Prima Queen

Musicians — South East London

01Profile

A Prima Queen Photo

03Interview

Name, where are you from?
Louise (Bristol, UK) and Kristin (Chicago, USA). We both live in South East London now.

Describe your style (dress sense) in three words?
Matching block colours.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Phoebe Bridgers at the Great Escape - we’re really big fans of her songwriting and were really excited to see her perform but we got to the show too late and they weren’t letting anyone in. We had to wait in a massive queue outside and spent ages trying to sneak through the fence to get in through the back door. By the time we finally got inside she was playing her last song. At that point, we felt like we worked so hard to get inside (i.e. the fence/security guards/people in the queue) it made the whole thing even more magical.

If you could be on the line up with any two artists in history?
Fleetwood Mac and Abba.

Which subcultures have influenced you?
We’re based in South East London and are a part of a really inclusive and exciting art/music community there. We’re also part of a collective called People’s Front Room which travels around to different UK festivals. Both of these communities have inspired us to collaborate with different musicians and experiment with instrumentation (sax, trumpet, cello, synths, etc). Depending on the gig we mix up the musicians playing on our set which is really exciting for us because we can have different versions of the songs. This is something we know is more common in jazz communities but not as popular in indie rock circles.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
We’d love to have a guitar lesson from Emily Remler, an amazing female jazz/bossa nova guitarist from the '80s.

Of all the venues you’ve been to or played, which is your favourite?
We love The Windmill, Brixton - the sound, Tim Perry and the dog who lives on the roof.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
Sister Rosetta Tharpe - her singing and guitar playing influenced Chuck Berry and Elvis but not everyone seems to know that.

 

04Playlist Notes

The first track you played on repeat?
L: 'Where Did Our Love Go' by Diana Ross & The Supremes. Not the first track I played on repeat but I got a record player last year and my mum’s Diana Ross LP was literally the only vinyl I had for 6 months so have been listening to that pretty much on repeat since Christmas.

A song that defines the teenage you?
K:
'Wide Open Spaces' by the Dixie Chicks.

One record you would keep forever?
'Don’t Let The Kids Win' by Julia Jacklin.

A song lyric that has inspired you?
“In five years I hope the songs feel like covers,
dedicated to new lovers.” 

From 'Night Shift' by Lucy Dacus.

The song that would get you straight on the dance floor?
'Thinking Of You' by Sister Sledge.

A song you wished you had written?
L:
'Bamboo' by Elder Island.
K: 'I Can’t Make You Love Me' by Bonnie Raitt.

Best song to turn up loud?
K:
'You Oughta Know' by Alanis Morisette.
L: 'Nobody' by Mitski.

A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
L:
'A Little Bit Of Luck' by DJ Luck & MC Neat.
K: 'Girls @' by Joey Purp (ft. Chance the Rapper).

Best song to end an all-nighter on?
L:
'Cool Cat' by Queen.

Any new music you are listening to right now?
'Ellsdon In A Hedge Pt.2' by Snazzback.
'Crying In Public' by Mathilde Bataille.
'White Lines' by IMOGEN.
'My Baby’s No One’s Girl' by North America.

03Interview

Name, where are you from?
Louise (Bristol, UK) and Kristin (Chicago, USA). We both live in South East London now.

Describe your style (dress sense) in three words?
Matching block colours.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Phoebe Bridgers at the Great Escape - we’re really big fans of her songwriting and were really excited to see her perform but we got to the show too late and they weren’t letting anyone in. We had to wait in a massive queue outside and spent ages trying to sneak through the fence to get in through the back door. By the time we finally got inside she was playing her last song. At that point, we felt like we worked so hard to get inside (i.e. the fence/security guards/people in the queue) it made the whole thing even more magical.

If you could be on the line up with any two artists in history?
Fleetwood Mac and Abba.

Which subcultures have influenced you?
We’re based in South East London and are a part of a really inclusive and exciting art/music community there. We’re also part of a collective called People’s Front Room which travels around to different UK festivals. Both of these communities have inspired us to collaborate with different musicians and experiment with instrumentation (sax, trumpet, cello, synths, etc). Depending on the gig we mix up the musicians playing on our set which is really exciting for us because we can have different versions of the songs. This is something we know is more common in jazz communities but not as popular in indie rock circles.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
We’d love to have a guitar lesson from Emily Remler, an amazing female jazz/bossa nova guitarist from the '80s.

Of all the venues you’ve been to or played, which is your favourite?
We love The Windmill, Brixton - the sound, Tim Perry and the dog who lives on the roof.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
Sister Rosetta Tharpe - her singing and guitar playing influenced Chuck Berry and Elvis but not everyone seems to know that.

 

04Playlist Notes

The first track you played on repeat?
L: 'Where Did Our Love Go' by Diana Ross & The Supremes. Not the first track I played on repeat but I got a record player last year and my mum’s Diana Ross LP was literally the only vinyl I had for 6 months so have been listening to that pretty much on repeat since Christmas.

A song that defines the teenage you?
K:
'Wide Open Spaces' by the Dixie Chicks.

One record you would keep forever?
'Don’t Let The Kids Win' by Julia Jacklin.

A song lyric that has inspired you?
“In five years I hope the songs feel like covers,
dedicated to new lovers.” 

From 'Night Shift' by Lucy Dacus.

The song that would get you straight on the dance floor?
'Thinking Of You' by Sister Sledge.

A song you wished you had written?
L:
'Bamboo' by Elder Island.
K: 'I Can’t Make You Love Me' by Bonnie Raitt.

Best song to turn up loud?
K:
'You Oughta Know' by Alanis Morisette.
L: 'Nobody' by Mitski.

A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
L:
'A Little Bit Of Luck' by DJ Luck & MC Neat.
K: 'Girls @' by Joey Purp (ft. Chance the Rapper).

Best song to end an all-nighter on?
L:
'Cool Cat' by Queen.

Any new music you are listening to right now?
'Ellsdon In A Hedge Pt.2' by Snazzback.
'Crying In Public' by Mathilde Bataille.
'White Lines' by IMOGEN.
'My Baby’s No One’s Girl' by North America.

 

05Videos

Prima Queen | Milk Teeth (2019)