Welcome, Crystal Youth! With Horizons releasing soon, it must feel surreal. Michael, as the producer, how would you describe the journey of putting this album together?
Michael: It’s been a long journey for sure. Horizons has a lot of history behind it. We had years of material to sift through, including some songs that go back to our early days. Those tracks felt like… I’d say diamonds in the rough.
Ayesha: Rough being the key word! Some of those songs… they’re like our musical baby pictures. Messy but adorable. We’ve grown since then, and Horizons captures that.
Michael: Right. We experimented a lot early on, but with Horizons, we wanted a cohesive album that shows where we are now. Some songs had to be left out because they just didn’t fit with the story we wanted to tell.
Ayesha: The amazing thing is how many songs didn’t make the final cut. But maybe we’ll release them in a “lost tracks” album someday. So, Michael’s perfectionism keeps Horizons feeling complete.
Any favourite songs on Horizons?
Ayesha: I love “Shahar-er Alo”! It’s partially in Bangla and our language is very important to me and all Bengalis. It feels personal..
Michael: For me, “Crystal Youth” stands out. I don’t often provide vocals, but the songs we both perform on I think are something special. We’re proud of each track, but those two mean a lot to us.
Shifting gears, your Christmas singles come out on December 1! Ayesha, these are quite different from the themes in Horizons. Where did the idea come from?
Ayesha: Oh, I LOVE Christmas! For a few days, it’s like being a kid again. We do everything—stockings, Santa hats, advent calendars. Don’t think he doesn’t get in on it too.
Michael: She’s right. Christmas and Eid are both special to us, so a holiday release felt natural. There’s a nostalgia to it, a way to go back to simpler times.
Ayesha: Christmas at the Edge of Space is our little time capsule, you know? It’s playful and catchy, like something from The Waitresses or The Buggles. It reminds us of when Christmas number ones were about fun, not just commercial hits. Hopefully, people aren’t too put off by our semi-sequel to Fairytale of New York!
Crystal Youth has two sides—deep introspection and carefree fun. How do you keep that balance?
Michael: For us, it’s essential. Albums like Horizons let us dive into the deeper side—big themes like reality, eternity, human nature. But we also want to avoid sounding too pretentious. There’s a line between exploring big ideas and… sounding like you’re trying too hard.
Ayesha: Exactly! I mean, you have to have fun too. We see our albums as the place to explore our serious side, but special releases are for letting our hair down. You can’t be too serious all the time.
Now, let’s talk about the Europop EP. It sounds like you’re bringing back the sounds of Aqua, Rednex, and Eiffel 65 with a vengeance. What inspired this?
Ayesha: This is more than an idea—it’s a threat! We’re terrorizing Europop back into existence. Imagine it’s summer 2025, and we release this EP. It’s Aqua, Rednex, Eiffel 65… all the music you secretly love but would never admit to your friends.
Michael: She’s absolutely right. Europop was infectious—it didn’t take itself too seriously. There’s an innocence to it. People might say they don’t miss it, but they’ll be dancing when it comes back.
Ayesha: And these songs? They’ll get stuck in your head for weeks. People will secretly love them and pretend they don’t.
Michael, with so much in the works, how do you manage everything?
Michael: We’re lucky we work well as a team. She brings the energy, and I keep things grounded. We complement each other’s strengths and that helps us stay balanced.
Ayesha: It really does. I’m the crazy ideas person, and he’s the thinker. Making music with someone special makes it so much more meaningful, and honestly, so much fun.
You two sound like the dream team! Any final thoughts for your fans?
Ayesha: Just a huge thank you for all your support! We can’t wait for you to hear Horizons and see where this journey takes us. And don’t say we didn’t warn you about Europop!
Michael: Yes, thank you to everyone who’s been with us. We’re excited to share everything we’ve been working on. Keep an eye out—there’s so much more to come!