Meet Tr0ut

Need a little poppy-anthem to get your juices flowin’, your toes tapping, your head rollin’? Give the latest tracks from Tr0ut a gander.

There’s nothing fishy about this crew. The duo blends together airy vocals with layers of synth and electro FUN to deliver bops on bops.

Fresh off their recent self-titled release, we chat about low-key pop star dreams, their meaty music, and the influence of performance art.

A couple of self-portraits by Tr0ut

Would You Rather

have the power to make things you touch turn invisible or shrink?

Jolee: I think I would rather have the power to make things turn invisible...but does that mean that I can make people turn invisible? I think it'd be cool if I could touch another person and make them turn invisible, or if I could touch a body part of mine and make it turn invisible. So I'd have an invisible arm or something. But objects would be cool too... Also, I guess I'm wondering if I would have the power to see the thing I made invisible. Either way I think invisible is my answer.

Jon: I think shrink, but could I make it bigger again later? Hmm ... I hope so. But regardless pocket-sized anything could be so fun.

Some questions with Tr0ut

How did Tr0ut come to be?

Jolee: Well, Jon and I are roommates and I always hear him making electronic music in his room because its right next to the kitchen. So in the winter I said maybe we should collab because I have a lowkey dream of being a pop star. So he sent me a loop and I wrote a song over it, and then I sent him a song that I already wrote and he produced it. We just recorded my vocals in his room and then all of a sudden we had some songs. We've also played in various groups together over the last year in school (we go to/went to NEC). I'm excited to keep making songs together, we haven't even played a show yet but I hope that can be something we do too. I think we're gonna do a livestream set in a couple weeks. It's really quite a brand new project. 

Jon: We were just messing around with some loops and ideas then we were like “ok WOW these are some tunes”, case closed

If you couldn’t say “musician,” what would you call yourself and why?

Jolee: This is hard... I think I would definitely be drawn to some form of art-making. I've recently become more and more interested in performance art, so I could definitely see myself committing to that much more seriously in the future. I would also be interested in making clothes if I weren't a musician. I like fashion and crafts, so making clothes sounds like something I would enjoy. I also like pottery and building things.

Jon: Maybe dreamer, NEVER give up!

If your music was a sandwich, what would it be? Why?

Jolee: I think our music could be a Cuban sandwich. They have the various kinds of meats (I would say our songs are meaty), and they also have pickle and mustard. The pickle and mustard maybe represent the quirkiness in the songs, because not everyone likes these flavors. Also swiss cheese has lots of holes in it which is chill. Maybe that can represent the different tunnels Tr0ut can go down musically. I don't eat meat anymore but those sandwiches are really tasty.

Jon: Maybe a grilled cheese with the crust still on, such a fun sandwich

What do you hope listeners take away from your music?

Jolee: While we were in the process of making the songs, my biggest goal was to write some bops that people could move to. I guess just like lots of other pop songs, I wanted to write some relatable lyrics that weren't cheesy. I really just want people to be dancing around and having fun while listening. I feel like there's a little bit of irony/humor in the songs too, so I hope that people catch onto that and enjoy it.

Jon: We want them to feel anything they want, but a simple “hell ya” is always appreciated 

If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

Jolee: I think if I could change one thing, it would be that all artists could actually make a living with their art. I feel like I'm constantly playing shows and making no money, and money really isn't what it's about for me, but it definitely gets exhausting to have like 4 shows in a week with various different bands and rehearsals and then also have to work and grind in other ways on top of that to pay for things. I just feel like music and art is really important and healing, and it's worth people's money. It's just sad to see venues closing all the time, because it feels like the spaces where people can perform are getting smaller every month. There are so many people making amazing art that deserve to feel secure committing time, energy, and money into their own art because they know they'll get something back from it. Putting yourself out there and believing in yourself is hard, especially when trying to juggle a million other things. I hope that made sense.

Jon: I really feel like it could go harder as a whole 

How has the community in New York influenced or shaped your work?

Jolee: I grew up in the city, so the community I'm apart of there has definitely shaped my musical interests and the music that I make. All my musical collaborators in nyc have been friends since I was a kid, and the way making music feels with them is so influential of the feeling I look for when I create with other people (and on my own too). I've been going back and forth between Boston where I just finished school, and the combination of the two cities and the (very different) wacky music they both produce has definitely impacted my musical identity. New York is filled with so many creative people, it seems like the crazy art never ends. There are so many people I love there and I feel like everyone is also really supportive and excited by each other, which is amazing. It's a very inspiring place to call home, I love it so much. 

Jon: People are having a good time and always doing their thing there, lots of energy in that city :)

What other forms of art are inspiring you right now?

Jolee: Like I mentioned before, performance art has been really inspiring me. I recently got introduced to a bunch of artists who do performance art as their main artistic passion, and watching them go through the phases of creating pieces was so amazing to see. At school, I got really interested in free improvisation and started practicing it on my own and with friends in various different settings. It feels important to me to figure out how to mesh improvisation and performance art in an authentic way. I've also been really inspired lately by Alex G, Doja Cat, Porches, and Fay Victor's album "Barn Songs".

Jon: Skateboarding!

Any final comments? (This is your electronic soapbox for one last answer.)

Jolee: You should definitely check out Jon's other electronic music under his electro-name jonstar !! It's really good. yay

Jon: “you gotta feel bad to look good” has been on my mind lately but it’s probably not true. Also check out Jolee’s other projects including her band Houndsteeth, unreal stuff.