Brigette Lundy-Paine

Cameron Postforoosh
Heathermary Jackson
Brigette Lundy-Paine

In a celebration of collaboration and artistic expression, Brigette Lundy-Paine interviewed Silver and Smoke, a band who plays with their act Subtle Pride. As is par for the course in our time they first met over Instagram and connected in spite of the distance between NY where Brigette resides and Eastern Europe where Brigus and Linus hail from. This light-hearted interview explores how how pop is a vehicle to make money and transcend the facade of the medium, but most of all it’s a humourous transatlantic love letter exploring identity and finding their way in the world through music and self expression.

Top by Stella McCartney, blazer & trousers by Plan C, trainers by Tory Sport

Brigette Lundy-Paine: Hi
Minus: Hello Brigus: Hello, how are you?
BLP: I’m good, how are you guys?
M: We are in isolation
B: Sort of bored
BLP: You’re in New York?
M: Yeah
BLP: How long have you been in New York now?
B: Like one month?
M: Forever
B: Feels like that
BLP: What brought you out here?
B: We have had a show with subtle pride. We have had one show in LA and two shows in New York.
BLP: Silver & Smoke has a really big following in Europe, so congratulations. I’m curious; What was your thought coming to America?
M: America is much more about celebrities and we feel like we’re celebrities so we belong in America

BLP: What makes celebrity culture in Europe different?

B: We are pop stars, like, we make music that is for the party, for the good times. In Europe it’s like people try to treat us like artists, like something, genius, and here it’s just about the good time. There’s no pressure. There’s no trying to write the articles about the meaning. It’s just party, fun, take a selfie.

BLP: How did you get into pop music?

B: It’s not something we always did. We started learning music in the traditional sense, learning the songs of our parents and grandparents. We always loved to sing, we love it. When we were small we sung the songs with our friends but Minus and I always went home [at the] end of the day and we kept singing and we started to sing songs that were not really written. We started to sing songs that made our hearts beat, and this is how we started doing pop music.
BLP: What do you guys do when you’re not being international pop stars?
M: We do what everybody does: Talk on the phone, write down our thoughts, watch movies. We like to talk to each other, we like to go out.
BLP: Obviously I’m a big fan of your music, I loved Naked in Your Arms that came out this year, and I’m curious to know if you’re working on new music. Do you have a tour coming up?
M: We have lots in the works, so we would say keep your ears ready and keep your pockets ready to buy tickets.
B: We’re going to release an album. It won’t be a typical album. It will be very long with songs ranging from sad songs, songs about happiness, love, songs from the heart and songs that just make you want to party.
M: We like a good balance in our music between songs that are really, really, really sad and so real to me and Brigus and songs that make you just want to dance a lot. There’s a lot of stuff going on and sometimes you want to cry and sometimes you want to forget and it’s all in one album.
BLP: Who do you look up to artistically?
B: Madonna
M: That’s it
BLP: Do you have any personal role model that informs your work ethic?
B: For me it’s two: For one it’s Ghandi, because peace is what I believe in. And two is our great grandmother. She told us before she died to stay true to ourselves and stay true to our sisterhood and this is what we take with us.
BLP: Can you tell me a little about what it’s like to work as siblings?
M: My sister is my best friend. But we fight about little things. We have fights over boys.
BLP: You like the same kinds of boys? Can you describe your type?
M: Handsome
B: Tall
M: Mean
B: A very sexy boy
M: That’s our type

Top, trousers & coat by Stella McCartney, cardigan by Khaite, trainers by Tory Sport

Left: Full look by Givenchy, Right: top & trousers by Plan C, coat by Khaite, trainers by Tory Sport

Full look by Katie Hillier, trainers by Tory Sport

BLP: Do you have celebrity crushes at the moment?
M: Justin Bieber
B: Justin! Yes. It’s what I was gong to say.
BLP: What are you guys afraid of?
B: Wow
M: Everything
B: Looking ugly
M: Really afraid of getting old. Really, really don’t want to be ugly. We know that you can’t fight against time. So we have to debate sometimes if we actually want to get older, you know.
B: I think it’s so important to me to be beautiful and young, and to be ugly is a big fear because it means you are the weakest in the pack.
M: That’s true
B: And in this business, to sell records, you have to be beautiful and be ready for the camera all the times. It’s like at the same time, even though sometimes being famous is very stressful because it’s a lot of pressure, we feel the fear of losing it.
M: Becoming irrelevant is very scary. We really don’t want that for ourselves.

BLP: How do you stay relevant?

B: Posting on instagram. Making music.
M: It’s good to let people know when you cry.
B: Crying selfie is a great way.
M: People want to know you are emotional too.
BLP: Is there anyone that you’re dying to work with?
M: Madonna.
B: Madonna!
M: Madonna, if you’re reading this interview, if we collaborated with you we could make really special things.
BLP: Do you guys have any weird talents?
M: I can lick my knees.
BLP: What advice do you have for people who want to be like you?
M: Dont try to be like anyone, be yourself.
B: And don’t try to be famous because you’re gonna regret it.
BLP: Do you have any parting words?
M: Party words would be like “Whoo-hoo! Pass me another one!”
BLP: Oh, I said parting words, anything you’d like to leave us with?
M: We have to say goodbye now? Alright. Goodbye now, I love you
Photography: Cameron Postforoosh
Styling: Heathermary Jackson
Makeup: Mariko Arai using Nars at The Wall Group
Hair: Dylan Chavles using R+Co at The Wall Group
Photographer’s assistant: Michaela Perau
Stylist’s assistants: Quan Nguyen, Natalie Matsuda
Special thanks to Rapid Eye Lab
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