In this interview feature, we get to know the most radicalist up and coming stars on the planet.  

This time we caught up with rising pop duo IDER to discuss covers, creativity and things to come.

Emerging in 2016 with their silky-smooth debut single 'Sorry', it wasn't long before musical partners Lily Somerville and Megan Markwick's intimate lyrics and spellbinding dual vocals caught the attention of alt-pop producer/songwriter Shura, who came on board to produce 'Does She Even Know' from IDER's 2017 EP Gut Me Like An Animal. Enjoying extensive radio support for a number of tracks on the EP, IDER signed a deal with Glassnote Records, home to CHVRCHES, Daughter and Aurora before revealing a further string of captivating singles including 'Learn To Let Go', ‘You’ve Got Your Whole Lie Ahead of You Baby’ and most recently 'Mirror'. With an impressive list of live performances under their belts including slots at Green Man, End of the Road Festival and SXSW as well as a sold out show at London's Village Underground, IDER are racing towards an exciting 2019 and we couldn't wait to find out more.

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TMR: It's been widely reported that you currently share a flat together and this is where a lot of your musical magic happens, but we're interested to know more about how you first met and what made you want to start making music together in the first place?

We met at Falmouth University on a music course when we were 19 and got put into a group project together within the first couple of weeks. So we were making music together pretty much as soon as we met.

TMR: Also, IDER is a lovely albeit fairly unusual band name. Can you tell us how that came about?

It doesn't really have any meaning behind it - we wanted something new that would come to identify us. Sometimes we say it's the secret 3rd member of the band that appears when we combine our voices...

TMR: When it comes to writing, is it always a collaborative process or do you work on ideas individually and then tweak them together?

It's a bit of both but it is very collaborative. Sometimes we will start songs individually that we will bring to one another and sometimes we start a song totally mutually. But no matter what, it always begins with lots of conversations.

TMR: We know that your voices complement each other perfectly, but do you have a lot in common outside of that? For example, do you have similar musical influences?

Yes and no. We're definitely influenced by different artists or songs, because we are individuals and bring different things to the table. But we always agree on what we think is good and appreciate different tastes. We think this is a major strength of ours, being a duo.



TMR: We absolutely loved the cover of Outkast's 'Roses', that you performed at Eurosonic earlier this year. What made you choose this track and are covers something that you enjoy working on?

We wanted to do an unusual cover for our first London show, something that wouldn't be an obvious pick for us and that we could arrange in a new way to fit our voices. 'Roses' is such a good tune and we love Outkast so it was a dream choice.

TMR: The lyrics on your new single 'Mirror' are really honest and inspiring. Do you find it cathartic to open up through music or is it quite a difficult experience emotionally?

Absolutely, we find it cathartic to be honest through our music. But the process of expressing ourselves and really saying what we want to say can be emotionally difficult. It can take a while to find the right words but when we do it's very therapeutic.

TMR: The new video for 'Mirror' plays on the duality of your sound and obviously the dual nature of a mirror itself. Do you enjoy making music videos and is it important for you to have a strong concept going into it?

We do enjoy making music videos but it's definitely the most challenging aspect for us. For the ‘Mirror’ video we worked with an amazing director and choreographer who helped us bring to life our identity as a duo. It can be hard to communicate that to other creatives so when it's understood completely, you know it's going to be a good experience. We're definitely learning that what's most important for us is to have a strong connection with the people we're working with.



TMR: You also recently announced your first ever UK/EU headline tour. With so many electronic elements and gorgeous textures in your recorded works, do you ever feel limited in what you can achieve in a live setting and if so how do you get around that?

No, we don't ever feel limited in what we can achieve in our live show. We have big ideas that are constantly growing and coming to life along the way.

TMR: As a blog specialising in new music, we'd love to know if there's any up-and-coming artists that have caught your attention recently?

Westerman is great. Grand Pax, Obongjayar and have recently discovered The Seshen.

TMR: Finally, since your formation back in 2016, we've heard a string of brilliant singles from you (including List Picks ‘Million’, ‘Face On’ and ‘Pulse’). We're dying to know if there's an album in the works and what we can expect from IDER heading into 2019?

There is an album in the works and you can definitely expect it in 2019! We're really excited to share all this new music we've been working on. Next year feels like a big one for us.



Keep your eyes and ears peeled in 2019 for IDER’s full-length.

-Holly Mullineaux