Exclusive Interview with Fickle Friends

Fickle Friends are an indie-pop band you should pay attention to. Made up of five members, Natti Shiner, Harry Herrington, Chris Hall, Sam Morris, and Jack Wilson, this DIY band has carved out their own path in the industry, from opening their own label to releasing music on their own terms. I got the chance to talk with Natti about the band’s name, their musical influences, the story behind their new single “The Moment” and so much more. Keep reading to see what she had to say!

For those who may never have heard of Y’all, can you give us a brief history of the band and how you guys came together?

We all met at uni[versity] in Brighton; the band was just a bit of a mess but we played the local scene a lot and found our “sound,” I guess. Then we just started getting some attention and it went from there.

I’m totally intrigued by the name Fickle Friends. Where did it come from?

Ha! None of us came up with it. It was the name my friend came up with for our DJ duo, which was a bit of a joke. Anyway, I used the name for an audition for a gig and it just stuck.

I’m always genuinely curious about what artists want to convey with their music. So how would you describe your sound without using genre names? What kind of music do you produce?

It’s pretty dancey, lots of percussive elements and ARPs and funky guitar riffs. The music is definitely electronic and synth-led in a lot of songs. Pop choruses and sparkly vocals.

Going off of that, who are some of your musical influences?

Friendly Fires, Phoenix, Michael Jackson, Paramore.

What went into the decision to launch your own label and what kind of impact have you already seen it have on you guys as artists?

I think we just realized that we didn’t wanna have to run things by anyone or make compromises we didn’t want to make any more. We started out as a DIY band and it’s fun doing that again. I think we are a lot happier and chill since starting the label and taking things back into our own hands.

Let’s talk about your single, “The Moment.” What’s the story behind this song?

Anyone who’s ever been screwed over will know the feeling of not wanting to let your guard down again. “The Moment” is about never letting anyone in properly, surface level relationships and just living in the moment rather than getting dragged down into deeper feelings. We all know that can’t go on forever, but for a bit, it feels like the best thing for you.

What was your writing process like for this song? Are you guys a band that likes to keep it in-house or do you like to collaborate with others?

We do collaborate but this song is 100% ours. We write, record, and produce everything ourselves and usually go and do ad pro and mixing with a producer. We did “The Moment” with Chris Zane.

Your new EP, Broken Sleep, is coming out soon. First, what made you guys want to put out another project so close to the release of your debut album? Second, is it finalized enough that you know how many songs are on it and what fans can expect?

We just wanted to keep releasing music. Taking a break isn’t really our vibe and with tour dates coming at the end of the summer it felt right to release something new. The EP is finalized but you’ll have to wait to see what’s on it.

You all are currently on tour, first in the US and then later back in the UK. What can someone expect from a Fickle Friends show if they’ve never seen you guys play live before?

Palm trees, lots of drums and energy and competitions. Just a bunch of people having a damn good time, to be honest.

Last question — we’re called Talk Nerdy With Us because we all have an inner-nerd. So what is something  Y’all nerd out about?

Marvel and Harry Potter. Ha!

For more information, you can visit their website or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.