How did you meet each other? How was BG born?
A: I remember meeting Yohanna for the first time when we were both in high school. I was going to a class after visiting a record store, and carried a Womack & Womack 12” with me, which she instantly recognized! Soon after this I happened to hear her singing in a local talent/band showcase night – she was singing “Young Hearts Run Free”, and I was completely hooked on her voice… There was absolutely no other choice than to start a band together.
Later on I met Tracy when studying music for a while… I think it was your first day in school, right? Someone introduced you to the class and told us you played keyboards – of course I had to come right away to talk to you, haha?!
What was your first song / when did you go to the studio for the first time?
A: The very first cut we did was “Move On”, which we recorded back in 2011 at Tracy’s tiny apartment. None of us had any recording gear, so I had to buy a cheap vocal mic and a cable for the session! We did a three-song “demo” EP, which actually ended up getting a lot of airplay in Finland at that time. We were sure this kind of music would be too odd for our rock-oriented home country, but funnily enough our sound found an audience very quickly!
Soon after this the shows started coming, and we found ourselves performing at the stages of Flow Festival, Bassline Festival as well as countless other venues all over Finland.
Wow, that sounds amazing. Probably was a pretty intense year?
Y: It definitely was! We were all just beginning to understand the whole impact it had on everything, and as we were doing everything by ourselves, we probably missed a lot of opportunities as well, just for not knowing how to maximise the momentum back then. All in all though, it was an amazing start to a group like this, and definitely gave us a signal that the world has a need for BG.
How did you end up traveling and playing abroad so much?
Y: We have to thank Funk Freaks from Santa Ana, California for being so interested in our music. I remember receiving a message from them in the early summer of 2016 after they had heard “Contagious”. They invited me to give them a visit, and after getting to know both XL Middleton and Moniquea when opening up for them later that summer, I decided to make my first trip to the West Coast later that year.
Any favorite memories?
T: There are so many… Anyone? Haha! I’m thinking our very first show abroad – in Lyon, France… I still remember the feeling when going to the airport, getting to France and performing to people who had been following us ever since our beginning in 2011. I will NEVER forget the overwhelming amount of support and love we received there.
How about funny stories?
Y: GRAND CANYON. During our first tour in the US, we decided to visit Grand Canyon. We were a bit late with our schedule, and had to drive fast in order to catch the view before the sun went down. We drove all the way there without stopping or paying any attention to the gas meter. After we were done and decided to head back it was already dark, and we realized we had no idea where the nearest gas station would be!
Of course the meter started to look really bad, and when it finally hit zero, we were still driving in the middle of nowhere! I remember being so nervous – and yet miraculously a tiny gas station appeared just as we thought we’d finally run out of our tiny remains of gas! Whew. Haha!
Tell me about your songwriting / recording process
A: Definitely depends on the song. The one rule I have for myself is not to touch any gear before the song itself is finished. That’s something I once learned from George Duke when attending a masterclass he was giving. To each their own, but for me – especially as a guitar player first and foremost – this has always resonated with me. With that being said, I usually go song first, then arrangement and tracking. Hope this is enough of an answer, haha!
What is your ultimate goal as a band?
T: I think it all just comes down to positivity. We are living intense times, and BG was born out of a need for kindness, love and caring for each other. We always give our 100% and make sure every fan becomes a part of our global family. This is all about community, and it’s been an amazing journey so far!
