Q: Hey, can you tell us a bit about where you come from, and what made you want to start a career in music?
A: Hey. We are a global collective of musicians and singers, we come from Asia, South America, Africa and Europe. We met online and started to share ideas which evolved into tracks that we wanted to share with everyone and that’s where the drive comes from to release our music. We are a bit different because we have two singers, one male and one female, a bit like Deacon Blue, The B-52’s or Fleetwood Mac. (LOL) One is African and one is Latino which makes the combination sizzle.
Q: And what other artists have you found yourself listening to lately?
A: We have a wide range of tastes, but three songs we listened to a lot when working on the album were Altered Images’ “Don’t Talk to Me About Love”, Sparks’ “The Number One Song in Heaven” and Barry Manilow’s “Copacabana (long version)”.
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences, and why the name ‘The Vanity Heights’?
A: There is a strong 80’s feel to whatever we do and so we wanted a name that captured the essence of romance, glamour, style and sophistication of that period. We have a love for glitter-balls in the sunset, gold lame suits, pool parties and cocktails. We love 80’s classics like ABC, Spandau Ballet and Roxy Music, but also like a lot of modern bands too.
Q: You have just released your new single, ‘Talk Like A Man’. Is there a story behind it?
A: It’s just a disco tune about being wronged by your lover and being strong enough to call them out and not take any more sh*t. There’s kind of a story in there and you can imagine her kicking down the bedroom door and shouting the words at her cheating lover. It was fun to work on and is a strong female voice we hope people relate to.
Q: Can we expect a new EP or even an album from you in the near future?
A: The album is finished and there will be a few more singles coming in the next few months with the album out before the end of the year. So keep tuned 😉
Q: What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
A: It’s all about having fun, dancing, being sexy, dance-floor fillers, disco hip-swingers, glitter ball spinners and party tunes that last until the morning. Don’t take things to seriously, all things will pass, just enjoy the moment and smile. We like to mix up disco, funk, rock into a melted lollipop of poppiness.
Q: Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more?
A: Ha Ha ! At the moment we are happy when someone listens to the track. Some guy in America sent us a message and called the track “dope” yesterday – we were ecstatic. Because we are new to this, everyday is a new record set for streams, follower or listeners so we can celebrate everyday.
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: Because of distance it is mainly digital and there can be a lot of back and forth. An idea forms, usually around sunset as the cocktails flow and the warm, tropical sea is inviting us for a swim. Once it takes shape it gets sent round for everyone to put their parts on, then we get the final demo stage and the recordings are done. Then it gets mixed and mastered, again usually on the beach at sunset. The process is very fluid and there may well be a few versions right up until the mixing stage then the final decision gets made.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
A: I don’t think any musician likes rejection, but it is part of the game, so we have learned to suck it up and move on. You can never please everyone so we just focus on the people who get what we do.
Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
A: Just getting to this point of having the album done, at a place where we are really happy with all the tracks on it. Given the way we work, in a virtual, digital world, that is something we are proud of.
