British pop-duo Oh Wonder have never even performed live yet (as of our September chat) and they’re already one of fall’s most anticipated bands. Comprised of Josephine Vander Gucht and Anthony West, the two did something a little unusual to get noticed: Every month for an entire year, they released a new track on SoundCloud. The ambitious project took off and garnered Oh Wonder not only a fanbase but a record deal. Their self-titled album came out September 4 and they’re (finally) going on tour. We catch up with them to learn a little more: Related: Infographic: How Apple Music compares to other music streaming services You’ve really never played a show yet? What made you choose SoundCloud as the way to get your music out there? Related: R. Kelly’s all-you-can-hear musical ‘Buffet’ How did you choose what songs made your album? Like what? What did you write about? Now for some fun, random questions! What was the last thing you Googled? Related: Hozier explains ‘Take Me To Church’ meaning Who is your favorite person to follow on Instagram and Twitter? What’s your ideal Saturday night? What musician would you love to collaborate with? If you go:
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We actually haven’t yet played a show yet! The only performance we’ve done is a live Maida Vale session for BBC Radio 1 which was such a privilege and an honor, although it was pretty intense for a first live show: five cameras, a lighting rig and a live studio recording… but we enjoyed every minute of it. We’re so excited to tour.
We wanted to challenge ourselves as songwriters and impose a monthly deadline to ensure a consistent creative output — structure is rare for artists, so we relished the opportunity to release songs so frequently. We also wanted to give each song its own life and create an album where each song would stand alone.
We actually only wrote 15 songs throughout the year, all of which made the album. We wanted to be strict and only give ourselves a month to write, record and release a song. There was no room for complacency or over-analysis. We wanted to capture our feelings and bottle them in music on a monthly basis. It wasn’t over-thought. It was more like a reaction to what was going on in our lives at the time we wrote each song.
We’ve written about everything from gambling to cancer to house parties, but overall the record celebrates the importance of human connection, love and being there for each other. It’s a collection of songs that explore London, loneliness and love.
How to make the perfect blueberry pancakes.
Miley Cyrus. She’s pretty hilarious and very weird, and she totally celebrates how odd she is.
A night around the dinner table with homemade ramen, beers and our best friends.
We’d love to work with Feist. She’s made some amazing records that have inspired us to pursue careers in music and really respect the art of songwriting.
October 8, 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Rough Trade NYC
64 N 9th St, Brooklyn
718-388-4111
www.roughtrade.com
Artist to know: Oh Wonder
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