STORY // RYAN MCBRIDE
PHOTOGRAPHY // WE SUFFER FOR FASHION
“Hell froze as it does,” sings Molly on Yellow Leather’s debut single. Hearing the breathy heat of her voice over the chill, icy cool synths, it did remind me of the line from The Tempest, “Hell is empty — all the devils are here.” The track is dark and foreboding, yet inviting at the same time. It’s a story song that also has a prismatic sense of turning things upside down and showing us different facets of the duo’s characters, amid layers of sound both haunting and danceable. Yellow Leather is Molly Marlette and Huntington Filson: The indie darkwave / synth pop duo hailing from L.A, where I had a chance to chat with them at their downtown loft.
How did you guys come together?
Molly: We met at a coffee shop in Downtown L.A. I was playing a show and I invited [Huntington] to come and then we started going out together. Eventually we started dating which was a surprise to us both since we originally were going after the same guy.
What are some of your inspirations/ influences?
Hunt: We have a pretty wide range of musical influences from Henry Mancini to Britney Spears. We also draw a lot from tv and film scores and soundtracks. It would be funny to compare our song catalogue and our netflix history, side by side. You’d get to one song and just know, “oh fuck, this is when they watched Stranger Things.”
The name is a theater tongue twister right? Do you both have performing backgrounds?
Molly: We were both theatre kids growing up and for one month last spring we were only wearing yellow for some reason. I guess that’s how the name came to us?
Do you guys have any particular rituals/ things you do to get in the mood of making music/ performing?
Hunt: We create our music out of our home, so it’s important that we promote a really positive, comfortable environment so we aren’t stifling our creativity. I’m always adjusting the lights, opening and closing windows, moving things around to harness or match the energy of whatever we might be working on. sage and some colored lights go a long way.
I notice a kind of “old hollywood” vibe going on- what’s your inspiration there? do you have a dream cinematic collab?
Molly: I was obsessed with Judy Garland growing up and now all I ever want to watch is Twin Peaks.
Hunt: We want to star in a Wizard of Oz remake, directed by David Lynch, that’s set in colonial outer space.
I would absolutely watch that. It’s really exciting to see a new band with so much concept and narrative- what are your plans for future releases? Are we going to see what happens to the queen of L.A.?
Molly: Our E.P. we be out in the spring. And, I think the question is, who is the queen of L.A.?
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