Hi Milla and Marlow! Thank you for doing this interview with Plays.IO.
First of all, let me thank you for trying to make the world a bit more magical. When did you come up with the idea of The Green Children Foundation?
The idea to start a Foundation came a few years after Marlow and I met. We quickly discovered our shared passion for supporting valuable causes and felt a Foundation would be a great extension to our musical activities and endeavors.
What’s the biggest accomplishment of The Green Children Foundation?
The Eye Hospital we helped support in Bangladesh has now given over 15,000 people their sight back, which is just incredible. However, we’ve been lucky to be a part of many inspiring projects.
How can people help out?
We launch projects on a regular basis, normally around a new single or video release. The causes and goals vary, so if people want to help out, following of facebook feed is perhaps the best way to discover our latest ‘call to action’.
How do you contribute to The Green Children Foundation with your music?
On our albums, we dedicate certain songs to raise money or awareness for a cause. We also host benefit concerts and prize giveaways to link the two together.
How would you describe your music to people who are yet to listen to it?
That is a very difficult question and one we receive frequently. Our sound has developed very naturally. We write and produce all our music, so it’s very personal and a little challenging to describe. Perhaps, Ethereal Electro Alternative Pop comes close?
Are there any books or movies that have had an influence on your songs?
Absolutely! We are big fans of sci-fi and fantasy movies and books. Older films like ‘The Neverending Story’ and ‘Labyrinth’ are some favorites. We really enjoy creating music that takes people to a magical place and I am always daydreaming when writing lyrics. Movies and visuals sometimes help fuel my creative process.
What has been the most amazing thing that has happened to you during your career?
Getting to a point where we are creating music we dreamed of as Children. To be truly happy with the art you are putting out into the world is rare and precious.
How has the internet helped you in your career?
It has helped immensely and has allowed us to find an amazing audience who love what we do. The change in our lifetime has been dramatic but we’ve always embraced new methods, and when you’re a little different from the mainstream that can be important. It allows us to go straight to the people and skip some of the BS.
Where do you think the online music industry is headed? What are the challenges that artists face?
Streaming seems like the future. The main challenge is to get the payment structure right for the artists, music has great value and needs to be treated accordingly. Right now, streaming doesn’t pay enough for independent artists.
To how many platforms do you upload your music?
All platforms available. For a while we debated this and definitely only promoted to certain platforms, but at the end of the day you need to be wherever a particular consumer is. A few less in the future might be nice, as it can be quite confusing!
What do you think about the idea of an online platform that would give you the total number of plays and likes a song of yours has (regardless of how many versions exist on multiple sharing platforms uploaded by you or by someone else)
Sounds very cool indeed, and certainly something we don’t have now.
What are your plans for the near (and far) future?
Immediately, we have a brand new music video coming out in November. It is probably our favorite to date, so we’re excited to get it out! Next year, planning a new album and Summer Festival Circuit. Its always fun to make new music, as we never know what we’ll come up with.