Eighty Ninety
It’s been a minute since I last featured Eighty Ninety on my blog but today they’re releasing their brand new EP The Night Sky so I had to catch up with them. Although we already know some of these songs, we also get to discover brand new songs: “The Night Sky”, “Walking You Home” and the ballad “Thinking of You”.
With the help of producer Gian Stone, the duo painted the perfect summer project. Exploring past and present relationships, The Night Sky features catchy, emotional and feel-good songs.
Congrats Abner and Harper on this amazing EP !! So happy we got to talk again.
The Night Sky is now available everywhere :)
Photo credit: Cade Hoppe
Hey guys, how are you? What have you been up to since our last conversation?
Hey! Thanks so much for talking with us. We’re great. We’ve mostly been in the studio creating our new EP, and are really excited for it to be out in the world.
You’ve just released your new project The Night Sky - how does it feel like to release these new songs?
We’ve been living with these songs in one form or another for a while now and it feels great to know that they won’t just be ours anymore. Our experience with music is that it means something different to everyone who listens to it. The thought of these songs taking on so many new meanings after all this time with just us is really cool.
What's the inspiration behind this EP? What made you want to name your project The Night Sky?
When we looked back at the songs, we noticed that they were connected thematically by that feeling that certain things in your life are meant to be. That said, life does not always take us in the directions we expect. The imagery of a night sky felt right because it can represent both a kind of destiny - the idea that things are written in the stars, but also the infinite expanse and possibilities of the universe.
Could you describe the songwriting/production process for this project? Who helped you create it?
Sometimes the songs come late at night with an acoustic guitar, or some can be really collaborative. Our good friend and brilliant producer, Gian Stone, worked on a lot of this music with us, and it was such a fulfilling and exciting experience. He really immersed himself in the world of Eighty Ninety and added such an exciting pop perspective to what we do (especially: Better as Friends and Forever).
What different topics are you talking about on this project?
Our songs tend to be about important people and relationships in our lives: whether the past, present, and even hope for the future, sometimes.
What's the story behind the song "The Night Sky"?
The Night Sky is a story about heartbreak, but it's also about ways we create meaning in our lives and understand our place in the universe. Sometimes that is through the person you love, or it's looking up and out into the world. In our experience it can often be a combination.
What's your favorite thing about this EP?
We’re really proud of how (we feel like) we were able to show the different sides of our music, while still making something that feels cohesive to us.
What can you tell us about the artwork?
We always hope that our music feels like it inhabits a world that people can escape into. For the artwork, we wanted something that felt like a doorway into that world. The silhouetted pair staring up at the sky could be anybody - they’re the invitation in.
What did you learn about yourselves after finishing this EP?
Our process has become more intuitive. When we began the project we were really thinking and thinking about every detail. We’ve come to trust that our first impulses are almost always the ones that win in the end, and that trying to go with the flow of what we’re feeling as we’re creating is the easiest, most fun, and most productive way to create.
What's your goal for this EP?
We’re just genuinely excited for people to hear it. We’ve tried to become less attached to specific outcomes and more focused on the process of creating — we’re feeling energized and already looking ahead to our next releases!
As artists, what is the hardest part? And what is the best part?
The hardest part is realizing that as long as we’re always trying to push ourselves, it’s never going to get easier. The best part is finding a sustainable way to do the hard work. Still working on that, but we’re feeling optimistic.
What are your thoughts on today's music industry? If you could change one thing, what would it be?
The music industry is so complex it’s hard to consolidate our thoughts into a concise answer or know what to change. That said, there is so much opportunity out there for independent artists, it’s hard not to be excited.
What advice would you give to artists out there?
The best things for us have always come from the times we’ve really been able to shut out the noise and just create things we love for the fun of it.
Connect with Eighty Ninety: