Diandra Interviews What If Elephants: Finding Your Sugar Daddy
In a world, where collaboration is both necessary and tricky, the best group of people to unite and create with will always be your friends. After all, they are the family you choose. These are the people you don’t simply love, but like, and, despite all doubts and insecurities, make you believe in positivity and hope. For What If Elephants, they are a group of friends that found doing music together makes them feel as grand as… well… elephants. They want to be approachable and optimistic, as both people and artists, and, in our interview, lead singer Joey Langlois, discusses how their newest single, “Sugar Daddy” does that.
Diandra: What is a movie, book, or TV show you would love to turn into a concept album? Why and from what angle?
Joey: Having just recently watched Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, which in many ways, I find to be the culmination of many of his past works, I would pick that. Bringing someone through a musical journey forwards and backwards would be so interesting. The possibilities in sound design, lyrical arc within and across songs, tempo management and song structure would be quite exciting. Backwards sounds are used a lot, but it would be interesting to have them as a major constraint for half an album which needs to resemble the first half that was strictly forward moving.
Diandra: What is an album you would love to turn into a movie? Why, what would be the premise, and who would be the cast?
Joey Langlois: First thought that comes to mind is Maggie Rogers’ Heard It In A Past Life. It’s just an album that I find feels so comforting and nostalgic for some reason. I often watch movies to unwind or to get to know a new endearing character. I feel like the album sounds like reconnecting with a friend, while also getting a better understanding of yourself. I’d love to see Rachel McAdams and Brad Pitt play in a movie where Rachel is coming back to her hometown, and Brad Pitt is this guy, from her past, who never needed anything outside the small town. I’m not sure which way it would go, but I think Rachel’s character would need to discover an inner content and Brad’s character a sense of curiosity and adventure, in order for them to make things work. It doesn’t have to work out, but them working on those things in themselves, via their relationship, to one another would be the richness in it. Bonus points if it could be as fun as Guardians of the Galaxy (2014).
Diandra: What are the aspects of your personality you feel come out in your music and you hope people connect with?
Joey: Positive and optimistic energy accompanied with self-doubt. I hope that people can connect with the weakness that I sense in myself – we all have our weaknesses – and be uplifted by the musical delivery and lyrical approach to each story. We want to allow people to enjoy the music purely for its harmonic and rhythmic content, and also have an opportunity to relate to our stories of working through some of the difficulties and joys life brings along.
Diandra: What is your favorite childhood memory with music?
Joey: Justin here, I fondly remember my first band around age 12 where we were much more concerned about our band name (Squirrel in a Blender) and how we would look on stage than practicing or playing the music. Let the band name be an indication of the level of musicianship we had. We would talk for hours about where our first tours would be and what other rock stars we would be performing with, we had so much enthusiasm and I’m happy those feelings have never left!
Diandra: Describe a quality you most admire/ respect in each other, and what song you feel most feels like the others’ personality?
Joey Langlois: Being that we’re four members, there’s a long list of combinations to this answer. I would say that a common quality we each appreciate in each other, and that is consistently demonstrated, is considerateness. It’s something that comes into play while writing and performing together, as well as the day to day of any amount of touring or dealing with the music business. Everyone is concerned with the experience and value the other band members are getting out of our endeavors. We’re not perfect, but I sure wouldn’t see a day where we stop doing what we love together. A song that might round this all up would be We Are Family by Sister Sledge.
Diandra: If your guitar was like your best friend or partner, what would you say she provides you with in the relationships and what would be a day you planned for her in thanks?
Joey: She provides me with cement to build a house, and in thanks, I would plan a day at the spa. She’s probably tense from the physical nature of her service.
Diandra: What do you love most about elephants and do you feel they are a good symbol for the group?
Joey: Elephants are grand, and we like making grand soundscapes with our music, so that’s one part of it. Aside from that, they also seem like friendly animals, and we hope to be approachable! These aren’t necessarily the reasons the word Elephants finds itself in our band name, though!
Finish this sentence with the first thing that pops in your mind…. “What If Elephants ___”
like dumplings.
Diandra: What inspired “Sugar Daddy” and what defines a sugar daddy to you?
Joey Langlois: The financial grid of pursuing dreams and still paying the bills can add some stress in a relationship. I took that idea, based on my own experience, and turned it into a narrative that might be relatable for others. In my mind, a sugar daddy is someone who’s largely valued for their wealth of resources in the relationship rather than their person.
Diandra: If you could have a sugar mama or a sugar daddy, what would you want them to get you? If you could be a sugar daddy or mama, would you?
Joey: A fully ecologically sustainable village in a tropical climate for myself, friends and family to live in. I would rather not be a sugar daddy, but I hope to be able to be generous!
Diandra: If you could create your own world, what 3 Laws would you make for it?
Joey Langlois:
- No one can amass more than $10 Million
- Universal Basic Income
- It’s illegal to discriminate against someone’s religion, physical appearance, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status
Diandra: Describe the first moment you remember when you knew you wanted to be a musician.
Alanna: Growing up, I always loved how music was another method of expressing myself. I began playing music around age seven, and from there on out, music was always a way to articulate my feelings while still processing what was going on in my head.
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