INTERVIEW: Hollow Coves release 'Moments', an inspiring new album about redemption
Hollow Coves hopes to change people’s perspectives with their new single ‘Anew’ which was just released this past Friday. Along with their new album, Moments, being released the same day – they’ll be touring throughout Australia in 2020. We had a chat to them about their new single and album, and their passion of inspiring people through their music!
With your latest single ‘Anew’, you have described its purpose being “to speak hope into people’s lives and motivate them to keep going.” The lyrics itself portray the feeling of redemption and overcoming obstacles, which many people struggle to deal with. What kind of impact do you both think this song has for people that are struggling with depression or worthlessness?
We pray that this song will help people to see things differently. We want to change people's perspective. We hope it can help them to see that there is beauty in their life. To give them hope that things will get better. We hope it will help them to focus on all the good things that life has to offer.
‘Anew’ was produced by Chris Bond who has worked with Ben Howard and the legendary duo Hall and Oates. How did you find collaborating with Bond on ‘Anew’?
Working with Chris was such a privilege! He is a very talented human being. It was a very different experience to what we were used to and he definitely challenged us and pushed us in the studio. We are stoked with what he brought out of the songs though. The record wouldn’t be what it is without his creative input.
The music video for ‘Anew’ was directed by Onil Kotian, who has worked with David Jones and Angus and Julia Stone. How was the experience working with Kotian and how did you think the music video incorporated some of the same themes addressed within your lyrics of ‘Anew”?
Onil is a legend. We’d seen some of his work and love his style. The video actually came together really quickly. We had been chatting with him about the song and how to portray the message of the song in the video. We wanted to show people that if you’re feeling depressed you don’t have to stay in that place. For us, we find such joy in making a decision to choose to see the beauty in all the little things in life. We wanted to show the shift that happens when you change your perspective and start to admire the beauty around us. Even in a small conversation with a stranger.
Your debut album, Moments, just released on Friday, October 18th. Featuring singles such as ‘Borderlines’ and ‘When We Were Young’. It has been highly anticipated since your debut EP Wanderlust. What did you learn from creating Wanderlust that helped you guys transform into the duo you are now the music you released for Moments?
I think the main thing we learned from the Wanderlust EP was that our music was able to have a positive impact on peoples lives. We got so many messages after that first EP from people saying that our music had helped them through tough times. That definitely had a massive impact on us and the music that we wrote for the album.
Both of you were born in Brisbane, Australia and you will be performing at The Triffid on January 25th, 2020. Along with Brisbane, you’ll be in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth as well. Is there anything in particular you both are looking forward to whilst touring throughout Australia?
Believe it or not, I was actually born in England! However, I moved to Brisbane when I was 6 and have grown up here so I definitely identify more as an Australian. Matt, however, was born in Brisbane though.
The shows in Australia have just been getting better and better every time. Our last tour in Australia was so much fun and we’re really stepping things up on this tour so we’re really excited be back playing shows in Australia. I think it’s just going to be a lot of fun!
Your debut EP Wanderlust released in 2017 has amassed 200 million streams. Featuring the singles ‘Coastline’ and ‘Home’, Hollow Coves received worldwide attention following the release. How did you both feel after all of the support and attention you had after the debut of Wanderlust?
It was honestly so unexpected. We are still blown away by those numbers! We just feel really blessed and grateful for everything that has happened.
Hollow Coves’ music is reminiscent of the likes of Simon and Garfunkel and Coldplay. Were there any particular artists you both listened to growing up that inspired Hollow Coves?
Thank you! One of the artists that definitely inspired us both early on was Angus and Julia Stone. Actually, I think everything kind of stems back to them in a way. It’s kind of a funny story.
When I was younger I used to listen to a lot of hip-hop and rap. My older brother listened to that and I just listened to what he was listening to. Then one year my parents took me to a music festival in Queensland called Woodford Folk Festival. I bumped into some friends there and they asked if I wanted to go with them to the stage where Angus and Julia Stone were about to play. I asked what kind of music they were and when they described it to me I told them I probably wouldn’t like it but I went anyway. However, as I sat there on the hill listening to them play, I actually really enjoyed it. Their music, and similar music, slowly started to make its way onto my mp3 player at the time.
Over the course of the next year or so I started to realize that there wasn’t much hip-hop on my MP3 player anymore. I bought an acoustic guitar and started learning a bunch of their songs and other acoustic songs I had fallen in love with. Then when I was first introduced to Matt, one of the first things I saw of him was actually a cover that he had done of ‘Mango Tree’ by Angus and Julia Stone. That was definitely one of the things that drew us to want to work on music together!
