Macedo – Optimistic

By starrymag | October 8, 2024

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

A) On our latest songs, we would describe our sound as uplifting, soulful and nostalgic.

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

A) We have so many but some of our main musical influences are Nina Simone, Fiona Apple, Tori Amos and Chappell Roan. We love soulful and bright pop with a powerful message.

Q) As a twin myself, we are truly best friends. What is it like being in a music duo with your twin?

A) That is so awesome that you are a twin, too! As you know, it’s a bond like no other. We love to collaborate and support each other in all of our creative endeavors. Since we are siblings, we can be direct with each other and we’ve learned how to listen to each other and compromise along the way. It’s so nice to be able to work with your best friend.

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Optimistic.”

A) We worked with a great producer and songwriter called Jules Duke and another great producer called Wolves. We love their playful style and nostalgic production. It was such a fun process and we all just immediately clicked. Our goal was to put something fun and positive into the world and with their help I think we really accomplished that. Wet Leg and Tom Tom Club were big inspirations for this song.

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

A) “Optimistic” is about joyful expression and letting go of others’ judgements to embrace yourself. I think fans (and everyone) can really connect to that. It’s easy to get bogged down in doing what other people expect of you and getting lost in the grind of everyday life. But “Optimistic” is about the simpler things, being present and stepping into your own power. We hope the song empowers people to feel confident in their own skin.

Q) The video for “Optimistic” is 80’s and reminds me of the series “Physical.” What inspired the concept?

A) We absolutely love the show “Physical.” We worked with our good friend and director Maggie Levin who immediately understood the message behind the song. She came up with the idea of gender swapping a scene in an aerobics class from the 1985 movie Perfect with John Travolta and Jamie Lee Curtis. We had a great time shooting the music video. We found a group of incredible dancers that we were so excited to showcase. Our favorite part of the video was watching the incredible dancers do their thing and commit joyfully. The amazing choreography was by David Grannum, and they all brought the song to life.

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

A) It’s different with every song. It can either start with lyrics or music and sometimes starts with both. We write much more than we need so we are able to edit things down and not be too precious about anything.

Q) How much of a hand do you have in the production of your music?

A) We are not producers but we have been lucky enough to find incredible producers to work with. We love to collaborate and it’s so exciting and rewarding to see a song come to life! We recently worked on the “Optimistic (Remix)” with an amazing female producer and artist Dresage. We love to hear what producers bring to the table in terms of their own creative lens.

Q) With “Optimistic” out now, will there be a full album or EP coming out in the near future?

A) Yes! We will definitely keep you updated on that!

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

A) We love performing at Hotel Cafe. It has such an intimate vibe, and the audience there really loves music. It’s so nice to feel connected to an audience when you’re performing, and that venue really supports that.

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

A) A great, fun artist with a message we want to collaborate with is Chappell Roan. She brings so much uniqueness to each of her songs and is unapologetically herself.

Q) What artist/musician are you currently listening to and why do you dig them?

A) The Last Dinner Party (“Sinner”), Chappell Roan (like everyone!) and Sabrina Carpenter. We love the strong point of view of the songs and the bright and uplifting production.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) We appreciate you so much! As artists, it’s easy to feel like we are releasing work into a void hoping anyone will see or listen. It’s nice to be reminded that our art is impacting people in a positive way. It’s so nice to hear from fans that our music made their day a little brighter. We are so grateful to everyone who’s listening!