Touring The USA Next Week, Middle Kids' Hannah Joy Is Ready To Reconnect

Simultaneously lively and introspective, Sydney trio Middle Kids have always had a knack for finding the light in the dark, with their full-bodied brand of indie rock constantly signalling at the depth of writing and performing chops that lurk beneath the glossy sonic surrounds.

With their second full length album Today We're The Greatest releasing earlier this year, the band have undoubtedly kept busy at a time that has challenged and consumed the music industry around them. But amongst recording and releasing the new album, and appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live, CBS This Morning and The Late Late Show With James Cordon to celebrate the new release, the band also added a new family member into the fold, with vocalist Hannah Joy and bassist Tim Fitz's welcoming their son world just before the pandemic truly ramped up in Australia last year.

While few could fathom writing and performing while heavily pregnant or giving birth just before a pandemic and an album release, the Middle Kids manta continually seems to be that of "just keep swimming" while the world raged around them; and with the group now imminently about to embark on a run of shows across North America starting next week (with Joy and Fitz's beautiful toddler along for the ride), Hannah Joy herself appeared on the latest episode of The Green Room With Tiana Speter to reflect on the journey that led to finally having an international tour back on the cards. 

"We've kind of been, like, not even thinking about it," Joy told host Speter. 

"But it's happening...we're so excited because we tend to spend a lot of time over there, like since we've been a band. We haven't been there for almost two years which is pretty nuts. 

"And just to frigging play, like, we were laughing because, you know, we can't see the other boys and rehearse," Joy laughed then continued.

"We're gonna be so shit 'cos we haven't played for so long! But we were like: 'maybe this will give us a an interesting edge in our live show. You know, a sloppy edge," Joy smirked, then continued.

"Nah, it'll be fine! We're super excited, I think we're going to almost twenty five states or something. And this is the first time we're taking our little baby boy with us, which is like going to be interesting for sure! But we're just like: we'll do anything just to play shows!"

As to how the Sydney trio pulled off lining up an international tour when the majority of local artists have been unable to tour their own shores?

"I could probably say: 'oh, it was  easy', and my team would be like: 'how dare you, we've been sweating blood and tears to make this happen!'" Joy joked.

"I mean, no, it has been a lot of work, but...we started planning it a while ago and we've just kept making plans, keeping them open, seeing how to do it.

"But there were kind of a few hurdles that we had to jump, getting exemptions to get out of here back when we were planning it, like 'could we get vaccinated?', all these kind of things. 

"And it just so happened we were able to get over each hurdle to now be at a point where we're like: 'oh shit! We're gonna do it'. It's kind of been this, like, evolving thing. And...it's a little bit challenging now because Delta is ripping through America again.

"I think the tour itself is gonna be not necessarily that 'classic good times' out on the road...I think it's gonna be a little bit more controlled." 

While the COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly came armed with a flurry of unknowns and changes, there have been some small silver linings to be found; a fact that Joy has turned to her, and the band's, advantage.

"We have just been historically on the road, you know, probably on average nine months of the year," Joy recalled. "And [now] we've almost been here for, like, two years. 

"There have been really cool things that have come from that, you have the time to reflect and then also envision, and be quite intentional about where you're wanting to go. And I think that was very helpful even for [Today We're The Greatest], for us to kind of be a little bit more thoughtful, whereas usually when we release anything, it's always between tours, and it's just madness. 

"Then it's like: 'oh cool! I've got all this time to write!'" Joy chuckled. "But it's been so interesting, because I'm discovering more and more that I'm, like, a very sensual person, in that a lot of my energy comes through experiencing life through all my senses. And obviously it's so limited at this point.

"Whereas so many other artists, all of the magic is inside them, and they just need to look inside and it's there. I'm like: 'there's not much in here!' (laughs) 'I need to look around and just grab it!!'.

"I think it's been hard in many ways, but I actually think it's been really refining and helpful to kind of make sure you never lose your heart and the soul of what you're doing; because you can, you know if you're just going along and doing all the things, you can just kind of take the steps in forgetting where you're trying to go and what you're trying to do.

"From a 'big vision' perspective, I think it's been a wonderful time for me personally of just kind of being like: 'why am I doing this, what do I want to do with it, what's important?'. 

"Alongside of just feeling that creatively, it's a challenging time to get inspired. But, you know, that's OK. I think you just have to roll with what your life is. And so: we rollin'!"

You can watch the full episode with Hannah Joy and host Tiana Speter below or here, or alternatively, you can also listen to full The Green Room podcast episodes below, as well as on Spotify, Apple Podcasts - or wherever you usually get your podcasts from.  

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