Hey ILLUZIONS, How did you get into music?
Bayla G: Learning new instruments has always been a passion of mine. I started taking piano lessons at a young age, but eventually switched to learning guitar as my main instrument. Whenever I was practicing guitar, I’d always be inclined to sing along to whatever melody was being played. By the time I was 11 years old, I was writing my own songs. I’ve also always enjoyed analyzing the music I listen to and picking apart the different sounds.
Felium: I was heavily exposed to music growing up, and my parents signed me up for lessons in piano when I was around 5 years old. I learned the instrument really quickly and immediately felt intrigued to play more. I then proceeded to learn other instruments like drums, guitar and violin. This wide array of skills later allowed me to produce and compose multi-instrumental songs.
Who are some of your musical influences?
Some of our biggest musical influences are Rufus Du Sol, ODESZA, Fred Again, Elderbrook, Bonnie X Clyde, and Swedish House Mafia.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
The best advice we’ve been given is that you can’t fail at something until you give up. This mentality is what gives us the motivation to keep pursuing our goals even during times when we’re struggling. By giving up, you guarantee that you will fail. When you keep working towards achieving something, there is always a chance for you to become successful.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Being two artists from different musical backgrounds, we often draw inspiration from each other. One of us will come up with something that we’ll both bounce ideas off of until we create something we’re proud of. We also find a lot of inspiration from the music we listen to and like to implement some techniques we pick up when analyzing our favorite artists.
What are your thoughts on the current state of the music industry?
The music industry can be a tough place to navigate. It can be really helpful for an artist to have a good understanding of the business side of the industry. Being successful nowadays is about so much more than just making a good song, and it can be easy for a new artist to get taken advantage of. For us, the most important thing is that we stick to our vision and to not forget our driving factors for making music.
What’s the story behind your latest single, ”Back & Forth”?
“Back & Forth” is part of a conceptual EP that follows a bigger story. There can be different
interpretations, but the idea of this track follows the indecisiveness that comes with making a good or bad decision and how one copes with it. Every decision has its pros and cons; the difference lies in the short-term versus long-term consequences. “Back & Forth” explores how different people may react to being in this stressful position. They can either face it head-on or try to avoid it.
Why should people listen to it?
“Back & Forth” is a song that combines a relatable concept with a hypnotizing beat. It’s a song that can be listened to for both the lyrics and melody. The silky vocals layered with ear candy make it sonically satisfying, and the pulsating beat creates a great atmosphere for dancing.
How do you know when a work is finished?
When making music, we never truly know when something is done until it is sent out and ready to be released. There are always changes that can be made, but there has to be a point where we stop or else no song would ever get finished. It’s easy to know when a song isn’t finished because we can feel when something is missing. Once it gets to a point where we are being really picky about little details, that’s when we know the song is almost done.
What are your favorite musical genres, and are there any you dislike?
We are heavily influenced by melodic house music, and it’s one of our favorite genres to listen to. We also enjoy a lot of aspects found in indie-pop songs. Being two different people, we obviously have differing opinions with some genres of music. However, we can always appreciate the talent that goes into every genre even if it isn’t something we would listen to on a normal basis.
Would you like to say anything to emerging artists?
Stay true to the sound you want to achieve. Make something that you’re proud of, not what you think will sell. There will always be an audience that will appreciate your style, you just have to find them.
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