Quinn Christopherson has a lot of gratitude. As a trans man and an Alaskan-born Native artist, there were a lot of people in his life that helped him get to where he is today, having just released his debut album Write Your Name In Pink to an outpouring of positive reviews. This gratitude is expressed in his album’s opener, aptly titled “Thanks,” which repeats his appreciation throughout its three-minute runtime. Christopherson sings of feeling thankful for being told he is smart, for people believing in him, and, among other things, being taught it’s okay to be wrong.

Much of Christopherson’s Write Your Name In Pink looks to the past with kindness, featuring thoughtful prose that can be likened to talented indie lyricists like Phoebe Bridgers and Christian Lee Hutson. Songs like the rolling, acoustic guitar ballad “2005” reflects on middle school which, although difficult, is now seen as a simpler time. Other tracks like the euphoric “Celine” lean more upbeat, combining shimmering chords and a triumphant chorus to create an overall joyous jam.

Christopherson’s music has already been recognized by venerable musicians, even before his debut album was released. He just finished opening for Angel Olsen, Sharon Van Etten, and Julien Baker on their The Wild Hearts Tour, where he got the chance to share his music to crowds of thousands. To celebrate the release of Write Your Name In Pink, Christopherson sits down with Uproxx to talk forging mushrooms, his grandma’s storytelling, and sewing his own clothes in our latest Indie Mixtape Q&A.

What are four words you would use to describe your music?

It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

In 2050 I hope that my music is remembered as art that exists as its own. That being a thriving queer person and thriving/visible Native person is normal and championed that the music stands alone as a unique and honest portrayal of one specific person’s life. I hope that the people who respond to it now — who identify deeply with my stories still find strength, energy, and encouragement from my music in the future. And I hope those fans are thriving, living exactly how they want to live.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?

Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?

My grandma Mary Alee’s storytelling has always inspired my songwriting.

Where did you eat the best meal of your life?

The best meals are the meals that we catch & gather ourselves! Salmon my partner caught, with fiddleheads and morel mushrooms we gathered.

What album do you know every word to?

Usher’s Confessions Part II.

What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?

What is the best outfit for performing and why?

I don’t have a format for outfits at the moment, but lately my favorite colors to wear have been white, beige, brown, and green.

Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?

What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?

“Follow Me” by Uncle Kracker.

What’s the last thing you Googled?

What album makes for the perfect gift?

Definitely depends who I’m giving it to!

Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?

What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?

I have a grocery cart on my arm because my grandma used to say her favorite activity was grocery shopping. We’d go together every week and just take our time through every aisle and find something good to cook for dinner.

What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?

What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

That if all I have is 2 chords, I can still say something important.

What’s the last show you went to?

HAIM in Washington, D.C.

What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?

What’s one of your hidden talents?

I love to sew and make clothes!

Write Your Name In Pink is out now via Play It Again Sam. Get it here.