Brett Hite and James Sunderland have been making waves in the world of electro-pop. Together they form LA-based duo FRENSHIP, and have recently shot Spotify streams into the millions with their gem “Carpet” and the infectious Summer anthem “Capsize”.
SSW sat down with Brett and James as they shared a playlist of their favorite tracks, discussed their music, background, and inspirations.
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SSW: What were you two both doing before you came together as Frenship? How long have you guys been producing for?
James: We both were in different projects (Brett was a singer songwriter and I was in a DJ duo) prior to us meeting while we worked at Lululemon. Brett was pretty tired of what he was doing and wanted to get more into producing and I was done with my project and wanted to sing more so it was fun for us to switch our roles up a bit. I’ve been producing for around 6 years and Brett is about the same as well.
What type of music did you grow up listening to? Who has had the greatest influence on your taste in music over time?
James: We both grew up listening to a wide range of music: a lot of Sting, John Mellencamp, Phil Collins, Bonnie Raitt and bunch others. Brett grew up on a lot of the same as well as some hip hop, Disturbed, etc.
Your track “Capsize” featuring Emily Warren was a huge success and made us fall in love with what you do. What’s the story behind it?
James & Brett: So happy to hear that! We wrote the song with Emily the day after she graduated from college in NYC (she showed up to the session in her cap and gown). Her grandma left her a touching voicemail congratulating her on graduation and it struck a chord with us all. We recorded the voicemail and put it through a bunch of reverb and the song took off from there. The song ended up meaning 3 different things for each of us so it was nice that we all sang our different takes on it!
FRENSHIP #playlist
Who is on your top 3 list of artists you would want to collaborate with?
James: I’d love to work with Phil Collins, Chris Martin and City and Colour. I’m a big fan of Kendrick Lamar and HAIM as well.
Brett: I’d love to work with people like Bon Iver, Marcus Mumford, Kanye and Jay Z.
You are currently working on your debut EP, What kind of vibe should we expect ?
James & Brett: Yep! It’ll have some of the same vibes as Capsize and Carpet but there will be a few more songs that sound pretty different from those. We might even toss in an acoustic one!
Who are some people in music industry that inspired/influenced you?
James: I tend to love the artists/people that aren’t afraid to evolve or reinvent themselves. Max Martin, Pharrell Williams, John Mayer, Jay Z and Coldplay are just a few that stand out to us.
What are some projects that you consider “classic?”
James: That’s a tough question! There aren’t too many classic projects these days. But I’d say U2, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, maybe even Adele!
What is your best piece of advice for those looking to get their foot in the door in the music industry?
James: Write great music, don’t be afraid of rewrites but trust the initial idea that came out, be honest and keep it simple when possible. If you make great music I think it eventually stands out and gets noticed.
Any stories connected to the songs you chose to share with us today?
James & Brett: No stories connected to these, we just dig ’em!
Want to know more about FRENSHIP?
Stay up to date with them on social media, as they plan for a Fall tour, and look out for an anticipated performance during the KABOO Del Mar Festival.
(September 16-18 2016)
Interview by Irina Liakh
