q&a: his & her majesty

Acoustic folk duos don’t typically form out of hard rock and indie roots and yet, this is but one of the unique things about His & Her Majesty.

Since forming around a year ago, Emma Boatswain and Symon Madry have won the Songsalive Songwriters’ competition, done a residency at the Old Fitzroy in Woolloomooloo, and have played around with a full band. They took some time out to chat to lip!

Describe your sound and how it came about
Emma – Acoustic angst with a hint of delicacy… We met at uni and started playing covers together which over the years has evolved into His and Her Majesty.

Symon – I’d agree. What I also love about our music is that it combines so many different elements from jazz to pop, indie to prog and blues. It just comes from listening and playing music from all different genres and not labeling ourselves a particular style.

Was there a particular moment that made you want to pursue music?
Emma – Every time I have watched a live music act since I was young I have always thought, that’s what I want to do.

Symon – There was never a defining moment, moreso a range of influences that culminated into an obsession. My dad’s very musical: something would always be playing over the living room stereo, if not himself on piano. I was made to learn myself, but the piano never took for me. I picked up a guitar at 15 and from day one I was writing songs.

How has your songwriting process changed as you and your music have evolved?
Emma – My songwriting process is more reactionary as I don’t play an instrument (apparently the percussion egg doesn’t count!) so it’s always been really important for me to find the right guitarist to work with. Working with Symon is great as his style complements my vocals – working with him the challenge for me has been singing to different time signatures: he loves progressive music, so I guess my vocal style has evolved to be able to work with him on that.

Symon – As Em said, I’ve definitely gravitated toward a more progressive style. I’m always wondering how I can make something more interesting rhythmically, like writing in uncommon time signatures. As I’ve worked with more drummers, vocalists and bassplayers I’ve also thought about how each instrument contributes to the overall song, rather than how they can all fit around the guitar, for example.

What inspires you?
Emma – Beautifully crafted lyrics inspire me. I love trying to understand the meaning behind songs, and that it will be different for every person that hears the song.

Symon – A great riff, chord progression or melody. If it doesn’t get me excited then it gets left behind.

Who were your early influences? What was the first record you bought?
Emma – Madonna’s Intimate Collection was my first tape cassette purchase.

Symon – Early influences came from what my folks listened to: the Eagles, Sting, Billy Joel… I think they gave me a good foundation in song writing. On the old cassette player, I think my first purchase was the Batman Forever soundtrack. Don’t ask me why.

Top five all time favourite bands? Songs?
Emma – It’s a bit of a random mix, but I love PJ Harvey, Tori Amos, Garbage, Florence + The Machine and Sia.

Symon – These fluctuate, but today they would be (in no particular order): ‘Space Oddity’ – David Bowie; ‘Somersault’ – Decoder Ring; ‘Comfortably Numb’ – Pink Floyd; ‘Best of you’ – Foo Fighters; ‘Adagio’ – Albinoni.

Who do you most admire?
Emma – I most admire PJ Harvey, over the years I have extended my collection of her work and what I love most is that every album is so different from its predecessor. Her lyrics are bold and challenge conventional thinking, and they’re simultaneously beautiful, dark and twisted. I admire her vocals dynamics: one minute she’s singing so softly like she’s divulging a secret to you and the next she’s wailing. And it’s great how she is unafraid to make her voice sound ugly. So many singers want to sound pretty and beautiful, but the world isn’t always pretty and beautiful and PJ Harvey is brilliant at portraying this.

Symon – Musicians who make the music they love to play – and would listen to themselves – without bowing to the pressure of others, whether that be fans, critics or corporates.

Where would you most like to live in the world?
Emma – Sydney is home. But if I had to live anywhere i’d choose London as my base – great fashion, so many gigs to attend, it would be fab!

Symon – I agree with Em: Sydney’s home. It’s where friends and family are, but I’d like to think I’ll end up somewhere else – even if only temporarily. Perhaps Melbourne, or London or the States.

What would you be doing if you weren’t playing music?
Emma – At the moment I juggle His & Her Majesty and a full time job in marketing, so I guess I’d be a marketer.

Symon – We both work full time! I like to think that between gigs, I work in communications.

A song I wish I wrote/played is…
Emma – ‘Winter’ by Tori Amos, it’s beautiful.

Symon – Any of my top five, plus about fifty more…! I’d like to write something memorable, that people keep singing/ playing/ air-guitaring well after I’ve retired to my ivory tower.

I couldn’t live without…
Emma – My daily chocolate fix and coffee.

Symon – My guitar, my laptop and my iPod.

The best advice I ever received was…
Emma – The best advice I have received as a singer to date has been to think of my voice as a jazz instrument such as the saxophone & to sing like I’m the saxaphone in the jazz band, to mimic the dynamic between loud and soft and the flow.

Symon – “Take every opportunity you can.” Though I haven’t always done so, it’s best sometimes to just suck it up and get on with something if it’s going to benefit you in the long run.

When I was little I wanted to…
Emma – I desperately wanted to be American. I used to practice speaking in an American accent up until the age of 6. I think it had something to do with Michael Jackson film clips on Rage and the Madonna concert video my Aunty gave me, all the people on TV were American.

Symon – Mine’s just as odd – to be a psychologist. Now the closest I get is people-watching over a coffee. Or from up on stage if I get the courage to look up from my guitar.

What’s your guilty pleasure?
Emma – Over-indulging on things I can’t really afford.

Symon – Sci-fi. Lots of sci-fi. Battlestar Galactica, Stargate Universe, Firefly… I’m a closet nerd.

What have you always wanted to be asked?
Emma – “What’s that song mean?”

Symon – “Hey, aren’t you that guy from that band?” Sure, it might happen.

Be sure to check out tracks from His & Her Majesty on their facebook page!