We had the opportunity to interview alternative-pop act EXES x JOME for an Artist Spotlight! They dropped a brand new EP on March 8 titled Nothing’s Out to Get You. They are a group that has a great blend of alt and pop sensibilities that make for an infectious sound, you gotta check them out. Check out what they had to say in our interview below!
1. How did you come to pursue music and how long have you been at it?
Allie: I’ve sort of jumped all over the place, musically. I grew up around music- my mom was a piano teacher. When I was in 4th grade I began playing the violin. I continued through high school, but when I was about 16, I taught myself guitar and began writing songs super secretly in my bedroom. I posted YouTube videos, and eventually gained enough confidence to start performing. EXES was born when Mike and I met in college in LA. We had a few sessions for fun and eventually stumbled upon the sound.
2. Could you walk us through your process of writing music? Allie: It’s generally really different every time. Usually, what I find works best is when I write melody before lyrics. Usually I’ll have a concept in mind, or a phrase that came to me on the subway the day before. But for the most part, I begin with melody and lyrical rhythm before filling in any words.
3. What artists have inspired you in your career? Allie: Well, I think the way I sing was influenced by the quirky female artists I grew up listening to- like Regina Spektor, Kate Nash, Lily Allen, Ingrid Michaelson. I also listened to a lot of Damien Rice and Dashboard Confessional, which really shaped my writing style. Little emo kid at heart always and forever, hah.
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?
Jesse: I have this classical nylon string guitar from Spain that I absolutely love. I lived in Granada for a while and took flamenco classes from this sweet old man in the attic above his guitar shop. At the end of our time together, he made all of the students guitars to bring home. I miss that guy. 5. Can you describe the vibe at your live shows? Also, what do you enjoy most about a venue when you do a show?
Allie: I LOVE when we play live. Great vibes. I blackout mostly and end up doing some questionable dancing, but overall it’s a blast. It’s insane to see people singing the words back to us. Also super convenient because I sometimes forget words.
6. What is one thing that you want the public to know about your music?
Mike: All of our music comes from a place of intimate connection and understanding. Our whole EP was based on the idea of us wanting to spend time with each other and do the thing we love doing the most: making new music!
7. Do you have any upcoming projects you would like fans to know about? Allie: Nothing’s Out to Get You dropped March 8th! It’s our EXES and JOME Collaboration EP. Essentially, the four of us retreated to Northern California for 4 days and wrote a ton of songs together. I’m very excited for these tunes to be out there in the world— it’s like sending off our little song children.