Eartheater tackles the cosmic joy of motherhood

In the wake of her latest album, Heavenly Body: If I’m The Bottle You’re The Message, Eartheater has emerged with a project that feels both deeply intimate and sonically expansive. While she initially feared the record might be too personal for her audience to fully grasp, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. The album, which draws inspiration from the conception, gestation, and birth of her first child, serves as a testament to the intersection of body horror and divine joy.

Eartheater backstage at Bowery Ballroom.Vivian Medithi / The FADER

Speaking from backstage at the Bowery Ballroom, Eartheater reflects on the creative process behind the project. She notes that the album’s aesthetic, art-directed by her friend Yasz, leans into the concept of wabi-sabi—the beauty of things that are cracked and repaired. This theme mirrors her own journey of being “cracked open” by the experience of motherhood and subsequently finding healing.

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The album’s sonic landscape, produced in collaboration with Dave Cerminara, utilizes modular synthesis and vintage drum machines to evoke a sense of nostalgia and raw emotion. Eartheater explains that the drums were often the result of “magical wielding of sorcery” on a wall of synths, capturing the specific, intense feelings of early motherhood. A standout moment on the record is the collaboration with Oklou on the track “Fast Asleep,” a lullaby that highlights their shared experience of becoming mothers around the same time.

Eartheater backstage at Bowery Ballroom.Vivian Medithi / The FADER

When asked about the confidence she displays regarding motherhood, Eartheater is candid. “I feel like I was really meant to do this,” she says, noting that she thrives in the crisis-driven nature of parenting. For those looking for practical advice, she recommends the Tushbaby, a versatile hip-seat carrier that has become an essential tool in her daily life. Ultimately, Heavenly Body stands as a bold, honest exploration of a life-altering transition, proving that Eartheater’s artistic vision remains as sharp and evocative as ever.