Briston Maroney

Since it’s your first time at SXSW - what do you expect to experience, see, etc?

Briston Maroney: We have some unofficial stuff going on, then uppity stuff so we will see both ends of the spectrum in terms of unofficial and official SXSW events. We are definitely expecting to get pretty crazy.

Are you expecting to see any other artists that you know here at SXSW?

Literally, the first person we saw was Lexi (Love You Later) and one of the only people we know from home. But we bumped into three or four people we know already. Everyone here has been super friendly, met two or three other bands, it’s really weird. HEM: Keep Austin Weird? Am I right? For sure.

How has being on American Idol affected how you see the music industry versus rebranding and starting up again? Consider this, they were two different journeys, so describe that to us.

American Idol more than anything at this point had been an experience. It was just a couple weeks I didn’t spend time in school, like most kids did. It definitely was a view of what I didn’t want to be part of early on in life, which is cool. Lots of people don’t get to do that. I’ve been in a place where I saw two extremes of it, super-DIY like doing this because you f*cking love it or the other side where it’s so commercial and so slick. I definitely got to apply that to my life now.

So with rebranding, how did you go about that?

Basically, I got rid of the logo that had the Tennessee Tri-star in it. That was a f*cking good start. I don’t know. I just let things happen more naturally. It’s very typical “American Idol Kid Goes Indie”. It definitely pushed me to the extreme where I don’t want to hang with the commercial clean-cut ‘American Idol’ people anymore. So I started hanging out with different kids, and started listening to the opposite of that, and drew influences from that musically.

So what are your favorite music venues? I guess venues that you’re going to perform at and you wish to perform at as well!

I’m really stoked to play the Echo in May, which is in LA. Have you been there?

HEM: Nope, but I heard amazing things about that venue from friends that live in that area. We’re also getting to play The O2 in Birmingham. It’s freaking insane!

Everytime I think of The O2, I think of The 1975 and their live album. Dude! I know! It’s insane. I’m not sure if we’re playing the large room, I’m sure we’re playing the much smaller room.

HEM: I mean… you can claim that you’re playing The O2, not a lot of people can say that. I mean I did just say that as it’s happening! But with the a favorite venue we’ve played so far, I would say the Mercy Lounge in Nashville. It was the biggest - yet larger sold out show. We opened for Arlie there, and it was very good show!

HEM: Love Arlie! Such a good band! Such good guys! Shoutout to them.

Can you tell us more about the Nashville venues for those who aren’t as familiar with it?

Bridgestone is for the big bands, for arena size! Cannery Ballroom is a pretty big one as well, that’s where many bands like Hippo Campus or big indie bands will go to. Basement East is cool, that was a pretty cool place we played as well.

You’re going to Europe soon, and you’re actually going on tour with Wallows!

Oh yeah! I’m ready! Saw the name ‘Wallows’ on your phone and got excited. And they’re the nicest dudes - I have yet to meet Dylan, but I met the others and they were amazing. They’re confident in their music. They’re been a band for so long, they’ve been playing since they were kids. I really REALLY love their stuff lots.

HEM: Especially their new stuff! Oh their new record, is AMAZING! They f*cking love music and it’s really cool.

HEM: They have really good taste in music too. They covered The Cure. Yup! So good, that’s one my favorite bands.

What’s your favorite song to perform live?

Does it change each time you perform? Whatever is the most new. We write lots of stuff very quickly. So it’s really, what’s new is going to be our favorite.

HEM: What would you say had inspired the songs? Listening to Wallows. *everyone laughs* But it would be emulating lots of stuff I listen to. Just trying to hopefully someday, touch on the bands that I dig. Life experiences and things like that do inspire.

You released songs in November, however, with the new stuff coming out, how would you compare the new stuff to your stuff in November?

It’s pretty different. But we worked with the same producer. We went to this farmhouse studio in Kentucky and got real dirty. It was really fun. It was, I wouldn’t say acoustic-driven, just more alternative and maybe even country at certain points. It was the indie flare that I guess, everyone has been talking about.

I see where you’re going. But more people have been dipping into folk-music as well.

Yes, there’s some folk influence. I mean, I was so stoked when the Phoebe Bridgers album came out. So I was trying to do what she was doing with what we were doing before. Just like right in the middle.

Do you have current songs that you’re obsessed with right now?

My friend ShaneT, has a song called “Wasting Time” and it’s pretty cool. He’s from Nashville too! He’s like a stretched out version of me, like 6’3 and lot more physically more as me. I’m forever obsessed with Big Thief and they’re one of my favorite bands. Also Buck Meek, the guy from Big Thief, his solo record is amazing. He has a song called “Joe by the Book” and it’s my favorite song by him.

Interview by Jiselle Santos

Photos by Carrine Hen