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AlunaGeorge "In Control" at SXSW

AlunaGeorge "In Control" at SXSW

4:41·By Gemma G
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YH catches up with Aluna Francis of electropop duo AlunaGeorge on a boat at SXSW in Austin, Texas, where she chats with us about her hit song "I'm In Control", including how she reacts when it comes on at the club, plus she tells us how her collabos come about and why British singers have an edge!

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Young Hollywood

What did you get me?

Young Hollywood

I got you an apple juice.

AlunaGeorge

I'm on a boat.

Young Hollywood

Luna George on a boat.

Young Hollywood

Young Hollywood.

AlunaGeorge

I'm on a boat.

Young Hollywood

Hi.

Young Hollywood

Why did you come to South by Southwest?

AlunaGeorge

People at South by Southwest are looking for new music, new artists.

AlunaGeorge

So like, for example, when we played our set, we played all like new songs from our album that nobody's heard before.

Young Hollywood

This is going to be interesting for people here that like to hear stuff before you put an album out.

Young Hollywood

What is what do you think about the vibe here at South by?

AlunaGeorge

This vibe particularly is, uh, this is a nice refreshing moment.

AlunaGeorge

There's a lot of people out there.

Young Hollywood

Is it crazy?

Young Hollywood

Man, you must turn it up on the during the festival on stage.

AlunaGeorge

I do what I can.

Young Hollywood

We're going to see that.

Young Hollywood

We're going to be there watching you do that.

AlunaGeorge

When I am, huh?

Young Hollywood

Mhm.

Young Hollywood

Go pass your bedtime.

AlunaGeorge

I'm in control.

Young Hollywood

Love that song.

Young Hollywood

Do you get embarrassed when you when you listen to it?

Young Hollywood

Does it like make you do any embarrassing moves?

AlunaGeorge

I can do some embarrassing, bad things to it, like

Young Hollywood

All your songs are great, though.

Young Hollywood

All your songs are like that.

Young Hollywood

They're just like this energy, this great vibe where you can dance to them, but I can also like get down to them.

AlunaGeorge

That's pretty much what happens in the studio.

AlunaGeorge

Like I have like a thing that I call the my dance-ometer.

AlunaGeorge

My body is very picky about what kind of rhythms it will dance to.

AlunaGeorge

It's got to have like that duality to it.

AlunaGeorge

You can sit down, you can chill with it, or you can dance with it in the club, depending on what you're doing.

Young Hollywood

I feel like there's definitely sounds that we don't hear here in America.

Young Hollywood

I don't know, I think UK is pretty experimental.

Young Hollywood

Like they're open to a lot of experimental sounds.

Young Hollywood

I'm not sure why that is, but it's a good thing.

Young Hollywood

I also find the British singers are my probably my favorite when it comes down to just like vocal strength and ability.

Young Hollywood

You like articulate, darling.

AlunaGeorge

They're articulate.

AlunaGeorge

Well, 'cause most of the time we're like, "Oh, hi, darling, you look hot today!"

Young Hollywood

When you're growing up, did you have like vocal training classes?

AlunaGeorge

Yeah, I did, um, some like private singing lessons.

AlunaGeorge

I had a I had a rock singer training person.

AlunaGeorge

I was trying to be an Indie Indie rock artist at some point.

AlunaGeorge

Just for fun, you know?

AlunaGeorge

To try it out.

AlunaGeorge

Yeah, like I played guitar.

AlunaGeorge

I just like Lara Croft, sang silly songs inspired by The Kills and Be Your Own Pet, things like that.

Young Hollywood

Collaborating with all these artists.

Young Hollywood

How does that work out?

Young Hollywood

How does it work out?

Young Hollywood

How does Zoo who's also an amazing artist, Skrillex?

AlunaGeorge

You know what?

AlunaGeorge

We usually meet at festivals.

Young Hollywood

You meet at festivals?

Young Hollywood

That's right.

Young Hollywood

The musicians playground.

AlunaGeorge

We get to see each other off duty.

AlunaGeorge

Everyone's out of their comfort zone and everyone's at a kind of level playing field.

Young Hollywood

Oh, I love those swan boats.

Young Hollywood

That's a dish.

AlunaGeorge

We are a swan boat.

Young Hollywood

You have this head move thing that you've done.

Young Hollywood

Can you there's I I saw a video of you doing it.

AlunaGeorge

I'll try it.

Young Hollywood

You try it.

Young Hollywood

How do you do it?

AlunaGeorge

Mine doesn't look like that.

AlunaGeorge

No, mine.

AlunaGeorge

The first one is like just a head.

AlunaGeorge

You know?

Young Hollywood

When you hear this song, what do you think?

AlunaGeorge

What do I think when I hear my own music?

AlunaGeorge

I think, "There's that song again."

AlunaGeorge

I'm terrible.

AlunaGeorge

Like my friends will be out with me and if I hear my song in a club, I'm like, "I'm going to the bathroom!"

AlunaGeorge

They're like, "No, come and sing it with us!"

AlunaGeorge

I sit down, I try and get underneath something or leave or hide behind a pillow.

Young Hollywood

Look at that stage.

Young Hollywood

What stage is that?

AlunaGeorge

Oi, that's the Bud Light stage.

AlunaGeorge

I'm playing that.

Young Hollywood

Tell me what it's like for the live stage.

AlunaGeorge

True, Nandy.

AlunaGeorge

Okay.

AlunaGeorge

On drums, keyboards, and multi multi like bits and bobs.

AlunaGeorge

So a lot of instrument stuff.

AlunaGeorge

Yeah, at the moment I have to do the samples.

Young Hollywood

Mhm.

AlunaGeorge

I might have to just like get someone else to do that because I'm getting some dancers.

AlunaGeorge

Do you know why when I do the samples?

AlunaGeorge

I miss it sometimes.

AlunaGeorge

So like, I'm in control.

AlunaGeorge

It's like that that thing.

AlunaGeorge

So I get like

Young Hollywood

Well, it was amazing hanging out with us here on the boat, South by.

AlunaGeorge

Yeah.

AlunaGeorge

Thank you for having me.

Timestamps are approximate — click one to jump the player.

PEOPLE MENTIONED

  • Aluna Francis

    Interview subject, member of AlunaGeorge

  • Zoo

    Named as an amazing artist Aluna has collaborated with

  • Skrillex

    Named as an amazing artist Aluna has collaborated with

  • Lara Croft

    Inspiration for silly songs in early rock artist days

  • The Kills

    Inspiration for silly songs in early rock artist days

  • Be Your Own Pet

    Inspiration for silly songs in early rock artist days

FAQ

Who is Aluna Francis?+
Aluna Francis is a member of the electropop duo AlunaGeorge, known for songs like "I'm In Control."
Why did AlunaGeorge come to South by Southwest?+
AlunaGeorge came to SXSW because people there are looking for new music and artists, providing an opportunity to play new songs from their album before its release.
How does Aluna Francis react when her song "I'm In Control" plays in a club?+
Aluna Francis gets embarrassed when her song plays in a club, often trying to hide, sit down, or even go to the bathroom.
What does Aluna Francis say about British singers?+
Aluna Francis believes British singers are often more experimental, and she finds them to have superior vocal strength, ability, and articulation.
How do AlunaGeorge's collaborations with other artists usually happen?+
Aluna Francis states that collaborations with artists like Zoo and Skrillex often happen spontaneously when musicians meet at festivals, where everyone is off-duty and on a level playing field.

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