Lily and Madeleine

Sisters Lily and Madeleine Jurkiewicz are a prime example of an internet success story. The folk-pop duo began posting videos of cover songs to YouTube while they were still in high school, and it wasn’t long before people took notice: producer Paul Mahern invited the sisters to record their debut EP, The Weight Of the Globe, at his studio, John Mellencamp asked them to contribute vocals to the soundtrack of his musical, and Sufjan Stevens’ label Asthmatic Kitty picked up the EP for a 2013 release. We chatted with the singer-songwriters about their upcoming album Fumes, the Sims, and Alex Turner. 

Tell us about your new album Fumes.
Madeleine: It’s our second full-length album and we’re really excited about it! It’s pretty different from our first self-titled album and reflects our progression as women and artists.
Lily: We’re super proud of Fumes, I think it’s the best work we’ve done so far.

You’ve worked with Paul Mahern quite a bit – he manages you and produced the record. How did you meet him, and how did you decide you wanted to work together?
M: Paul is the man. He’s been with us since the beginning of our career and we would not be where we are today without him. We met him through some family friends and immediately he challenged us to write and record our own music, which is something we’d never done before. His passion for music is inspiring and he always wants what’s best for us.

What is a lyric or verse from the album you’re particularly proud of?
M: I like the lyric in “Hold Onto Now” that says “everyone says give it time/ I feel like I’m wasting mine.” I wrote that in my journal months ago, but the line stuck with me because I feel like it perfectly described the way I was feeling at the time as a college student who had no idea what to do.
L: I really like the whole chorus of “Rabbit”, especially the lines “Somehow/ I’m running out/ We stop and start”. It sort of connects with the opening line of “Fumes”: “I’m running on Fumes/ And secondhand shoes/ Keeping me going”. It’s like being at the end of the road and not knowing how you’re going to move forward, yet still trying again and again.

How long have you been writing songs together?
M: We’ve been writing professionally for about two years.
L: Yeah, not long professionally, but we’ve always kind of wrote jingles around the house.

How has your style developed since you began writing songs?
M: I think our style is the same, but maybe the method of writing has changed. We’re still writing about things that are important to us, but the words come easier now, which is nice!
L: I think as we’ve gotten more practice I’ve started feeling more confident in my musical abilities. So I might not have gotten much better at writing, but I feel more confident about it!

What was the first song you ever wrote?
M: Well we wrote a lot of silly little songs when we were young. For example, the classic “Welcome to My Laundry Room.” But I think the first song we ever wrote and released was “These Great Things”.
L: We also wrote a song about Sims called “Your Everyday Ruined Everything”, but I don’t know if that should count.

How often do you write?
M: I know most artists write all the time and have loads of material, but working that way stresses me out. Lily and I like to write only when we’re inspired. And honestly, sometimes I still feel silly writing, like my words don’t matter or aren’t good enough. The good thing about writing with my sister is that even if I feel silly, she doesn’t judge me.
L: I like to write at least a couple times a week, but a lot of the time writing is more like sitting with my guitar trying to find the right words to start a song.

Do you collaborate on every song, or do you write individually?
M: We do collaborate on every song. However, we usually start songs separately.
L: Yeah I think we just work better when were collaborating together!

Who are your songwriting heroes?
M: There are too many to mention, but I am inspired by Radiohead and also Lana Del Rey. I know they’re both so different but I really like their use of imagery.
L: I absolutely love Alex Turner’s style. Sometimes his songs sound like rambling sentences but then it’ll hit me and I’ll realize exactly what he means, it’s so cool.

What is your approach to writing songs?
M: I like to start with a piano melody and maybe a few lines of a verse and just see how far I can take it. Then when I feel like it’s a strong start I’ll bring it to Lily and she’ll help me finish the song.
L: I like to write on guitar even though I’ve been playing piano longer. I like the way you can just use a capo and change the song really fast instead of transposing the song when I can’t quite hit a note.

Do you write about personal experiences or do you take on other roles?
L: I think it’s easier and more satisfying to write about personal experiences. But if I take on another role, it’s usually one that I have a lot of connection to.

What’s a song on your album you’re particularly proud of and why?
M: I’m proud of Can’t Admit It because I think it’s some of the best work we’ve produced in the studio.
L: I really like Blue Blades because it’s so different from everything we’ve ever done.

Who do you consider an underrated songwriter?
M: I love Lily Allen and think her lyrics are smart, witty, and modern.
L: Taylor Swift honestly. People talk her down but I think she’s able to capture her feelings so well.

What do you consider to be the perfect song (written by somebody else) and why?
M: Wow that’s a hard choice, but I will always love “All Wash Out” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Everything about that song is perfect to me.
L: I would say “The Suburbs” by Arcade Fire. The way it tells a story and unravels musically never gets boring to me.