For people discovering you for the first time, how would you describe your music? What song of yours should they start with?
I wish it was easier for me to answer
You just released your second album Kids last month. What is the meaning behind the album name?
It could have easily been called Humans, but kids/children are humans who have just begun gaining their consciousness of self. They are at this beautiful sweet spot where their potential is the greatest. And most importantly, not so long ago, we were all kids. This is a perspective on the world that allows more forgiveness and empathy. It’s a perspective I needed after a long time of dealing with a lot of anger about the world’s evil and injustice.
What has been the most rewarding part of working on this album?
During the last stages of working on the album, Rousso, my partner, and I had a really tight deadline to meet. People started coming to the studio to watch us work just ‘cause they wanted to be inspired with the process. Musician friends who wanted to be there to learn, they would sit with us for hours without saying anything—just fully respecting the intimacy of our process. At some point, we told them we would love to get their feedback, and slowly, those people became a huge part of Kids. They invested hours in listening and making the most amazing and inspiring comments, giving us ideas that made Kids a far better album.
On the flip side, what has been the most challenging?
When we started to work on the album, it was really hard. We had been touring for over a year, and making music every day was something we were not used to any longer. We both felt like we might have lost our groove. We had to fight through months of sessions that ended with frustration because we had nothing. It was so awful and left us insecure. Getting past that is a true victory of mine.
Is there a particular song that is close to your heart?
“Switch Me Off,” the ending track of the album, is a song I still get the chills from. Also “Candyman” and “Kids,” the title track. They all talk heavily about intergenerational heritage in different ways. They have a very wide perspective about life from an existential place but also a very personal, close place of fearing the loss of our beloved ones.
How would you describe your process as a songwriter?
My process, similar to my music, is not one that you can easily describe in a one-liner. With each song, I try to do something different, change the method. The process of making the music needs to be reexamined all the time in order to remain fresh and loving toward your creative self.
What would you say is a Noga Erez style signature?
When it comes to fashion, suits. I wear oversize suits the same way I did when I was six. I used to go to my dad’s closet and try on his suits. For a while, I wanted to come back to it and finally tried it a couple of years ago.
I heard you actually design/make a lot of your own suits. Can you tell us a little about that process and what you look for in a great suit?
About two years ago, I partnered up with a fresh-out-of-fashion-design-school talent, Shir Shtarker. I told her I needed five suits that could mix and match. I wanted to get 25 combinations that work together. She helped me through the process of realising the cuts, fabric selection, color, and sewing. What we got were five really cool suits that I constantly wear. I would love to do more of that in the future now that I have the knowledge and I know what I’m looking for in a suit.
Now that Kids is out in the world, what are you looking forward to most this year?
Well, I’ll go for the cliché answer and say touring. Still didn’t get a chance to hear most of the songs in huge speakers. Still didn’t get that energy coming back from people in a crowd. And I miss that a lot. At the same time, I miss just being in the studio and making music. But let’s get back to touring first.