The Family loves a dynamic duo. Lucia Stavros and Julián Maliandi are just that. The two joined forces in their single “Curva,” creating some sweet psych-rock inspired jams. Read on to see what they had to say about their inspirations (Shout out to Jefferson Airplane; see our review here), love as a super power, and their favorite members of The Family Reviews.

Check out our review of their single “Curva.”

How long have you been making music?

Julián: I started playing piano when I was 6, there was a lot of music in my house when I was a child, my dad played piano and my mom used to sing while my sister was playing a ton of records of music that has inspired me to follow the music path. I quit piano lessons and switched to guitar when I was 13 and I fell in love with the electric guitar at 14 and I'm still in love with it.

I met Lucia when I was doing my undergrad at New England Conservatory (2008-2011) and we played together back then on a few occasions, doing some Bossa Nova repertoire and jamming. In 2017 we got together again in NYC, and we haven’t stopped since.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

Lucia: For this particular song I felt inspired by Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun,” and also Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit.” The Family brought this song up in the review!

What keeps you motivated to keep on creating?

Julián : Being able to perform my own music and share it with colleagues and audience has become not only a motivation but more of a feeding of my soul, so the motivation for creating I think that comes from the hunger for repeating that beautiful experience.

What was the intention with your single, Curva ?

Lucia: I’m interested in creating music that is thought provoking and is a total mind and body experience. The first section of “Curva” attempts to personify the emotional confusion one feels under extreme struggle or duress. The second “choir” section is an ask for compassion from the perspective of the underdog.

Where do you see you and your music going in the next few years?

Julián: I let myself go with flow of the music and the musicians around me, so I cannot speculate in any specifics, but I would say that lately I've been drawn to play and compose music inspired by those rock and pop albums that where my first inspirations when I was a child, like L.A Spinetta, Hermetica, Pappo, Peligrosos Gorriones, Nirvana, etc, and at the same time trying to melt that kind music with my own urge to improvise and create improvisational forms.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be (doesn’t need to be music related)?

Lucia: The superpower I aspire to is “heart,” using love and acceptance as a tool to combat the wrongs in the world.

What kind of messages do you try to get across with your sound?

Julián: Right now I'm composing songs where lyrics don't have a narrative that sets the listener on any specific message or image, more like mantras or common daily phrases that would resonate differently in different persons, and my goal is right there, that the lecture or the interpretation of messages is open to the listeners.

What was the last concert you went to that really inspired you?

Lucia: I recently saw two indie bands that I’ve followed for a long time, Cuddle Magic and Moonheart, and I was really inspired by their continued dedication to artistry and a high level of musicianship.

Who is your favorite member of The Family Reviews?

Lucia: This is a really tough question but I’m going to go with whoever started this awesomeness: Papa and Mama.

Any final comments?

Lucia and Julián: Thanks for checking out Curva!

Follow us on instagram @julianmaliandi @getloosh

Lucia Stavros & Julián Maliandi