XYLØ WRITTEN BY Karina Diez Photography by Meagan Sullivan
Both Chase and Paige Duddy, of the brother-sister duo XYLØ, grew up with fondness for music but were affected by it in different ways. Chase began playing the drums “as soon as [he] could hold sticks in in [his] hands,” as he puts it. Paige, on the other hand, didn’t even consider pursuing a career in music until she was about eighteen years old. Being siblings surely comes with its difficulties but the two manage to balance this relationship with their work lives through making effective communication high priority. XYLØ’s sound is a blend of indie rock, electronica, and hip hop. Their melodic style has been compared to that of Lorde and Lana Del Rey, whom they love. “I think it’s a combination of all the things that inspire us. Artists like Arcade Fire, Kanye, Lana, and some other collaborations going on with electronic artists, producers, and DJs,” said Chase. XYLØ’s music has been featured in Kendall and Kylie Jenner’s PacSun commercial after they sent them what was only a demo at the time. The duo was unsure if the song was what the reality-star sisters were looking for, but they adored it and the rest is history. “I think seeing the reaction to our music and how fast music can spread all around the world is wild these days,” said Chase.
Chase and Paige work diligently to ensure that their audience is vitalized at their shows. “There is a lot of energy coming from us when we’re up there performing. I never feel like our shows are boring because each of us brings a unique element to the show that keeps it exciting,” said Paige. However, their on-stage performance differs slightly than that of their digital recording sessions. “Our current live set-up is a little more organic than our recordings. I’m playing drums and we have hired musicians on the guitar and keys,” said Chase.
“I think the lyrics are very important and the vocal performance. I want to believe whatever the artist is singing to me.” For Paige, a good song requires two key ingredients. “I think the lyrics are very important and the vocal performance. I want to believe whatever the artist is singing to me,” said Paige. For Chase, on the other hand, is the melody and the manner in which it is sung. “I was just listening to an artist this morning (Christine and the Queens),” said Chase. The particular song was in French so I had no idea what she was saying, but the way she was singing combined with the melody had me captivated.”
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