After inching back onto the music scene last year following a significant hiatus, the Swedish-Australian sister duo Say Lou Lou is back in full force this year. Vogue Scandinavia caught up with them to chat about their new break-up album, homesickness, and their love of vintage fashion
Grey skies and pouring rain were probably not the welcome that Miranda and Elektra Kilbey, the 32-year-old twins sisters of Say Lou Lou, were hoping for when they returned home to Stockholm for the release party of their new single 'Wong Kar-wai'.
The Kilbeys have landed back in the Swedish capital directly from New York Fashion Week, and are still fighting off some heavy jet-lag when I meet them at the Södermalm offices of their record label, Cosmos Music. “It was great seeing the amount of new creative talent that's coming out,” Elektra says of the designers they witnessed in the Big Apple. “We especially liked Diotima, a crochet artist, and Bevza, who also had a lot of knitted pieces and traditional silhouettes in a modern, more simplistic way,” she adds.
Admittedly, the pair do not miss the Swedish weather, but after several years in Los Angeles, the duo admit they have begun to miss Stockholm. “We’re feeling homesick, so we decided to host the release party here so we could celebrate with all the people that have been a part of making the new music”, Miranda says. “When you're young and travel the world you want to go to California where the sun always shines. But the older you get, the more you appreciate the life that exists here. I don't know if it's gonna happen, but we are continuously talking about moving back” Elektra chimes in.
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The Swedish-Australian duo officially made their comeback from a three-year-long hiatus in 2023 when they released the songs 'Waiting for a Boy' and 'You’re The One'. “Our last album Immortelle [released in 2018] was not a classic pop record, and although it was critically acclaimed, it wasn’t something that our fans connected with. We spent too long making it, overthinking everything, and we burnt out. So it was really anticlimactic” Miranda says.
In need of a break, they both ventured into their separate passions. Elektra pursued her childhood dream of becoming an actor and went on to star in the series Shantaram. Meanwhile, Miranda went into film and TV production. Then, they didn’t see each other for nine months during the pandemic – the longest time they have ever spent apart. But as it turns out, it was just what they needed to bring back Say Lou Lou again.
Now, they're picking up right where the last two singles left off. On the new track 'Wong Kar-wai', a namesake tribute to their favourite movie director (responsible for the 2000 cult hit In the Mood for Love), the Kilbeys sing about wanting a love on par with his cinematic universe. If this feels more emotional than the music we’re used to from Elektra and Miranda – it’s because it is. For the first time, they decided to be brutally honest in their music, not worrying so much about how the lyrics would be perceived.
I think now we're way more open, and we don't feel like every song needs to be representing both of us, whereas before we felt weird singing through the other twin's perspective.
Elektra Kilbey
Although scary at first, the high praise from critics and heartfelt response from the listeners is proof that it was all worth it. “I had never processed the breakup that I went through a few years ago, but as soon as we sat down to write a song, it was literally like the floodgates opened,” Elektra says. “I think now we're way more open, and we don't feel like every song needs to be representing both of us, whereas before we felt weird singing through the other twins’ perspective.”
Emerging from their experimental phase, this emotionally-honest new record that will be released at the end of this year is pure pop. Although still based around lush and dreamy soundscapes, they are also inspired by the music they grew up with – iconic pop divas like Madonna, Kylie Minogue, and Destiny’s Child. “We're very interested in that weird crossover between the 1990s and 2000s, where you were still holding on to the minimalism of the '90s but transitioning into that very extravagant glamor. Like the fashion campaigns with these gorgeous set designs and lot of golden skin,” Miranda says.
It's clear that fashion is such an integral part of Say Lou Lou's vision that they cannot speak about one thing without seamlessly crossing over into the other. The sisters have become experts at sourcing vintage classics through second-hand shops. For our interview, Miranda wears a cardigan from Margiela with a skirt from Our Legacy and '90s Prada boots and, while Elektra has paired a knitted Tom Ford vest with '00s tailored Margiela pants. They both wear chunky silver jewellery from one of their favourite Swedish brands, All Blues. “For the past year we’ve been wearing matching outfits”, Miranda says. “For many years we hated being confused with each other, but now I don't care because I feel so confident in myself”, Elektra fills in.
Do they have any tips for recreating their looks? “We love looking through eBay, Etsy, and The Real Reel. We also meet up with other vintage nerds and exchange clothes. Not only is it fun and better for the environment, it's also a lot cheaper” Elektra says.