Interview with Conquer Divide

What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today? 

Janel: My mom was a violinist so it was going to happen regardless! If I didn’t find music, I have no idea what I would’ve done.

Sam: My mom played piano and got me into piano lessons when I was 4 years old. Without music I’d probably still be working in marketing (my current day job).

Izzy: My parents were always playing rock/heavy metal (guitar orientated music). If music was never a part of my life I think I would have studied Criminal Psychology. 

What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

Janel: I watch a lot of movies - especially suspenseful thrillers with a good plot twist - and this helps me think of music video ideas. I would love to make a movie myself one day.

Sam: I go to shows and watch trash TV more than I should admit. Does scrolling TikTok count as inspiring my creative efforts for the band?

Izzy: Working out and snowboarding in the winter is a stress reliever for me, just like playing music. 

How long has your band been around? Also, please tell me about the dynamic of the band of what brought you all together.

The band has been around since 2013. Kristen wanted to put together a band of women who wanted to play heavy music but was limited in who she could find in her local scene, so started auditioning girls from all over the world online.

Where are you based and how did that influence your music?

We’re based outside of Detroit, Michigan. There was a very strong metalcore scene where Kristen grew up - specifically the type of metal that combined synths with breakdowns - and that whole genre was born out of the midwest in the 2010s. Attack Attack, The Devil Wears Prada, Beartooth, We Came As Romans. It’s definitely the foundation on which the band was built, although we already had our own metal influences (we grew up listening to bands like Metallica, System Of A Down, Iron Maiden, Tool)

Tell me about your most memorable shows.

Playing a sold-out Fillmore in Denver in front of almost 4000 people on the Electric Callboy tour was amazing. Sam also got to play Fuckboi on drums with EC in her town of Montreal, and that was really special.

The Welcome To Rockville pre-party was awesome as well.

Izzy: Montreal on the Electric Callboy tour was pretty nuts, I’m pretty sure we had an instant moshpit when we started our first song!

What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?

Izzy: I’m originally from England so a UK tour would be super special to me.

Sam: We’re dying to play in Europe. Red Rocks would be pretty epic too. 

If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?

Izzy: I would love to play with Spiritbox, we toured with Courtney and Mike on the All Stars tour in 2015 when they were with IWABO. To reunite with them both on tour would be sick!.

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing in a band and some advice that you would give to your younger self?

Sam: Make sure you have fun. Try not to compare yourself to others. And if you love it, never stop. Don’t be afraid to go for it, even if it seems unreachable.

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why? 

Kristen: “Fuckboi” opened up new opportunities, friendships, and communities for us. 

Sam: “Pressure” really hits home for me. I often suffer from imposter syndrome and feel like I don’t really know what I’m doing, so my interpretation of the lyrics gets me in the feels.

Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

Sam: We love playing welcome2paradise live because it’s so groovy, and N E W H E A V E N is a vibe. People seem to love Atonement and Paralyzed.

What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?

Izzy: Usually it starts off with one idea, maybe a chord progressions/vocal melodies. When we hit the studio we will add the finishing touches.

What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?

Izzy: Our new album Slow Burn explores different themes, we want to express our inner feelings and thoughts about our own experiences and about the world around us. Some of our listeners interpret our music in different ways, which is also cool. You’d have to listen to and see.

 Our listeners are amazing and together we have created a loving community where everyone belongs.

Do you have any new singles, videos, or albums out that you would like to tell me and your fans about? 

Sam: We just released our first new album since 2015 - it’s called Slow Burn and you can buy it here.

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?

Sam: We really want to heavily tour the new album. It’s a goal to make it to Europe and we want to get on the road as much as possible for this album cycle.

How can your fans best keep up to date with you, any socials you want people to check out?

You can find us on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, Spotify, YouTube…we’re everywhere!