This article was originally published by i-D UK
A mash up of Swedish morals and Australian humour, Elektra and Miranda Kilbey are the ethereal duo making sweet, sweet sounds. The twin daughters, and Gemini ones at that, of Australian psychedelic rock band Church’s frontman Steve Kilbey, and his former girlfriend Karin Jansson, a career in music was written in the stars for these two. After a brief spell wanting to be psychologists (those rebels!) the pair released their debut record Lucid Dreaming in 2015.
Since then the girls have garnered quite the following for their dreamy dulcet tones and silky pop noir music. “We grew up in a creative environment where music was the constant centre of our everyday lives, always in our conversations and analysis of the world,” Elektra explains. “So just always listening and finding new music, and learning how to express ourselves, and live through our art, is something that we bring into our work.”
Aside from working on their second album, the girls were recently revealed as the stars of Mango’s latest campaign for Journeys, a digital project that follows the global adventures of a few bright young dreamers. For their chapter, Say Lou Lou were whisked off to the sun-kissed shores of Thailand. It’s a hard life, eh? Fresh from sipping on some iced Mango at the Mango House (v. meta) at last weekend’s Primavera Sound Festival, the girls share their thoughts on living life as twins, the obligatory teenage hustle of hitting up the clubs, and the naughtiest things they’ve other done. N.B No wheat fields were harmed in the retelling of these stories.
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Being twins is just like you would imagine…
“You have that element of closeness, symmetry, symbiosis, and comfort. But there’s also a sense of harshness and suffocation. We’re very two sided. Lots of high energy, loud and happy but also depressive, cynical dreamers at the same time. Elektra is a queen bee. Miranda is a comedienne.”
Growing up they were quite the little rascals….
Miranda: “I used to always lie about my age and hustle to get into clubs and venues when I was younger.” Elektra: “I used to push other kids down stairs and into fountains and pools as a kid, it was an obsession. Devil child!”
They find inspiration all around them…
“We’re mainly inspired by David Bowie. Kate Bush. Frida Kahlo. People. Stories. Literature. Art. Film. For our upcoming album, we’ve been inspired by 60s Lalo Schifrin and Bernard Herrmann film scores, Portishead, Serge Gainsbourg, Air, Berthold Brecht’s The Seven Deadly Sins, John Berger’s Ways of Seeing and 80s Isabelle Adjani (to name a few).”
Their mum gives very good advice…
“Mum always says to, ‘Kill them with kindness’. Always be kind, always take the high road. Don’t stoop to pettiness.”
Their career highlight so far has been…
“Touring and travelling through North America, living on a tour bus was definitely a highlight.”
If they could change one thing about the world, it would be…
“Ending patriarchy, crushing racist structures and caring about mother earth.”
Their hopes and dreams for the future are…
“To keep learning and growing as artists. To refine our craft. To inspire and be inspired by everyone we meet.”
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Credits
Text Tish Weinstock
Images courtesy Mango x Primavera Sound