Exclusive Interview W/ NERVO: We Talked New Music, Creative Differences, & Drank Some Beer
When you get the call to interview anyone, usually you jump at the chance without a moment of hesitation…Personally speaking, this is a philosophy I live by.
While I love to have some time in advance to prepare for my sit downs, learning that I was going to have face time with NERVO before they hit the stage only hours before their set at NCG was both nerve wracking and exciting. Luckily, as a big fan of both Liv and Mim, I knew that regardless of the time constraint, we were going to have a blast.
With beers in hand, selfies already out of the way, and cigarettes aflame, we chatted about their plans for their first studio release, creative differences behind the decks, and why they are thankful for the amazing support that they have been receiving from fans as of late. For the record, they are incredibly humble and refreshing!
I also reviewed the show for www.ixdaily.com, so check that out here!
Meeting @nervomusic was one of the highlights of my raging season. Such beautiful and charming people. pic.twitter.com/C5ZnWyZe8e
— Anthony Deluca (@AntoineRouge) November 24, 2013
A: First and foremost, I just wanted to say how nostalgic it is to sit here and speak with you guys. After attending Ultra this past March and seeing you headline at the main stage, it made me realize how much I truly love electronic music. It felt like one massive pool party, sans yelling children.
L: Ah you were there for Weekend Two? We were so nervous to play for everyone, it’s a huge honour to be asked to perform on the main stage. Were so happy that you had a blast, it was more than memorable for us!
M: Plus it’s amazing to see how much electronic music has changed in the last few years…We are in this really cool creative space where we have the freedom to experiment and play for fans around the world at festivals like Ultra. Once you are in it, there is nothing more exciting.
L: And they are great places to gage crowd reactions when we test new material. The fans seem to want it harder more than ever, so were trying to deliver music that’s both aggressive and really uplifting!
A: Speaking of new material, I know that you try to refrain from discussing your new album for fear of jinxing it, but can you give us an idea about what the underlying tone will be? If anything, you have such a diverse sound and cater to so many genres…Do you find it challenging to satisfy the wants of such an eclectic fan base?
L: Wow, you really have done your homework! For sure, we definitely are really excited about the album, it’s something that is close to both of our hearts. But at the same time we don’t want to build it up without knowing exactly where we are with the track list and theme. We have some amazing collaborations from some unlikely places, but it’s definitely going to be a well-rounded release.
M: We were discussing this the other day actually…It’s challenging for any artist to satisfy everyone, but that’s the great thing about electronic music. It’s really experimental and free flowing, which allows us to get creative and play with different textures and sounds. We can say that it will be Euphoric though, so expect uplifting, 128 foot-to-the-floor bangers and maybe some mid-tempo tracks here and there.
A: What I love about you two is that despite your love for big room sounds, you play to a lot of different genres, especially within your NERVO Nation mixes…
L: AH, I love that you love them! They are a blast to create, and it’s amazing to hear feedback from people who take the time to listen. We really appreciate it!
M: It’s a really unique space for us to get creative and try different things. Plus we get to feature some of the music we are listening to which is always great.
A: Like any mix or set, does it take a lot of preparation time or is a lot of what you do done organically? I can imagine that with two of you behind the decks, there could be creative differences from time to time.
L: Oh without a doubt. We have a great rhythm together, even beyond being sisters. We have been in the game for a long time and we really understand each other’s musical sensibilities. That being said, you’re going to have moments when you want to feature one track over the other and we butt heads on stage.
A: So who wins more?
M: Honestly, whoever is more stubborn that day. Like do the math…If we have 20 minutes left, that’s roughly four songs to work with amongst transitions and builds, sometimes we are going to fight for that certain song based on how we are feeling that day. Sometimes I win, sometimes Liv get’s what she wants. But at the end of the day it’s all great music, so no harm really.
A: While many people may not know this, you have been writing in the studio for quite some time. You’ve worked with Nicole Sherzinger, Ke$ha, Jennifer Hudson, the list goes on. While on some occasions you get to work in studio with these artists (Like with Nicky Romero, who is a sonic genius by the way), a lot of what you do is done over the internet. Do you find that your voice is lost sometimes when handling these collabs?
L: Nicky is a genius! What he can do in 20 seconds will blow your mind, he is beyond talented.
M: Were really thankful to have worked with some amazing writers, producers, and artists since we started. Sometimes it can be a struggle to have your voice heard, but thankfully we have had the fortune of working with incredibly open-minded people. Sure, on some occasions one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. It was the same situation with David Guetta and writing ‘When Love Takes Over’. He found us even before we started working with him, just through the club scene, and he loved the song.
A: How crazy was it to see the track win a Grammy?
L: It was such an amazing moment thinking back on it. That song was definitely a turning point and we really have to thank David for pushing us to release music under our own name. He believed in us right from the beginning and that means the world to us.
A: I can imagine that releasing music under your own name once you were signed was a bit daunting considering you spent most of your time prior in the studio.
M: Actually, since we had been in the business writing for quite some time, it felt really natural. Now that we are starting to see some success with our music, it solidifies why we decided to go for it in the first place.
A: Speaking of success, congratulations on reaching #1 on Beatport with ‘Revolution’…The collaboration is fire, and really unexpected. I love it!
M: We need to cheers, let me grab you a beer…It just wouldn’t feel right if you didn’t drink with us!
L: We really love the song…Actually, we are going to test out the vocal edit tonight for you guys. Funnily enough, we are still working on the radio edit. We did just shoot the video though with R3hab, so stay tuned for that one;)
A: One final question because I know our time is limited. You feature some amazing vocalists, including yourselves, on most of your releases. Have you ever thought of going one step further and doing something like an acoustic unplugged release or show? It’s an amazing asset to be able to sing on your own songs, I feel like it’s something that really separates you from a lot of other producers.
M: Ah thank you! But definitely, we have talked about that. Were not sure if now is the right time as we have a lot happening, but it’s in the works.
L: That would be magical though, wouldn’t it?
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