A quick chat with Sir & Lydia
Sir & Lydia are an emerging indie folk duo rising through the Brisbane music scene with heartfelt songs about life, love and loss. AMS recently sat down with Mia and James from the group to learn more about them and their latest release, the single ‘Modesty.’
Congratulations on the release of Modesty! How does it feel to have it out?
MIA: I feel pure joy. We’ve been holding on to Modesty for such a long time, and now it’s finally out! We’re so glad people are digging it.
JAMES: It feels great. This is our first release of 2020 and I think it’s a big step up from our 2019 releases. I think we’re really finding our voice and developing musically which is super exciting.
Modesty has a really energising, empowering vibe. Is that what you were going for when writing it?
MIA: Absolutely, this song totally revolves around self-empowerment and being proud of who you are in this world. It’s so easy to listen to those little voices of doubt in the back of your head when you’re pursuing a dream, but this song is about overcoming the self-doubt.
JAMES: Definitely! To me, the song is a wonderful proclamation of self-belief and confidence. So often I see really kind, talented people undersell themselves and let life pass them by. Hopefully ‘Modesty’ encourages them to claim their space and be unashamedly proud of who they are.
What was the moment you knew you wanted to write music with each other and form a band?
MIA: We both played individual sets at a party last year, and I remember hearing him sing and thinking: wow, what an incredible voice, how nice would it be if we sang together. We played a simple Beatles tune and it sounded so wonderful - a few months later we were making music as a duo.
JAMES: I was first impressed when we discovered that we share a love of James Taylor and Carole King’s work together, but what really sealed the deal was when we harmonised our voices for the first time. I definitely felt the energy change in the room and knew that we were onto something pretty special.
Oddball question: News comes over the radio and there’s an asteroid heading to Earth with ETA within 12 hours. How do you spend your last day?
MIA: I’d probably try and meet up with all of my friends and family, bid them farewell and share some laughs before dinosaur extinction round two happens.
JAMES: I’d like to say Party at the End of the World but, realistically, I’d probably just sit on the lawn, chill out, and watch it all come down in peace.
What more can fans expect to see from you soon?
MIA & JAMES: First of all, we’re doing a gig at Tomcat on December 17 with our pal Georgia Dutton who has released a new single as well so everyone should come to that. Regarding more releases… some things are in the works but nothing to announce just yet. Stay tuned!
