Today, Colin & Caroline released their debut EP, titled “Wish I Was”. It contains five stunning tracks that have got us playing them on repeat. Last week, we managed to chat with them for an exclusive interview.
Colin & Caroline, consisting of Colin Healy and Caroline Mauck, have known each other since high school. They went their separate ways when it came to music but they reconnected not long after and started releasing cover songs that have become popular. Their friendship blossomed into a loving relationship and their music has blossomed into original releases. Today marks the release of their debut EP, “Wish I Was”.
We were given the amazing opportunity, last week, to chat with Colin & Caroline for an exclusive interview. We talked about their “Wish I Was” debut EP, their music videos, their cover songs, their relationship as a couple, and what else we can expect from them.
Hi Colin & Caroline, how are you two doing today? What have you been up to lately?
We are doing great, thank you! Getting excited for this EP release.
You are set to release your debut EP “Wish I Was” soon, can you tell us more about it?
We recorded our “Wish I Was” EP down in Nashville this past March with Neilson Hubbard who produced it. Our friend Caroline Spence referred us to Neilson after he produced her most recent debut record, Spades & Roses (which is amazing by the way) and we were really happy with the way things all came together that week in the studio. We decided to release the songs off this EP as a 5-song collection as opposed to our usual way of releasing single-by-single because we wanted to tell a bit of a story with them as together a whole.
How excited are you to release your debut EP?
SO. excited.
Can you talk us through each of the tracks on the EP and tell us what each of them are about?
“Wish I Was” is a song we wrote about wishing to always be with the one you love. It could carry multiple meanings, but the main message is that the push-pull of timing and situations in life that sometimes keep us away from being present with the ones we love.
“Stories” seemed to be a good track to follow “Wish I Was”. It describes how everyone has a story, and everyone’s situations throughout life can’t truly ever be compared to someone else’s, because we all have unique perspectives and experiences that make us who we are. No one else’s is the exact same. Ain’t it the truth!
“When You Love Someone” emphasizes the importance of loving even when it hurts to. No matter who and no matter what- if you love them, let yourself, and let them know. The takeaway message is the more love we put out in the world, the more we get back.
“Perfect Storm” describes a relationship where one person has realized that they have been stuck seeing only the blissful, peaceful and happy parts of the relationship (i.e. “the eye of the storm”), and is beginning to recognize that in reality, the negative outweighs the good. Over time, that person realizes that their partner isn’t willing to change for the better, and they can no longer wait around for them to do so. It defines how people have choices to make within every relationship, both good and bad, and even when the right choice is sometimes difficult, following your heart is always the answer.
“Do It All Again” is a nostalgic song that describes fond memories with a lost loved one and recalling the times where nothing else seemed to matter except living day-by-day in that feeling. Knowing that in the end, they wouldn’t have had it any other way.
What makes these original tracks different to the cover songs you’ve released?
Our originals usually start with a thought or situation that comes to mind, whether it be a hypothetical situation or a feeling or emotion that we are truly experiencing. The songs sometimes come out of the blue, and the fun thing about this is that we get to pull from both of our own songwriting styles and perspectives to create a song that belongs to the both of us. Sometimes one of us will come up with the song in almost its entirety, and the other will come in and add that special thing it needed. Other times, they come together completely cohesively.
With our covers, we try and take a song we like by another artist (regardless of genre), and strip it down to its core. It’s fun to think about when the artist first sat down with a guitar or piano and wrote the song, what they were trying to say from the beginning. Then we add our own spin on it.
Where did the inspiration for the tracks come from?
We look up to a lot of different singer-songwriters who capture and evoke emotion with their music through their lyrics and simple yet beautiful instrumentation. We lean towards this style of writing ourselves, so with these songs, we tried to convey emotion through the simplicity of our vocals, stripped back instrumentation, and lyrics. The songs themselves deal with nostalgia, love, and putting ourselves in others’ shoes. It’s always pretty meaningful to create something that is attainable and could be applied to anyone and everyone at some point in their lives.
Do you have a favourite track from the EP? Which one is it and why is it your favourite?
We love all of these songs, but if we HAVE to choose, our favorites include “When You Love Someone”, “Perfect Storm”, and “Do It All Again”.
Do you have any specific favourite lyrics from one of the songs on the EP?
In our song “When You Love Someone”, there are two lines that resonate with us a lot: “The light in you is the light in me”… and “What you give comes back to you.” In these lines, we tried to express how love is universal, and we’re all in it together. The more love we feel and give, the more it returns to us.
Your first single from the EP was “Wish I Was”, what has the reaction to the song been like?
We’ve received a great response for “Wish I Was”. That’s been really nice since it was the first single off of the EP, and kind of set the bar for what people might anticipate with the rest of the EP… But each song is different!
A music video for it was released, what was that like to film?
It was a blast. We got to drive around in an old Jeep Wagoneer (trying not to break down along the way) through beautiful countryside together while goofing off with our creative team all day. We all work really well together, and try to carry open minds going into the filming process so that new ideas can happen along the way.
It was directed by Daniel Bagbey, what was he like to work with?
Daniel is amazing. He is able to hear our music, see our vision, and add his own creative/artistic perspective to make it all come to life on camera. He is crazy talented, and he’s become one of our good buds.
The second single was “Perfect Storm”, why was this chosen as the second single?
We chose “Perfect Storm” for the second single because it is very different in sound than our first single “Wish I Was”. We thought it would be good to diversify the songs we released as singles off the EP in order to give our audience different parts of ourselves. This one is not only a powerful song, but it differs greatly from the first.
What has the reaction to “Perfect Storm” been like?
People seem to love it! We’re so happy about that, because it is a special song.
The music video for it was interesting to watch, what was that like to film?
It is always fun filming these videos, mainly because of how great our creative team is to work with on set, but also because of the way new ideas come together as we begin filming. We came up with a lot of the dramatic lighting, mood, and concept of having Colin appear in and out of the frame during the actual filming of the video.
You worked with Daniel Bagbey again on it, how did this music video differ to “Wish I Was”?
“Wish I Was” had a lot of flashbacks of spending time together, and sunlit countryside to convey the beauty and happiness of being with a loved one. “Perfect Storm” was shot indoors, with dramatic light cast through the windows to symbolize “the eye of the storm”. Colin appearing in and out of the video frame conveys the message behind the song from the singer’s perspective.
Are there more music videos on their way from the EP?
Yes! We are recording a video for “When You Love Someone” which will be released with the full EP on Friday, July 27th. This is going to be a really special video because we’ve called for a wide range of people we haven’t met before who are in relationships to bring the one they love, and share on camera why they love them. We’re hoping to capture the idea of love as a universal thing, and something we all share in common. We’re so excited to connect with these people who have volunteered to be part of it, and to hear their stories, so be on the lookout for the final video next Friday with the EP.
You made your name known through your covers. On Spotify, alone, you have over 85,000,000 streams, what’s it like knowing your music has been played that many times?
It is really incredible to think about. We feel really lucky to be able to personally connect with so many people through what we’re doing with both covers and originals.
Which cover has been your favourite to record and why?
“Maps” by Yeah Yeah Yeah’s and “High and Dry” by Radiohead have always been two of our favorite songs. When we recorded those two, it felt really meaningful and cool to add our unique take on them and make them our own.
What has the reaction been like to your original music in comparison to your covers?
We find that people seem to really appreciate both, perhaps for their own reasons. Our career playing music together started with us covering well-known songs and putting them up on YouTube. That continued, and then our original music began to spread on Spotify when we noticed that our original songs “More Than Gravity”, “Fireflies”, and “Like Home” had been placed on popular Spotify-curated playlists.
How does it feel to be showcasing your original music to your fans?
It is pretty special to have music we created from scratch put out into the world, and heard by people who connect with it. It’s also a bit scary, because… What if they don’t? We realize going into this process, that we can only give ourselves through our music the best way we can, and hope it resonates with our audience. It’s amazing to hear what fans have to say and connect with them personally about how our songs may have affected them in some way.
Why do you think your covers have done so well on Spotify?
People hear a well-known song of a certain genre that is taken apart and put back together in a way that is still recognizable but completely different and unique from what the original sounded like. I think this draws people in, and it allows them to see the song in a new light and from a different perspective.
What’s next for Colin & Caroline after the EP release?
We plan to keep writing original music, release music videos more frequently and consistently, and keep putting out covers. We also plan to tour more in the near future, so stay tuned!
Your love of music is what brought you two together. What’s it like being in a relationship and being a duo?
It’s made for a very fun, sometimes challenging, romantic, and rewarding ride. The two of us have grown stronger as a music duo and even more so as a couple since we’ve been together. It’s pretty special to be able to share and experience something we both so deeply love individually, and music has been one of many ways we’ve realized this is the real deal.
And, finally, do you have a message for your fans?
Thank You. You all are one of the biggest motivations and reasons we love what we do.
Thank you, Colin & Caroline, for taking the time out to answer our questions. We’re currently loving the “Wish I Was” EP, and we hope everyone else is too. We also cannot wait for more new music and to see more music videos.
“Wish I Was” EP is available to download and stream right now. Look out for our EP review coming in the next couple of days.