“WE’RE IN THIS FOR LIFE”: DUNDEE’S RED VANILLA ON NEW DUO ERA, SOPHOMORE EP AND COMING FULL CIRCLE

INTERVIEW | RED VANILLA by Anne Kelly

With their sophomore EP, Where I Should Be, ready to drop in just a few days’ time, Dundee’s Red Vanilla couldn’t be more prepared for this fresh era. After six years of evolution – shifting from a four-piece to a trio, and just weeks ago stepping out as a formidable new duo – founders Anna and George are coming full circle, returning to the core from which they first emerged.

Closer than ever, the band will release the new EP exclusively with Assai Records on Friday, May 8th, before celebrating the new era with a performance at Glasgow’s Classic Grand as part of Northern Exposure Live on Saturday, May 9th.

We sat down with Anna to discuss the catharsis of their new sound, the technical leap of their two-piece live setup, and the unbreakable bond that keeps Red Vanilla “in this for life”.

For those just discovering Red Vanilla, how would you describe the band’s DNA? Where did it all start, and who makes up the lineup today?

I put out an advert online when I was 17 asking if anyone needed a singer for starting a band. George was 18 and had just moved to Dundee for uni – he reached out to me saying he’s a guitarist looking to start a band here too. At first we did a bunch of covers, and then I was like “I wanna do this for a living one day, and I’m really serious about that”. So we both were like okay f*** it let’s actually try this. We started writing original material, realised we’re not half bad at it, and now there’s not a single day goes by that we don’t work on some part of the band. Today, it’s still the two of us. We’ve got Red Vanilla tattoos, and we’re in this for life – it’s our favourite thing in the world. 

You’ve undergone some significant changes going from a four-piece to a trio, and now moving forward as a duo. How do you feel your sound and your internal dynamic have evolved alongside those shifts?

Well, we’re 23/24 now, we’ve been friends/in the band for 6 years and I guess going back to being a duo feels like we’ve come full circle. I feel really connected to my younger self at the minute – I’m still the same girl with the same dreams and I feel so proud that I’ve never even considered giving it up. My favourite band has always been Paramore – and it feels like some kind of sign that Power Snatch have come around right at the time we’ve gone back to being a 2 piece. And that’s always been important for us – having influences in the music world to remind us that you can make anything work if you care enough, and that change should be embraced, not avoided.

Now that we’re working with an in ear system and backing tracks for anything that isn’t played by the two of us, there’s no noise besides my vocals – so our new rehearsal space is in George’s flat, and that’s been one of the coolest things we’ve ever been able to do. We played our first gig as a duo the other day, and actually felt emotional after it. It feels like the beginning of something special for us right now – we’re more determined than ever, and we can’t wait to showcase this new version of Red Vanilla. 

Your new EP, Where I Should Be, drops on May 8th. Does this body of work feel like the definitive reflection of that evolution? Also, which track on the project feels like the biggest ‘leap forward’ for you?“

I’d say Where I Should Be reflects everything we’ve experienced since the release of our debut EP (Days Of Grey), over what’s currently happening. I think it’s important for us to give full credit to every part of our band’s history, because they were really beautiful and significant years for us. Some of the songs on this EP were written back in the beginning when we were still teenagers – like ‘Electric Blue’, which was one of the first songs we ever started working on.

I’d say we’re probably most excited about ‘Play Me Something New’ which is the last track yet to be released with the full EP. We experimented a lot with this song, and created a whole new sound for us. They’re also some of the most transparent lyrics I’ve ever written, which really opened a new door for me – I don’t feel like there’s anything I’m scared to say, and it feels very cathartic to write so openly. 

What would you credit in terms of influences for this specific body of work? Were there any particular sounds or artists that were on heavy rotation at the time?

Always Paramore for me – any song, any album. We both love Wolf Alice and Foo Fighters, so both of these bands were a big influence in the writing process. The soft side of Radiohead inspired ‘Sunkissed Pools’, and The 1975’s synth sound inspired ‘Play Me Something New’ – a whole bunch of different influences that vary with each track.  

As for performing as a duo, what does that actually look like on stage? What are the biggest challenges – or unexpected advantages – of this new live setup?

One stage left, one stage right, and that’s it! When we were planning how we’d make this all work as a two piece, we were heavily inspired by on a duo called Getdown Services – I saw them recently in Edinburgh and it was one of the coolest gigs I’ve ever been to. They’re both on vocals, one on guitar, and everything else in the backing tracks, but they made it work so effortlessly. Their stage presence and the music itself was enough, and I’ve never been part of so many back to back mosh pits. So that’s exactly what we’re aiming for going forwards.

Our first gig with the new setup was in a tiny venue with a pretty basic PA system, and we’re confident it’s the best we’ve ever sounded (can’t express what a relief that was). It’s just so easy now to set the levels, and for the first time ever really my vocals can actually be heard word for word. I think our biggest fear is having to rely on technology not failing us, but we’ve got backups and plans in place for handling that if it ever happens.

Coming from the Dundee scene, do you find the atmosphere there is more DIY and community-driven than in the likes of Edinburgh or Glasgow?

Yeah I’d say so – it’s such a small city and everyone knows everyone really, so although the music scene isn’t big, it’s got a really homely feel to it. A lot of local musicians put on their own gigs and showcases, and then they’re always followed up with a big night out after. We love playing hometown shows.

With Livehouse opening though we’re hoping that brings a lot more attention to Dundee – it would be lovely to see the music scene expanding here in the next few years. With acts like Yungblud and Kneecap playing that venue recently, it’s definitely looking promising. 

Turning to your next gig at the Classic Grand on May 9th – the day after the EP drops – what do you enjoy most about a Glasgow crowd, and what can we expect from a Red Vanilla release-week set?

Glasgow is just such a friendly place – people show up genuinely interested, and are always so kind about your set after. So many dream venues for us there too, so it’s exciting playing the grassroots with the hope that leads us on to some of the bucket list venues in the future. Classic Grand is definitely a huge step up for us – we’re so buzzing!

We have a whole new live set, with a bunch from the new EP that we’ve never played before, plus the OGs that we’ve been playing for years and never tire of. I get all giggly in rehearsals at the minute, I’m just so excited about our upcoming shows. We just wanna jump about and have as much fun as we can cram into 30 minutes – and hopefully the crowds do too. 

Talk us through the 30 minutes before you hit the stage. Is there a specific ritual that gets you in the zone, or is the chaos just part of the process? 

Now more than ever it’s so crucial that everything is set up exactly as it should be for hitting play on the first track, so honestly 30 minutes before stage time is just running through George’s checklist on his phone and making sure we’re sorted. Maybe a pint, but both of us play terribly when we’re tipsy, so never a good idea having more than a couple. Save that for weekend rehearsals. Then we just sit and hype each other up and look forward to the show, and I’m queuing Oasis for that part. 

The lineup for this show is stacked with Scottish talent. Is there anyone else on the bill you’re particularly excited to catch on the night? 

The whole lineup is sick! I was hyped to see Brielle got added – I’ve heard about them for ages but haven’t had the chance to see them, so I’m looking forward to their set. Really nice to be part of a lineup where every band is female-fronted. It’s always comforting having girl company at shows. 

Finally, if you could only listen to 3 records for the rest of your life, what would you keep?

Ahhh that’s so hard to pick. I’m saying After Laughter by Paramore first – that album came out when little teenage me was struggling a lot with her mental health, and I don’t think there was a day in 2017 I didn’t listen to at least one AL song. Now that life feels nice, it’s just my favourite album to dance to – also ‘Hard Times’ was the first song George and I ever played together the day we met to start the band!

Number two has to be My Love Is Cool – it was the album George told me to listen to when he first showed me Wolf Alice. I learned guitar by watching that era of Wolf Alice live performances on repeat and pausing every 2 seconds to see what Ellie was playing.

And three has to be Opposites by Biffy Clyro – they’re one of the first bands I ever fell in love with and played a huge part in me wanting to start a rock band. My Dad has their whole discography in his CD collection – he showed me them when I was a kid, and whenever we’d go for drives I’d always pick Opposites to listen to. My Dad is so passionate about Red Vanilla – he’s our van driver for gigs, and he loves every single part of what we do, so the connection between him and Biffy Clyro that I have from such a young age is really special to me.

Where I Should Be by Red Vanilla is out Friday 8th May and you can get your hands on very limited vinyl pressings from Assai Records here.

Tickets for Northern Exposure Live on 9th May with Red Vanilla, Brielle, Flames, The High Priestess and Saint Sappho are available for just £10 (plus £1 booking fee) from B12 Entertainment now.