EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
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WITH BAND MEMBER WILLOW
"This is my story..."
WHAT ABOUT ME
"I am TRANSGENDER..."
A lot of people who view this band are young audiences, do you think your story equates with the experiences of young people today?
'I think that the ideologies we hold as a band are more relevant today than any other time period. Everyone is different now, equality and diversity is everywhere but despite us moving forward in equality compared to 100 years ago, we still have a long way to go.
I am transgender, just one form of diversity within the LGBTQ+ community, and there are so many more. People's attitudes towards this diversity is always changing, and it has come so far compared to when I was in primary school, only 12 years ago and hopefully is moving in the right direction.
Young adults today are so much more likely than ever to relate to a form of bullying from diverting from the norms of society, whether that be as little as being a girl wanting to play football or wrestle, or being a tomboy, as presented through this new video. There are so many forms of individuality around and as a band we want to promote that individuality is important and makes you more unique and special, not an outcast.'
You said you presented your own experience in this song, could you explain that?
'When I was younger, I was the tomboy that would rather have wrestled in the mud or played football on the field, always putting holes in trousers and tights etc, but compared to my sister, the 'perfect girl', I was different.
I was forced by my parents to play with 'girly' toys with my sister or make daisy chains and I was given the opportunity to go to an all girls grammar school for my high school. These activities and ideologies were just reinforced, there was no wrestling clubs, no rugby or football teams, just dance and gymnastics and other things. Although I loved my time in this school, when I became 15 I didn't want to pretend anymore, I wanted to dress as I wanted and play games that I wanted and a teacher gave me an opportunity to do just that.
It was just simple things around school that helped to move expectations further and introduce diversity and individuality. I started a football club, just run through breaks, no extra credits, but I was able to peak the ambitions of great athletes as well as people who just wanted to get involved in something different and have fun.
This wasn't all easy and it came with bullying for being different or wanting to do rugby and football rather than dance or wanting to take woodwork and graphic design rather than art and textiles. But I got through that, on my own, and I realised how difficult that is and wanted to provide a help or support network for those, no matter how little or much they divert from the 'norms', no one is alone.'
This song isn't directed for a niche audience though is it? It's become very popular in mainstream culture, is this what you had intended?
'Not initially, when creating songs, you don't think about the success, just the meaning and, in this case, the didactic message we are trying to convey, individuality is okay.
The fact it has reached mainstream media I think is great! People enjoy the upbeat representation because when diversity and equality are presented in the media, it is through authorial figures who haven't experienced it themselves or it is presented as being negative or sad. It doesn't have to be like that! We wanted to present a song that promotes those feelings of isolation but in a positive way.
Plus, even if they can't relate to this specific experience of feeling transgender, bisexual or gay or any part of the LGBTQ+ society, everyone has feelings of isolation and loneliness at some point, so the message is still universal and for everyone.'
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW FOR
'DIVA' and 'TRANSLIVING INTERNATIONAL' MAGAZINES
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MEET THE WHOLE BAND
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REUBS
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WILLOW
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ZAIN
TRIVIAL FAN QUESTIONS
ZAIN
'THE BIRDCAGE'
A Robin Williams classic, represents equality through humour! I love it!
WILLOW
'BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM'
A girl going against her parents expectations to reach her individuality! And of course, the romance.
REUBS
'BLACK SWAN'
Engaging in out-of-control affairs with her choreographer and another ballerina, the bisexual dancer takes a modern approach to a traditional form of cinema.
FAVOURITE MOVIE/FILM?
ZAIN
'TROYE SIVAN'
His queer-tastic new video to certified pop banger ‘My My My’ amassed 10m views in one week. It’s brilliant. It’s openly, screamingly gay, and yet artsy and restrained.
WILLOW
'1975'
Post modern ideologies. In multiple songs, they portray ironic attitudes to environmental issues, satirical representations of pop culture representations and expectations of mainstream bands.
REUBS
'PINK'
Pink accepted the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. Pink used it as an opportunity to school the world in equality and diversity.
FAVOURITE BAND/ARTIST?
IF ITS 'NOT NORMAL' FOR ME TO BE WHO I AM, THEN CALL ME AN OUTSIDER.
I TAKE PRIDE IN IT.
#outsiders
#selfobssessed
- Reuben
INTERVIEW
WITH THE MAIN SINGER; R E U B S
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
WITH THE BAND
Where did the inspiration for your new single come from?
Willow: Oh, I've got this one! Although we all grew up in small towns across different parts of the country, we all experienced this feeling of isolation from peers because we were considered as 'different'. We liked different music, different games to play in the playground.
I wasn't ashamed. Diverting from expectation from others made me confident that I stood out.
Reubs: Yeah, I wish I could say the same. I was so quiet and anxious, no one spoke to me, so why would I talk to them?
Willow: It was this feeling that made us who we are. As professionals, there are obviously expectations for us to be presented in a certain way. But as, myself being transgender, and my band mates identifying with other forms of the LGBTQ+ community, we wanted to present a universal image, as well as providing a source of support and reassurance for people who may be experiencing this form of isolation from everyone else.
Ultimately, our new single focuses on the postmodernism in society. Things that move on from expectations and generalisations of gender and sexualities and allows people to form their own identities. If you don't want the name that you've been given, you can change it! For us, a name is an important part of our identity, not only am I Willow, I am a part of the 1983, they are my identities and others should be able to be who they are. It's okay to be different.
This postmodernist view you discussed, what exactly is that?
Zain: We are the 1983, we present nostalgic elements of clothing and costume of the 80s with a modernised twist, we are traditional AND modern.
In our modern society, individuality is emphasised over tradition so we want to be recognised as the band that can do both.
Reuben: There is still some stigma around people diverting traditional norms and this is what we want to present. Individuality and self identity are important, especially in this modern society, there is more of a focus on making an image for yourself and maintaining that image.
You said earlier that you had experienced this yourself, how did you deal with that?
Willow: As I said before, I felt encouraged by being different, it didn't really phase me that I was considered different, it made me special. Others, however, find it difficult to deal with.
Reuben: In a modern society, being a postmodernist band, not only makes us unique but allows us to be ways of relatability to people who don't conform to the generalisations of gender in our modern societies. Experiencing this myself through growing up being bisexual is difficult and through this personal experience I wanted to share it with other people that may be experiencing the same and tell them its okay.
I guess the hardest part was admitting to people who I really was, because I tried to hide it for so long. But once I admitted it to myself and found others that were experiencing the same thing, I was reassured. We want to emphasise that no matter what you may be feeling, you're not alone, there are always support networks around you and if you can't find one yourself, there are support lines that just give you someone to talk to. If that helps you shouldn't be ashamed of using it.
WE'RE TOURING!
TRY OUR NEW VINYL
