s endless sunshine, Ms* Gloom seems to have developed an emo instinct that feels almost archetypal for teenagers growing up in perpetual good weather. It speaks less to rebellion and more to her expansive inner world: the kind you build when your imagination needs somewhere to go.
In conversation, she’s bubbly and quick to laugh. Her debut mixtape, J Is For Joon, captures that duality. Clubby and kinetic before drifting into ambient stretches or straightforward pop, it feels playful and slightly chaotic on the surface but beneath it is a serious offering from an artist translating the scale of her imagination into sound.
With the release, we step inside Ms* Gloom’s cartoonish universe to trace the influences that shape her world.
Marley Wendt: What initially drew you towards music?
Ms* Gloom: I played piano when I was young, but I really hated it. That’s such a classic thing. I’m happy that I did it though, because it informed my ability to improvise. I also started writing lyrics when I was really young, just corny emo stuff. Then I did opera in middle school. I did a lot of covers through college, but when I learned Ableton after graduating in 2017, that kind of changed everything for me.
Did you have any musical influences growing up?
I’m so blessed because I have an older sister who introduced me to so much. She was really opinionated though; she hated Britney Spears, so I didn’t listen to Britney for a long time. She made us a CD with Bloc Party and all this 80s shit—so many things that have formed my taste came from that CD. She also took me to see Hillary Duff in 2003, which was my first concert. A few months later, we saw The White Stripes too. They’ve actually influenced me a lot in terms of my aesthetic.
What’s your favorite album of all time?
Untrue by Burial. I remember the first time I listened to that album. My ex-boyfriend played that album for me. I’ll never forget that moment. I was supposed to go to my best friend’s birthday party that night, but I just locked in. I felt bad, but it was life changing. Also Confessions on a Dance Floor by Madonna. I must have been ten when it came out. I would fall asleep listening to it and wake up with it still on. I probably destroyed my ears.
Tell me about your new release.
I actually wasn’t going to release it because I made it so long ago. My boyfriend and I co-produced it. We spent five years on it, and the release was delayed so many times. We thought the songs were done, and then my taste or feelings would evolve. I drove myself a little crazy. I started to become insecure, wondering “Does this feel like me anymore?”, but then realized if I don’t do this now, I’ll never put it out. And the music is so close to my heart. It feels like an intro to myself and all the things that have influenced me.
What’s it like making music with your boyfriend?
We’re very yin and yang. He knows so much about music theory and I’m so amateur. I know what I’m doing, but I’m more instinctual. It’s nice because I can be confrontational with him and there’s no beating around the bush. I’m very lucky.
Can you tell me more about the visual inspiration behind the project?
When I met my manager I didn’t want my face on anything. I only wanted a cartoon version of myself, but with a small budget that’s hard to achieve. My voice in the project is kind of cartoony, though. The black, white, and red thing was inspired by my older sister. Growing up, she only wore those colors and Emily the Strange was her favorite cartoon. And then The White Stripes too. There’s something so stark and angry about those colors. It also puts more pressure on the visual side of things, there’s less of a cushion to fall back on when you are limiting yourself.
Do you have a favorite cartoon?
Betty Boop! Looney Tunes too, that shit rocks my world. I actually did voice acting lessons with the woman who cast Dexter’s Laboratory, which was one of my favorites. I stopped watching cartoons as an adult, but working with her sparked something in me. She told me most of the roles are played by adult women, and that’s so cool to me. That has also inspired me with my music, because I love doing voices.
What’s the cartoony French voice on the release?
The French guy is Mr. Gloom. He is smelly and sophisticated.
Do you have any villains?
I am definitely my biggest villain, but I recently watched The Emperor’s New Groove again and remembered Yzma is a bad bitch. I suspect she’s pretty low IQ though.
How has the internet shaped your artistic practice?
My intro to the internet was MySpace in middle school. You know when you would choose your song for the page? My first one was “Breathe” by Télépopmusik. I remember the feeling of choosing a song that represented me. For the first time, it felt like music as aesthetic.
How did you get into fashion?
One of my secret dreams is to start a brand, actually. I’m in the process of making merch, but I can’t get myself to make a shirt with a logo on it. I have so many things that I want to make. From preschool through second grade I went to this alternative hippie school, and I am the way I am because I went there. We made clothes one summer, and I remember falling in love with that. I’m pretty obsessed with fashion—I’m on eBay 24/7.
Which fictional character do you relate to the most?
Betty Boop, or Lucy Ricardo from I Love Lucy. She’s so fucking funny. She’s an actress who, in my opinion, has sex appeal, but she doesn’t take herself too seriously, and she’s really silly. This slapstick thing really resonates with me.
Makeup is really part of your universe. If you could have a girly object masked as a weapon, what would it be?
I think lip liner. I know I would always have that shit. I have like ten of the same one. I would want it to be a laser that could burn through things.
What’s next for you now, after your release?
I only have two shows booked right now. I’m really scared to perform, so we’re kind of doing these first two to feel it out. Then I’m gonna record a new project in Sweden in April, which will be my first time making a project all at once, in isolation. I’m so excited!