After recently following up their much-loved 2022 EP 'Tasting Menu' with their stunning comeback single 'Ruby Rose' earlier this year, New York's Muo Duo are back once again to deliver their breezy new effort 'Muo Duo Show'.
Bringing back more of that smooth and alluring alt-pop direction they are known for, 'Muo Duo Show' makes for a rousing return to form for the pair. With its wonderfully rich and dreamy textures, perfectly matched to their own shimmering voices throughout, they are returning with one of their more mesmerising offerings to date here.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with them to find out more about their origins and what has inspired them most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
Miles From Space: The first instrument I fell in love with was the trumpet. I remember when I first started learning to improvise it felt absolutely free. I could really express in a way that was free from the constraints of notes on pages. There was no right or wrong. Our new single “Muo Duo Show” features a crazy brass section on the chorus, which along with the vocals makes an incredibly addictive bounce.
Winter: The first instrument I fell in love with was the voice. I used to listen to Broadway singers and loved how they sang. The storytelling and acting in their voices was so much fun to hear!
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
Miles From Space: Definitely the Beatles and anything classic rock. The first concert I went to was the Who playing Quadrophenia. After that I got into rap music and indie, which led me to combine all of those sounds into Muo Duo. There is certainly a lot of nostalgia in my songwriting which is why I always look back to the Beatles for inspiration.
Winter: I loved listening to musical theater songs like from Beetlejuice, Les Mis, Marry Poppins, and Frozen (which I actually ended up acting and singing in as Young Elsa on Frozen on Broadway!)
What was the first album you remember owning?
Miles From Space: The first album I remember owning was Magical Mystery Tour. I had it on a portable CD player and would listen on repeat!
Winter: I grew up when Spotify was already a thing so I never got to own physical albums :( The first album I saved on Spotify though was Speak Now by Taylor Swift.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
Miles From Space: A song I wish I had written is “Feel It All Around” by Washed Out. It is also the theme song for Portlandia. Amazing show. The production and especially the bass line slaps super hard. My favorite parts to write on Muo Duo songs that aren’t vocals are probably bass lines. That will really make or break a groove.
Winter: Anything by Abba! Their voices are literally the best and just amazing to hear.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Miles From Space: The most important thing to do when writing a new Muo Duo song is finding a story to tell. I put myself in a space that’s completely outside of the bedroom where all of the tracks are produced. Each song is like a new journey, and I have no idea where it will lead me. At that point it pretty much just writes itself because I am just following along with the flow. Most lyrics just start out as flows without clear words and they just get formed through time and improvisation.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
Miles From Space: I have really been getting into Daft Punk. Love their dancy production. Figuring out how to incorporate electronic and house elements into our indie pop sound has been a big inspiration in our newest work. We also go to see a lot of Broadway Shows like Into The Woods and Six. It would be a dream for us to see a big Muo Duo production on a Broadway stage one day. It's the moonshot idea. Our new single “Muo Duo Show” feels like a theme song for the band and also you can picture it as a huge flashy show on broadway.
Winter: Taylor Swift, Abba, The Beatles, Queen, Harry Styles, SZA. All amazing vocalists that make me want to be a great singer. Their songs are so much fun to sing too.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
If we could open for anyone right now it would probably have to be Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Aminé, SZA, or Harry Styles. Just to cover the bases of all of our influences and styles we could fit into many different shows and compliment so many different artists.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
The most rewarding part of being a musician is definitely the fans. Just knowing that someone really understands and loves your art is a feeling unmatched. The fact that people really believe in us is what keeps us going. Another amazing part of being a musician is when you hit that addictive groove. There’s really no better feeling when the tune just hits. That was the feeling we got when making our newest single “Muo Duo Show.”
And what is the most frustrating part?
The most frustrating part is the constant grind with the algorithms. It's really tough that your success these days is largely determined on how much the apps like you.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Miles From Space: The best piece of advice I’ve received as a musician was from The Eagles documentary. They said that if you write and release enough songs you’ll eventually have a hit. To me that means to not give up when a track doesn’t hit the way you want it to. Continuous writing and releases is the best way to reach people and improve your art. With enough late nights and working to perfect your craft you’re bound to find some success.
Winter: The best advice I ever got is to take care of my vocal chords. Always warm up and stay hydrated. That way I can always perform at my best.
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Muo Duo's new single 'Muo Duo Show' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.