A&R Factory conducts exclusive interviews with independent bands, musicians, and artists from around the world. We converse with musicians about their upcoming releases, planned tour dates, and other topics that make them unique and stand out from the crowd!
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In her first official single from a forthcoming debut album, Agnesz Anna etched out her own sonic terrain — one rooted in 60s rock ‘n roll and threaded with the complexity of personal reflection, cultural observation, and the subtle ache of lived experience.
In this interview, the actress-turned-songwriter reflects on the duality of her lead single No One Will Ever Know, discusses why imperfections deserve space in recorded music, and explains how motherhood, grief, and social awareness quietly shaped the emotional architecture of the record. With references spanning Roy Orbison to Francoise Hardy, her sharp grasp of nostalgia is never surface-level. It’s filtered through a director’s eye, a playwright’s pen, and the human impulse to archive what matters before time moves on.
I wanted an upbeat energetic track with a catchy melody as a first single. But I also wanted some romance and nostalgia to it. I like the duality of that. I think this song has it all. Although the song is about moving on during a heartbreak, it is about self-reliance and self-empowerment. We all have our baggage that nobody knows about that can change you profoundly. But you can overcome it. Musically it has this rock ‘n roll vibe to it that takes you back to The Beatles or Roy Orbison. The retro quality of the song with all the above qualities combined made me think that this might be a good starter. The entire album is made with the guitar as a leading basic instrument. We started building from there. I think you can expect that on the rest of the album as well. But we felt free introducing other genres into the music as well. Without losing an approachable pop sensitivity.
Because of the 60’s rock ‘n roll sound to it I started to get inspiration from that era. You can see it is a prominently male owned genre in that era. I went looking for female references. I lived in New York City for quite some time, but I am also European, so I wanted it to have a European vibe to it. I love the old 60’s Italian and French movies for the aesthetic. And I love the female vulnerability in those movies and in the music. I thought of Catherine Deneuve, Francoise Hardy, Vasthi Bunyan. Perhaps a more natural take on the aesthetic. With the city being the backdrop for the story.
Some songs on the album rely a little less on pop structure but most songs on the album do maintain the common pop structure. If you maintain a pop structure throughout the song, it remains accessible. We also worked with layering sounds and vocals to get a more modern pop sound, the pop vocals that most people listen to nowadays. Postproduction, the mixing of the songs, is also very important. We didn’t work with beats but with real instruments. That can sound like a band if you mix it a certain way. But by keeping the focus on the voice, in the right recording settings, you get a more pop quality to it. Some may qualify the music still very much indie because of the lack of synths and a drum computer. But I think the songs have gotten a more timeless feel because of it.
I think that makes the recordings unique and authentic. Everything is so polished nowadays with stuff like Melodyne and autotune. I recently did a Bob Dylan cover, and in the first verse, I sang a couple of blue notes instead of the original version. We left it in there because it makes sense to do it that way as well. There is a certain sadness about what I am singing, and the chords are blues. Why not? Or in another song the guitar sounded a bit on the edge. It gave the song a rawness to it. That’s the thing with music as well. If it feels good, why not? Why be conventional? I love singers with their own sound. You can always distinguish them. Singers like that might not always appeal to the masses, but when they emerge at the right time, they leave the biggest impact.
I’ve made this album together with my partner independently. We invested in our own recording equipment and turned our attic into a recording studio. A game changer. Before, I was always dependent on a budget for a recording studio. Working on the clock. Now we were able to do it ourselves in our spare time. This gave us challenges, like figuring out the recording process, but also the advantages of coming back to a former recording session and tweaking things. We spent two years working on this album. I don’t know if it is in the cards to do it again. So, I wanted the last decade of mine to be reflected in this album. Everything I learned, I experienced and what I want to pass on. I had some older songs lying around, but I also wrote new songs for this album. The first part of the album is about self-reflection. Once we can do that and maintain our empathy, we can look and turn towards the outside world. Midway, the album that shifts. I also have children, and I felt I wanted to make an album that sends a message to the next generations as well. How to cope with all these things in life, we all deal with sooner or later.
It is all so connected to each other. You can compare the singer to the actress, the music producer to a director and the songwriter to a playwright or screenwriter. The content may vary, but they all do basically the same thing with a different discipline. As a director, you oversee the entire play or film. You have a vision you want to achieve; you try to connect all the elements. As a music producer, you do the same but with music. When I am singing, I try to imagine or feel the way I (or someone else) was feeling at that time so I can make a truthful interpretation of the song. I use my voice in a more elaborate way. Which asks for another skill. And a song is just a more concise form than a movie script, but they all obey certain rules to make it coherent. The songwriter and the writer are both lyrical storytellers. In all disciplines, you tap into that vulnerability to create with your own sense of truth.
No, this album reflects my late 20s to my late 30s. Things I’ve dealt with, how I see the world or how I feel about certain things like love, friendship, society, nature, motherhood, death.
I hope people appreciate the musicality of it. We did it ourselves in the little time we had, mostly at night. I think I managed to make an album that has all the influences of the music I love. If I love it there must be someone else in this world who loves it as well. I think of the subjects and the instruments, creating a more timeless feel to it. But let’s see in another decade or so. Let them be entertained by it. Let them feel something. I hope the diversity of topics on the album can give them some comfort or hope. I wanted to make an album that leaves you with a good feeling once you’ve finished the last song. An album that reminds us that we are all connected despite our differences. God knows we need a little bit of that in this world.
Discover more about Agnesz Anna via her official website.
Interview by Amelia Vandergast
Guillermo Marigliano’s musical path is as intricate and expressive as the phrasing that defines his work. With over thirty years spent composing, performing, and mentoring across continents, the Argentinian-born, Los Angeles-based guitarist reflects on his evolving artistry in this wide-ranging conversation. From the emotional weight of his solo acoustic project to the rhythmic insights shaped by teaching worldwide, Marigliano discusses what it means to create with purpose while carrying the soul of his roots.
In this interview, he speaks with clarity and warmth about the transition from ensemble performance to introspective solo work, the nuances of improvisation for newcomers, and the interplay between his many creative hats.
My Argentinian heritage continues to be a huge influence on my creative instincts, even after a few years of living in Los Angeles. I grew up immersed in a rich musical culture — from tango and folklore to jazz and latin music — and that emotional depth and rhythmic nuance still shape how I play, compose, and even teach. Here in L.A., surrounded by so many global sounds, I’ve found new ways to blend that foundation with other influences. That sense of identity comes through in my phrasing, my harmonic choices, and the way I approach improvisation.
Whether I’m composing, performing, or teaching, that Argentine spirit of soulful expression and rhythmic complexity travels with me. It helps me connect with diverse audiences and students on a deeper level, bringing authenticity and a global perspective to my music
This new project grew out of a very personal place. After years of performing energetic, rhythm-driven music, I never left the Spanish guitar. This instrument represents the soul of the Latin American music, felt a strong pull to slow down and express myself more in a solo situation rather than within a band. The Spanish acoustic guitar naturally lends itself to that kind of intimacy — it allows space, silence, and nuance to breathe. I’ve also been reflecting a lot on my journey: relocating, adapting to a new culture, and growing both as an artist and a person. The Latin American grooves are still there, but they support a more introspective voice this time — one that’s grounded, searching, and honest. It’s music that invites the listener into a quieter, more contemplative space, and that felt like the right direction for where I am in my life right now.
Guitar Multiverse was really a culmination of years of experience, musically and personally. It was written during a time of deep transition in my life, after moving to the U.S. and starting over in a new environment. That emotional intensity naturally poured into the music. Technically, I pushed myself further than ever before, drawing from jazz, classical, and Latin American traditions, but always in service of the feeling. Each piece explores a different “universe” — not just stylistically, but emotionally. Some tracks express joy and connection, others dive into solitude or longing. I wanted the album to reflect the full spectrum of human experience, and my guitar became the vehicle to travel through those inner landscapes.
That’s a great question, because it really gets to the core of how I teach. I believe improvisation should feel natural and joyful — like speaking a language. So with beginners, I focus on simple musical elements first: rhythm, phrasing, call-and-response, and listening. We might start with just one note or a basic groove, and explore how much expression can come from that. At the same time, I introduce key jazz and blues concepts early — like tension and release, swing feel, or the blues scale — but always in a way that’s intuitive. My goal is to honor the depth of the tradition without overwhelming the student. That way, they build confidence and curiosity, which is really the foundation for true improvisation.
Definitely. Teaching and sharing music in different parts of the world has had a deep impact on how I understand rhythm and phrasing. Each culture brings its own feel, its own sense of time and movement — whether it’s the polyrhythms I encountered in Colombia, the lyricism and articulation I heard in Europe, or the diverse grooves I find here in the U.S. These experiences have expanded my rhythmic vocabulary and made me more sensitive to how music is felt, not just played. It’s also taught me to listen more deeply — not just to the notes, but to the cultural emotion behind them. That awareness continues to shape my own expression, both as a guitarist and as an educator.
Moving to Los Angeles was both exciting and challenging. Starting fresh in a new country meant rebuilding my network from the ground up, but music gave me an anchor. I began connecting with local musicians, attending jams, and saying yes to every opportunity — from performances to teaching. At the same time, I made sure to carve out space for my own creative work. Composing and practicing became a way to stay grounded and keep my artistic voice alive amid all the changes. Teaching also helped a lot — it connected me to the community and gave me purpose. Over time, I found that L.A.’s diversity really welcomed my background and ideas, and that gave me the confidence to keep growing as both an artist and educator.
What draws me to that intersection is the natural conversation between rhythm and harmony — it’s alive, unpredictable, and full of emotion. Latin American rhythms bring this pulse that’s rooted in the body, while jazz harmony offers endless possibilities for color and movement. When they meet, it feels like a perfect balance between structure and freedom. As for avoiding repetition, I always try to stay curious. I might shift the rhythmic foundation, explore a different mode, or draw inspiration from a non-musical idea — a landscape, a memory, even a conversation. I also let the guitar lead me; its tuning, resonance, and limitations often suggest new directions. For me, it’s less about inventing something “new” and more about staying honest and connected in the moment.
I definitely see those roles as deeply interconnected rather than separate. Composing feeds my performance because it gives me a personal connection to the music I play, and performing inspires new ideas for composition through direct interaction with audiences and fellow musicians. Teaching, in turn, enriches both because it challenges me to break down complex ideas into their essence, which deepens my own understanding. When I’m teaching, I often discover new approaches or perspectives that I then bring back into my creative work. So, while each role has its own focus, they all inform and support each other in a kind of ongoing cycle.
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Discover more about Guillermo Marigliano via his official website.
Interview by Amelia Vandergast.
Hivesong will leave hard rock fans hot under the collar and everywhere else when Electric Fever drops on June 13th. With a discernible deep reverence to overdriven guitar hooks and salacious vocals that will resonate with anyone who can’t resist IAMX and Highly Suspect, Electric Fever delivers everything it says on the titular tin by paying homage to the glam rock era, tinging it with modernistic dark innovation and augmenting every element until Electric Fever ensures your speakers will be shaking in the aftershock following the outro. If there’s an orgasmic rock playlist on Spotify, Hivesong have earned a spot.
There’s no passive listening here, only full-body surrender to the sonic carnality conjured by the Chattanooga duo who were never designed for background noise. Channelling the swagger of Ziggy, the Sabbath-grade seismic pull, and the studio bite of Royal Blood, Hivesong have clawed rock from its coffin and reminded the faithful how transcendence can feel when it’s shrouded in distortion and lust.
Their shows are rituals. Their guitars, relics. Their sound, a sermon from the altar of righteous noise. And on record, they carry that same sermon with cathedral-shaking force. No part of Electric Fever tries to reinvent the wheel; instead, it straps it to a jet engine and lights the fuse. It’s theatrical without parody, guttural without regression, indulgent without losing control.
Electric Fever is now available to stream on all major platforms via this link.
Review by Amelia Vandergast
Without industry ties, formal training, or even the certainty that music would be part of his path, Cavernal stepped into the spotlight with nothing but instinct, a sharp ear, and a little encouragement from a car ride sing-along. In this interview, he unpacks how confidence and anonymity intertwined to carve his entry into the music scene, why masked artistry gave him room to breathe, and how he moved from recording alone to performing alongside bands like The Revenants and Yo Titan. From demystifying the barriers of music production to championing BandLab and Discord as lifelines, Cavernal’s reflections provide a grounded and refreshingly honest take on what it really means to start from scratch.
If I’m honest, I never thought I’d be making music. It wasn’t until I was singing in the car with my friend Dan, who said to me that I had a good voice and should give it a go. I think confidence is certainly a huge barrier, which is one of the reasons why I chose to be a masked musician.
The key to gaining confidence in music for me and to find my footing was by sending music I had made to my friends, who would give me their honest feedback. I was just lucky as the first song I sent, they loved, which was my first release “Blackout”, but my friends are far from ‘yes men’ as I’ve had a few after that which they certainly didn’t like!
Like most artists, social media was certainly a big help with pushing my music out there for people to hear. Gaining a presence on these platforms is important and can lead to opportunities, especially performing live.
In terms of unexpected tools, if you are looking for different ideas or platforms to share your music and gain momentum, then the use of Chat GPT is great as it can provide you with countless informative websites to visit, submission websites, and people to contact.
BBC Introducing was a huge stepping stone, and never did I think I would be hearing something I had made on the radio, but this is a great thing to do if you are looking to get recognition and if you truly believe that what you have made is radio-worthy.
Times in music have changed, and a professional setup, although helpful, is simply not a necessity. There have been many artists with no team or music background who have made hit songs with nothing but a phone and wired Apple headphones.
Don’t get me wrong, to have a team behind you pushing your music with a big studio is certainly helpful, but I believe that if you have the drive to pursue music, then nothing can stop you. Plus, there are so many tools out there that can help push out advertisements and platforms that will get your music heard.
For starting out, I would suggest using Bandlab and learning how to mix. Despite not needing a professional setup, you still want your music to sound professional and learning how to mix is what you need to take your music to the next step.
For instrumentals/beats, pick your genre and find beats that fit that genre on platforms like YouTube and Beatstars. There are plenty of people out there who are in your shoes, making incredible beats, but have not been heard yet.
The main problem I hear from other artists is their struggles with lyrics. Lyricism can be hard, but this is something that will just need practice. Pick a topic for your song, an emotion, and try to write about it is the best way I can put it. Even if you just write songs that you know you will never release or you don’t even have a beat for yet, do it!
I have certainly got a lot better with mixing, and I would say I have focused a fair bit on my lyricism. When I listen to some of my older songs now, I do find things I should have done differently. I also have touched on different genres over the last year or so, trying R&B and Rock, for example.
I think this is a great thing to do for new artists as it allows you to see what you like and if your voice fits the style you are going for. Something that I would say has stayed the same for me is certainly my topics are these songs. A lot of my songs focus on relationships and heartbreak.
The online community, stemming from social media predominantly, has given me so much support, and I would like to thank those who have been engaging with my stuff! They leave feedback in my comments or private message me, which has really helped with developing my music and allowed me to try different things.
This is the reason why I push TikTok a lot, as you can reach people who love your music and build an amazing community whilst doing it. I also have a Discord server in which people will join, chat, share fan art, and be notified of upcoming releases, which in turn has led to building a supportive community.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous, but I was also extremely excited. Performing my music live has always been something I have wanted to do. I had only a week to prepare for my first gig from when I found out to the date of it, so I had to order effects pedals, sort out travel to the location and pick the songs I wanted to perform. It also didn’t help that the week leading up to it I was ill, so I couldn’t even practice my own songs! The show was great, and the bands I performed under, The Revenants and Yo Titan, were incredibly supportive, so huge props to them!
Now that I have performed my songs, I have built confidence with live performing, and it has really made me feel like an established artist after building a deeper connection with my music and making the material feel more like my own songs.
I would say the best time is now. If you have music in draft that you feel is complete and you want to release, do it! The main mindset to be in is that if no one likes it, then who cares? The only thing that matters is that you love what you do, and chances are, there will be people out there who will love it just as much as you do.
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Check out Cavernal on Spotify, and connect with the artist via TikTok.
Interview by Amelia Vandergast
Few debut mixtapes arrive with the weight and intention carried by The Origins from Apollo and Yung Kenz. Built entirely in-house and fuelled by lived experience, the project is more than an introduction, it’s a reckoning with bloodlines, generational grief, and the pride of representing overlooked postcodes. In this interview, Apollo lays bare the roots of the collaboration, the creative discipline of keeping everything DIY, and the responsibility he feels carrying a movement for North East Scotland on his back. From lyrical clarity to engineering grit, every aspect of The Origins holds purpose. Read on to hear how pain forged a shared purpose and how Apollo is channelling legacy into a louder future.
Welcome to A&R Factory, Apollo. It’s a pleasure to speak with you about The Origins and the powerful story behind your collaborative work with Yung Kenz. “Two Generations – One Legacy” is a powerful statement. What does it represent for you personally, and how does it resonate throughout the mixtape?
With her debut LP, ExWife’s frontwoman, Ria, throws open the windows on a decade’s worth of songwriting shaped by chaos, rebirth, and a hunger for the unvarnished truth. In this candid interview, Ria traces the arc from whispered phone demos—recorded amidst the daily reality of motherhood—to the raw, live-wire performances that define ExWife’s sound. The conversation explores the band’s commitment to authenticity in an era where perfection is polished and feeling often fades. Ria opens up about how personal upheaval, from religious restrictions to post-divorce liberation, set the stage for ExWife’s distinct voice, while also weighing in on the pitfalls of contemporary songwriting and the pulse of playing live around the Pacific Northwest. For those ready to step outside the formulaic, this is a debut—and a story—worth your full attention.
It is our pleasure to share the new record! Thank you for having us, Amelia.
The songs had a wild metamorphosis over these ten years. They started out as phone recordings while I was taking care of my at-the-time 2 and 3-year-old toddlers. In a lot of those early recordings, you can actually hear them singing along or asking for more crackers. But it was during the most chaotic time of my life that I felt compelled to write the majority of these songs. The band developed the sound above and beyond what I would have been able to do by myself. I enjoy bedroom recordings, but I was born to play rock and roll. The wait to release this music has been so long; most of the hangups have been around life just happening.
For our band, it was important to be able to bring what we had made in the studio onto a live stage. This album really has very minimal overdubs, and even some of the vocals are from the live takes we did, which I feel amazing and proud about. More and more we are hearing recordings that are manipulated, comped, over-processed, and in my opinion, stray from the real thing. We’ve introduced AI into the field, and I think we are doing ourselves a disservice in the pursuit of a “perfect” album or single. I always want to strive to make our music sound like what it is – the sonic truth. Playing live is one of my favorite things in the world. Orchestrating an experience with these songs we have made is an unbelievable feeling.
The arc I hear within the album is one of loneliness, frustration, and rebirth, but that is my interpretation. Our music is out in the world now, and I have no intention of trying to control the narrative of it. What someone feels while listening to our music is their experience alone. My entire life was wrapped up in these songs, and for me they have been a facilitator for healing and joy. I sincerely hope others might be affected in a similar way.
ExWife will always be deeply personal for me. My bandmates are still some of the people I spend the most of my time with.
I grew up religious and was not allowed to listen to a lot of modern or classic rock, and still into my late 20s, had never listened to an AC/DC song or anything remotely heavy and dirty. After my divorce, I was free to listen to anything I wanted to, and I was always drawn to rock and roll. Any flavor, any year, I just adore rock music. This was something super new and exciting. I had started to pick up the electric guitar, and it felt like a beautiful marriage. Heavy beefy tone with the sometimes saccharine, sometimes sexy lyrics that I had been writing. The band never sat down together and said, ‘we should sound like this’, the magic just happened when we played together. We all come from different backgrounds with different musical tastes, and I think our combination sounds pretty delicious.
Modern music has become more and more simplified over the years. They’ve done studies on this, and we use fewer words, limited vocabulary, sing less about love and more about pain, and even use more generic chord structure in our songs today. They say people want easy listening, but I’m not convinced this is actually what we want as individuals, but more as a society. Contemporary songwriting has become extraordinarily blunt and repetitive. For me, a good song has the ability to be vague but still evoke an emotional reaction from the lyrics. When I write songs, I am putting on different people and then viewing it from their perspective. It’s all about play and how we can shape a story within the song that is important to me.
Gigging can be very up and down. The venues are still recovering from the pandemic, and crowd attendance can be very unpredictable. I love playing live, and it’s my hope that we will be playing bigger shows down the road. Plans to add lighting and other little touches are in the works. A lot of artists are chasing Spotify metrics, but to me, those don’t hold a candle to having a packed venue and getting to experience playing our music with a real-time reaction and response. My favorite show memory is probably playing Wild West, and the barback was standing against the back wall, absolutely locking into the groove. It’s those little moments I would play over and over again for.
We are just getting started. More music is in the works, and it is my intention to release another album very soon. Tits up, and let’s rock.
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Stream ExWife on Spotify now, and connect with the artist via Instagram and TikTok.
Interview by Amelia Vandergast
PRI// steps beyond the expected with FIVE MINUTES INTO THE FUTURE, a release built from makeshift percussion, haunted domestic spaces, and an unflinching study of otherness. In this interview, PRI// pulls back the curtain on the album’s creation—one that swaps studio sheen for the surreal acoustics of a Spanish cave house and the clatter of household objects. From the sharp commentary found in track titles to a commitment to archival storytelling, PRI// weaves historical context and personal experience into a body of work that demands more than a casual listen. With nods to horror cinema, Sophie Muller’s visual subversions, and a fascination with duality, PRI// discusses how the album pushes boundaries in theme, sound, and identity—challenging listeners to step out of their comfort zones and into an uncanny, emotionally charged world.
It was a funny thing – I couldn’t afford to spend the money on the extra seat, it would mean taking a guitar or keyboard to Spain on the plane, so I wasn’t able to write anything. I thought it would be fine, but inspiration struck, and all I had was what was around the house. It turned out we were staying in this ‘cave house’, underground, and so the acoustics were already really different to begin with. I began improvising songs with everyday items which sounded good – like kettle pots, the door latch in the bathroom, the clay toothbrush holder. It was really exciting creatively.
There’s a clutch of songs about that theme (A Dead Baby, Boy Boy Summer, Ethnic Folklore) and it really coalesced with the visuals, on Instagram but also in the videos. The idea of a person of colour being in these elite institutions, primarily white spaces. What happens to that person’s personhood – does it morph or disappear completely? What remains after they leave?
I went to see Beyond The Bassline at the British Museum a couple of times and was gobsmacked to see John Blanke, who played in Henry VIII’s court group. I thought Wow, what was his story? It stayed with me the idea of his history. I also read Dillibe Onyeama’s book about his experience, which was inspirational
I rarely start with a title when writing. But it normally just happens as I am writing
Most of the references weirdly came from stuff I watched when I was really young. Too young really to be seeing stuff like Poltergeist and Eurythmics’ Savage video album- the personas of the suburban wife and the ID woman. Again, it’s the themes of duality which tap into the same part of ‘otherness’ and code switching. Very interested in the psychological toll of all that game playing
I think with each release, I’ve become aware of the importance of the variety of tone. I think about sequencing the tracks more and more. How one song’s mood can drift into another. Fun fact: Stevie Nicks sequenced Rumours!
I don’t think in those terms but I am drawn to counter narratives, what’s going on beneath the surface.
I hope it touches them emotionally, that’s what I always wish for my work
Stream PRI// on Spotify now.
Interview by Amelia Vandergast
UK Rap titan in the making, AK CEEZ, has launched ‘Ricochet’ with the kind of dark, gritty instrumentals and scathing bars that leave no safe corners for complacency. Each line lands with dominance and razor-edged conviction, slamming into the psyche and refusing to fade, while the beatwork and scratchy turntable effects draw you further into a world built on raw truth and unvarnished experience. Meanwhile, there’s an arresting ease in the production, making no effort to soften the punch; the polish here is purely for impact, not for comfort.
AK CEEZ is rapidly rewriting the script for Scottish hip-hop, turning pain into poetry and struggle into something sonically formidable. Since stepping into the booth for the first time in 2024, he’s set the scene ablaze with his ability to channel trauma, identity, fatherhood, and the full weight of lived experience into rhythmically hypnotic, lyrically charged releases. With a reputation already cemented by Wordplay Magazine’s recognition for his “top-tier lyricism, eminent flow and unique sound,” he’s set on dominating every playlist in his path.
‘Ricochet’ is a track forged for the real UK rap faithful—nothing diluted, nothing left unsaid. Every lyric is delivered with the self-assurance of someone who knows precisely where he belongs: right at the apex of the rap hierarchy. The resilience radiates through the relentless cadence, proving AK CEEZ isn’t just up and coming, he’s already fully actualised and taking no prisoners. With each scalding verse, he marks his territory as an artist with purpose, designed to motivate, move, and last.
‘Ricochet’ is now available to stream on all major platforms, including SoundCloud.
Review by Amelia Vandergast
Between confessions curled in neon nostalgia and mischief masked as melody, the Swedish sibling duo Laptop Singers return with Still Friends — an album carved from collaboration, emotional clarity, and the quiet anarchy of pop experimentation. In this interview, they crack open the creative process behind their new LP, reflect on songwriting as a means of immortalising regret, and share how they balance acoustic honesty with digital sharpness. From Gothenburg’s bleak winters to the warmer tones of Nashville and Paris, their reflections stretch across climates and continents, all while keeping the emotional temperature rooted in human connection. Whether they’re talking about the stoic charm of French pop or the thrill of letting go of perfection, Laptop Singers prove that sometimes the truest art comes from embracing contradiction.
From painting houses to painting emotional landscapes through melancholic indie pop, Shane J. O’Dwyer laid everything on the line for his solo debut CALL ME BABE. After navigating heartbreak, band breakups, and the daily weight of sobriety, his debut transmits unfiltered emotion forged in isolation and resilience.
In this interview, Shane opens up about the emotional gravity behind the single, his raw recording process at CYBERSOUND Boston, and the pivotal moment when California stopped being a pitstop and became home. Whether he’s pacing train platforms with a demo in his headphones or finding solace in LA’s psychedelic rock undercurrents, Shane refuses to hold anything back — not from himself, and certainly not from his audience.
I definitely had a shift in perception for most things leading up to this debut. I had walked into it absolutely heartbroken for a handful of different reasons, my lady, my band, sobriety, but underneath it all was this inevitable force I finally felt myself lean into. No matter what, when the lights go down, and there’s nothing left, music is always there for me, and it’s the only way I can translate my feelings into something that can justify the struggles I find myself tumbling through. In terms of songwriting, not much has changed besides me finally sharing what I write and being more patient with the process.
Honestly, no, the original demo of this song sounds different, and part of me enjoys the energy more in the raw bedroom tapes, but I’ve always looked at these songs like my own little Frankensteins, so however they grow is ultimately out of my control — I’m here for the organic magic. I more or less let the song itself take the wheel, and I find that a lot more satisfying from an artist’s perspective.
Both — I was looking forward to finally doing my own thing, but it was a bit of a trip going into a studio alone for the first time, it’s a lot easier to deal with the environment when you have your close pals with you, but the experience was great, and I’m really lucky I worked with Rob at CYBERSOUND in Boston. He made the process really pleasant, and I’ll always be grateful for that. I honestly think Rob is a big part of the reason I’m more comfortable with the position I am in.
There were moments at South Station waiting to take the train home, I’d listen to the demo from the day, and sort of pace back and forth, dissecting what we had done, and what I needed to do next. It’s a funny question for me because I did have a moment where I went “thank god I like this so far”.
Ironically enough, I did my final recording session a couple of days before I flew back to LA for my “little break”, so Rob was able to polish up the song without me in the room. I initially presumed that when I returned, I’d finish it, but after being in CA for a couple of weeks, the anxiousness of releasing the song grew, and I was no match for patience. Rob and I chatted through text, and after 2 sessions without me there, it was ready to go. It was perfect timing. I had a moment with myself out here in Malibu, and simply just didn’t look back to Massachusetts, there was too much smoke to try and see through anyway, whereas in California, there was just a clear road ahead, which I needed.
I feel at home in California, and that presence I find from within when I am here is something I treasure, and I’m at a place in my life where I’m not going to let go of that, or look back for nothing, or anyone, sincerely speaking. I knew, though, I had to come out with something immediately, and that was an already pre-embedded thought. If anything, this song should’ve been out months ago, but I had to save the money to record, and that required more disciplined time getting side jobs painting houses, and extra hours at work.
I’ve been really drawn into the local psychedelic rock scene out here. I would like to start a new band on the side, and that solely came from the inspiration of seeing some really great local bands, and meeting some great artists out here, like The Snares & Rainbow City Park, they made me feel right at home. Although they are both from the Bay Area, it was my first local show this time around with this mindset in place. I saw another LA band that night as well, Babe Ruthless — they f***** ripped. I really recommend checking them out. As of late, I have only been listening to LA WITCH; they have been my favourite band for months now, and I’m hoping to catch their show next weekend here in LA. I found LA WITCH through the recommended artists tab on Spotify through Death Valley Girls, another LA-based band as well.
Yes, and no. More pressure applied, but fewer things to worry about. At the end of the day, I’m just doing what I do, I haven’t put much thought into comparisons.
Nothing but a picture, and a space where they can feel good even about the things that hurt most. I really enjoy the thought of everyone hearing the same song, but the place they go to is as unique as a snowflake, and I find it a privilege that those can be made between my sounds. It’s really cool.
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Stream CALL ME BABE on Spotify now.
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Interview by Amelia Vandergast