I sat with pop-alternative band Crimson Apple on the first of November at Big Picture Media Studios. It was unseasonably warm, so we took advantage of the sunny day to take the interview on the rooftop. The four-piece band is comprised of beautiful sisters each with their own unique style. Their message is strong: to inspire and stay true to themselves. Originating from Hawaii, the Big Apple is a long way away from home.
S&S: What was the move like from Hawaii to Los Angeles?
Shelby: It was really hectic and it happened really fast. Hawaii is a very different lifestyle and a lot more laid back. Moving to LA, it’s a lot more fast-paced and more to do.
Colby: New York is surprisingly more faster-paced than Los Angeles. It definitely is an overload of the senses. It’s actually really cool and unique here. Lots of walking, which is really good for our health.
S&S: Since being signed with Amuse Group, how have things changed?
Colby: Things have changed quite a bit. When we were doing things DIY, everything was very in-house. A lot of things we were doing stayed within our family; we were doing things on our own. When we signed with Amuse, we had so many more resources, more help; we were able to be connected with amazing producers and songwriters. We really feel like our sound has grown to the next level. Our vision that we couldn’t always complete on our own, we can finally acquire [with] what we’ve envisioned our whole lives for our sound to be.
S&S: The music video for your new single, “Can’t Get Out Of Bed” recently released. How do you feel it turned out?
Colby: We are so proud of this music video. It’s kind of crazy because when we were writing the song, we were visualizing what the video would be like. We thought of the four of us all in red, which represents our blood and our family, and how we were trying to break out of this house, which symbolized our careers and going to the next level. When we gave our vision to our director, she totally understood it. We filmed in a day, with everything moving so smoothly and perfectly. The final product was better than we even envisioned.
S&S: So you’re all sisters and you’re in a band together. You must like each other. How do you maintain professionalism and your personal lives?
Carthi: It’s really hard because we’re always working, and sometimes when we want to have family time, we end up talking about our work. It’s just natural for us. So, sometimes we have to say, “Okay, no talking about any band business – we’re just gonna have a normal time and relax.” But it’s also kind of cool because we’re always on it; we’re always working. So, it’s important to have that balance.
Colby: It’s a good and bad thing because it’s within our family. We are able to be so open with our ideas, and it’s always flowing for us. At the same time, we get tired out. Say we’re sitting watching a movie and someone will say, “Hey you know what we should do for this song?” Like no, we should really just watch the movie and hang out as sisters.
S&S: Faith and Carthi, you only had a few months to learn your instruments before your first live performance. How did you make that happen?
Faith: Lots of practice?
Carthi: The first few shows were rough. I couldn’t move on stage, I had stage fright pretty bad but just practiced a lot.
Colby: I think because Shelby and I were already experienced, we were able to be with them as they learned their instruments. They say when you’re trying to learn something new, you should be with someone who’s already experienced at it because it makes you learn and grow that much faster.
S&S: What would be your dream tour?
Faith: Personally for me, I would want to go to Europe.
Shelby: Japan and to see the rest of the U.S. This is our first year touring the U.S. and so far, every state kind of has its own unique vibe. It’s been cool to experience our country!
S&S: Who would you tour with if you could choose?
Faith: Taylor Swift.
Colby: Halsey, oo Twenty One Pilots! We just saw them at Madison Square Garden! They were amazing. Mind blown. It was our first time seeing them. We were so lucky we got tickets to see them.
S&S: What do you miss most about Hawaii?
All: The food, the people.
Colby: We have a lot of friends, and one thing I think is really unique about Hawaii is that there is this fusion of cultures, and it’s really family oriented. You can meet a stranger, and the fact that you’re from Hawaii [allows you to] be like “Hi aunty, hi uncle.”
Shelby: Meat jun. It’s basically really thin beef marinated in like a teriyaki sauce, but it’s better than that. Then you fry it in egg.
Colby: We found out it’s a fusion dish. It’s from a mixture cultures that created that meat jun. We also miss Hawaiian poke.
Shelby: We have friends in California that always go to the poke places, and we try to explain to them, “This is good, but Hawaiian poke is better.”
S&S: Where do you get your inspiration from?
Colby: I think one of our biggest inspirations as a group is that we’re doing it together as a family. We’re always pushing each other and relying on each other so we’re feeling that responsibility to do well for each other. We’re in it together. Our parents are one of our inspirations because they are so massively supportive of us; we are so blessed to have them. They put so much into us, so it’s important for us to succeed for them.
S&S: Who do you make your music for?
Colby: People our age – we’re going through a lot of things our peers are going through. We write about our real-life experiences, and we feel like there are a lot of people like us that are going through the same things, and that’s really who we’re writing for. The four of us all collaborate to write the music together.
S&S: What’s your favorite part about being a musician?
All: All of it!
Shelby: It’s so much fun. Me personally, I think I like performing live. I love being on stage and performing for people.
Colby: For me, I think I’ve always loved songwriting the most. I think it’s because I’m a really introverted person, and I’m kind of reserved. From a young age, music was the only way I knew how to express how I was feeling. I like challenging myself to come up with a cool metaphor or create something that is relatable to people.
Carthi: I really do like all of it. It would be easier for me to say I don’t like the business side of it. Everything else is amazing.
Faith: I really like all of it too. Whatever I’m doing in the moment. Right now, we’re on tour so I like playing live and meeting people. Inspiring people, because not a lot of people can do what we do.
S&S: How do you guys get pumped before going on stage?
Shelby: We have a strange ritual. It basically involves us crossing hands and holding hands with some yelling involved.
Faith: A lot of “LEHH!”
Colby: It kind of originated in this moment where we were kind of going through something really rough during practice one day, feeling this weight on our shoulders, and all of a sudden Carthi just started yelling, and we were all like “That’s what we need to do right now.” So, we all just let it out, and that moment was special for us so we included it in our performance ritual.
S&S: You all have amazing style. Who are your style icons and where do you get your inspiration from?
Faith: Aw man! I love Korean fashion. I love Gigi Hadid – she is my fashion icon.
Colby: I love Dua Lipa. She is so fly all the time. I love her fashion sense.
Crimson Apple are finishing up their EP and will be wrapping up the remainder of their tour in Florida and Texas. Check them out on Facebook!
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