The synth-pop trio sit down with us to chat about 2023 plans, the music that inspires them & the state of the industry for women and minorities in music.
Having cultivated a sound and an image that sets them starkly apart from a lot of the groups coming out of the North West in recent years, Hot Minute are primed and ready to relaunch their live sound in 2023.
With their distinct Japanese-inspired branding, three models silhouetted against neon-soaked streets, the trio clearly have a vision and a path they intend to follow. A handful of strong singles already under their belt, they look to the New Year to once again grace the live scene.
We chatted to them about the problems within our beloved industry, the band's identity and some lovely life advice.
Hello! How's life treating you all at the moment?
Hey! Life is going good for us at the minute, thanks for asking! We hope the same goes for you.
Well, we can't believe it's nearly 2023 already. Have you been busy?
Tell us about it, time is moving so fast these days. We’re always cooking up a few bits in the background and keeping ourselves busy, so we guess the answer to that would be yes.
We'd like to chat about representation in the grassroots scene here in the UK. We're constantly disappointed by the lack of female-identifying bands and artists being booked by local promoters. What's your experience been with this?
This is a great and insightful question. It's a complex and ever-evolving topic; there is indeed a dramatic difference between women and minorities vs men in the music industry as a whole - grassroots or otherwise. As participants/observers over the years, it does seem to be multiple factors at work; outdated paradigms of sexism, imposter syndrome, being treated as though you somehow know less or are less informed, down to, unfortunately, sexual harassment and environments just not being safe or welcoming for women/minorities.
We collectively and individually have all had experiences that leave a bad taste in our mouths, mainly of a condescending nature. It can leave you frustrated, but there are many great venues and great promoters who really care about these issues, and there's even more non-male talent out there waiting to have a light shined on it. There's been a turn in the right direction in recent times, but it's not a fight that's anywhere near over, but it fills us with hope to see the tides changing.
It definitely seems to be shifting in the right direction, albeit slowly. There are some great promotion companies out there doing great things for representation, aren't there?
While we'd be willing to bet a handful of promoters out there aren't helping the problem, there are for sure an equal number of promoters swimming against the tide to create those spaces for women and others.
Looking elsewhere, is it perhaps more about opportunities for young girls wanting to play music in the first place?
Another great question. It's a culmination of many factors. Grassroots music as a whole is suffering, especially out of the big cities, with venues closing down left, right and centre. The cost of things like equipment, a space to rehearse and recording
all weigh into the problem. With local venues fading away, opportunities for gigs aren't as present as they once were, which is where many bands start and find their feet - without that, another roadblock comes into place that people have to navigate around to get their music out there. It can be challenging to navigate through that before you even consider everything we discussed to do with representation, etc.
It'd be great to see more opportunities for music to thrive in those early stages in general, for a sense of community and camaraderie to take the reins, and for it to be a safe space for everyone.
Unless I'm wrong, you grew from the Blackburn circuit but were quick to identify yourselves as a Manchester-based band. Local venues are scarce in small towns. That being said, do you think bands feel obligated to attach themselves to a big city in order to be heard?
All three of us are from the North-West (Darwen/Clitheroe), but Hot Minute actually came to be in our uni house in Fallowfield, Manchester. So when we first started, it felt natural for us to identify that way because that's where we lived at the time and had for a few years!
Consider us corrected, then!
Well we really found our footing in Manchester; it's a very inspiring city with a vibrant musical and cultural background. We spent many years as teens going on the train to gigs and visiting local music history, just basking in the vibes. It's a great place to be a band and just generally exist.
Do you think artists who are from these small towns feel compelled to distance themselves from their roots at all?
There's definitely some truth to that statement, if only for opportunity's sake. Still, we think regardless of where you say your band is from; chances are there if you want to go out looking for them, definitely more so in the cities where the scene is more bustling. Networking is crucial in this regard. Generally, we don't think that where you say you're from negatively affects your chances for opportunities or success in any way. You should be proud of where you started - wherever that may be.
What inspires you to write, then?
Everything and anything! Sometimes it could be a personal experience or a collective feeling/frustration we all share. Sometimes, it could be in an attempt to capture an emotion. One day you might hear someone say a cool line and think, ‘that would be a great track title,’ or sometimes you’re inspired by your fellow bandmates when they bring something cool to the table. Seeing your favourite artists live is really inspiring, or even hearing new music that you think is great.
Sometimes an idea comes out of nowhere! You just sit down and create, which is seldom for us, but it's always fun when it happens - this is how our track Hell Is Empty was made, in fact. Inspiration comes from everywhere, all the time - that’s what keeps you on your toes and makes it so fun.
So what's on in the Hot Minute car when you're driving to shows?
We actually have a playlist on our Spotify for this! It’s called ‘Songs We Listen To In The Car’. Poetic, we know - check it out for vibes. It’s mainly lots of CHVRCHES, The Weeknd, The Midnight, Muna and a bunch of other tunes we always play. An honorary mention for Life is a Highway by Rascal Flatts.
What a fucking track. We rate that. Now, you've got another fresh year ahead of you. What's the end goal for you all?
We’ve got a bunch of new music to release and we’re really hammering down on our live set this year to make sure it's where we want it to be and after that, who knows!
Any other tasty nuggets of Hot Minute info you can chef up for us?
We haven't played live in a while as we’ve been pulling apart our setlist and our entire set up so we can bring back something truly fresh and exciting for us and hopefully others. So prepare for our triumphant return to live music in 2023!
We're on the edge of our seats, trust! It's honestly been really great chatting, we appreciate your time. However, before you go we'd like one piece of life advice from each of you, please.
Keely
"Fortune favours the bold - don't be discouraged. Also, read a good book every once in a while."
Bella
"Experience is the best teacher. Don’t be afraid to embrace the challenges life throws at you with an open mind and use them as an opportunity for self-transformation and growth."
Courtney
"Always trust your gut - intuition never lies."
Thanks for that, definitely things for people to keep in mind. Enjoy the rest of your year!
Hot Minute: musicians or philosophers, huh?
The points they raise are insightful and valid. We hope to continue this line of questioning. What has caused such a crisis in grassroots music? Why are so many artists struggling to be heard? Hot Minute are just one group among many who have experienced difficulties, and it isn't going away just yet, unfortunately.
We appreciate everyone who has taken the time to read any of our posts, and those who we've spoken to so far. We've got a tonne of amazing artists, industry professionals and spokespeople from music charities and organisations in the pipeline.
Just like Hot Minute, we're primed and ready for a packed 2023.
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