Harry Fenn
I had the pleasure the other day of sitting down with the incredibly talented THURLBY and the effortlessly cool Maletka following the release of their new single ‘Superman’ which is currently available on all platforms.
“When we approach it at the beginning it’s genre-less. We’re both open to taking it in whatever direction it ends up going.”
I took a minute to ask about their process as a duo; it is often the way that THURLBY will come to Maletka with a fully written song and he expressed a full and deep trust in his producer to ‘elevate the songs as it enters their collaborative space’. Both parties are influenced by a number of artists and genres and THURLBY told me that the fact that their influences are so opposed makes for a more rounded track as you can always hear where the song came from but there is never a true resemblance to any one artist.
This anthem, written and produced during the COVID lockdown hits its mark perfectly and the message is well received. THURLBY’s lyrics and rhythm have something of the Sheerans about them but it’s more poetic, more graceful – the plea to his audience to open a dialogue about mental health is honest and simple in the best way all; complimented perfectly by Maletka’s uplifting production. The driving rhythms aren’t overpowering but you’ll feel if in your bones as the tension builds through the verses.
“We definitely wanted to focus on the mental health aspect and carry that on as a theme across our collaborations to spread that theme as much as possible”
THURLBY explained that the song is really about how so many people struggle with the pressure to ‘be their own superhero’ and how all too often we see people who are unable to express how they’re really feeling. The pair hopes that their music helps to spread the message that when honest conversations about mental health happen, it can only be a good thing. In 2019, they released the single ‘Life After Mine’. The message of the lyrics is similar on the familiar backdrop of Maletka’s drum and bass inspired production.
Alongside their release, THURLBY and Maletka have launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). So far, they have well surpassed their fundraising goal. You can still support their fundraising effort here.