Interview: Macedo

I blogged about the cool twin L.A. duo Macedo earlier this week and mentioned that their new EP Paper Doll will be released next year. Well, I had the chance for Michelle from Macedo to answer some questions about their music and their new EP.

Firstly, as you are twins, do you ever argue when it comes to writing music or is being twins a benefit for you?

We honestly have never argued over writing music. We just add to each other’s ideas and test them out on the other. The benefit of being twins and collaborators is that we never shut down each other’s ideas but we know we can be honest with each other. When you have that close of a connection and are on the same wavelength it really becomes about making the best song and leaving egos at the door.

On your Facebook page you have posted/shared links and pictures about women who stand up for things such as ’30 Women Who Kicked Ass in 2013′ and a picture Frida Kahlo dressed as a man. Are these strong female role models an influence for you music or stage presence at all?

Absolutely, we are greatly inspired by women who voice themselves. That is a huge factor in creating our music. We feel that it is important, especially for women who have been historically silenced, to have a voice. We have always been interested in gender roles and challenging traditional roles. Frida Kahlo in particular, is a huge role model for us. She was unapologetic with her art and changed the art world for women. She was not afraid to be truthful and dark.

People have said your music is indie pop but others have said it is alternative. How would you describe your music?

We aren’t too concerned with the specific style of music. We ultimately don’t think about genres when we are writing so we aren’t held back by any formulas. It’s really up to the listener, we find it interesting to see how different listeners react. 

Some people find it difficult and it can take them a while to find their music style – their sound – was this the case for you or did you know straightaway what you wanted your music to sound like?

We’ve definitely evolved throughout the years and that seems to be the nature of our sound. As we grow as musicians we find it changes. It also changes based on our surroundings, experiences and other artists who influence us at the time.

You’ve announced that your new EP, Paper Doll, will be out on 4th February 2014, what can people expect from the EP?

They can expect a completely different sound from each song. Each song presents a different vibe. We are very proud of the diversity of the tracks and more importantly the complete vulnerability and honesty in which they were written.

What is your favourite track from the EP and why?

Well, we have different opinions on that. Melissa loves Paper Doll which is the title track because she feels it encompasses the most truthful part of feeling stuck and being unsure of the next move. My favourite song is Amazing, it is the longest song on the EP but there wasn’t any of it we could part with. Each verse needs to be there and the song was virtually unchanged since the day I wrote it. It is about the natural surrender of yourself for the way you feel about another person. It is very powerful to me.

What do you hope people will get from the EP?

We hope that people will listen to it and connect and be able to say “This is exactly how I feel”. That’s what we love about great songs and there is no better feeling than that! 

What is your favourite track to perform on stage and why?

We love performing Paper Doll because it is great to hear how much people are affected by that track in the audience. The energy of the audience is so important and it is so satisfying to feel the electricity of people connecting.

Apart from the release of the EP, what are your plans for 2014?

2014 is going to be a great year, we hope to tour after the release and are excited to travel with these new songs.

You can find out more information about Macedo on Facebook here. And Twitter here.