Echosmith: Siblings, best friends and a ‘Lonely Generation’

THEY’RE siblings and they’ve succeeded in being together in a single band together through the years. Multi-platinum Southern California trio Echosmith — comprised of Sydney Sierota (lead vocals), Noah Sierota (vocals, bass), and Graham

age together as all bands do, weathering life’s trials and triumphs as a unit. But is it easier or more complicated to have siblings working together when it comes to a music career?

“I would say that it is actually easier because we’re close already,” was Sydney’s refreshing reply to Music Geek via phone interview. “We all started out as best friends basically so it’s like being in a band with your friends, but since we’re also related so we’re really honest with each other, which is really nice when you’re in a band,” she continued.

“I think you really need that honesty and open communication when you’re doing something like this because otherwise it gets awkward or you don’t know what to say so it’s just nice that we can be real with each other at the same time also enjoy each other.”

The siblings transpose their collective growth into vibrant, vulnerable, and vital alternative pop anthems upheld by lush guitars and analog synths. Their personal songcraft blossoms in the group’s 2019 single “Lonely Generation.”

Within a few years, Echosmith cemented themselves as an inescapable presence throughout popular music and culture. Streamed over one billion times by 2019, they earned Triple Platinum for the single “Cool Kids;” a Double Platinum single with “Bright” which is their 2016 full-length debut; and yet another track, “Talking Dreams,” went gold.

Here’s more of Music Geek’s phone interview with Echosmith’s female lead vocalist Sydney Sierota.

Music Geek: How do you deal with misunderstandings or disagreements between as bandmates and as siblings?

- mise. Usually one of us or two of us who are disagreeing with one another, we just try to make sure that we try to be as close as we can to the middle [of the issue]. We compromise and from there we’re able to make a decision. We also try sometimes to vote on things but like I’ve said we try to mostly work ork together to compromise and make ake decisions together so everyone feels so good about it.

Can you tell us about your new w single Lonely Generation? What at is it about?

Lonely Generation is a song that t we’re really excited about because it just talks about how we’re feeling about life right now. That is how we try to write all of our songs. We want to make sure they are personal and that they tell our story. But this one really feels important to talk about because it’s about our relationship hip with social media, the Internet and our songs versus real life, and how confusing f that can be sometimes. So this song is

Echosmith's Noah, Sydney and Graham Sierota

a balance in all that. But we also want to open up the conversation for our fans and anyone who hears this song about being more in touch with having real, substantial and meaningful relationships in real life, not just on our phones or social media. Just being real with one another and not living through our phones all the time. It’s something that we really wanted to talk about more and the song really does that.

Speaking of social media, how important is social media engagement to your fans?

It’s so important, which also relates to Lonely Generation because part of our job is to be on our phones and to be on social media because we get to connect with so many people around the world. Right now, it’s so amazing that we’re able to do that. It is such an exciting thing for us as artists that we literally get to talk to anybody anywhere in the world in real time and it’s not through a letter that takes weeks to get to someone. Unlike an

Instagram, Tweet or

a Facebook comment. So it’s important to us to do our best to respond to people on our social media app no matter what because I think it’s too sweet for people to take the time to tell their story or just say “hi” or “I love you”. We just love to get to talk to everybody in that way. So we love social media for that reason for sure.

Can you tell us about your creative and songwriting process?

It depends on where we are, what we’re doing and what days because some days I am super inspired. I have a million ideas for a song. But there are other days when I feel so tired and I have almost no ideas. Because we are creative we go through that process together which is cool because I still get to do it even when I personally don’t feel inspired.

Every day is different that way but we usually start with a conversation like, “What song do we want to talk about today? What do you feel inspired by and what are you thinking about?” When the question’s there, you never know what each one is gonna contribute that day because it’s just an open situation, which is really nice. It’s a fun way to write songs

and an I’m glad that get to do it together.

You formed your own record label last year. What’s the difference e now that you are independent from f being signed to a major label before? b

It’s a totally different experience. We’re W really having a good time with it right r now. It’s such a creatively free environment en which is really nice. We’re We able to have just a lot more creative crea control which is nice. We’re W also able to try out things that maybe may we wouldn’t have otherwise and we’re getting to the side a lot more. Like if we decided d that we want to do 12 music videos, video or we want to do a music video for every single song in the album. We get to do what we want to do because we have our own label. It’s really cool to be able to

stuff like that. We would usually get several emails for suggestions which is great but it’s really nice to have this freedom to choose and reach out to people that we like. It’s a really cool concept. I think I would love to continue to do this for a long time especially musically. I think that’s really important whether for a band or an artist.

Any plans for a new EP or album?

2020 and that’s also called “Lonely Generation.” We’re so excited to have 12 awesome songs from there and we spent so much time on it. I just feel so proud where it is now. We worked on every little part to each song to make sure that it felt good for each of us. I’m so excited for it to be out.

How would you

I just love people to be able to say their lives were made better by our music. We just want to share hope and love to the world especially through music. So if anybody says one song or multiple songs really helped them get through a hard time or made them feel better, I think my goal has been accomplished. I would love to be remembered as helping people out basically.

What is your message to your Filipino fans?

We love our Filipino fans so much. I think they already know that because we’ve been telling them that a lot. When we get to play there… It’s one of our favorite shows in the world getting to play for them because they’re so excited, so fun, so full of joy. I love everybody in the Philippines and we can’t wait to go back the soonest possible so thank you so much for all the support. You guys are literally the best. Mahal ko kayo!

PERSONAL: like to be remembered?

Happy Birthday to my brother Antonio F. Bonifacio III this December 16! FollowtheauthoronInstagram:markbonifacio25.