We love family acts so of course, we were excited when we were approached with the newest duo in the music industry: Cooper & Gatlin. The pop duo just released their debut single “Break” and we can’t put a break on blasting this on repeat. Since growing up with two talented parents, it was only right the two of them picked up after their them. There’s so much potential for Cooper & Gatlin. We had a chance to chat with the two to chat all about their latest single, their songwriting process, and what in fact, breaks them!
The Young Folks: First off, congrats on your debut single “Break”! This is the very first song you two put out together, so why was it this song that you decided to introduce yourself to the world with?
Cooper & Gatlin: Thank you so much! One of the interesting things about “Break” is that we actually wrote it about 2 years ago. When we first starting writing, it took a little bit to figure out what our sound was, and “Break” felt like the first song that really hit what we wanted our sound to be. So, since “Break” helped us solidify our musical identity, we thought it would be a good song to introduce ourselves with!
TYF: Being that this is your first song together, tell us a little bit about what you two have been doing to get prepared and ready to release new music as Cooper & Gatlin?
C&G: We spent our first year or two as a band just writing as much as we could, so when it finally came time to put our music out there, it was a really nice shift, creatively. Instead of starting over all the time, we got to start refining and perfecting, which is really fun. On top of that, we also shifted into working more on our live shows. We’ve played 4-5 shows over the last couple weeks, and those have been super fun!
TYF: I watched the music video, and loved the vibe! What was the inspiration for the music video?
C&G: We’re super inspired by retro/nostalgic vibes in general, but with “Break” we were definitely going for “neon/Stranger Things minus the Demogorgons.” You can actually hear a little bit of our inspiration from Stranger Things throughout the production of “Break”! We definitely wanted to capture that vibe throughout the video too.
TYF: Since your new song is about not being broken in front of an ex-lover, what’s something that can break you? Whether it be seeing your favorite candy even if you promised you won’t, watching Notebook five times in a row, etc.
Cooper: I definitely have a weakness for coffee. If I see a coffee shop that looks legit, I just have to go in a get something. I don’t react super well to caffeine either, so I’m kind of a different person after 2-3 cappuccinos.
Gatlin: For me, ANIMALS. I even stop for little buggies, too. I just LOVE them all. In a perfect world, I would just be living in some sort of animal sanctuary where I just get to sit and cuddle with all kinds of fluffers-otters, bear cubs, birds, baby hippos…ALL OF THEM. Also, I will never not watch “The Holiday.” It doesn’t matter what time of year it is, I always have it on my phone ready for airplanes or long car rides. It’s just so good.
TYF: Taking a step back, what inspired you two to get into the music industry in the first place?
C&G: Our parents are both super talented musicians. Our dad is a Grammy-nominated producer, and our mom was a singer-songwriter in a group called “Sierra” that toured around the country when we were young. We grew up on her tour bus and sang with our dad in his studio whenever he needed kids vocals for projects he was working on. We got a taste for the music world pretty early on, and we had phenomenal people to learn from. Our parents have always been super supportive of us, and we definitely wouldn’t be making music without them.
TYF: How is the songwriting experience like behind the scenes? Who decides on what?
Cooper: The songwriting process is fun because Gatlin and I approach the process from different sides. I’m very much a music/chord/production person, Gatlin is definitely the lyricist, and we meet in the middle for melodies. The nice thing about working together is that we’re each a good gauge for what the other person is doing. I know a chord progression is good if Gatlin is able to find strong lyric or melody ideas, and vice versa.
Advertisement
TYF: Any chance in future songs we’ll hear Cooper on some tracks?
C&G: Definitely! We’re both always singing in all of our songs, but we’ve got a couple songs where Cooper takes the lead. Gatlin doesn’t get to have all the fun!
TYF: What can you tell us about what’s next for you two in the near future?
C&G: Right now we’re focusing on playing more shows, working on a couple exciting new things for “Break” and getting some more songs ready for release! We keep everyone up to date on our social media (@CooperAndGatlin), so that’s a great place to check in and see what we’re working on!
Stay connected with Cooper & Gatlin: Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Advertisement
Advertisement