Last year, we did the first interview for the website with the band Yours Truly, which was also their first interview for a European media. This week we had the pleasure to chat with Mikaila, the singer of the band, just before their concert at the Trix
Hi guys! You’re back in Belgium where you played your very first European show last year with Against The Current… which was your only show on that tour as Covid hit a member of your team. Don’t wanna bring back memories back but I guess it wasn’t easy at all and tonight may feel a bit special for you, right?
Mikaila : Definitely, coming back to Europe it was like me and Teddy keeps saying it was our temptation, we finally get to tour Europe, it’s exciting to be back here as well like you said it was our first European show. It feel special tonight, last night we were in Paris it was also so fucking special cause that was supposed to be like the day after so we did Antwerp, the next date must be Paris, right now we had to pull of and need to play that show that night. So it was the other way around because now we played Paris first, so it’s the other way around. So kind of feels the universe got to back in order and now we good to go. So I feel positive about it but I also feel bad about it.
The tour started yesterday for you in Paris. How was this first show ever in France?
It was so good, I think when you go to a place where you never had been before you don’t really know what to expect. We didn’t know if there was going to be anyone who’ll like our band, it was a very pleasure surprise that a lot of people knew our band. It really fells good yeah.
What did you think of Paris? Did you get to see the city and visit it?
Yeah, we went to the Eiffel tower, because the last time we were in France it was not good like we had you know, we’re a bit sad we’re gonna do like everything we possibly can, like make the most of it and we’ll stand there and we’ll watching the night like after the show we were like cool this is so it was a very great day, I had a great time.
You released your first full-length album “Self Care” during the pandemic, in September 2020, which wasn’t the best to promote. Your new EP “Is This What I Look Like” is out in July 2022, a way better period for music. Is the success so far what you hope for?
Euhm, yeah I think putting in an album out during the pandemic was very challenging, no one really knew what it’s gonna look like. I think a lot of other artists pushed back their albums and wanted to wait till the pandemic was over. But we couldn’t had the concept or like we wouldn’t do that as well. I listened to a lot of music during the pandemic, and I thought that the whole public needed a little bit more music. It was more like I think people need more an album like this at the moment. We were like regardless of what is going to happen to touring and what we’re gonna be able to do which right now it’s like the perfect time to come out. And a lot of people came out to us when we starting touring after it and said that it means a lot to them so regardless of how the album did and how successful it was I think that the fact it touched that many people during the time of everyones lifes, means a lot to us. So this is what’s it look like, the songs are like different dark and angry because it’s about the thoughts we had during that time. So it’s like a big continuation on of our lifes but right now if feels like a big party to us. Because right here playing these songs it’s kind based on two lives of Yours Truly and this is the experience that we had and we found to share it with people like after all you know.
On your song Bruises, you have Drow York from Stray From The Path as guest. And it was a double surprise for me! Firstly, to see such a hardcore singer in your song. And secondly, the fact is more singing and not screaming. Can you tell me how this collaboration happened?
Yeah euhm I think Drew one night posted something on his Instagram story and it was like to any bands want me to sing on this song and I was like yes and it was as simply as it was. I really replied to him on his Instagram story. It wasn’t what we expected, we expected him screaming and he was singing. He’s a great singer and it was like it feels perfect for the part of this song. People are going to be shocked as us. That has to be on the EP because he sounds amazing. So yeah it was a bit of a shock but it’s perfect for the song.
Do you have some plans to tour with Stray From The Path in the future?
No, it’s not something we ever really discussed because we are so different like you know in music. That it’s like even not a come up for us but I would love to, Drew is awesome, he’s so supporting our band and of the song.
Another beautiful collaboration is of course the featuring from You Me At Six on the song Hallucinate. Like for Drew, I was wondering how was the process to have them on this song? And obviously: are you playing this song live with them on this tour?!
Euhm so kind of the same, we reached out, we had mutual friends, we knew someone who was friends with Josh and euhm in the past I reached out to Josh and being like I loved to work with this band. Like I You Me At Six is a one of the band that made me wanted to start a band and I was excited about this tour. But we yeah we just asked and he was like ‘yeah I’ll do it’ and it was really like yes it’s really happening now. But I didn’t really expect him to say yes but euhm say we reached out again and asked if he would be interested to sing a song and he was like ‘yeah’. But we’re not playing it. We’re starting with Hallucinate.
By the way, which is an EP and not a second full-length album? Too early or not the best time in this post-pandemic-era?
So the whole idea of what it look like is actually supposed to be a B-side off selfcare so actually supposed to be a continuation of selfcare it kind of became a whole different vibe, we’re actually so excited about these songs, it feel right to be a partner project of selfcare. We fell super inspirated by isolation, we fell super inspirated by things we were thinking. It’s just a kind of what happened. I’m excited for a second album so that’s what next.
I don’t know if you saw it but a few days, some bands, especially Architects, started to speak on Twitter about the many venues that take a percentage on merch sales. Yesterday, they called for a strike. Beside that, they also launched during the pandemic their own merch website. What’s your position about this? I guess you also have seen venues taking cuts on your merch sales. In Europe or in Australia too, where Architects are playing right now.
I think we only experienced it for the first time on our last headline when we’re playing little venues on our headline tour. I think we went to America twice and it happened a few times and we were also experienced it in the UK and I think it’s pretty shit. The fact that you know, touring is already super expensive that the only way of that especially for the bands going first, the supports. Like the only way to make money to even fund these shows is merch. The best way to support a band is by buying their merch. The thing is when you’re coming to the venue, you’re selling your own merch, you’re doing it all yourself. So I don’t agree with that, I hope there’s a change. If there’s anything that we need to do, if there’s a strike or something like that I don’t know, whatever. If there’s a way to help or make a difference, we’re down to do it.
Do you have any plans on a headliner tour in Europe for later this year on this EP process? And if yes, which bands would you love to have as openers?
We’ve never done a headliner in Europe, I think this is our first time in Europe. I think we love to first do another support before headlining Europe. I don’t know about the European bands. We’re doing the UK straight after this and we’re really excited because we toured so much in the UK since we’ve got to know a lot of people. I would love to make those connections and to find out who these bands are.
What’s the story behind your band name?
So Teddy and I were in Highschool and we couldn’t figure it out how to call ourselves and Teddy was in English class and he needed to write down a letter or something like that and he signed it by Yours Truly and he text me ‘look like call it this name’. And sometimes when I look back at it like literally two 17-years old names their band Yours Truly, like it’s not bad. But that’s how we found out about our band name.
Which is your favorite song?
My favourite song? Like all of the songs we written? Probably Walk Over My Grave. That’s really my favorite and it’s really angry and hard and yeah I really love that song and we close with that one.