Mermaidens: ‘give me that soft energy’

Words Hannah Powell. Images taken by Fran Scrimgeour.

Yo Vocal talked to Pōneke band, Mermaidens. Having recently released their new track ‘Soft Energy’, we talked to Gussie Larkin about their single, their sound, and Mermgrown Festival.

When I rang Gussie on a Tuesday afternoon, she was in the midst of preparations for Auckland’s Mermgrown festival. Mermaidens had just released a new track, ‘Soft Energy’, too. Asking about the track, Gussie laughed. “We just wanted to put something out there we could go on tour, basically.”

Mermaidens is a band of three – Gussie Larkin on vocals and guitar, Lily West on vocals and bass, and Abe Hollingsworth on drums. Having recorded a bunch of songs at the end of last year, the band has been chipping away at them since. “We don’t quite feel like we’re in the headspace to do a full album, so that’s kind of where we’re at,” Gussie said. “Just playing around to get instant gratification rather than waiting for an entire album to come out.”

When I called, Gussie was a month into their nationwide Mermaidens tour. From Tāmaki Makarau down to Ōtepoti, Mermaidens were ready to take the cities by storm. Talking about Otautahi, Gussie mentioned it was the band’s first time playing at live music venue Blue Smoke. She said the band were happy with how the shows have gone so far. “Especially [Wellington’s] Mermgrown Festival, [that] was just a really special day.”

Taite-nominated for their musical efforts, Mermaidens began around 2014. Gussie and Lily were friends at high school together. With a shared musical taste, the two bonded over the bands they liked. Gussie sang and played while Lily was dabbling with that and the other. “I brought her out of her shell, and we started writing songs together,” Gussie explains. “[We] were just hanging out a lot, dreaming about being in a band”. Abe, another friend in high school, joined as their drummer once Mermaidens was in motion. For the trio, it was their first band. 

Self-described as “a little bit psychedelic with elements of pop and post-punk”, having more than one frontperson is a defining feature of the band. Their self-made music videos are wonderfully distinctive, too. The video for ‘Soft Energy’ was directed by Gussie, while her partner Ezra filmed it on 16mm film.

Their latest track, ‘Soft Energy’, follows three critically-acclaimed albums. The last album to be released was Look Me In The Eyes in 2019, where Lily took home the Aotearoa Music Award for Best Album Art.

Recorded at The Surgery and produced by Samuel Flynn Scott (The Phoenix Foundation), ‘Soft Energy’ was written first and defined later. “I figured out I was reflecting on interactions with people, mainly in the music industry, where they come across as really blunt and have this wall up between you and them,” Gussie said. She goes on to explain that the lyrics are asking that person (with macho energy and a know-it-all attitude) to respond with softness and vulnerability: soft energy.

Gussie mentions she’s keeping the message vague. She doesn’t want it to seem like “a male vs female thing”, but rather a professional interaction. I ask about her music industry experience. “Oh, amazing overall!” she says. “Especially growing up in Wellington and fledging out to parties and getting to see bands, it’s a really creative place to be. I just felt that being in a band completely possible.” Now living in Auckland, Gussie still feels she lives in Wellington. “[The Wellington scene] it’s good; I think there’s a lot of new, young bands starting up that are pretty exciting”.

Cancelled due to lockdown last year, Mermgrown Festival made its highly-anticipated debut in March this year. Held at the Workingmen’s Bowling Club in Wellington and between Whammy, Wine Cellar, and Backroom in Auckland, the DIY festival sold out in both cities. Self-described as a festival with a DIY spirit but with slickness, “we did it because we really love going to festivals,” Gussie explained. “We like DIY festivals that still have really great production and that element of professionalism.” In reflection, they reckon that’s what they achieved. Agreed.

“Mermgrown Pōneke was an absolute dream!” Gussie said. She said the weather was perfect, the team was great, and everything ran to plan. “The festival-goers were stoked to enjoy the music in the sun, play bowls and have a boogie. Can’t wait for next year.”