Enfnts Terribles

Time flies when you’re having fun, because it’s been almost five years since you released your debut album. How are you looking back at it?

Anthony: It’s crazy. It’s like you blink and suddenly we’re on our third album. When I think of bands that are on their third album, suddenly we’re a career band.

Josephine: Yeah! It feels like a year and that we’re a new band, but I guess we’re not. It’s been incredible, because we’ve done so much more than we’ve thought we would. We’ve been to so many amazing places and countries than I would have ever dreamed. I never really played a gig outside of England before Oh Wonder and now it becomes a bit normal. We were in Sydney last week and now we’re here. It becomes casual, but it’s actually insane and you have to pinch yourself to realize it all.

You’ve written and recorded your new album No One Can Wear Your Crown at your home studio. In what way did being home influence the outcome of the album?

Anthony: I think because we had so much time to wait since we were on tour for two-three years, we basically moved back to England and built up the home studio. For us, it was sort of nestling in a way and we had to burrow down.

Josephine: It’s like a tree. You can’t grow taller unless you have firmly embedded somewhere, so I think it meant that. We made an album that was a lot more personal and courageous. I felt like we could take way more risks lyrically and sonically, because we’ve been so comfortable at home and also had the space physically and mentally. We weren’t touring and were just chilling, so we had time to think about how we were feeling and what we wanted to write about.

Anthony: You don’t really get to do this on tour. When you travel, you’re tired and have a lot of adrenaline because of the shows, so there’s no space for reflection on what you’re actually experiencing or how you feel. It was a year of digesting and then writing music.

When writing songs do you have in mind that people relate to your music?

Josephine: Maybe, but it’s not a conscious thing. However, I do think that humans are all the same. What I realized when travelling around the world and meeting people, we speak a different language. But I’m sure we wake up one day feeling the same feelings and we all want the same things for ourselves or our friends and family. Travelling has taught me that, so it’s actually quite easy to write music that is relatable. There are just so many universal feelings.

Anthony: I don’t think it’s conscious when we’re writing and it just happens to have an effect on people. One thing we never do, is put “he” or “she” in the lyrics, so we never write about a specific person and that’s why it applies to many people.

It’s the first album where you worked with co-writers. What have you learned out of those sessions?

Josephine: I’ve learned that it’s okay to open up your world towards other people, because it creates more exciting art. I think it’s really easy to be just like: “I know what I’m doing and don’t need anyone.”

Anthony: I think everyone is influenced by other people, but all songwriters have their own language. If you don’t learn someone else’s language, you can’t redevelop and you’re tied within your own vocabulary. It’s funny to be in a room with someone that writes different melodies and you don’t know how they did that. There’s only twelve notes, but it’s crazy to see that everyone has their own way of singing them.

Fast forward to 2060. What’s the first thing you’d tell your grandchildren about your career?

Anthony: I think I would tell them that we used to be on a lot of airplanes. (laughs)

Josephine: I would tell them about the first time we went to Brazil, because it was my first time in South America. We played the Lollapalooza Festival, and when you’re in a dressing room, you don’t really think about the show. So the moment you walk out, is the first time you see the festival site and you don’t have expectations. We came on stage and there were people as far as you can see and we were like: “Why are all these 50,000 people here?” We didn’t know that they would know us and they literally knew every word! It shocked me and I was so surprised.