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5 QUESTIONS WITH - KARMIN
Of all the artists I’ve interviewed in my time with Pop! Bang! Boom!, Karmin are easily one of my favorites. They’re the biggest sweethearts, and they know how to deliver a pretty solid pop song. In fact, they are now the only group I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with on two separate occasions--once when their debut major label EP ‘Hello’ came out (two years ago--we couldn’t believe it!), and just now to celebrate and discuss their latest (and first full length), ‘Pulses’. Thanks again to Nick and Amy for their hospitality, and obviously for the wondrous music. WARNING: This interview involves label-bashing, rapping sloths, and me being Gwen Stefani. |
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Congrats on the record!
Nick: Thank you, thank you kindly
Awesome. Someone in the next room is actually singing “I Want It All” right now.
Amy: I love that can you high five him for me?
Nick: He's probably doing better than me.
Tell us how exciting it is to be releasing a full length? Does it feel good to finally get it all out there or were you nervous?
Amy: It feels really good. We definitely try to theme the album around the idea of pulses because there have been a lot of ups and downs. I think when we put out ‘Hello’ a couple of years ago it was definitely a honeymoon period. We were wide eyed and bushy tailed about everything that came our way. Reality set in and we finally got to be a lot more honest on this album. Nick did a lot of the production work and we had him do a lot more of the vocal work so it really feels like a duo. It's definitely the most proud we've been of music we put out.
You said they were ups and downs--can you tell me about some of the down?
Nick: Oh god so many. Recording the album was a process. We’d record and then we would have to present it, and they would say “Great! We love it!” and then a week later say “We'd really like to see some more single options.” This kind of happened a few times. There were different opinions on where we should go creatively.
Amy: Creative by committee is really tough for us because we're used to doing things on our own. It was mostly on the label side, but it was also trying to figure out what our sound as. It was like “They came from YouTube and then they had a hit song on the radio and crossed over!” We were just trying to find ourselves and it's really tough when you’ve got people in your ear.
I can imagine. How do you feel about all the success you have now that seems to keep coming?
Nick: Thanks! We definitely consider it still building. Putting this album out and going on this tour its good to just start doing these things and being a real band. We definitely don't feel like we are there yet.
Is “Pulses” is a full single or is “I Want It All” the latest?
Nick: We actually don't know. We would love for it to be because it's one of our favorites. It's one of the most unique on the album. We did “I Want It All” with one of our friends from Berklee that we know from years ago. He produced it. His name is Ryan Williamson.
Amy: He produced that track and then we wrote it with Ester Dean, who is also a phenomenal songwriter.
That someone else who needs to make it on her own. She's so talented I'd love to see that career.
Amy: Definitely. She's an acting now. She was in Pitch Perfect and she's going to be in Pitch Perfect 2 and Rio 2, which I’m also in.
Yes I saw that! How did it feel to join to that soundtrack?
Amy: It was wild. A bucket list item for me for sure. Not even so much the music as the voice over. Being the sloth that raps was pretty cool.
You actually had an item on your bucket list that was to be rapping sloth?
Amy: Maybe not that specific, but to do a voiceover and a movie.
You’re credited as just Amy on the soundtrack. Did it feels strange to do something solo?
Amy: You know... I'm trying to make a joke here but I can't. I think it's one of our new years resolutions to go off and do our own thing.
Nick: I actually drew the sloth so…
Give us an idea of what the Karmin live show is like.
Nick: There's a lot of energy. Definitely a lot of different instruments and then of course rapping and singing. It's kind of more like a rock show than a pop show.
Amy: I draw a lot of influence from No Doubt. The performance energy from a rock show with some attitude. Some feminine attitude.
Are you on track to be the next Gwen Stefani?
Amy: I think a lot of girls out there would hope that that would be the case. She's just incredible.
I wish I could be the next Gwen Stefani, please.
Amy: See, boys and girls.
The female rapper is reemerging. Do you think you fit into that or are you more in the pop world?
Amy: I think it must be somewhere in between because we are a duo. Maybe it's more like a TLC where one of them raps and the others don't.
What are some artists or bands that you guys are listening to that we may not know that you think we should go try?
Nick: We're listening to a lot of older stuff right now. A lot of Beatles albums and ‘Tragic Kingdom’ by No Doubt. We listen to a lot of Pharell.
Amy: ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’ is always on repeat. A new one that I love is Angel Haze - ‘Dirty Gold’.
Check out Karmin on their 'Pulses' tour with Bonnie McKee, and find them on Twitter and Facebook. If you feel so inclined, their first full length 'Pulses' is available now.
Nick: Thank you, thank you kindly
Awesome. Someone in the next room is actually singing “I Want It All” right now.
Amy: I love that can you high five him for me?
Nick: He's probably doing better than me.
Tell us how exciting it is to be releasing a full length? Does it feel good to finally get it all out there or were you nervous?
Amy: It feels really good. We definitely try to theme the album around the idea of pulses because there have been a lot of ups and downs. I think when we put out ‘Hello’ a couple of years ago it was definitely a honeymoon period. We were wide eyed and bushy tailed about everything that came our way. Reality set in and we finally got to be a lot more honest on this album. Nick did a lot of the production work and we had him do a lot more of the vocal work so it really feels like a duo. It's definitely the most proud we've been of music we put out.
You said they were ups and downs--can you tell me about some of the down?
Nick: Oh god so many. Recording the album was a process. We’d record and then we would have to present it, and they would say “Great! We love it!” and then a week later say “We'd really like to see some more single options.” This kind of happened a few times. There were different opinions on where we should go creatively.
Amy: Creative by committee is really tough for us because we're used to doing things on our own. It was mostly on the label side, but it was also trying to figure out what our sound as. It was like “They came from YouTube and then they had a hit song on the radio and crossed over!” We were just trying to find ourselves and it's really tough when you’ve got people in your ear.
I can imagine. How do you feel about all the success you have now that seems to keep coming?
Nick: Thanks! We definitely consider it still building. Putting this album out and going on this tour its good to just start doing these things and being a real band. We definitely don't feel like we are there yet.
Is “Pulses” is a full single or is “I Want It All” the latest?
Nick: We actually don't know. We would love for it to be because it's one of our favorites. It's one of the most unique on the album. We did “I Want It All” with one of our friends from Berklee that we know from years ago. He produced it. His name is Ryan Williamson.
Amy: He produced that track and then we wrote it with Ester Dean, who is also a phenomenal songwriter.
That someone else who needs to make it on her own. She's so talented I'd love to see that career.
Amy: Definitely. She's an acting now. She was in Pitch Perfect and she's going to be in Pitch Perfect 2 and Rio 2, which I’m also in.
Yes I saw that! How did it feel to join to that soundtrack?
Amy: It was wild. A bucket list item for me for sure. Not even so much the music as the voice over. Being the sloth that raps was pretty cool.
You actually had an item on your bucket list that was to be rapping sloth?
Amy: Maybe not that specific, but to do a voiceover and a movie.
You’re credited as just Amy on the soundtrack. Did it feels strange to do something solo?
Amy: You know... I'm trying to make a joke here but I can't. I think it's one of our new years resolutions to go off and do our own thing.
Nick: I actually drew the sloth so…
Give us an idea of what the Karmin live show is like.
Nick: There's a lot of energy. Definitely a lot of different instruments and then of course rapping and singing. It's kind of more like a rock show than a pop show.
Amy: I draw a lot of influence from No Doubt. The performance energy from a rock show with some attitude. Some feminine attitude.
Are you on track to be the next Gwen Stefani?
Amy: I think a lot of girls out there would hope that that would be the case. She's just incredible.
I wish I could be the next Gwen Stefani, please.
Amy: See, boys and girls.
The female rapper is reemerging. Do you think you fit into that or are you more in the pop world?
Amy: I think it must be somewhere in between because we are a duo. Maybe it's more like a TLC where one of them raps and the others don't.
What are some artists or bands that you guys are listening to that we may not know that you think we should go try?
Nick: We're listening to a lot of older stuff right now. A lot of Beatles albums and ‘Tragic Kingdom’ by No Doubt. We listen to a lot of Pharell.
Amy: ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’ is always on repeat. A new one that I love is Angel Haze - ‘Dirty Gold’.
Check out Karmin on their 'Pulses' tour with Bonnie McKee, and find them on Twitter and Facebook. If you feel so inclined, their first full length 'Pulses' is available now.