an e-chat with Whisper Doll

Whisper Doll, a New York based four-piece bringing whimsy back into every day life, recently released their sophomore album titled Lucky Clover.

I had a chance to chat with vocalist and guitarist Fiona Tagami about the creative process of Whisper Doll’s latest release, inspirations behind the record, and New York’s unparalleled independent music scene.

Make sure to keep up with Whisper Doll - you don’t want to miss a single thing from them!

words by eva

Congratulations on the recent release of Lucky Clover! With this being your second full-length album, can you tell us a bit about the creative process behind Lucky Clover and how your writing/production within the tracks may differ from your 2024 record, Perfume Garden?

Thank you, we are so happy the record is finally out! I made Perfume Garden in Atlanta with my friends there, so the recording process was very different than Lucky Clover, but the creative process for my own personal writing remained the same. I like to write the songs acoustically first, late at night. Sometimes the entire song comes out in one go; sometimes it takes months for it to fully form. Lucky Clover was made within a year, whereas Perfume Garden was written across 3 years. We recorded this record fully in NYC between Vinegar Hills Studio in Dumbo and producer Oscar Compo’s bedroom studio. The process was a lot more streamlined than before, with more resources.

You’ve mentioned that Lucky Clover comes from a time in your life where you were trying to cultivate whimsy and a sense of possibility, stating “It’s about this switch of trying to be in the world as a hopeful person” and “Seeing the good in everything”. As someone on a similar journey, was there a specific moment that inspired the change in mindset? How did this switch present itself in your day-to-day life? 

I’d always felt a sense of commitment to music and Whisper Doll but never had the time or structural support to pursue it fully. A big moment for me was meeting Rob Glander from Take Care Records. We met at the perfect time in my life and gave me the opportunity and resources to follow through with this project in the way I always hoped to. Another moment that inspired this mindset was adopting my sweet cat Lucky from a bodega near where I lived in South Brooklyn. I felt an immediate connection with him and felt so lucky that my friends who worked at the bodega offered him to me on my birthday last year. It's been very gratifying to watch as he cleaned himself up, put on some weight, and got healthy. His beautiful face graces the inside of our CD and Vinyl design, along with some cyanotypes of clovers thanks to my sweet roommate Riley. Adopting him came with lots of challenges, as did making this record, but I just feel so grateful for it all. 

What do you hope your audience takes away from Lucky Clover as a whole?

I hope that they can enter into our world and feel fully immersed.

With drawing inspiration from art such as the photography of Jane Sojka and the 1966 movie Daisies, how do you facilitate both the visual and sonic artistic visions for Whisper Doll into coming alive? Are there any specific aspects from art you enjoy that are shown within your live performances, recorded tracks, merch or general visual identity?

Building up our world is so fun for me! I wouldn't say there's one specific way I facilitate it; I think it's just about slowly gathering inspiration. Whisper Doll's world is intuitive to me, and it's very fun to share it in a way other people understand and can immerse themselves in. The art and images I love the most are those that make me feel a sense of freedom. Daisies is a great representation of that. The visuals are so visceral and cohesive, and the girls in the film act with zero inhibitions. I love aspects of art that make you feel free, lucky, and whimsical, and I hope Lucky Clover can be that for someone else. 

Were there any challenges in transitioning from a solo Atlanta-based project into a full New York band? 

I moved to New York City when I was 18; I knew nobody, and it definitely took me a while to find and understand the scene. I didn't know how to release my own music, book shows, make flyers, edit music videos, design merch, lead a band…. There were so many learning curves, too many to write down. But it's super gratifying to look back and see how much I've learned. It's always about the process for me. Blowing up overnight doesn't appeal to me. I'd so much rather take all of the small steps, meet other artists, get to know the scene around me, and learn how to do things for the project myself. I think success feels more gratifying and meaningful that way.

New York is home to an incredibly vibrant indie music scene. Are there any distinct ways this culture has influenced you, or any local artists that you think more people should be paying attention to?

The culture here has totally impacted me. It completely opened up my world. There is so much amazing music here; it's hard not to be inspired all the time. The Take Care Records roster has some amazing artists: Starcleaner Reunion, Trinket, Blums, Kierst, Truman Flyer. All worth a listen!

What’s the most difficult aspect of being an up-and-coming artist right now, and what’s something that’s gotten easier?

The most difficult thing is how to navigate your time. Most of my friends and I need other jobs to sustain ourselves, and it can be difficult to navigate supporting yourself and your art. It can also be complicated emotionally to treat your art like a business. Something that has gotten easier is music discovery; it's never been easier to put yourself out there than it is now. 

What can your audience expect from Whisper Doll throughout the remainder of 2026 and beyond?

We are finishing up our album release tour at the end of October (Fordham University 10/23 & University of Connecticut 10/31).

We will be back in Brooklyn Nov 7th for the No One Else Says Festival in Greenpoint, and I am playing a solo acoustic set at Baby’s All Right Nov 24th. It might be all new material; not sure yet! My head is swimming with ideas for the next project; I can't wait to share more in 2027.