GHØSTKID has just released their latest album, FOLLOW THE WHITE RABBIT, and it’s a solid contender for album of the year. Inspired by the world of Alice in Wonderland, the album reflects on frontman Sebastian “Sushi” Biesler’s past struggles with mental health as he tried to process the world around him. Join us as we follow him down the rabbit hole to discuss those experiences, how he uses songwriting to work through difficult emotions, and how he finds the words for things that aren’t always easy to explain.
MSM: Why was Alice in Wonderland the right metaphor for the album? What does following the rabbit represent to you personally?
Sushi: Well… there was a point during the making of the album when I almost felt like I was losing my mind. I was in a really bad place mentally, and everything started to feel surreal to me. Like a really dark Wonderland where nothing made sense anymore. 'Follow the White Rabbit' became a metaphor for finding myself in that world.
The rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland leads Alice into a world where reality is distorted. How is that reflected in the album, either creatively, musically, lyrically, or in how you approached the creation process?
I think when you’re depressed or going through difficult situations in life, everything feels like a challenge, but every situation you face is different. My mind became a distorted place, and maybe it still is to this day, but it was a lot more intense while I was writing this record. I’m not exaggerating when I say that music was the only thing that was still there for me while everything else was falling apart. Apart from a few lyrical references, the album doesn’t directly retell Alice in Wonderland. It’s more that the overall concept resonated with what I was experiencing. Once you follow the white rabbit, the world becomes a different place.
When you're writing about difficult or uncomfortable emotions, how do you decide which experiences to leave raw and unfiltered and which ones to transform into something more abstract?
That’s a good question. I think it depends on what I’m feeling in that particular moment, but I can definitely say that this album is a lot more raw than the previous ones. It’s very personal and a lot closer to who I am. The only times I used metaphors on this record were when I couldn’t describe how I felt in plain words. “White Rainbow,” for example, was written at a time when I felt completely alone. I’d become so used to the pain that I couldn’t even imagine being happy again. Like a white rainbow that had lost all its colors…that’s how I felt.
Is there a track on FOLLOW THE WHITE RABBIT that means the most to you lyrically, or maybe that you spent the most time on and are most proud of?
Not really. All of the tracks are special to me because each one tells a different story from that time. But I’d say “White Rainbow,” “Lovely,” and “Ivory” were probably the most emotionally intense ones to write.
(my personal favorite Ghøstkid song)
Do you see songwriting as a way of processing your thoughts and emotions, or is it something else for you?
For me, it’s always felt like a form of self-therapy. When you write about how you feel, you have to dig a lot deeper into what’s bothering you. Even when that’s painful, it really helps me understand and process things. In the end, you can turn it into something positive and maybe even help some people out there. I’ve always said that Ghøstkid is the alter ego that talks about things Sebastian couldn’t put into words… so it’s kind of crazy that this time, the album is basically about me, haha.
When you're creating a new album, does the visual world come first, or do the visuals emerge naturally from the music?
I think the two go hand in hand. For me, the visual concept is just as important as the music. If you’re watching a movie at the cinema, so much would be missing without the music, and I think it works the other way around, too. When I’m writing songs, I see colors, and there’s always a little movie playing in my head when I listen to whatever I’m working on. It’s another way to communicate on an emotional level. If something means a lot to you, you want to present it in the best way possible.
Do you think the GHØSTKID persona allows you to express certain emotions more freely than you would otherwise feel able to?
Absolutely! Ghøstkid has a lot of different facets, and overall, it’s a pretty dark project. That gives me room to explore different sides of myself and the freedom to express them in different ways. But being open about my emotions is something I’ve learned over the years. Music has always been the place I call home, and that has never changed. To me, music is such a powerful thing—it’s the best way to express what you feel.
If someone were experiencing GHØSTKID for the first time through this album, what song would you recommend for them first?
Oh, that’s a tough one… but I’d say “Ivory” is pretty representative because it’s a perfect blend of the more modern Ghøstkid sound and the older stuff. I think that’s also why I picked it as the opening track.
What would you say has remained at the heart of the GHØSTKID project over the years?
It’s my project, so I’d say that, at its heart, it’s me trying to survive and evolve as an artist. I’m still learning and discovering so many new things til this day.
How do you know when a song is truly finished?
Well, that’s usually the hardest part for me. I’m pretty lazy when it comes to actually finishing songs, and sometimes ideas stay half-finished until I get into the studio and have no choice but to finish them. So, for me, a song is finished when it’s recorded, haha.
What’s one non-musical thing about you that fans might not expect?
Hmm… I really love crafting a lot of things, but I do that for Ghøstkid most of the time, so it’s still kind of music-related. Maybe the fact that I love grocery shopping, haha.
