All in the family for Echosmith
For US indie pop quartet Echosmith, fame and family go hand in hand.
Rising stars in the music industry and best known for their hit Cool Kids, the group formed in 2009 and consist of lead vocalist Sydney Sierota, 18, and her brothers - drummer Graham, 16, bassist Noah, 19 and lead guitarist Jamie, 22.
And they are admirers of other “family bands” too - one of their favourites being US rock band Kings Of Leon, comprising three brothers and their cousin.
Sydney told M over the phone from London: “They obviously work really well together and sound amazing together. (They are) the band that we were loved when we were younger. With music, that’s usually how we do it. One person will like (a group) and then convince the rest to be a big fan and then we’ll all listen to it together.”
Since releasing their debut album Talking Dreams in 2013, Echosmith have been on the road touring and will be playing their first concert here next month.
But for Sydney, travelling around with her brothers isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
She said: “Everyone will fight with their siblings, naturally, because you’re together all the time. We don’t get along every second, but at the same time, we get along for the best part.
“We love going out to eat together and doing normal stuff and also we’ve been (a band) for so long that we’re really used to having to be together.
“Even if we fight a few minutes before a show starts, we know how to get over it.”
Rose
Sydney also enjoys being the rose among the thorns.
“I’m definitely not the leader because I’m the girl, unfortunately. Even though I would like to be,” she said.
“But being the only girl is kind of fun considering I get to wear all the dresses, or I get my nails done, or little simple things like that.”
She also appreciates Echosmith’s loyal fanbase - even if some supporters could get a little overzealous.
Sydney said how she would see comments on her Instagram “a thousand times saying ‘Please date me’”, and even though there are some “funny” interactions it’s “not like I’m looking to date a fan, so I kind of brush it off”.
“It’s actually pretty funny when fans (do get crushes) because Graham is the one who’s the most popular. We used to be more protective... but we just wanted to make it fun instead,” she said, laughing.
“I mean, all these beautiful girls are in love with my little brother (because) he’s so cute. They love Noah and Jamie too - though they’re taken.”
Taylor love
And apparently US pop star Taylor Swift, 25, loves them too.
She sang Cool Kids during the first of two shows of her The 1989 World Tour in Philadelphia, with Echosmith in tow.
“It was obviously an amazing experience because there are tons of people who want to go and watch Taylor Swift... it was just a sea of fans and it was fun because to play for that many people in general is amazing,” Sydney said.
“It was crazy considering she even thought to ask her manager to ask our manager if we could guest at one of her shows, so that was a big deal. We’re so stoked for someone like her to know our song, let alone want us to sing it with her. That was an incredible experience, one I’ll never forget.”
Sydney returned the compliment, weighing in on Swift’s recent stance against new streaming service Apple Music.
Last month, Swift wrote an open letter expressing how she found it “shocking (and) disappointing” that the company did not pay artists royalties for their music during its free three-month trial period. She then refused to allow her chart-topping album 1989 on the platform.
Mere hours after the letter went viral, Apple announced a U-turn — that it would start paying every musician whose works featured on Apple Music during that period.
“I think she was really bold (to) stand up to such a huge company like that. I really respect her,” said Sydney.
“(I’m glad) the musicians are getting paid. It’s awesome and it’s something (Echosmith) agrees with, (it’s) something that needed to be decided on and I’m glad she was the one to make that happen.”
She added Swift can also be “super sweet”.
“I’ve heard her talk about (her relationship with Scottish producer-DJ Calvin Harris) a bit... The photos (of them together) are cute, and the Internet is obsessed with them.”
FYI
What: Echosmith - Live In Singapore
When: Aug 11, 8pm
Where: The Coliseum, Hard Rock Hotel, Resorts World Sentosa
Ticket: $78 from Sistic (www.sistic.com.sg or 6348-5555)
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