God Is In The TV recently caught up with Lily and Madeleine to discuss their new album, with a little Rihanna and Kendrick Lamar thrown in for good measure:
GIITTV :The new album, Keep It Together, is really wonderful – do you consider it to be your best so far?
Madeleine: Thank you! I’m very proud of it. I do believe it’s our best work so far, but we’re still growing and changing as artists.
Lily: Definitely! It’s the most personal and detailed album we’ve made so far.
GIITTV:If you were going to pick one of your songs to best represent or demonstrate your sound to someone unfamiliar, which one would it be?
M: That is difficult to answer, especially with the different styles on our new record. Perhaps I’d pick “Hourglass”.
L: I think I’d chose Chicago because I love the harmony part in that and we’re all about harmony!
GIITTV: What is your favourite gig that you have ever played, and why?
M: We played a gig at Boot and Saddle in Philadelphia a couple years ago, and Lily and I were exhausted from traveling. The last thing I wanted to do was get on stage and perform, but the crowd was so receptive and kind that they gave me energy and made me feel as comfortable as could be.
L: I really liked playing Joe’s pub for the first time a couple years ago. It’s such a beautiful space and it was our first show in New York and my first time even being in the city, it felt like a sacred moment and I was very grateful.
GIITTV: If you could collaborate with any living person, who would it be? And what about if you could magically bring back an artist from the dead to appear on one of your tracks?
M: Rihanna is a very interesting artist. I love her voice and her latest album is wonderful. Collaborating with her would be fun.
L: I would collab with a rapper probably, like making a more playful pop song with Big Sean would be cool and different from what we usually do. And as far as dead artists I’m not sure, probably Amy winehouse because the world deserves to hear her voice again.
GIITTV: What is the best song ever written?
L: I love Alex Turner’s songwriting style. It’s sometimes seemingly random but after listening a few times through the meaning hits you. And im not sure its the best but I really like the song 505 from Arctic Monkeys Favorite Worst Nightmare.
GIITTV: And your favourite album(s) of all time?
M: I love “I Want That You Are Always Happy” by The Middle East and “Morning Phase” by Beck.
L: I fucking love Hot Fuss by The Killers. It’s so theatrical and intense!
GIITTV: Which current artists do you consider your contemporaries, or artists that you admire?
L: I don’t think of myself as existing anywhere near the plane that Kendrick Lamar and Beyonce are on, but I really love their music and admire the statements they’ve made lately in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Musicians with platforms should use their powers for good.
GIITTV: Did you share your records / CDs as children…what was the first one that you bought, either individually or collectively?
M: Aly and AJ’s “Into the Rush” was always on repeat when we were kids. We would bring our CD player outside in the backyard by the trampoline and listen to is while we jumped.
L: Lol yesss Into the Rush. Also I remember us listening to a Bach’s Greatest Hits CD constantly up in our room.
GIITTV: What is the last album you bought / downloaded / streamed?
L: I’ve been streaming Anti lately but the last album I bought was Little Dragon’s Nabuma Rubberband.
GIITTV: Are you planning some dates in the UK?
M: We are! Nothing is fully booked yet but we definitely have plans to be in the UK soon.
L: Yeah I can’t wait to get back to Europe!!
GIITTV: When you are touring around the world, is there any American article that you have to keep a supply of, or that you wouldn’t want to be without?
M: We love American tabloids/entertainment magazines like People and US Weekly. They’re fun to read during long flights.
GIITTV: What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
M: I got a fortune cookie once that said “Listen to what you know instead of what you fear” and I think that’s surprisingly insightful. I think about that statement when I’m feeling overwhelmed by work.
L: That’s a hard question. I know everyone’s always saying “be yourself” but I think a better reminder is that you can be whatever kind of person you want yourself to be, it’s all up to you.
Keep It Together is released by New West Records on 26th February 2016.
