For this special edition of Best Fit’s All Apologies, we went backstage at SXSW to find out a little more about the people driving the hive of activity in a little more relaxed environment.
Want to know what bands pop trio London Grammar are crushing on? What food truck would Chlöe Howl be? From Aussie electronic outfit Seekae, to popstar on the rise Young & Sick, to soulful songstress Mauhaut Mondino, Dallas crooner, Conner Youngblood, to the sweet and sexy Tove Lo to BBC Radio 1’s Annie Mac, we caught up with some of the festival’s most tipped acts for a little downtime.
What does it feel like when you’re on stage performing?
Young & Sick: Like a jump into a nice heated pool.
London Grammar (Dan): A mixture of nerve wracking and just general excitement.
Tove Lo: All adrenaline. I love it.
Seekae: It’s changed a lot. It used to feel far more nerve-wracking, because we felt like outsiders. We were bringing computers and old gear onto stage when other people were just playing with guitars. But now, now we feel more comfortable. I think Alex feels quite a lot like Michael Jackson cos he’s just dancing all over the place. Now it feels good. Now it’s easy enough to do whilst drunk, which is good.
ASTR (Zoe): Awesome. Amazing. Like a wave.
If you were a food truck at SXSW, what type of food truck would you be?
Seekae: I reckon we’d definitely be something very unhealthy, because George, he can’t get enough of that BBQ sauce man. A gluten-free hot dog truck with endless amounts of BBQ sauce.
Annie Mac: The Kelis truck! I just think she is great. She is an incredible artist and she makes her own food and sauces!
Young & Sick: I would sell bananas and every banana would be a different flavour.
London Grammar (Dot): I’d be like Jerk Chicken, something chicken.
Mahaut Mondino: Expensive.
Conner Youngblood: A truck that just sells milkshakes.
Tove Lo: I would be a veggie Mexican place. I had the best veggie tacos at one the other day, and I was like, “This is what I’m going to eat for the rest of my life.”
ASTR (Zoe): We would be a fusion truck. Something fun and eclectic, probably gourmet.
Do you have a good luck charm?
ASTR (Zoe): I used to have a crystal I brought around, but then I said “Fuck luck, you just gotta live this shit.” (Adam): Maybe that’s why all our flights are fucked up, you need to bring that crystal around more.
Young & Sick: A coin that Max (my booking agent) gave me here at SXSW, it has the capital of Austin on it.
London Grammar (Dan): We have our tour manager. He is legendary, he’s called Sweeney. And uh, we don’t think we could ever do a gig without him now.
Tove Lo: I always wear my friend’s ring. She makes these rings called “Leontine,” I always wear that.
Seekae: Yeah. It’s probably Alex’s cataract glasses. He wears them on stage even when it’s dark. They’re these real big grandma glasses that give him this super power to just dance like a beast, and us play our best.
Chloe Howl: I wear these boots I’ve got on every time I’m on stage now. Otherwise I think I’ll fall down. I’m superstitious now.
Best festival swag you’ve ever received?
Seekae: Probably lottery tickets. We put them on our rider. We kind of put them on there as a joke, and one day we got them. We figured we could win like $20,000 and just quit the band. That was pretty amazing. Melbourne’s been the best place to actually have a festival give them to us.
Annie Mac: I don’t usually go for it. In the UK its always crappy sunglasses or something.
Young & Sick: Underwear. Very soft underwear.
Conner Youngblood: Well this year I got two free suits tailored to fit me. I might cut off the pants and make them into shorts.
Tove Lo: A free pair of Converse yesterday. They were really cool!
Go-to party song?
Mahaut Mondino: “Shake Your Ass” – Mystikal.
Annie Mac: ”Something” by Janet Jackson.
London Grammar (Hannah): Lady Gaga – “Dope.” Love that song.
Tove Lo: I do! It’s “212” by Azealia Banks. It just gets me all cocky and cool.
Seekae: There’s a song we love which is called, “Walking Into The Night,” and it’s on a Roland piano commercial. And ever since we’ve heard that, we always whack it on when we finish the show.
Chloe Howl: “Drop It Like It’s Hot” by Snoop! I was once at a party, I had just gotten out of my car, and I was like a minute walk away, but I heard “Drop It Like It’s Hot” start and I just legged it in, back past the bouncers and I found my friend on the dancefloor and immediately was just grinding.
What song will they play at your funeral?
Tove Lo: Something happy. I don’t want it to be sad. I mean I hope people will be sad, but it should be hopeful. Maybe like, it would be fun if they played like, “Always look on the bright side,” if they put that on when they are carrying me out, it won’t be too emotional, and it would be funny.
London Grammar (Dot): I’d like some really amazing concert pianist to play some Chopard.
Mahaut Mondino: “Thank You” – Sly & The Family Stone.
Conner Youngblood: If I have a funeral. I feel like I want to be one of those people that gets shot into space into a diamond or something. But, if I had a funeral, it would probably be “Tarzan Boy” by Baltimora.
Seekae: “Satellite of Love” by Lou Reed.
