Cody Lovaas on 'Pull Out Couch'

A Q+A WITH CODY LOVAAS FOLLOWING THE RELEASE OF HIS LATEST EP PULL OUT COUCH. 

“Hi i’m cody my favorite color is yellow and I hate the sound of styrofoam being rubbed together. Along with long walks on the beach, I love the ocean and of course, making music,” reads twenty one year old Cody Lovaas’s Spotify bio. This lighthearted and honest opener mirrors the authenticity of Lovass’s recent EP Pull Out Couch. From candid moments in his “Oh No!” music video to stripped down tracks like “Be Here,” Pull Out Couch brilliantly captures moments from the singer’s life. I recently got the chance to ask Cody a few questions about the EP via email. You can read our interview below. 

IS THERE A STORY BEHIND THE NAME PULL OUT COUCH? WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THAT TITLE FOR THE EP? 

All the songs on the ep were written when I first moved to Los Angeles and lived on my manager's pull out couch...hence the title:)

WHAT WAS YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS LIKE? DID YOU WRITE THE SONGS KNOWING THAT THEY WOULD BE ON THE EP OR DID THEY EVOLVE INTO THIS BIGGER PROJECT? 

There are moments as an artist that feel like what you usually have to work so hard for is magically dropped right into your lap. I'm not saying this ep didn't have hundreds of hours of hard work put into it, but it did feel quite effortless while writing most of these songs. These songs encapsulate stories that are very often on my mind which I think made the entire process feel so natural. I also got to work with a lot of my close friends and incredible songwriters such as Grady Lee, Wyatt Sanders, Brad Blackburn, etc.

WHO WERE SOME OF THE OTHER PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE MAKING OF PULL OUT COUCH THAT HAD A BIG IMPACT ON THE PROJECT? 

Sebastion Sartor was the first producer who made me feel like I could really handle producing records on my own. He gave me so much confidence through the process of co-producing "Just So You Know" and "Tired.” I really love working with such an amazing producer, but most of all, I really love Seb for the incredible person he is...always.

WAS THE MAKING OF THIS EP DIFFERENT FROM YOUR PREVIOUS RELEASES? WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO PRODUCE?

This EP was definitely different for me. The ball was more in my court than ever. This was the first project that I really took the production into my own hands. I've always been very involved with production of my records, but this was definitely on a whole new level...and I loved it. There's nothing more rewarding than making every single decision and being a part of every single second spent in the studio.

DID IT FEEL DIFFERENT RELEASING PULL OUT COUCH IN QUARANTINE? WHAT DID YOU DO TO CELEBRATE THE RELEASE? 

My parents usually take me out to a steak dinner on release night, but we obviously couldn't do that this time, so we got a Costco steak and grilled it up at home instead. It was epic. There was something so lonely and so beautiful about driving down the empty highway that night, blaring the ep alone in my car, but i don't think I would've traded it. It was a beautiful moment to reflect.

NOW THAT YOU’VE HAD SOME TIME TO REFLECT, DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE LYRIC? 

I feel like it changes every day. Today it was "things have been sweet since we talked, I moved to the city with my songs, I guess it's what I've always dreamed, but it's hard, I saved a seat for you cause I thought you would be here"

WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST THING YOU LEARNED FROM THE EP? 

I've learned so much about myself through the release of this record. So many of my incredible fans and friends have asked me the greatest questions and shared their own interpretations of my songs which makes me reflect on my own views of these messages. Such a beautiful thing.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST THING YOU WANT OTHER PEOPLE TO LEARN FROM THE EP? 

Ah. There actually isn't one single, concise message during this EP. Just bits and pieces of a twenty one year old dude's story. I hope people can connect with something, feel something, listen to these songs over and over again, but remember the feeling of the first time they heard them as well.

WHAT DID I MISS? 

You did such a great job! Thanks for asking interesting questions and thank you for having me. 

THANKS CODY!!  YOU CAN FIND PULL OUT COUCH ON STREAMING SERVICES LIKE SPOTIFY AND APPLE MUSIC. GO LISTEN!