(Photo Credit: Tim Saccenti)
So we had the chance to chat with alt-superstars MISSIO for an Artist Spotlight! The group hails from Austin, Texas have a sound that is all their own. They are in the process of releasing a new album which should be out next year! This is an Artist Spotlight you don't want to miss, read it below!
1. How did you come to pursue music and how long have you been at it?
"I’ve been playing classical piano since I was 6 years old. My parents had me start early & then had me join a Children’s Choir that toured the world during my middle school years. I took those years for granted for a long time, but later realized how beneficial it was for me and my current music career. David started playing guitar when he was in middle school after being inspired by Led Zeppelin and has been in bands ever since. We both had to work jobs we hated and the best day of both our lives was when we were able to quit those jobs and pursue music full time in the last few years. Our lives have changed tremendously since then because everyday we wake up we get to focus on making the best art possible. We don’t have the distractions of needing to work on other things or jobs to provide financially for us anymore. It makes our art even more pure without the distractions".
2. Could you walk us through your process of writing music?
"Our writing process varies. Most of the time I start a basic outline of a song w/ the melodies and hooks i’m hearing. Then I’ll hand it off to David to add any ideas he has and he’ll engineer the track to make it sound round and full. Other times, we’ll start a song together and/or we’ll sit in the studio w/ our producer Dwight Baker and we’ll all start a song from scratch until we’re digging it. It really varies depending on where we’re at location wise and if one or the other is inspired on their own or in moments when we’re all together".
3. What artists have inspired you in your career?
"Death Cab For Cutie, Radiohead, Sufjan Stevens, Son Lux, Mike Jones, Lil Wayne, Missy Elliott, Sigur Ros etc. We’re always listening to music, old or new to use as inspiration".
4. Do you have any favorite music gear (guitars, amps, effects pedals, keyboards, etc.) that you love to use? If so, what’s the story on them?
"I love all of the Native Instruments gear. I use Maschine quite a bit’ for my own writing and drum grooves. We use lots of real analog synths in the studio like the Prophet 06, Voyager, Moogs, etc - Again, it all varies depending on what tones are inspiring us. We love to find new gear that pushes our creativity".
5. Can you describe the vibe at your live shows? Also, what do you enjoy most about a venue when you do a show?
"The vibe at our live show is extremely energetic. I use live shows as a way to express my anger and aggression - it’s therapy for us really. We could be having the worst day ever and play a show and feel like we’re whole again after we finish a show. We like to create emotional moments that bring the fans on a journey and we love getting cinematic at times that becomes extremely immersive for the viewers. Favorite things at venues are when the green rooms are comfortable for us. White Oak Music Hall in Houston, TX is one of our favorite venues because of how well they take care of their artists".
6. What is one thing that you want the public to know about your music?
"Our music is extremely raw and honest. We don’t write songs to try and get #1 radio hits. We share music because it’s things we’ve experienced or are struggling with in life. It’s our way of writing in a diary. We want our music to speak to people in a way that helps them grow and gain perspective on life".
7. Do you have any upcoming projects you would like fans to know about?
"We just finished our second record. 2019 is going to be a good year!"