Hey Guys!! So excited to be chatting with you. Can you tell us a little something about each of you?
The pleasure is ours! I (P.F.) will take the liberty of speaking on the band’s behalf here! Here it is:
– Jack (guitar, dark hair): very hyperactive, he talks really fast and is great at doing impressions.
– Gabe (guitar, blonde hair): very forgetful, great at dancing.
– Sandro (bass): thinks he knows everything (he does know a lot…), lives on a court surrounded by 80+ year olds, god knows why.
– Sam (drums): digs Blink 182 (who doesn’t though?), and never gets angry!
– Me (P.F., singer): chilled out, love tennis.
How did you guys come up with the band name “North America”?
We used to have a different name, but decided to change it recently and this was the only one we didn’t all hate! We also like the sense of scale and grandeur it evokes, we feel it reflects the ambitions of our music.
How would you describe your musical style?
We mix folk and some country elements in our melodies and lyrics. with an electric sound more akin to modern indie rock. So I guess we could be described as indie / folk / country rock. Indie rock for short.
What artists do you look up to right now?
A few of our musical heroes are: Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Strokes, Lou Reed, Hendrix, Townes Van Zandt, Alex Turner. Current faves include The National, The War On Drugs, Wilco, Big Thief, Kevin Morby, Alvvays and Alex Cameron.
You guys just released your new single “MY BABY’S NO ONE’S GIRL” in anticipation of your new EP!! What has been your thought about the reaction to the single?
We’re quite happy with the way it’s been received! I feel like, besides our existing fans, it has reached a lot of people from different parts of the world, who seem to be connecting with it. We received lots of messages with people asking for the lyrics or just saying they dig the track, which naturally makes us quite happy! Also we had a spin on BBC Introducing London last Saturday night, so always cool hearing it on the radio!
Can you tell us how this song came about and the meaning of the song?
This song was initially written a while back, actually, maybe 2 years ago. We only started recording it in the studio last December where it started to take the final form it’s in now, and actually did all the guitars, bass, BVs and everything else at home as we have done with our previous releases. Always helps having a bassist/producer wizard called Sandro in your band to mix and produce everything.
The song is a combination of feelings, thoughts and I guess fears I (P.F.) was having when I wrote it, and follows the narrative of two lovers. It’s not necessarily about a specific person, it mixes reality with fiction, but the emotions and experiences are very real which I think is why we all enjoy performing it (along with some big energy!). In essence, the song is about the fear of losing someone you care for, which I’m certain is something everyone experiences in some form or other.
Your new EP is coming out soon!! Can you spill any details about the new project?
We’re super excited about it! We’re working with a really cool producer this time, which is new to us and the first time we’ll be collaborating with a producer, as all of our releases to date have been self-recorded and self-produced by our man Sandro. We can’t tell you who we’re working with just yet though! We’re really looking forward to seeing what ideas he has and what he brings to the table.
What do you hope your supporters will think of the new music?
As always, I’ll be happy if people connect with it in any way. We really like the new tunes we’re recording, so I do have a feeling that people will see a step up from what we’ve already released both in terms of songwriting and production, as we’re really giving it all we’ve got!
Are there any other projects in the works you can tell us about?
Besides the EP, which is a lot of work, we’re looking at doing some visuals for our next single. We’re thinking of getting some actors involved, and maybe even act in it too, which we’ve never done before and seems really fun!
Why do you think social media is so important for singers today?
It’s an extremely simple (to use) means of communication that allows artists to make announcements, share content and promote basically every aspect of their work for free, directly to their fans. That’s unprecedented. Considering the amount of time people spend on social media having an understanding of how those platforms work and tailoring content specifically for each platform can really make a difference for an artist, I think. That’s what we try to do, at least.
What social media platform do you use most to stay connected to your fans?
We’re currently on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. We used to have a preference for Facebook, but since we started working with our manager last year he made us realize the importance of having a constant presence across different platforms. We feel like we are just the ball rolling and it’s making a big difference for us.
How do you want your relationship to be with your fans?
Exclusive! Just kidding.
I guess we’re sort of finding that out as we go along. I’ve grown to like this social media age trend of letting people into your personal life a little bit, and it seems to be what people want these days. Though I do think it’s important to have some kind of personal separation between your personal and your ‘artist life’, so to speak. So I ideally we’d have a personal connection with our fans to some extent, while still keeping most of our personal lives away from the spotlight.
What’s an average day like for you guys?
It’s all mostly music related stuff! I just graduated from songwriting uni, Sandro has just finished a music production masters, Sam has a studio and works at a music venue, Jack’s a music teacher and is starting a masters in jazz guitar, and Gabe does uni and is in other bands. So whenever we’re not together jamming, performing, or recording, we’re usually doing other musical activities.
Do you have any last things you want to tell your supporters?
If you like our music, stay tuned for what’s to come as we’ve got a lot of stuff in the pipeline!
I won’t go for the cliche of asking for likes and follows on our social media and YouTube channel.
