The New Zealand-born duo that make up the band Broods are cheeky and slightly self-deprecating while simultaneously seriously recognizing that their upcoming third album may just be their most honest one yet. As sister and brother, Georgia and Caleb Nott have many similarities in terms of mannerisms and their shared sense of humor. While speaking to the pair, the jokes were candidly sprinkled throughout and well received by one another.
With two full-length albums and a self-titled EP under their belts, Broods confidently looks at their upcoming third album, Don’t Feed The Pop Monster, as their most cohesive collection of music. “It feels like a bigger thing this time,” Georgia says. “It feels less disjointed and I think it’s because we are working with a smaller team.” Broods went through a tumultuous few years when they were dropped by Capitol Records and as a result wrote and recorded the majority of their upcoming album completely independently and with total creative control, something they hadn’t had access to in the past. “You get to the point where you realize that your opinion is more important than anyone else’s when it comes to your art,” Georgia explains. “We’re in a place now where we can control [our sound] ourselves without freaking out,” Caleb adds.
Since joining the family at Neon Records, founded by friend Lizzy Plapinger of LPX, Broods has been able to curate an intimate squad to work with, including a few family-friends from New Zealand. Keeping their creative team streamlined has allowed the pair to truly hone in on their concepts. “It takes the pressure off when you work with people who understand your vision,” Georgia says. On working with Plapinger, Caleb adds, “She’s so enthusiastic and loving. She’s also like, our style icon.”
Broods collectively agrees that though the past three years have been a rollercoaster of emotions for them, at the start of their career they were admittedly naïve and insecure. “We were so green and just so stoked to be here that we let people do what they wanted to do with us,” Georgia says of entering the music industry at a ripe 21 years old. “I don’t think we realized we were allowed, or deserved, to be particular and be specific about what we wanted to achieve.”
Fast-forward through parting ways with Capitol Records, Broods has found the light that they deserve. “We know what we want right now. We created an album that we are super excited about every single song, and everything we’re doing visually from the videos to artwork to how we’re presenting ourselves,” Georgia says animatedly. “We feel like it’s a lot more genuine than we’ve ever been allowed to be.”
Evidence by the singer’s pastel pink ensemble, Georgia is definitely ready to be seen as the colorfully cheeky personality she is. Her brother agrees saying, “We were never portraying our true personalities before. It was very much…too moody.”
Broods (photographed by Jung Kim)
The first single off Don’t Feed The Pop Monster, “Peach,” offers a glittery escape for listeners, with a serious message accompanied by a retro-inspired visual. “It’s about the erratic lifestyle we live. It’s hard sometimes, especially in your mid-20s. Everyone is just screaming and freaking out,” Georgia says of the inspiration for “Peach.” The playful visual perfectly contrasts the dark lyrics: “Hot and cold, young and old. All the more I know, the less I feel right.”
While “Peach” straddles the line between dark and emo and bright pop, Georgia says much of Don’t Feed The Pop Monster will also offer a self-reflective outlook that can in a way, be slightly exasperating. “A lot of this album is like a soundtrack to the age we’re at right now. We’re having existential crises every two months,” she says. Caleb half-jokingly adds, “Half the time we’re just crying.” The album, slated for a February 1, 2019 release, will focus on the various struggles the duo have endured over the last couple of years, while also keeping a pop-infused vibe to it.
On coming up with the album’s title, Georgia admits that they were very cynical after being dropped and became somewhat critical of the music industry. “There were like, 15 songs on the radio that all had the words I need you and then we’re over here singing about our existential crises and accepting mortality.” Georgia clarifies that the pop monster in their album’s title is not meant to discredit all pop music, because Broods does make pop music. The pop monster appears to represent the industry that Broods allowed themselves to be contorted and changed for in the past.
With their newfound point of view, Broods is embracing their colorful personalities while also incorporating some of their emo vibe that listeners crave. “Our favorite songs off the record are the most vulnerable. The ones where we peel our skin back and show how fucked up we feel,” Georgia says. “It’s important to take ownership of your weaknesses and turn them into strengths. We feel isolated sometimes.”
Broods is set to release Don’t Feed The Pop Monster on February 1, 2019 and with it will come a tour and we’re sure some more vibrant videos.
