Getting To Know... Mawpit

After forming late year with an ethos to promote the ideologies behind feminism, environmentalism, politics and animal rights, Cardiff-based trio Mawpit are now ready to introduce themselves to the world as they unveil their debut single 'Nature's Curse'.

Following in the footsteps of acts like Wolf Alice and The Joy Formidable, 'Nature's Curse' is filled with rip-roaring guitars and soaring vocals, making this one hell of an introduction. With a sound that borrows heavily from the worlds of grunge, punk and alt-rock, their newest delight is set to be the first of many anthemic offerings from the group over the coming months.

So with their new single doing the rounds right now, we sat down with them to find out more about their background and what have been the inspirations behind their music so far.

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What were the first instruments you fell in love with?

Jord: Definitely the electric guitar. I was raised on guitar music like The Clash, The Smiths, Super Grass and Foo Fighters as a kid so the electric has that element of nostalgia for me. I’m still finding things I like about it to this day, like different sounds, styles of playing, designs and even the history.

What has been the most prominent inspiration behind your music so far?

Cait : Probably politics and climate change, followed by feminism and animal cruelty. When I started writing songs for the band I promised myself I would aim to write songs that carried a message, songs that stood for something.

What kind of music did you love as teenagers?

Jord: I was pretty addicted to 90’s guitar bands and their predecessors like Nirvana, Sonic Youth and The Pixies. Around when I was 16 started finding wicked contemporary rock bands like DZ Deathrays, Dinosaur Pile Up and Blood Red Shoes which would really go on to shape my current music taste and playing style.

Aled: My parents basically filled my music collection with 70s rock since I could first hit a play button. I still consider John Bonham one of my biggest drumming inspirations. Other artists include Queen, Sabbath and now bands like Black Peaks and Arcane Roots.

Can you remember the first song that made you want to pursue a life in music?

Cait : Laura Marling’s ‘Hope In The Air’ inspired me to try writing. The lyrics in this song captivated me, the story behind it was so intriguing it convinced me to start writing poems which led to me writing music.

Aled: Kashmir by Led Zeppelin straight up. Even as an energetic young kid it used to stop me in my tracks and put me in this transe. It still does now.

When you wake up in the morning, what kind of music do you like to listen to?

Jord: Depends what mood I’m in honestly. If I need something to give me a kick something loud will do the trick. If I want to chill, it’s either shoegaze or lo-fi hip-hop, love me some study beats now and again.

Aled: Bathrooms suit anything with reverb all over the shop so it's a calm mix of Jordan Rakei and Hosier before moving on to a metal main course in the afternoon.

How many of your songs have you written about people in your life?

Cait : Too many to count honestly! People write about what they know and things that affect them so naturally you write about people in your life. I tend not to write about people I know these days and more about political and social issues.

What have been the most memorable moments in your career so far?

Jord: Definitely the process of writing and recording our first 3 singles. It was really exciting for all of us as we were all trying a lot of new things. It felt amazing to see the songs come to life from simple acoustic guitar arrangements to the massive sounding recordings we have now.

Aled: I'm incredibly lame and have spent so much time in the industry but not sitting behind the kit, so just having our first single hit 1000 streams was pretty huge for me.

Cait - Hearing ‘Nature’s Curse’ finished for the first time, I burst out in tears at the end of the song.. I was so happy. I’m really proud of how far it has come from my little piano ballad to this rock, grunge anthem.

Outside of music, what are your biggest passions?

Cait : I love painting and doodling ideas. I also really enjoy watching a film or tv series and analysing the script, costumes, cinematography and colour schemes. So much thought goes into them and I love watching YouTube videos that show the hard work and thoughts behind them.

Jord: Honestly just making things and being creative. I love drawing, artwork and making videos. I love videogames too but I seem to have less and less time for them nowadays which is a shame.

Aled: Pretty much any water sport, most commonly in a rowing boat or on a surfboard. Weirdly rhythm helps with these.

If you weren’t musicians, what other path do you think you might have taken?

Jord: I don’t like to think about that hahaha I would most likely gravitate to something creative, that involves making things. I really like videography, even though I’m an amature, but that would be a pretty cool alternative.

Cait : Anything to do with organising and project planning so maybe a band manager or tour manager.

And what advice would you give to those looking to start a career in music?

Jord: Remember that music is more than just a career, it’s an extension of yourself. No matter how much you earn from it, you’ll always be a musician no matter what and music will always be there for you to express who you truly are. Once you realise that it can make success feel more attainable. If you want something badly enough, you will make it happen regardless of your situation. Just go for it, don’t regret trying and enjoy the journey.

Aled: Try then fail, try then fail, try then fail. Every time you take a hit there's another artist giving up. The more you go on and keep pushing your creative limits the more you'll stand out.

Cait : Don’t give up, just keep trying. No famous musician got to where they are now by only giving it 50%. Every success story shows that it is hard but you just gotta keep trying and enjoy the ride even though it will be tough.

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Mawpit's debut single 'Nature's Curse' is available to stream and download now. Have a listen to it in the player below.