You met in school at 15. How did you get started?
Eva: I met Isabelle in the 7th grade through a friend. We started playing music together during the summer after 8th grade. The following year, I met Anastasia at school and she joined in. We’ve been playing together ever since.
Pinky Pinky is a sweet and girly name, in contrast to raw, rockin’ sound. Is it kind of ironic? Like “yeah, we’re girls – but we rock!”
Anastasia: We didn’t mean for it to be ironic, we just thought it was a cool name with a weird story behind it. It’s a South African legend about a monster who would hurt little girls on the toilet if they wore the colour pink.
Eva: We actually looked into the legend after we’d already adopted the band name and felt like, “Yikes!”
Your released you first EP on Hanni El Khatib’s own label Innovative Leisure. Can you talk about this collaboration? Are you working with him for the second EP?
Anastasia: Yeah – we’ve been working with him and Jonny Bell for the past three years. They’re great motivators. Our second EP will be released sometime in early 2018.
Isabelle: It’s very different from our last EP because our sound has matured a lot. We’re still the same band, but I feel like we’re definitely taking on a different vibe.
Eva: Hot Tears is about the feeling of being withdrawn, even in the presence of someone close.
The music industry has changed so much over the past several years. In a world where we are surrounded by never-ending Instagram stories, how do you stand out?
Isabelle: Unfortunately, social media is kind of necessary, and expected in music today. It’s annoying that you have to post all the time, but it’s also a good platform for getting your name out there.
Eva: It’s also good in that it’s more personal. A lot of bands are using Instagram themselves, so fans can get closer to their favourite bands’ touring life, recording process, etc.
This issue is about Girl Gangs, how do you feel about women in music?
Anastasia: I don’t appreciate that women have to be classified in a whole different genre of music. Just for example, some people don’t think of us as a “rock band” but a “girl band”. If you can do your thing and make the kind of music you want without having to feel like “I’m a girl who’s doing this,” that’s so much more empowering!
Can you tell us what your three favourite albums are?
Isabelle: Led Zeppelin I – Never Mind the Bollocks (Sex Pistols) – The Kick Inside (Kate Bush).
Eva: Music from Big Pink (The Band) – The Muppet Movie soundtrack – (Take No Prisoners) – Live (Lou Reed).
Anastasia: When the Pawn… (Fiona Apple) – What a Way to Die (The Pleasure Seekers) – Self-titled (10cc’s).
