Interview: Le Fomo
LE FOMO will rattle your guts with rawness and cradle you with their catchy riffs. An electro thrash pop / gender fun luck wave band out of Oakland, CA, they are set to release their upcoming album on both Club Queen Records (US) and AnalogueTrash (Europe).
A maelstrom of fiery vocals, swooning lyrics, driving bass lines, catchy guitar riffs, shimmering synth and beats that will animate your sweet, sweet cheeks, Swallow Me Whole, their upcoming LP, will crack open a tiny door to your pulsating insides.
LE FOMO members Ess Nelson and Kai Hofius are gender expansive and genre expansive multi-instrumentalists. Vocalist Ess Nelson is the lead lyricist, song producer, synth and bass player, and beat maker. Kai Hofius plays guitar, drums, and bass, and makes valuable contributions to lyrics and song arrangements. Ess and Kai have been playing music together in various formations for ten years. Their musical influences span a wide range from (early) Metallica, Led Zeppelin, Prince, Queen Latifah, Talking Heads, Electrelane, Le Tigre, Janelle Monae, Karen O, Peaches, The Gossip, Octopus Project, Joy Division, La Femme, to Leikeli47.
LE FOMO's debut album, Fear of Missing Out/No, was released on Wiener Records and their single, Saganometrics, earned them recognition as The Deli Bay Area Artist of the Month.
We had the pleasure of checking in with Le Fomo and they were kind enough to respond to a few interview questions.
Hi Le Fomo! Thanks for being here today!
How have you been during 2020?
Oh wow, it's been a year of extremes, to be sure. The release of our singles and our album has been such an incredible highlight, with so much excitement in all of our successes there. But then of course the pandemic and our political environment have been so overwhelming and daunting, not to mention a hard break up, family crises, health issues, and pandemic related housing crises, which have made this year incredibly challenging.
Do you have a new attitude going into 2021?
Guarding and focusing my energy on cultivating positivity and love, stabilizing, deepening my relationships with friends, rebuilding community, healing.
Night owl or morning person?
Both! And I like to sleep a lot, so it's a real conundrum. I tend to get up & go to bed early in the winter season to make the most of the daylight hours. Otherwise, I kind of go through phases depending on what my creative pursuits demand. When I'm writing a lot of music I tend to become a night owl. When I'm working on my novel, I tend to rise early in the morning around 6 am.
Favorite guilty pleasure?
I make a point to remove guilt from my pleasures ;) But uh, cashew butter. Spoonfuls of salty cashew butter!
What is your go-to karaoke song?
Anything Talking Heads! Psycho Killer is a fav.
Any mantras before hitting the stage?
I remind myself that I love performing and to just let myself be in the moment, lose myself in the music. That's what I love to do, and it's what people are looking for-- to be taken somewhere.
What keeps you going?
Ideas. They come and they're so adamant about getting out into the world! I love sharing what I create. Look what I made! Look look! I just want to share the vision and excitement with people, feel seen, and be deeply connected.
Which platforms are you guys most active on and how do our readers stay connected with you?
Instagram! Facebook as well, and Tiktok is coming up...
Instagram: @lefomoband
Facebook: lefomoband
Tiktok: @lefomo
Have a listen and connect with Le Fomo on social media:
