Introducing Critical Space Theory
We're excited to share the origin story of our first interview. The team has been a fan of Cay, So when the time came for us to do a live band performance at the Living Room, We noticed she had recently started Critical Space Theory and it was perfect timing, We couldn't be happier to have them as our first band collaboration.
Critical Space Theory is an alternative pop/rock band from Virginia (757), who formed on a whim in February 2024. The trio consists of CAY (vocals), Alana (guitar) and 1Pump (drums).
Critical Space Theory initially came together after CAY invited Alana and 1Pump to back her for a solo performance. What started as a one-time collaboration revealed the diamond in the rough they were sitting on. The enthusiastic reactions from the crowd, social media, and even passing bystanders during their practice sessions confirmed that they had something special worth exploring further.
Members:
Alana (Guitarist): Radio personality, by day; an axe-slinger, by night, and crop top goddess!
1Pump (Drummer): Lives and breathes the drums; playing for Saekyii/ Eric Penn/ Nothing, No Where, Now Here/ & now Critical Space Theory.
CAY (Vocalist): Expressive singer/songwriter with a distinct sound/style. Away from Critical Theory she’s celebrated for her solo work.
INTERVIEW Q&A
SSVA: First off, how did you come up with such a dope name?
Alana: Well funny story, my mom called me one day while I was at work. And she's like "I came up with a name for your band!" I was like, girl what!? I'm on air right now. She was like, "Critical Space Theory...you know, like Critical Race Theory." Then I told y'all and I was like I mean it's kind of corny but yall were like nah, we f*ck with it!
CAY: Yeah, we definitely liked it off rip, we didn't need to hear anything else!
1Pump: Literally, she snapped!
SSVA: What inspired you to make music?
1Pump: I feel like it's my purpose on earth. I honestly get physically sick if I don't make music. I used to try to not go to the studio sometimes and I really caught a cold.
Alana: I always need some sort of outlet for creative expression. And I think that music is just the easiest for me, besides talking because I'm good at talking too. It exhilarates the cells in my body, I start getting chills when I play music. It's like drinking water, it's just a necessity.
CAY: I feel like I'm not that expressive in saying how I feel, that music gives me a voice...where I feel like I can say exactly what I want to say, where I normally wouldn't say anything. So it's essential for me to have that or I would blow up, because I have a lot of feelings and somebody needs to hear it...and apparently people like to hear it better in a song.
SSVA: Can you share the story of the first song you guys created together?
Alana: Ooo Yes! Because that was epic! 'Crazy' was iconic and we have it on camera!
CAY: 'Crazy' wasn't even crazy at first it was a rendition of my song 'Thinking About You'. And I wanted it to sound completely different.
1Pump: Yeah, Alana was playing and I was like play that note right there but play it like this! *hums and shows her on the drums*
Alana: Yeah, then we just got into that zone! On the recording you can tell that it gradually turned into something but it got more alternative and a little more aggressive as we got on. But as far as actually singing it...I feel like that came from a genuine place of like "I really feel like I've been actually going crazy"...like that came from that place...that came out of you.
CAY: Yeah, because the song was originally 'Thinking About You', I was trying to do a spin on that concept and with the instrumental getting more alternative and hard it felt like the innocently infatuated energy of the original song was getting kind of obsessive and made me think of "going crazy" but as we went on free styling, I feel like I tapped into something really raw.
I started thinking about the emotion of "going crazy" and somehow I unrooted a deeper wound of mine related to my father. I can't remember if I told the band this that day but I don't mind sharing now...but my dad wasn't really present in my life and very early on it was something that plagued my mind wondering "why" or "was it me" and although, I know the answers now, it's still one of my deepest wounds of wondering for so long. Rattling my brain trying to find answers made me feel crazy.
At that point all we had was a hook but once I started writing the rest of the verses, I really wanted to think about what I wanted this song to be about. Everyone who had initially heard us creating the song felt like because the instrumental was more aggressive and the hook was about losing my mind that I was angry...but I wasn't so I just couldn't write from that perspective.
So I thought about how it related to me today...and it became about the dance between doubt and faith. I feel crazy for believing in something bigger than myself but I'm also seeing it happen before my eyes...so I really just wanted it to be a message to people and myself to keep going, keep fighting through whatever is making you feel crazy until you break through.
It was special and kind of spiritual...you really just had to be there honestly.
SSVA: Have you faced any challenges or creative differences when working as a band?
1Pump: Yeah, we already kicked someone out. We had to come to the conclusion that it was just us, it was the big three.
Alana: We made an impulsive decision and we had to correct it. So that was difficult because, I know me at least, I had got comfortable with the way we were becoming...so that was a challenge. But overcoming that, we came back stronger than ever!
Cay: Exactly, and I know for myself, it was difficult to be the one to break the news because it's always hard delivering bad news and we're friends so I didn't want to see them down but I knew I needed to do what was best for the band.
And that whole experience, is actually what birthed '1305' our second song. That was the moment we went back to the start, I felt like we needed to reset and start over. That's actually what influenced that song's lyrics but we made it about a guy or a failed romantic relationship on the surface but in it's essence it really isn't about that lol
SSVA: What is the song writing and creating process like?
CAY: We just do whatever...Pump may play something, Alana may play something, and I may sing something and we just build off of each other. It's a very free flowing process, it's not structured at all. We just kinda go off of what we're feeling in the moment.
Alana: Literally, I feel like it comes out of jam sessions. Making something out of nothing for real.
SSVA: What has been the most memorable band moment so far?
Alana: Ooo, I love this question!
1Pump: Mine, is the hockey game.
Alana: Let me think because this is hard! Like guys, I've had a couple moments where I'm like...
CAY: Same! I've had a lot of moments too where I go home and I'm like...oh my god...
Alana & CAY (in unison): I love the band!!!!
Alana: Honestly, I love our intimate moments a lot. I know it's so cliche, but I love making music together. That's my favorite thing that we do.
CAY: Me too! Honestly, I think it's when we go to band practice and we have full day of hanging out afterwards.
Alana: Yes!!! Because after we hang out and we go BACK to playing....
CAY: Honestly, I think it was the first time Pump got to hang out with us the full day because he usually goes to another band practice after ours. That was probably my favorite!
1Pump: Yeah, I was about to say that.
Alana: That was when we came up with the beginning of '1305'!!!
That day we had a early practice, we had gone on a walk, we stayed in the car and rolled up a little bit, got food, we got ice cream, we did a bunch of stuff...we went to that random bar to use the bathroom. We were a little turnt!
SSVA: If you could choose one thing what is the main thing you want your listeners to take away from your music?
1Pump: Raw emotions.
Alana: Yes! I love raw emotion. I love feeling things very thoroughly. And I want them to feel what we're in.
CAY: Yes! When I think about the time we made 'Crazy', I really want people to feel that. I want them to feel what it felt like to make that song.
Alana: Inviting them into our experience.
1Pump: The way Nele feels whenever she hears us play. She hears it like it's new every time.
Alana: When we really get in that mode I can't help but to start screaming. Like Cay when you hit a certain note, or Pump when you hit a certain part of the drums I have to scream, I can't help it. It's like Stimming. I have to get it out in some way and typically it's screaming.
CAY: I know for us, it inspires us to make more songs, but I want people to feel good and inspired about life.
Alana: I just want our energy to transfer to them.
We're excited to continue growing and implementing more things to make our performances more impactful and really provide an experience. We want to make sure we're intentionally crafting our future performances to really exude the energy we feel at practice and transfer that to our listeners/audience.
SSVA: How do you balance your music career, with your personal and professional life?
1Pump: I'm not doing good at it and I'm about to turn back to drugs.
Alana: I'm not gonna lie, there isn't balance. When I'm doing something I do it to the fullest, then move on to the next thing and do that to the fullest but I don't have a balance.
1Pump: Right now, I'm not feeling too good. My balance is usually weekdays is yada yada but weekends is this but I don't have that now so...
CAY: My balance is kinda all over the place too, it's not that great right now either, my entire life is pretty much my music life and that's about it. And whatever is left goes to the other areas, which isn't great but I'm trying to do better.
Alana: So none of us have balance lol
CAY: Yeah...I'm trying to do it all and that's not working so well right now...
1Pump: Yeah, I need to focus on one thing at a time. I''m better at that. I'm better at everything when I'm doing one thing at a time.
SSVA: Pharrell or Kanye who is the better producer?
1Pump: Kayne.
Alana: Kayne. Pharrell is obviously very talented though.
CAY: Kayne. Kayne get's in a lot of different pockets...I feel like they're both great for different reasons and I don't feel like you can really compare the two.
SSVA: Michael Jackson or Prince?
CAY: I'm picking Michael Jackson.
Alana: Michael Jackson is the blueprint.
1Pump: Micheal Jackson is the reason I make my performances an experience. Because that's true experience! Part of his show was just gazing into the crowd while fans passed out. Like he planned for them to pass out...
SSVA: Drake or Kendrick?
Alana: Kendrick lyrically...
1Pump: I don't care for either for real.
Alana: Yeah! I like Drake's music don't get me wrong...
1Pump: Yeah, nobody can make Take Care, but nobody can make m.A.A.d. city.
CAY: Yeah! m.A.A.d city and Take Care are both up there for me.
But Kendrick definitely won...
1Pump: Yeah, Sing About Me and Shot For Me, come on b...
Alana: Yeah, I mean like I said Drake in his own right...
CAY: Yeah, Drake has a full catalog of songs that I love.
1Pump: I don't care who wrote it.
Group: Laugh in unison.
SSVA: Beach life or downtown city life?
1Pump: Beach! I'm a beach-er.
CAY: Boffum! But I love the beach! I would pick the beach over the city any day!
Alana: Yeah, I couldn't live somewhere where there's no beach.
Together, Critical Space Theory is ready to take you on a journey that transcends time and space.
Band Intro Written by: Cay