Although most artists develop their love of music at an early age, it wasn’t until recently, with the advent of social media, that musicians could gain success or notoriety in their youth.
Von Grey, an Atlanta-based indie group comprised of four sisters, are a perfect example of artists who were able to do just that. Kathryn (age 17), Annika (age 16), Fiona (age 14) and Petra von Grey (age 12) are classically trained musicians who play an average of four instruments each. Their most recent release, a five song EP called von Grey is rife with songs filled with poetic lyrics and beautiful harmonies. It’s available for purchase here.
Her Campus USF contacted von Grey to find out more about their songwriting process, what inspires them musically and their goals for 2013. Check out the interview below!
You guys are all so young! Where did you get the inspiration to make music? “We all started out with classical training at a young age, but about four years ago, we decided that we wanted to branch out of that and experiment with other, more contemporary genres. I think we were really just intrigued with the idea of making our own music. It really helps you find your own sound and voice.”
Your style is very specific. You have a very folky, ethereal sound. Why did you choose to go that route over others? What do you love about that genre of music? “Well, we’ve experimented with a lot of genres in the past. When we first branched out of classical, we learned a bunch of cover songs so that we could understand the elements of different genres better. This really helped us figure out what kind of music we clicked with best. Once we started writing our own music, we were able to hone in on that sound that we meshed best with.”
What is your dream tour lineup? “We would love to tour Europe. We really dig a lot of the music that is coming out of there right now, especially in such areas as Scandinavia and the Netherlands. Also, we would love to tour eastern Asia. Touring with an act that has a large following over there would be amazing.”
I think it’s really impressive that at such a young age, you can write such poetic lyrics. What or who inspires your songwriting? “As teenagers, it’s hard to pull from life experience because we haven’t had as much as some of the older songwriters. We much prefer to pull from observations of others’ experiences. We also find inspiration in learning about different cultures. Every culture takes a different perspective on music, so it’s a nice way to keep our ideas fresh.”
What is the songwriting process like for you? Do you all collaborate or does one of you take the lead? “Annika and Fiona do the core songwriting. Annika writes most of the lyrics and they both collaborate on the music. The actual process for writing generally varies per song. Usually, though, after Annika and Fiona come up with the song’s foundation, the group comes together to toss around ideas for individual parts.”
You guys play so many different instruments. Did you decide to start playing them on your own and which one is your favorite? “It was actually our parents’ idea to get us started in music. They have always been huge music supporters, so I think they really just wanted us to get an appreciation for music at an early age. However, the decision to start making our own music and form a band was our idea. After that, we just started picking up a bunch of instruments that we found interesting. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but I think that if we had to, Kathryn’s would be cello, Petra’s would be slide guitar, Annika’s would be violin, and Fiona’s would be guitar.”
What is your favorite part about performing live? “The crowd’s energy is definitely the best part. It’s so refreshing to be able to share your music with people who are excited to hear it. We have fun making the music at home in the basement, but it’s even more fun to see how other people respond to it.”
Let’s talk about fashion. What or who inspires your personal style? What trends are you loving the most right now? “As far as our fashion, we usually just like to do whatever we’re feeling that day. We love clothes, but don’t really stick to one specific style. We like to experiment. Also, we really love to collect boots, especially Dr. Martins.”
What artists are you excited to hear from in 2013? “Alt-J is an artist we are digging right now. We’re also really looking forward to seeing what Haim and Django Django come out with this next year.”
What are your goal or resolutions for 2013? “We’re looking forward to touring a lot in the next coming months. We’re hoping that we can continue to keep up an active touring schedule. We have also been writing a bunch of new material, so we’re hoping to be able to get back in the studio mid-year.”
For updates on von Grey follow the girls on Twitter, like them on Facebook and subscribe to their Youtube channel!
Photo Sources:
http://www.allianceartistsltd….