Wild Ones released their second album Mirror Touch this month, and as I listened to the third and final single from the record, ‘Invite Me In’, the delicate vocals of Danielle Sullivan draw me in as the gentle bass begins to fuzz in the background. A pure slice of indie-electro pop that made my finger stay firmly pressed on repeat all day.
We caught up with lead singer Danielle to talk inspiration, Portland’s local music scene and their upcoming tour supporting Tennis where Wild Ones’ songs will hit hard and she will yell louder than your headphones could ever allow.
Hi Wild Ones! Welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a little bit about your latest musical project?
We are a dream-pop band from Portland, OR. Our new record, Mirror Touch, is percussive, direct, and considers the boundaries between self and other when creating art.
What initially inspired you to start creating music?
Thomas and I had neighbouring lockers in high school and shared one thousand mix CDs full of bands like múm and The Microphones. We were completely enamoured. We started our first band the summer after our senior year and booked our first show before we had written any songs.
We’re loving the new single ‘Invite Me In’ – what’s it all about?
‘Invite Me In’ is about living a guarded life for the sake of protection and what is means to create a constructed image of oneself. It’s about the feeling of fear and relief when you finally let someone in.
You’ve been compared to the likes of Alvvays, but who would you say are your main musical influences?
That’s a very kind compliment because I love Alvvays and have been listening to their new record when I warm up for shows. The answer to this question is very different depending on which member you ask. For me, I was listening to a lot of Empress Of, ELO, and The Dream as we were writing the record.
How is your local music scene? Do you go to see lots of live music?
Portland is constantly brimming with new bands. There are shows every night in every genre in every corner of the city. I go to shows fairly regularly and recently fell in love with the music and performance of Amenta Abioto. I’m extremely excited that we get to play together at our record release party this weekend.
And what can fans expect from your live shows?
My favourite aspect of live shows is giving a performance in a world of its own and being present with the audience in that space. The songs hit harder and I yell louder than what you will hear in your headphones. Sometimes I’ll stare at you so long that you have to look away.
As we’re a new music focused site, are there any other new/upcoming bands or artists you’d suggest we check out?
Yes! A few upcoming Portland bands full of shredding babes are Sunbathe, Black Belt Eagle Scout, and Blossom.
And how do you feel the music industry is for new artists at the moment – would you say it’s difficult to get noticed?
The internet is a blessing and a curse in this way. In a sense it levels the playing field and makes it possible for bands like Passion Pit to be picked up by a label from one two minute MySpace demo. In other ways it makes it nearly impossible to make a living.
Finally, what does the rest of 2017 have in store for Wild Ones?
We are heading out on tour with Tennis to support our new record this fall. I am super excited because I love what they do and can’t wait to hit the road again. It’s been over a year since we’ve toured so I look forward to seeing new and familiar faces across the western states.
Huge thanks to Wild Ones for answering our questions!
Tash Walker
@maudeandtrevor
Photo Credit: Jeremy Hernandez
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