A Quick Chat with youproblem

What was the inspiration behind your latest track ‘Shoot Me in the Grocery Line’?

Alana: The song is about acting strong and untouched by a breakup, but actually being really hurt underneath. I went through a big breakup earlier that year and my way of dealing with it was by switching off my emotions and avoiding talking about it. I don’t usually feel comfortable expressing my sadness or anger or hurt, which I guess made me seem like I was doing well. The reality was that I was actually really hurt and couldn’t bring myself to really talk about it or show that to anyone. I was imagining running into my ex at somewhere really mundane like a grocery store and not being able to keep a lid on those feelings anymore, kind of proving to everyone that I did feel sad. I guess a part of me was also mad that my friends (and my ex) weren’t noticing my pain.

Alistair: We tried really hard to match the angst and hurt in the lyrics with the production. We kept it super angry and distorted, and crunched up as many sounds as we could. I wanted the chorus to feel like the moment you see that ex, a wave of lush long held chords and bass notes crashing over you, while still being angry and energetic / anxious. We pulled heaps of references from riffy bands, of course influenced by Twin XL - the best of the best when it comes to angry riffs.

How did you two meet and get to making music together?

We both met in year 3 percussion ensemble and we ran musically parallel to each other ever since - alistair played for an EP I recorded when we were 15, and we crossed paths through School Spec and TDP, as well as reconnecting in uni. We were actually each other's first writing sessions in 2014 which resulted in the weirdest song ever that will NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY. In late 2020, Alistair sent me that song to laugh about it and we ended up organising another writing session. We instantly clicked as writers and decided to start the project from that session. We’d both been pursuing music and writing outside of each other for a couple years by then so we had a lot more experience and identity under our belts. 

What’s your creative process like when making music together?

We always try to feel out what we’re vibing on the day, as opposed to bringing ideas in. We usually start by showing each other music we’ve been rinsing that week and finding ideas that inspire us, and then snowballing off that. Once we get into it, we kinda split off into our own thing - Alistair builds up with production while Alana fleshes out some sad girl lyrics and melodies. We definitely rely on each other as sounding boards for ideas and validation, especially if we get stuck or feel uninspired. That’s one of the best parts about being in this duo - we’re both each other’s hype man and our collective creativity always pulls us out of ruts. 

If you could change something about the Australian music industry, what would it be?

We would love to see more opportunity and more community around niche or small genres. It feels like there’s only a few genres that get a lot of mainstream attention in Australian media and the music industry, which means a lot of good music gets glossed over. When we hear our friends in America or Europe talk about music communities there, there’s a lot more support and events around those smaller genres that we rarely see over here. There’s so much good music out there that we only hear about through non conventional channels like tik tok, tv shows, playlists, that we feel like people would really enjoy if they were also supported by Australian Media. 

What show are you binging at the moment?

Alana: I am a big tv show watcher - at the moment I’m watching Bobs Burgers and The Boys, depending on what mood I’m in. Technically not binge watching but I’m also keeping up with the new LOTR show Rings of Power which I’m loving! 

Alistair: I’ve been smashing the Walking Dead for the last little while. I watched up to halfway through season seven when doing my HSC as a procrastination move, but then stopped watching. I only just passed where I got up to originally and it’s definitely gotten worse towards the end but I’m still vibing and wanna get through it so I can move on with my life.

What was the first concert you ever went to?

Alana: Taylor Swift at Qudos Bank Arena (Allphones at the time) in 2012. I went because a friend offered me a free ticke but we were right up in the nosebleeds. Still one of the best concerts though. 

Alistair: Flight of the conchords at the entertainment centre. I went with my parents and thought they were the funniest thing I’d ever heard of. Business time went off.

What advice would you give young people trying to make a career in the Australian music industry?

Alistair: Just start doing it! I waited so long to make sure everything was perfect but I wish I started releasing earlier. The earlier you get things out there, the quicker you meet people and make friends. Start to build a little community of friends you make music with or who you sound similar to or who you think is amazing and just go to a bunch of their shows and try to meet them. Just have fun and create as much art as possible with people who like the same stuff as you and that’s the industry. Also don’t be precious about your songs, you can almost always write a better one, so focus on writing more often and then moving on. You’ll get better way faster that way and you can always come back to the best songs if you like them. Alana and I have written 36 songs for youproblem and have only picked like 6 of them to come out.

Alana: Stay true to your music and vision! I’m definitely a people pleaser and I was so impacted by peoples opinions and advice on my songs when I was younger. As I became more confident and stronger in my identity, I realised I couldn’t please everyone and it was more important to make sure that I liked my songs. It’s so important to have that confidence so you don’t take criticism so personally, and that you put out the art that you back. 

Who’s an Aussie musician you can't get enough of right now?

Alistair: San Joseph, that guy has hooks for days, great lyrics, and is a sweet sweet boy.

Alana: I fkn love mallrat and I’ve been rinsing her new album. I’ve been a fan of Mallrat’s music for ages, but the new album has reignited my love. 

Do you have any exciting projects coming up?

This is our last release for this year, but we’re gearing up towards releasing our debut EP next year. We’ve got 6 songs on the track list, including a few of the ones we’ve released. We also just put together our live set and we’re looking forward to finally being able to perform!