With their Avant-Folk debut single ‘Original Sin’ The New Eves represent a shift in the ever changing music landscape.

During a jam session, The New Eves found their unique sound and embarked on a transformative journey. The song "Mother" became a pivotal moment as they embraced their collective voice and tapped into the essence of their music. Conversely, "Original Sin" was conceived on a stormy beach night, where a band member's solitary walk sparked inspiration. In this enlightening Q&A session, The New Eves, pioneers of an innovative fusion of rustic folk, 60s garage, and Pagan-folk influences, delve into the creative process behind their debut singles, "Original Sin" and "Mother.".

Congratulations on the release of your debut single "Original Sin" / "Mother" Can you tell us about the inspiration behind these songs and the creative process behind their creation? 

When we wrote Mother was when we found our sound. It was the first song that we birthed collectively and conjured the spirit which is at the core of The New Eves. During a jam Ella spontaneously started to sing the words ‘My mother lives inside my house’ which inspired Kate to write lyrics based on the physical and metaphysical links between mother and child and the landscapes within our bodies and the world around us. The premise for Original Sin struck Nina whilst she was walking alone during a stormy night on the beach.

Your music has been described as a fusion of rustic folk, 60s garage, and Pagan-folk influences. Can you delve into the musical styles and genres that have shaped your sound?

We each have quite different personalities so our influences are pretty diverse spanning most music genres. As well as the aforementioned genres we draw on elements of punk, rock n’ roll, new-wave, funk, kraut-rock, drone, gregorian hymns, west african folk, eastern european folk … we could go on!

The lyrics in "Original Sin" convey a battle between shame and pleasure, body and mind, good and evil. Can you expand on the themes and messages explored in your song writing?

Each song delves into different themes retelling stories exploring connections between myth, the earth and raw human experience. We are examining what it means to be a woman, making space for girlhood shame and writing love songs not for some boy but for ourselves, for the earth and all the creatures on it. 

Original Sin is a song that kind of just needed to happen. Songwriting can be very therapeutic and in this song we release pubescent angst,  shame and the confusion of growing up as a girl. It is an exploration of the liminal space between girl and woman, innocence and sin, lust and shame, as well as a war cry against christian values that are still very present in our society today.

You recently signed to Broadside Hacks Recordings & Slow Dance Records. What’s it like working with them?

It’s exciting for us to be working with a mix of labels that represent different sides of our music. 

Your live performances are known for their powerful communal bond and unanimous force. How do you cultivate this energy on stage, and what can audiences expect from a New Eves live show?

For us performing live is a ritualistic experience. It’s hard to say where this force comes from as for us it’s so natural. We’ve always got each other's backs and give each other space for expression without shame. This leads to a lot of improvisation and connection with the audience within our shows. There is this theatrical element but we also have very strong messages that we want to convey with our music and that brings a warrior-like energy into the room. A New Eves show is like a ceremonial volcanic eruption.

Your band members come from diverse artistic backgrounds, including painting, dancing, writing, and photography. How do these artistic disciplines intersect with your music, and how do they influence your creative process?

We each have our own creative universes and the band allows us to bring these worlds together. The New Eves is a meeting point of all of the elements you mentioned and more. It inspires us to make art and share over many mediums. It’s almost turning into an academic research project. We are making a zine, Kate’s just written an essay on cyborg feminism. We wrote a song about the beginning of the universe. We are out of control. We are excited to keep collaborating with other artists and using this band as a platform to creatively explore.

The New Eves pride themselves on a DIY aesthetic, designing your own artwork and directing your own music videos. Can you share more about the importance of creative control and self-expression in your artistic vision?

We are all artists and have a strong vision that we want to convey. Between us we have a lot of skills that have proven useful for the band. It just makes sense that we do things ourselves. We also have a community of very talented and lovely friends that we are lucky enough to collaborate with. Especially Hugo Winder-Lind, the 5th Eve, who is an integral part of all our visual projects.

Your debut release has garnered attention from publications like Shindig! and Moof magazines. How does it feel to receive such positive feedback and recognition early in your career? 

It feels amazing that what we are doing seems to be resonating with other people. We are grateful for everyone who has supported us. It’s very humbling.

The band's formation began in 2021 during a jam session in a studio under a railway. Can you tell us more about that initial meeting and how The New Eves came to be?

The band actually started on a bed, Violet’s bed to be more specific. We were lying on it and talking about how we all wanted to be in a band when someone realised we totally could be a band.  It was very unplanned but it was powerful because we decided to create an opportunity together rather than waiting for one. The New Eves wanted to be born 

“Your upcoming tour includes dates in London, Brighton, Cornwall, and Sheffield. How do you prepare for live performances, and what are you looking forward to most about taking your music on the road?

We have fun travelling together, even in a very small 1992 Volvo 440 (shout out to Hugo for all the lifts). It’s great to play to new crowds and meet new people. We are looking forward to midnight ice creams at service stations and not being squished under Nina’s cello now that we have a bigger car. 

What do you love right now?

Pickles. Leaving England.

Knitting. Compost. Harmonicas. Doo-wop.

Cyborg Feminism. The Moomins. Hummingbirds Moths.

The Shangri-Las. Hot Sauce. Cherries. 

What do you hate right now?

Estate agents. Lawns. People that buy all the good stuff in charity shops and sell it on depop. English politics. The tube. Supermarkets. £6.50 pints. Brighton beach on Saturdays in August. Hayfever.

Name an album you’re still listening to from when you were younger and why it’s still important to you?

Nina: I remember pulling out Patti Smith’s Easter from my parents’ record shelf when I was quite little. She put a spell on me. Everything about that album has stuck with me ever since.

Ella: It’s hard to choose, but a classic would be Sgt Peppers. I would listen to The Beatles a lot when I was playing by myself as a kid. I used to have this weird ritual of putting on some music and climbing in my wardrobe, where it was completely dark, so I could let my daydreams and imagination take over. It feels super nostalgic for those strange worlds that I would conjure up.

Violet: Bleach is a big one. I remember the first time I saw a picture of Kurt Cobain, I felt he was mine somehow, that we must be related with our blonde hair and blue eyes. Still feel that Love Buzz. Screaming is good.

Kate: I can't pick an album but I would definitely have to say The White Stripes. I remember how excited I was by their music, I was completely obsessed! I can still feel that excitement now. When I dance around my room listening to them, the 12 year old Kate is dancing too.

As a band, what do you hope listeners take away from your music, and what messages or emotions do you strive to convey through your songs?

We hope that it brings a wilderness back into people's lives. We hope that it makes people feel the rain when it rains, to get angry if they need to get angry, remember that they are human animals.