How ‘Survivor,’ Painting & Chili Inspired Remi Wolf’s New Album ‘Mud’
The alternative-pop singer reveals the shows and hobbies that helped her create her latest work.
Remi Wolf's third studio album, Mud, released on October 9 through Island Records, is a vibrant and introspective collection of songs inspired by various elements of her life. The album's raw and unfiltered sound reflects Wolf's personal journey through love, loneliness, and self-doubt, much like the gritty dirt she embraced during the album's creation.
One of the key influences for Mud was the reality TV show Survivor, which Wolf watched while recording the album. She spent time researching how the show creates its mud pits, even visiting a similar process in real life. She explains, "You can't just go to Home Depot, buy a bag of dirt and put water in it because it has f—king parasites in it. So, I researched how Survivor went about creating theirs. They're on some crazy s—t. They're shipping dirt out from the U.S. and fully sifting gallons and gallons of mud and dirt."
Wolf's emotional state during the album's making was raw and vulnerable, which she likens to the feeling of being covered in mud. She describes the process as a "very cleansing record to make for me," stating that she was left with "all these beautiful minerals and your skin’s all clear."
In addition to Survivor, Wolf turned to painting and chili-making for creative inspiration. She began using oil pastels daily, pouring her emotions into intense six-hour sessions. One of her drawings of inflatable tube men inspired the music video for the single "Bottle," which features nine figures stuck in place, representing the song's theme of being trapped.
Another inspiration came from Wolf's love for chili. She had been perfecting her recipe for the past two years, using it as a way to bring people together during her recording sessions. The chili recipe consists of browned bacon, charred peppers, and a mix of pinto and kidney beans. For Wolf, sharing the dish with her bandmates was a symbol of love and connection, saying, "If people like the chili, I’m like, ‘I love you,’ and you feel it."
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