#☁️ ⠀ ⠀ INDIE RODRIGUEZ⠀ ﹕ ⠀ INTROSPECTION .

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☁️ ⠀  ⠀ ⠀  ⠀ ─── 𝙸𝙽𝙳𝙸𝙴 𝚁𝙾𝙳𝚁𝙸𝙶𝚄𝙴𝚉 : 𝙸𝙽𝚃𝚁𝙾𝚂𝙿𝙴𝙲𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽 .

an  insight  into  indie’s  mind  and  relationship  with  her  grandfather.  to  the  backdrop  of  her  paying  him  a  visit  at  his  home  .  /  found  here  .

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☁️ ⠀  ⠀ ⠀  ────── 𝙸𝙽𝙳𝙸𝙴 𝚁𝙾𝙳𝚁𝙸𝚀𝚄𝙴𝚉 : greatest hits .

Celebrating 15 years as a band, Make Happy has compiled a 25 track greatest hits album including fan favorites, longest number ones, and five new songs after a nearly 3 year hiatus. The album also includes ‘about the track’ messages from songwriter Indie Rodriguez to give insight to the beloved songs and ones to fall in love with it and a transcript of what she had to say about each song can be found below ! Take a listen in the source (bc tumblr wont let me link in post for some reason?), say so rock version here .

01. Turn it Off ( Paramore )

“ I wanted to put this song first because in all the time I’ve been a part of something this incredible, it’s still the most honest I’ve ever been with the band, with you the listener, and more importantly, myself. It came at one of the many lower points in my life and it really helped me come to terms with hitting rock bottom and climbing back up all over it. I come back to this a lot, and knowing it means as much to other people as it does to me is something that’s, truly, indescribable. ”

02. Until You’re Mine ( Demi Lovato )

“ I honestly don’t know why you all like this song so much, I sound insane. ” A small laugh is shared before she goes on. “ It’s suppose to be a song about a crush, or very extreme feelings for another person in a cute, sweet way but it just comes off as scary. And creepy. Which, I think is where the love crazy rumors stemmed from, but the instrumental is so cool and Lia brought in some of the coolest guitar riffs so I don’t hate it. I just think we were so obsessed with coming off as cool and edgy back then I accidentally made our soft songs, scary songs. But hey...── it was number one for a few weeks so a win is a win. ”

03. Fences ( Paramore )

“ Fences is a song that came about when Make Happy began really making waves, it happened so fast it really felt like we were thrown into an entirely different world overnight. Suddenly all these eyes were on us, we had to be hyper aware of the things we said, the way we acted, for fear that it could all be taken away. So we did what we still to this day do best, get in a room and complain about it. And Fences was born. ”

04. 26 ( Paramore )

“ It’s pretty well theorized, and joked about, that I’m a pretty cynical person because of the content in most of our music but I really not. Growing up, hope was what kept our lights on when we couldn’t rely on a check or help from anyone. We had to hope a miracle would happen, and I was raised by the biggest dreamer I know so hope came easy. I’m not saying I’m the world’s biggest optimist, I’m definitely not, but I can recognize when my hope is slipping and I need to get a hold onto it again and when i was 26, it definitely felt like I was losing sight of a lot and letting other people, specifically partners, dictate who I was. So I wrote this to kind of, I don’t know, snap myself out of it I guess ? ”

05. La Llorona ( Natalia Lafourcade )

“ If you’re from any part of Mexico then you’ve definitely heard the La Llorena legends, and growing up she was use to scare the kids into being obedient y’know ? ‘ If you keep crying, La Llorena is gonna get you ’, ‘ If you cut up I’m gonna call La Llorena to come get you ’ but I’ve always been very I guess ? Empathetic towards her ? In a way ? I know that’s bad the legend says that she killed her kids, but who told that story ? That’s right a man. So I don’t know if I believe it. I mean she’s wandering the earth crying out for her children still not her husband so, I’m just saying. When I got the chance to finally write and release music in Spanish for a Latine audience, her story was the first that came to mind. ”

06. Tu Si Sabes Quereme ( Natalia Lafourcade )

“ Fans have always wondered why my lyrics, and honestly the music as a whole, is a lot softer whenever I sing in Spanish and I honestly think it’s because the language I was shrouded in love with. When I get to speak, or sing, or listen to people speaking Spanish it’s always filled me with joy and comfort in a way that English never has and I think Tu Si Sabes Quereme is the best example of this. If I don’t sing about you in Spanish, it’s not real. Hate to break it to you. And I can count the amount of people I’ve sung about in spanish on one hand without using all five finger so, take that as you will. ”

07. ( One of Those ) Crazy Girls ( Paramore )

“ Do you know how many times I’ve been called crazy ? Like over the stupidest shit, I’m somehow the problem in every instance whether its with a partner, or within the media, so I leaned into it. Followed the narrative that people were making of me already, and it was actually a lot of fun to turn myself into fiction for a few minutes in the way people have been doing for my entire career. And the girls definitely enjoyed chipping in on tipping me further down the crazy scale. But, for the record, the acts described in this song are all false and hold no real weight. Please do not break into your ex's house. Or at the very least don’t say Make Happy told you to. ”

08. War With My Mind ( Crimson Apple )

“ This song speaks for itself really, but it’s about being in the kind of relationship where your heart is constantly battling with your mind to try and make it work. It’s one that makes me mad every time I sing it because why I would let someone drive me insane like that is...─── insane ! I think it is really freeing, and really scary to get to that point where you can admit that it isn’t love it’s you putting them above anything else because you want it to work. If there’s anything to take away from this one it’s trust your gut, not the douchebag. ”

09. Soon You’ll Get Better ( Taylor Swift )

“ I absolutely hate being vulnerable, surprise. When I wrote Soon You’ll Get Better it was a direct response to my abuelo’s diagnosis and I was so desperate for any God, all Gods, anywhere to hear this plea for healing that I was willing to shed away all the layers of protection I had built keeping, pretty much everyone, out for so long. I hoped in putting it out and getting thousands of people to pray along with me, that he would magically heal and things would magically get better. ” A shaky breath is taken before she’s able to swallow and continue. “ It didn’t work out like that, and I did end up needing to step away from major Make Happy activity as a result but what I did get was the kind of love, support, and well wishes that made the bad feel bearable. I could go through the worst thing I’ve ever been through in my life and come out on the other side and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to say thank you enough. ”

10. Break Your Heart Worse ( Crimson Apple )

“ This is the most gross part of myself, and I can’t believe I so boldly shared it with everyone ai dios mio. ” An embarrassed sigh passes before she speaks again. “ Listen, I’m not proud of the person I was when I wrote this and I’d like to confirm that no hearts were broken worse. At least not on purpose, but desperate times call for desperate measures. If you get it you get it, I don’t know. ”

11. Dead To Me ( Crimson Apple )

“ Stay away from men covered in tattoos ! Okay ? Did you hear that correctly ? Let me get closer. ” There’s some rumbling of clothing as she moves closer to the mic. “ Stay away from men covered in tattoos, tattoo artist, tattoo enthusiasts, just don’t do it ! The worst rollercoaster you’ll ever be on. I had to kill this man, in my mind of course, multiple times and he kept springing up like a got damn zombie or some shit. It’s just a bad time so just don’t. You can’t rely or lean on him, he’d rather die than listen to your problems so let him die. ”

12. Decode ( Paramore )

“ The Twilight song ! I think everyone knew it was coming, and it’s the song that got us mainstream play and a bit of popularity our record label wanted us to have if we were going to be making music with them so we’re very grateful to the team who selected us to write something for it. Fun fact, not a single one of us read that book because it was too damn big. We asked for a storyboard of a few scenes from the movie and went off vibes alone so I think it’s a testament to how lazy and talented we are, thank you. ”

13. Bittersweet Tragedy ( Melanie Martinez )

“ I wrote this song when I was like seventeen and I was turning everything into a fucking metaphor. Like this all started because I saw ice cream melt in the cone I was holding, and somehow that became a song about the honeymoon phase of a relationship never lasting too long, I don’t know but ya’ll seem to adore it...─── I will say though ! Beginning sweetness never stays is one of the best things I’ve ever written so I guess I can’t fully fault you guys for liking it so much but still. Embarrassing. ”

14. Basta Ya ( The Marias )

“ This song got us our very first Latin Music Award, in case you didn’t know, and it’s still one of my favorite songs. I had been feeling this longing in me for a certain someone for so long but hadn’t really ever put it down on paper before because that made it real, blah blah blah, anyway...─── i put it down on paper, and it came an insta-hit y esta persona todavía no sabe que se trata porque su español apesta. ”

15. Veracruz ( Natalia Lafourcade )

“ Veracruz is was a song I wrote specifically for my abuelo. Growing up, he always told me stories about meeting my late abuela in Veracruz while he was there looking for work, and how she made it feel like a vacation instead of a work excursion. They fell in love in 7 hours and mapped out their futures in 7 days he says. He just made everything sound so whimsy, and beautiful and I really hoped I captured that same essence in this for him. I know it’s his favorite thing I’ve ever wrote, so I’d like to think yes. And it’s one of my favorites for that very reason, but also because it comes from a place of love, not just from me, but from my grandparents as well. ”

16. Soledad y El Mar ( Natalia Lafourcade )

“ I’m just realizing that most, if not al, of our songs in Spanish are love songs so. Learning something knew about myself. Soledad y El Mar is about being so drawn to a person you want to drown yourself in everything they are. I focused on the idea of water, and waves specifically, because you can just come up from one before you’re submerged in another and that’s the kind of longing I was trying to convey. Wanting to be so consumed with another person you don’t even have time to breathe. I’m dramatic, I know. ”

17. Ghost ( Fefe Dobson )

“ Ya’ll I’ve been cheated on so much I don’t even know who this is about anymore, ain’t that sad ? It was written years ago, and was our first kind of dabble into make a song more pop than rock and I don’t hate. It’s not our strongest, I don’t know why you guys loved it so much but we still get called out for not performing it at every show which is so funny to me. I’m going to blame the tattoo man from earlier. Heed my warnings. ”

18. Ignorance ( Paramore )

“ It took me awhile to get good at cutting people off when I should, it’s something I still struggle with every now and again, but this song came from a time when it was especially bad. I let people try to define me and made their discomfort with my decision to make changes to myself my responsibility which is stupid so I just started finding my way out, and this song is a reminder of that and why that’s okay. Great song to scream when you’re pissed, really held up. ”

19. Born For This ( Paramore )

“ I think every band needs their staple, this is us, kind of song for both them and their fans and this is definitely ours. I’d love to say that this was our debut single, but that wouldn’t feel authentic to the struggle we went through. We spent so many years scared that we would be dropped from our label, and we really did think it was gonna be the last song we were ever gonna sing but I think it really did remind us why were doing what we do and it brought us closer to our fans and this will always be a show closer no matter how many years pass. ”

20. Say So ( Rock Cover, Doja Cat )

“ This isn’t even our song, but the way we were bullied to release a studio version of this special stage for the Grammys was incredible. Annoying, but incredible. We’re glad you guys loved it as much as we loved putting it together but now you can stop bullying us because you have it, thank you. ”

NEW MUSIC :

21. Idle Worship ( Paramore )

“ One thing I learned going away on hiatus is that a lot of people were dependent on me in ways I didn’t even realize before the hiatus. Since I wasn’t obsessively writing like I use to I was able to read through comments and stories, and as heartwarming as a lot of it was, a lot of it was pretty scary too. I think the line ‘ be sure to put your faith in something more, I’m just a girl ’ is the best way I could have contextualize how I felt reading those conversations. We’re going to let you down, that’s a given, we’re just humans at the core of it. Don’t hinge your happiness or healing solely on Make Happy. We don’t need blind defending, or blind support for that matter, we just need to put out music that makes people feel and that’s all we want from you. ”

22. Warning ( Crimson Apple )

“ It’s taken me a long to learn that people only want this idealized version of me, and then when they get to know me they become a bit...─── repulsed ? That sounds so bad, I know but that’s really how it feels a lot of the time. I feel like it’s something that happens every time, and it made sit back and think like i really should come with some kind of warning. Maybe then I’d just be left alone, but I guess putting this song out and promoting with this song will be the warning from now on so we’ll see if it works. ”

23. Carino ( The Marias )

“ Adoration in its purest form. It’s kind of like that idea of being speechless when you think about a certain someone, like all you can do is repeat yourself because there’s no way to describe them or the way they make you feel. There’s just not enough words, or the right words, to truly convey how incredible they are. The instrumental all just sounds like how butterflies feel to me...─── airy, light, free. It’s a sweet one. ”

25. Hold It Together ( The Marias )

“ Hold It Together was actually a love song I was going to use as a very light form of a confession to the person its about. I was coming to realize just how many songs I’d accidentally written about them, and that my feelings were a lot heavier than I originally thought. I wanted to take the plunge and do some cheesy 2000s romcom shit and serenade it to them, but they slid into a relationship with someone else before we finished recording and...── yeah, yeah that was embarrassing. Then the timing never felt right, so I think it’s only fair to release it into the world. Maybe you’ll have better luck with it than I did. ”

25. Fake Happy ( Paramore )

“ Given our band name, I don’t think it’s a surprise that we often find ourselves tackling the idea of happiness and what it means to be happy. After years trying to answer that great mystery of life, I think we’ve finally come to a place where we’re okay admitting that sometimes we’re just pretend happy. Or for the sake of the pun, or joke, or wordplay, or whatever, fake happy. ”

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☁️ ⠀  ⠀ ⠀  ─────── 𝙸𝙽𝙳𝙸𝙴 𝚁𝙾𝙳𝚁𝙸𝚀𝚄𝙴𝚉 : snapshots.

pictured : brady ackerman . ( @foxtcils ) 

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☁️ ⠀  ⠀ ⠀  ⠀ ─── 𝙸𝙽𝙳𝙸𝙴 𝚁𝙾𝙳𝚁𝙸𝙶𝚄𝙴𝚉 : 𝙸𝙽𝚃𝚁𝙾𝚂𝙿𝙴𝙲𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽 .

a    set    of    thought    provoking    questions    based    around    character    development    .    send    a    blue    emoji    to    explore    more    about    your    characters    .

🦋          »        what    would    your    character    do    if    they    knew    they    could    not    fail    ?

Less than knowing she couldn’t fail, I think if Indie knew she wouldn’t get hurt she’d more honest about her feelings to everyone. Obviously, it would be easier to confess how she feels about Brady but she’s also pretty closed off to everyone, not in a ‘ i’ll never tell you anything ever ’ kinda way, but only telling half-truths and constantly acting like nothing ever gets to her. Her family has this perception of her being this incredibly strong, independent, individual and though they crucified her for it when she was younger, they’ve come to expect that of her especially considering she’s her grandfather’s primary caretaker. She’s also the “fun” prima, the cool one, the one who brings the fun and never takes things too seriously. They’re also never shy to let her know what they think of how many partners she’s seen with and she feels like she has to act like she doesn’t care or those who have treated her poorly “win”. She wants to tell her family how stuff like that hurts her feelings, but she’s scared about what happens after being realize she’s more made out of glass than she is stone.

💙          »        name    3    things    your    character    is    grateful    for    .

Her grandfather, bandmates, and Brady or whatever.

💧          »        when    was    the    last    time    your    character    did    something    for    the    first    time    ?

Ever since her grandfather got admitted she takes him out on supervised visits to all the places they couldn’t afford when she was growing up. From restaurant, museums, even just booking a suite at a hotel and going down the room service orders together. She has a entire moments story dedication on her instagram to all the things they do together. Her favorite was going with him to visit Panama City, Panama where he’s from and where her mother was born. She made an event of it and brought along all the tias, tios, and primas. They always promised that her first time in the city would be together, she just wishes their trip could have been longer and can’t wait to go back.

🐟          »        what    does    your    character’s    voice    sound    like    ?    do    they    tend    to    use    simple    or    worldly    vocabulary    ?

Lowertoned, always a little raspy especially when singing, normally speaks relatively slowly unless she’s y’know pissed. In the day to day she’s very simple word usage but when she’s talking about what she’s passionate about or something that she’s thought about for awhile it’s absolutely very wordly and could go on forever. It’s one of the moments people realize how smart she actually is, or at the very least emotionally intellectual but only as a concept. She does not know how to talk about her own feelings don’t ask her please she’ll deflect. Also slips in and out of Spanish so easy, doesn’t even realize she’s doing it. Unless she’s angry, suddenly she only knows how to speak in spanish.

🦕          »        what    is    something    your    character    wishes    they    could    go    back    into    the    past    and    redo    ?

The entirety of her love life. Truthfully, even if she could go back to the start she wouldn’t have confessed to Brady because he was still in a very committed relationship and she was still very sure she was too wild too crazy for him BUT she would have ( at the very least ) stop the trend of going for the first person who told her three nice things and demanded to see her. She also would have believed someone when they told her who they were instead of pushing forward as if her affection and care for them would change them. Indie has a very habit of believing that things getting hard/starting to hurt isn’t a good excuse to give up because growing up she had to deal with worse and if the love can be saved she should try. Very much would like to stop believing that.

📘          »        what    is    a    memory    that    makes    your    character    feel    proud    ?    describe    the    memory    .

Surprisingly, Indie wasn’t always as forthcoming with her music. She started writing songs in the sixth grade when she joined the choir, and it wasn’t like she was shy about the fact she could sing, but getting her first instrument and learning to play was something that felt personal. It made her scared to share it with other people. Her abuelo actually caught her practicing on accident and asked to hear her play, and despite many voice cracks, very cringey 12 year old lyrics, and a few slip ups on the guitar, she played through her entire ( very short ) first original song. It really was his encouragement that kept her pushing through but she’s still proud of it and it’s one of the only times she can remember being willingly vulnerable with someone she was close with.

👕          »        what’s    in    your    character’s    handbag    /    briefcase    /    pockets    ?

At least two or three notebooks, sunglasses bc yknow she’s a celebrity or whatever, a silk scarf or bandana incase she needs to wrap her hair up, a power bank as she is very much attached to her phone,  wallet duh, chapstick / lipstick, wax pen, compact mirror, pens and pencils lots of them, planner she’s bad at keeping up with, mexican candies always.

🫐          »        is    your    character    proud    of    who    they    are    ?    describe    an    achievement    or    moment    they    are    proud    of    .

Career wise, and family wise she’s very proud of who she is. She’s recognized as a great producer and lyricist even getting the chance to write from some of her own favorite artists and not to mention the awards and tours are a definite help at making her feel like she’s been doing it right. Within her family she’s happy that she’s able to provide for them in the way they didn’t have when she was growing up, she’s always there for them when they need her and is getting her abuelo the best care she can. Introspectively, not doing so great. There’s a lot about herself she wants to change. Not so proud there.

🧊          »        what    does    your    character    first    notice    about    another    individual    ?

Saying their looks would be the easy cop out because she’s a whore but realistically it’s their laugh. When she was growing up, there were nights that the only thing that got her family through was sharing jokes and cracking up at each other so laughter and being able to laugh is very important to her.

🏙          »        what    does    your    character    value    more    ––    creativity    or    practicality    ?

CREATIVITY when tf has this bitch ever been practical ? She’s also just very impulsive so practicality would have never worked for this idiot.

🌧          »        describe    a    time    your    character    did    something    even    though    they    were    scared    .

Having to move to LA to record Make Happy’s first album was definitely the scariest thing she’s ever done because she was going to be away from her family who had been her biggest and only supporters growing up. As strong willed as she is, being away from them for so long was still terrifying but it was like her grandpa wanted that opportunity for her more than she did and she couldn’t turn it away.

💍          »        what    is    your    character’s    favourite    gift    that    they’ve    received    ?

The first “keyboard” her abuelo ever got her. It was an electric 37 key children’s piano he had thrifted, and the sound was just slightly off and muffled but she practiced on it every single night. Constantly spending whatever change she could find on more batteries for it. She still has it even though it doesn’t work anymore, she’ll never get rid of it.

🌊          »        how    old    does    your    character    feel    on    the    inside    ,    and    why    ?

Most closely to a young adult ? At least as it pertains to her love life like every love is the greatest love and every heartbreak is indicative of who she is. Also in the sense of the way she just can’t seem to stop making mistakes and then refusing to learn from them and continuing to make the same mistakes over and over.

💎          »        does    your    character    feel    they    have    passed    up    chances    that    they    presently    regret    ?    describe    what    they    were    .

Multiple times she’s had chances to tell Brady how she felt and then y’know didn’t because of her own fear that he wouldn’t want her in the same way and then she wouldn’t have him at all. As time went on and continues to go on and they go round and round she regrets not telling him sooner even if the answer would have been no because at least then she could have had some sense of closure. Yet, she still so badly wants it to be here at the end of the day so she’s still hoping time will lead them there in her own selfish way.

[overwhlcmed]

☁️ ⠀  ⠀ ⠀  ⠀ ──────────── indie tag dump !

☁️ ⠀  ⠀ INDIE RODRIGUEZ⠀ ﹕ ⠀ ANSWERED  . ☁️ ⠀  ⠀ INDIE RODRIGUEZ ⠀ ﹕ ⠀ THREAD  . ☁️ ⠀  ⠀ INDIE RODRIGUEZ ⠀ ﹕ ⠀ MUSING  . ☁️ ⠀  ⠀ INDIE RODRIGUEZ ⠀ ﹕ ⠀ VANITY  . ☁️ ⠀  ⠀ INDIE RODRIGUEZ⠀ ﹕ ⠀ INTROSPECTION  . ☁️ ⠀  ⠀ INDIE RODRIGUEZ ⠀ ﹕ ⠀ TEXT  .