By: Jamie Steinberg
Photo By Holland Rainwater
Q) Your music is often described as pop-rock, but how would you describe your sound?
A) I never really know how to describe our sound because I feel like each of our songs exists pretty independently of the others. “Take Me to Your Leader” is a satirical, theatrical funk song; “You Just Won’t Give Me Love” is a pop-rock song; and “Woman” is pop. Lately, we’ve been calling ourselves a “retro pop-rock band” because we’ve been promoting “The Lucky Dudes,” which is intentionally retro-sounding, but our upcoming album doesn’t lean in that direction.
Q) Who are some of your musical influences?
A) The Beatles, Fiona Apple, New Radicals, The Rolling Stones, Jamiroquai, Stevie Wonder, No Doubt, Steely Dan, Avril Lavigne and Michael Kiwanuka.
Q) Talk about the story behind your song “The Lucky Dudes (Extended Version).”
A) Nick [Sare] – my boyfriend and the other half of this band – and I were trying to find parking near a restaurant by his parents’ place and I was joking that the people who got the spots right by the restaurant were “the lucky dudes.” Then, we got a spot and I was like, “Oh my god, we’re the lucky dudes.” I started humming a melody to the words “we are the lucky dudes” and that became the chorus. The song ended up becoming about my relationship with Nick and, instead of giving in to the doubt that can come with finding your person so early, it became about choosing to believe that maybe we really are the lucky dudes.
Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?
A) I think people seem to connect with the song’s happy-go-lucky energy. A lot of my songs come from a more disgruntled place, but this one just didn’t. Also, a few people have specifically reached out about Ryan Daar’s insane bass riff at 2:55 in the extended cut.
Q) This is an expanded version of the original single. What made you decide to recraft it?
A) The radio edit/original single was actually the recrafted cut. This extended version is how we’d always envisioned the song, with all the players taking solos, our executive producer/arranger Terence “T” Odonkor’s full arrangement unfolding, etc. But that turned out to be a 7-minute song. So, I felt like we should cut it down to release as a radio-friendly 4:30 first and then release the full cut as a special add later, which is what we did!
Q) I love the horns and layered vocals to the Extended Version. How did they add to your initial intent for the song that wound up getting cut for the radio edit?
A) Thank you! [smiles] We – the band and T – wanted it to sound as much like an authentic 70s track as possible, so that meant a full 19-piece band. I think you can still hear the scale in the radio edit, but it was important to release a version where the players could really spread out.
Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?
A) I don’t really have a set process. Usually a chorus – melody, chords and lyrics – pops in and I build the verses around that. Other songs, like “You Just Won’t Give Me Love,” came out in one fluid, 30-minute push.
Q) With “The Lucky Dudes (Extended Version)” out now, is this a prelude to a full album or EP?
A) There’s one more song coming on the three-song EP we recorded at Power Station last December, which includes: our cover of Steve Winwood’s “Can’t Find My Way Home” and both the original and extended versions of “The Lucky Dudes.” But we’re also currently recording our first full album at Better Company Studios in Brooklyn, which we’re planning to release in early 2027.
Q) My Mom is Here is known for having a live band when performing. What can fans expect from a live MMIH show?
A) Our set can move pretty quickly from something intimate and vulnerable to something explosive and theatrical, which keeps things fresh and fun. We try to keep ourselves and our audiences on their toes. Hopefully, people leave feeling moved and like they had a really good time.
Q) What of your own songs or even cover songs do you enjoy performing the most live?
A) I love singing “You Just Won’t Give Me Love” live. It builds really nicely and is really cathartic to perform. It’s also a fan favorite, and it feels awesome having people sing the lyrics back to me. For that reason, I also love singing our song “Woman.”
Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?
A) I’ve loved playing at Nublu in the East Village because we’ve had a few big shows there – one birthday show (because our former drummer, Aidan, and I share a birthday), and our homecoming show after tour last August. We’re playing there again on October 16 with simmerr and Hill House. We’ve also played Levitate Backyard a few times and we love everything about it. The folks who work there are awesome and the shows have been a blast.
Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?
A) Paul McCartney. LFG.
Q) What artist/musician are you currently listening to and why do you dig them?
A) I love Michael Kiwanuka because his music is timeless and really soulful and it’s hooky without feeling at all commercial. His songs “I’ll Get Along” and “The Final Frame” are so beautiful.
Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?
A) First and foremost, I want people to know that if they come to our shows, I’d love to meet them and I really hope they say hi! And, generally, it’s so awesome anytime someone reaches out about a song. It makes me SO happy. We do all this recording and releasing so people will hear the music, but it still blows my mind when I learn people are actually hearing it and connecting with it. Songwriting, lately. happens when communication with other people has been ineffective and I have nowhere else to go – it’s me burrowing inward and trying to scrape away the muck on whatever truth I’m feeling until I have a kernel of something that I can show or tell people. So, when someone connects with something I’ve written, it makes me feel less alone and that means an indescribable amount. (Even with a happy little song like this!)
All Questions Answered By Vocalist Samantha Seiff