With the release of her summer album, Forensis, Loch Nisse Monster has been making a name for herself in Ottawa’s music scene — doing everything from heavy lifting behind the scenes to on-stage performances.
Loch Nisse Monster — also known as Nisse Anonby* — is also in her fourth year of studying music and arts management in business at Carleton University.
The Charlatan sat down with Anonby to get an inside look at her creative process and performance opportunities.
TC (the Charlatan): How did the name “Loch Nisse Monster” come to be?
NA (Nisse Anonby): I was actually at a party a couple years back, and someone was thinking about my given name and wondering if it was related to the Loch Ness Monster.
Obviously, I’m like, “You know what? That would be kind of a sick artist name.” So I took it and inserted my own name in it.
TC: What about your lyric writing process? Do you start before or after the sonic component with the songs?
NA: I’m very much a lyricist. My process always used to start off with poetry and lyrics, but as I’ve developed more musically, it varies whether I’m inspired by a certain riff or a melody, or the lyrics themselves, which have a melodic feel to them.
TC: How was the creation process for your Forensis album?
NA: I was writing a lot of metaphorical, dark things as it related to Forensis as a concept. It’s a crime scene as a metaphor for a breakup. I was writing a lot in that vein, to the point where it kind of made sense for the album to have this theme.
The songs morphed themselves into that, even though I took lots of different subjects and brought them into the concept album.
TC: Do you have a personal favourite on Forensis? Is it a track you thought would be popular?
NA: All of the songs are really special to me for different reasons. People have brought up pretty much all the songs to me as being their favourite at different points. There’s really been a variety, and it’s been really cool to see that.
I really love the harp and the slide guitar on “Avoiding (Seeing You)” and the guitar solos on “Yer No Fun.” “Blueprints” and “Birmingham” are really fun too.
TC: I wanted to get into the music event organizing and coordination you’ve done in Ottawa, whether that be Indie Folk Fest or Soul & Roll. How is it getting into that process?
NA: It definitely helps being the artist and knowing exactly what an artist needs and what an audience member is looking for. Before I even started putting together shows and events and being involved in the industry in other ways, I was able to see it from that side.
Whether it be venue owners, media or other music industry companies, you’re able to form those connections while knowing what an audience member wants and build it that way.
TC: Do you still see live performances as important for an artist in the streaming era?
NA: They are essential.
People can make a living in many different ways — you can be an artist completely online if that’s what you want.
But something that AI or other new technology we’re seeing can’t provide is really moving live performances, and that’s what people want to go out to see.
That’s what will move them, or make them feel something, or just allow them to have fun.
TC: What’s next for the Loch Nisse Monster?
NA: We have some shows coming up, applying for funding for recording new music.
But for now, I’m really working on promoting Forensis, because good art is timeless, and I think it just has to go out and reach people.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
*Nisse Anonby has previously contributed to the Charlatan.
Featured image by Simon McKeown/the Charlatan
