Hey Stone Fruit, how are you today?
Hi! Thanks so much for having us! We are very well, especially since the release of our latest EP. It just feels great having music out in the world again.
Firstly, what was the inspiration behind the name Stone Fruit? Do you both just love Cherries, Plums, Peaches etc?
There is a long story there full of serendipity…but we will give you the short version! We were writing songs for 6 months until we started discussing band names. Once we got around to it, we knew that we wanted something that relates to nature (because our very first song was inspired by this wide theme). We also knew that we wanted a name that means something personal to us. Peaches are Val’s favourite fruit. The hometown where she grew up has the perfect climate for peach trees and her family owns a field full of them. So, she grew up around them and it was something that always reminded her of home and loved ones.
Additionally, we feel that there is a metaphor hidden in this category of fruits which in a way reflects a bit of the complexity of humans…where things might look soft or sweet or perfectly shaped on the outside, but the core can be more complex, solid and resilient than anyone imagines.
You’ve just released a new EP, what does this EP represent for you?
Everyone is on a unique journey, and we all try to navigate through relationships and existential and moral musings. For us, spending time with each other, honing our artistry, exploring new sounds, and writing new songs, has been a form of a getaway, especially during this challenging year. It is a way of getting thoughts and worries off our chest but also celebrating and highlighting everything that is right with the world. We feel so blessed that we can share this with our listeners and although we know that we cannot fix the world’s problems through a four-minute song, we hope that we can offer a blanket of comfort and a moment of constructive pondering to our listeners.
What is something new you have learnt in the process of creating ‘Hold Me Close’?
Firstly, we had to find ways to keep working on the EP while we were not able to be in the same room. That was a big learning curve and since it was inevitable, we tried to deal with it with positivity and curiosity. In the end it was an opportunity to adapt and grow.
We were also reminded of something… that it is important to work with people that you admire and respect. In this EP we wanted the human element to be more dominant and we had the pleasure to collaborate with some amazing musicians that are featured in three of the songs. Owen Smalley, (Guitar) Alex Bramwell (Bass) and Argyris Thomoglou (Drums) gave new life to what was born in our home studio and working with them was important to our own growth. They are the kind of people that you want on your team, as they will push themselves to the point that it is contagious and infectious and causes us to want to explore more, learn and be better performers.
What’s next for you both musically, any gigs, music videos, new releases coming up?
For the time being, we are 100% focused on promoting and supporting the EP online. Also, there will be a video coming up for ‘Stand Up’.
Regarding gigs, we have truly missed live performances, so some live shows will be arranged soon. At the same time, we want to keep writing new songs for another release. Anyone who is interested in knowing how we do, what’s new and if any shows are coming up, could stay in touch via our website or our socials. We would love to see you there!
What’s your favourite song on your new EP ‘Hold Me Close’?
The songs convey such a variety of emotions and explore different sonic worlds, so we find that we end up having a different favourite track depending on the day and our mood.
There have been days that we called each other, and we would be like ‘How sick is the chorus in ‘These Days? Probably that’s my favourite.’ And the next day, a text would arrive between the lines ‘Hold Me Close is the one’.
Honestly, that went on for days. The songs are so different, and we had so much fun creating them that it is hard to choose one.
How would you describe your sound?
Our music brings together the different experiences and influences that we both have. We try to be unbiased and avoid getting limited by trying to stick to a specific style but instead let our songs reflect our current state of mind, our evolution as artists and people and implement sounds that are aesthetically pleasing for us as individuals and as a team. Therefore, listeners can spot elements of ‘rewired’ soul, pop, R&B and electronic music in our releases.
What’s the story behind Stone Fruit, how did you guys meet and where do you hope that music will continue to take you?
The first time we met was in a tiny venue in Greece. We were both performing there with different bands at the time. We had a lot of common friends and would go to each other’s gigs. When we both moved to the UK, we became roommates, then best friends and collaborated on multiple occasions and for a long time. But it took some time to finally realise that it would be great to write music together! When we wrote and produced our very first song, it was so magical that we knew we needed to do more. The next goal is to go back in the studio, continue evolving our sound and hopefully our next release will be a full album.
Thanks for your time and we look forward to more music!
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