Redefining Family with GRXCE

Mustard had the pleasure of speaking with Sydney’s GRXCE. Together we discussed how each member is their own brand of chaos, their creative process, human attraction, their newest single “Family Traditions”, and so much more!

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1.Mustard is thankful to have GRXCE join them at Music Shelf. How is everyone?

We are doing incredible! So excited to be here!

2. GRXCE originally began as a solo project but turned into an indie-rock band during the pandemic. Could you share more about how this formation took place? 

Jamila our lead singer, was making her own music with a producer friend she met at uni up until 2021. She first brought in Jono our guitarist who was a long-time university friend but she didn’t know anyone who played bass or drums. Emily and Alex were actually discovered through a Facebook group and we were just super lucky that we all clicked so well!

3. Every member of GRXCE considers themselves to be chaotic. Could each of you share a piece of your chaos? 

Alex – I will spontaneously appear shirtless in rehearsals

Emily – I created the “chaos jar” to metaphorically fine band members for particular acts of chaos

Jam – I only know how to relay information via PowerPoints 

Jono – I turn into Tour Dad and instantly get road rage as soon as anyone is late 

4. If GRXCE had the opportunity to take a university class together, what class would you take and why? 

We would take Alex’s Behavioural Economics class at USYD (Alex is an Economics tutor btw)

5. Who (or what) influences GRXCE?

Mercury in the Microwave 

Also these artists; The Buoys, Spacey Jane, Holly Humberstone, Beach Bunny, beabadoobee, Turnstile, John Mayer, Daily J, Body Type

6. What is GRXCE’s creative process? 

Jamila usually brings in a track on piano or guitar which is just rhythm/chords and lyrics, we then work to build up the track together in rehearsal. Jam is big into visuals so we usually aim to create a specific atmosphere or landscape with our music, sometimes though the best ideas happen when you are messing around and something magic happens! We never think of a song as finished until it’s recorded and released, we always are wanting to develop and make the song better every time we play it!

7. Finish this human expression: by the GRXCE of…

Ngreugh (this is meant to be a car noise btw) 

8. GRXCE makes sad music for humans to dance too. Would you say that dancing helps cure sadness? 

It is but a momentary respite from the weight of the world but honestly its a vibe while it’s happening, we should all dance more!

9. Sadness is a human emotion that can be triggered in many ways. How does GRXCE handle sadness? Does sadness lead to creation of art? 

We pat each other on the back and give a crisp thumbs up, it fixes all.

10. You are tasked to write a jingle for the Australian Government. What does that jingle sound like? 

A remix of someone going down the Questacon slide (RIP to the best thing to do in the Nations capital which no longer is in operation)

11. In an interview with Eat This Music you mentioned how “Pretty Boy” is ultimately about  “being confident in yourself and not letting anyone blindside you with their red flags just cause they are physically attractive.” How would you define attraction? What role does it play within human society? 

Attraction can come from physical or emotional traits, it really just means you are drawn to someone for a particular reason even if you can’t quite place what that specific thing is.

Attraction plays such a huge role in relationships and honestly we can let heaps of things slide just cause we are attracted to someone. Attraction can be both a blessing and a curse in that sense.

12. Mustard wonders if looks can be deceiving. Is this why humans use the expression “don’t judge a book by its cover?”

Yes, I think you should always give someone time to show their true colours. Everyone deserves a second chance but maybe not too many chances, if someone shows you who they are you should always believe them.

13. Following the success of “Pretty Boy” GRXCE put on a sold-out show at The Factory Theatre. Can you recall that night? How did it feel to sell out? 

I think it honestly feels like a blur or a bit like a movie montage where you can only view the night in snippets. It was so special and surreal to sell out our first big show and the energy as electric, we can not thank everyone enough for buying a ticket and wanting to be there with us!

14. Speaking of your shows, how would you describe your live performance? 

It really is an emotional rollercoaster and surprisingly energetic for music that is ‘sad’. The best way to describe it would be to buy a ticket to our gigs and come and experience it yourself.

15. What can fans expect from your upcoming single “Family Traditions?” 

 A bit of a more vulnerable side to GRXCE, it’s a piece of our puzzle that starts to create a more holistic picture of who we are as a band. It definitely allows people into who we are as people more, you can learn more about where we came from, how we grew up and how we became the people we are today.

16. How would society define a traditional family in Australia? Are these traditions still in place or has society evolved? 

The structures are very much still intact but we feel like a lot of people are pushing against this. The concept of family is so fluid and there are so many different family structures these days. It is heartwarming to see so many different types of families being represented especially when coming from a small town it was super rare to see anyone who didn’t have their parents together.

17. Where can readers listen to your music?

Spotify, Apple Music, any of the streaming services! You can also come see us on tour, tickets are on sale now for our Sydney show on the 17th of February!