Introducing Interview: Kid Cupid

Gigging together for over a year now, GIHE faves Kid Cupid have been building a reputation for their joyous, immersive live performances, with headline shows at The Garage, Proud Camden and Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen under their belts.

Now, having graced our ears with the cinematic electro-pop of last year’s single ‘Easy’, they’re ready to release their debut EP. We caught up with Laura from the band to find out more…

Hi Kid Cupid, welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about yourselves and what you do?
Hey there! Thanks for having us, we are a four piece alt pop band based in London.

How did you all initially get together and start creating music?
I wish there was some really profound story like we all met on a life changing rocket trip to the moon but sorryyyy the truth is that James and Laura met when working on a TV show (Jonathan Creek) James was in a band and asked Laura to feature on one of their tracks. Unfortunately that band decided to split up so James and Laura decided to create a new one, joined by a friend Ian and John was found on gumtree!!

Your new EP ​Unholy Ceremony ​is out next month, can you tell us a bit about it? Are there any themes running throughout it?
It is and we’re so excited to get it out there, we’ve really poured a lot into this debut EP. Theme-wise it’s a bit of an emotional rollercoaster – it’s based around conversations with a friend in need. The helplessness and the frustration of trying to drag someone you love back from a dark space. Saying that, the main single ‘Better’ is actually a celebration of the person, it’s us saying “if you could only see yourself how we see you”, and I think it’s something everyone can relate to.

You’ve been compared to the likes of Little Dragon and Låpsley, but who would you say are your main musical influences?
Such amazing comparisons there and we feel really humbled to be mentioned alongside them! For me (Laura), I grew up with female greats such as Kate Bush, Stevie Nicks, Joan Armatrading, Judi Tzuke (the list goes on), and I feel like I try to harness their amazing freedom/wildness/feminine energy when I write. But as a group we have so many varied influencers and genres, from soul and r’n’b to punk. We are also very inspired by film scores and cinematic soundtracks, so hopefully all of this enables us to blur/transcend genres ourselves.


You’ve previously wowed us with the uplifting energy of your live show at The Finsbury, but would you say there’s been a particular gig you’ve played that stands out as a highlight for you?
We had a blast at that gig so thanks again for having us! We headlined The Garage last year and that was a standout gig for us. The atmosphere was on point, we had our own light show and the stars just aligned! Hopefully that was the first of many to come and we will see you all out on a big old stage again soon, light show and all.

How is your local music scene? Do you go to see much live music?
London is just full of talent, we try and see as much as we can. Our favourite is heading into unexpected places and discovering a new band, it’s just magical!

As we’re a new music focused site, are there any other new upcoming bands/artists who you’d recommend we check out?
Check out our friends Bronte and Alesund! We’re also loving Ibeyi, Leif Erikson, Ardyn and Blaenavon.

And how do you feel the industry is for new bands at the moment – would you say it’s difficult to get noticed?
The music scene can feel a bit over saturated at times and that can be really daunting/disheartening as a band trying to get noticed. As long as we are having fun and making music that we love, we will continue! Hopefully people can see our passion for what we are doing.

Finally, what does the rest of 2018 have in store for Kid Cupid?
Onwards and upwards! We are heading to Berlin on June 13t​h​ to play a gig for FluxFM Bergfest, and then we plan to tour the EP and more writing!!

Huge thanks so Kid Cupid for answering our questions! 

Unholy Ceremony, the upcoming EP from Kid Cupid, is out 18th June.

 

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Introducing Interview: Candice Gordon

Candice Gordon is a Berlin based Irish artist who delivered a big slice of high-tension, trashy, garage rock with her latest single ‘The Kids Are Alt Right’. We talked about the mundanity of mainstream music and pop-culture phenomenons, before she signed off with an excellent list of artists that she recommends. Oh, and a shout out to a lost pair of her most valued black jeans.

Hi Candice, welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about how you got started as an artist?
I don’t think there was one definitive lightning bolt of a moment for me. It was a part of my personality to be turned on by exploration and adventure. From when I was a kid I loved the freedom and independence that busking allowed me. I travelled with my guitar and later with a crystal ball. Songwriting as an artform also appealed to me from early on.

You are originally from Ireland but now living in Berlin, what were your reasons for moving to Berlin?
Before Ireland I lived in Botswana. I had been living in Ireland for long enough that I wanted to get the fuck out again. I was depressed and suicidal, and Berlin seemed to be a decent option, and when I first came here it felt really right. I like the grassroots movements that happen in Berlin. At the moment there is a fightback against Google moving into a neighbourhood. I don’t think that sort of thing is common in a lot of other places. In Ireland they welcomed Google, Apple, and Facebook with open arms and tax breaks.

What are the differences between the music scenes in Berlin and Ireland?
Both Germany and Ireland have terrible taste when it comes to mainstream music. But I’m in Italy at the moment and there’s that common thread of god awful music on most all the radio stations, so I don’t know if there’s a place in the world that’s immune. There’s a lot of talent in Ireland for such a small country, but it’s not getting nurtured and celebrated like it should. Berlin is comparatively huge so there’s a huge amount of artists. A lot of great artists live here. I think in Berlin there’s an effort to push boundaries and break standards. I like that.

We’re loving your latest single ‘The Kids Are Alt Right’ (great name) – can you tell us a bit more about what inspired this?
I was looking at modern culture and the alt-right movement. When there’s the idea that young people are progressive, looking forward, and open-minded, it’s a surprise to discover that they are conservative traditionalists, looking backward. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that “alt” means “old” in German. Every time I see another pop-cultural phenomenon my expectations in humanity are lowered yet again. Be it ‘Gangnam Style’, or Nigel Farage. I think they’re all the same. It’s mob mentality and veneration. The chorus is a play on The Who song, but I don’t think they’re alright. I think they’re fucked. We’re fucked. But yeah, the song is roughly about data analytics and propaganda. On a deeper level, I think capitalism causes media to do shitty jobs – they can’t afford to have integrity, so they give Farage a microphone because he’s entertaining.


Am I right in thinking that it was aptly recorded in a basement in Texas soon after Trump’s inauguration? And you have been targeted by members of the alt-right online since it started streaming?
Yeah, I recorded it in Texas. We went over last year and the only food I could afford was tacos and donuts. Yeah, because of YouTube and Facebook algorithms, when I put the song up it got directed to alt-right people and they write comments and emojis, but it’s probably time sensitive because it was only during the first week or so. I feel if they are distracted by my video it’s serving a valuable purpose. The finished video is coming soon though, so fingers crossed I can catch some trolls.

The single was launched at Berghain in Berlin, how was the party?
It was a great gig. I lost a bag with my most valued black jeans and red Hawaiian shirt though, if anyone finds it.

Your music has been described in such a variety of ways from “gothic guitar-noir” to “garage rock raucousness” to “sweetly dark folk-tinged music” … Do you feel that you fall into any of these descriptions?
Yes, I think they’re all really good descriptions of elements of what I do. But I think genres are for marketers.

You are in the midst of your current tour, how’s that all going?
I am currently in Terni, Italy, eating cherries and drinking coffee in the sun. So it’s not bad. Great shows, great audiences, not enough sleep, too much car. Unsurprisingly incredible food.

What can fans expect from your live shows? And, more importantly, are you planning on coming to the UK anytime soon??
Let’s see… There’s drums, bass, synth, electric guitar. Sometimes there’s other instruments. I sing. I wear shoes. People clap. I sing some more. I was planning on a London show but now I’m booked up until I don’t know when!

Finally as we’re a new music focused site, are there any other new/upcoming bands or artists you’d suggest we check out?
A.S. Fanning – lyrics and tone to die for.
Alice Dean – acid beat straight from the lab.
Louis Brennan – Sartorial quips in song form.
Nina Hynes – fourth dimensional.
Paddy Hanna – manufactures earworms.
Badhands – sensationally crafted songs.
Gordon Raphael – endlessly entertaining.
Medicine Boy – representing psychedelic desert blues from Cape Town.

Huge thanks to Candice for answering our questions! 

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LISTEN: Amanda Palmer & Jasmine Power – ‘Mr Weinstein Will See You Now’

Matisse said that creativity creates courage. True. Arguably, to create art, one needs to be courageous. As a woman, in the midst of a movement that has been decades if not hundreds of years coming, you have to be courageous. As a woman creating art inspired and as a result of the trauma put upon us as having to be women, you have to be courageous.

Amanda Palmer ticks all of those boxes: a woman, an artist, and courageous.

This week, she released a song inspired by the #MeToo movement. It’s called ‘Mr Weinstein Will See You Now’ and its inception came out of a jam session between Amanda and Welsh singer-songwriter, Jasmine Power. Before that night at dinner, neither woman knew of or had met the other; to go from strangers to collaborators within hours is a rare occurrence, but a good one.

‘Mr Weinstein Will See You Now’ is a single story about and from a single woman with two voices and two minds. We’ve all felt that pull, now and again. Mr Weinstein may not be in all of our stories and his name might not even be uttered once in the lyrics of this track, but in ways, his foulness is.

I listened to the track over and over yesterday, and I’d put every cent I don’t have on betting I wasn’t the only one. Musically, it’s stunningly beautiful and powerful, but it’s in the lyrics that the truth comes to light. Too many women have blamed themselves for men taking advantage of them, and the shame of its occurrence never leaves.

Too many men with too much money and too much power who never give themselves a moment to think about their own actions, preying on victims who suffer in silence and think too much. It’s while writing this that it’s come out that Morgan Freeman has become another name to add to the list, and that list will continue to grow. But we must continue to listen to the women, the men, and the non-binary who have lived through it.

Since her humble, Dresden Dolls beginnings, Amanda Palmer has always kept the line between her and those who listen to her music slim. She likes to hear what people have to say and gives herself to them, and they her. This is evident reading her Patreon post about ‘Mr Weinstein Will See You Now’ and the comments in response to it. The stories, the truth.

100% of proceeds up of ‘Mr Weinstein Will See You Now’, up to 30th June, will go to the TIME’S UP legal defense fund.

Em Burfitt
@fenderqueer

 

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Introducing Interview: Greta Isaac

Innovative Welsh artist Greta Isaac has previously charmed our ears with singles ‘Tied’ and ‘Comfortable’ and is now back with another addictive slice of glitchy electro-pop.

Her project, as a whole, is an exploration into habits and destructive human tendencies. Each song explores and exaggerates a different unhealthy trait from the perspective of a neurotic character, and we can’t get enough of her sweeping soundscapes and soaring vocals.

With new single ‘Undone’ out now, we caught up with Greta to find out more…

Hi Greta, welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Hello! Sure – I’m welsh, 5ft 1 and I enjoy long walks on the beach.

How did you initially start creating music?
I’ve always loved singing, writing and listening to music – my parents are musicians so it was always in the house growing up. I was lucky enough to have an introduction to harmony and songwriting from an early age.

Your new single ‘Undone’ is out now – can you tell us what it’s all about? Are there any themes running throughout?
All my songs are sung from the perspective of various neurotic characters, all exaggerated versions of the fleeting thoughts we often have. ‘Undone’ is the embodiment of narcissism, someone who enjoys the thrill of perusing someone only for the joy of being admired.


You’ve been compared to the likes of Billie Eilish and Maggie Rogers, but who would you say are your main musical influences?
Ah that’s cool! I love Randy Newman’s chords and lyrical concepts, Rufus Wainwright’s theatrical and classical references, Nickel Creek’s percussive bluegrass folk instrumentation and Son Lux’s sparse and genreless production.

How is your local music scene? Do you go to see lots of live music?
The art scene in Cardiff is a humble one – there’s so much going on and so many talented folks doing amazing projects. Art wise – I’m a huge fan of Lucy Dickson, George Manson and Stephen Madoc Pierce – who did all the artwork for my releases. In terms of music, I tend to see a lot in London since I work there often. I’m seeing Yung Blud and my good friend Orla Gartland there this month.

And what can fans expect from your live shows?
Lots of dancing, drum bashing and awkward stage chat.

As we’re a new music focused site, are there any new/upcoming bands or artists you’d recommend we check out?
I love Sasha, Hannah Grace, Emma Miller and whyetc.

And how do you feel the music industry is for new artists at the moment – would you say it’s difficult to get noticed?
I think the industry and how music is being listened to is changing rapidly all the time – the thing that’s consistent throughout these changes are originality and a love for songwriting and connecting with an audience. I guess as long as you stay true to those things you can’t really go wrong!

Finally, what does the rest of 2018 have in store for Greta Isaac?
More music, more projects, collaborations, and a music video for ‘Undone’ coming soon.

Huge thanks to Greta for answering our questions! 

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