FOCUS: "YOUR OWN WORDS"- Interview to THE FAMILIAR
The Familiar continue to make waves in the indie electronic scene. Their memorable melodies, passionate vocals, and evocative instrumentals have led to a dedicated following of music enthusiasts who eagerly anticipate each new release.
INTERVIEW
P.P.
8/7/20232 min read
NORDIC ELECTRONIC POP DUO, THE FAMILIAR, RELEASE CAPTIVATING NEW TRACK ‘STARRY EYES'
What are some of the challenges you face as a Duo?
Our biggest challenge is living in different countries and in different time zones. Maintaining strong communication and staying connected while giving each other space to create is part of the magic that drives us to continue to develop our sound. Sometimes life gets in the way, but we always seem to find our way back to The Familiar.
Do you write with a specific audience in mind? No
Do any of your songs based on personal experiences? If so, can you tell me about one that’s particularly special to you?
“All in White” was inspired by a thunderstorm in Brooklyn that almost ruined Ruth’s home studio setup.
What role does technology play in your music-making process?
Without technology, The Familiar could not exist. We use it to write our songs, communicate to each other and inspire one another.
Are you planning anything exciting that we can look forward to?
We have another album in the works as well as plans for live performances.
Where do you see your career in five years as an Artist?
We expect to keep putting out music that moves us and hopefully bringing our songs to life through live performances.
Catch 'Starry Eyes' on Spotify:
Hi The Familiar! It's a pleasure to have you here at AFX!
Describe your creative process when you write songs.
Both of us fell in love with music very early in life. We started making music together after a chance meeting at a Christmas party in northern Norway, where we connected over music and Mads ended up doing a remix of one of Ruth’s tracks with her band Syvia. Since then, we have been swapping ideas and stems back and forth over email and mixing, mastering and producing the tracks entirely by ourselves. Ruth does all the vocals and crafts the song lyrics and melodies, while Mads is at the helm of the instrumentation and engineering.
What first inspired you to make music?
While it is true that we have recently started working on tracks together in the same room more frequently, most of our music still gets written, recorded, and finalized with us on separate continents. When we are together in the same space, we try not feel the pressure of creating so we can approach the process from a place of playfulness and joy. Not regularly being together as we complete music brings a certain element of uncertainty that lends a magic to the process. We never know if a song will be finished when it’s started, so every measure of music that gets us both excited enough to work on it together is a gift.
