Craving a fresh new folk sound? Look no further. Say hello to We The Ones, an L.A. based five-piece group that created an irresistible hippie-folk musical blend. But We The Ones prides themselves on far more than just their beautiful melodies. The band creates music for a higher purpose: to promote world unity, togetherness, and peace in a time when we all desperately need it. We The Ones just dropped their debut album in late June after a successful Kickstarter campaign (video below) to raise the funds, and you can find it on iTunes and Spotify. I had the pleasure of collaborating with We The Ones for a special interview. Read on and get to know this brand new folk outfit as they discuss their music, vision, and perspective on Milwaukee!
Introduce the band to us!
“Hey! We are We The Ones and we are a folk rock band. We are all about spreading love, peace, awareness, and good vibes to all our brothers and sisters in the universe. Our band was co-created by Salome Gasviani and Boris Vagner. Salome, who is the lead singer, wrote the melodies while Boris wrote the lyrics. They later joined vibrationally with Guitarist/mandolin player Ludvig Brathen. Soon after Tim Keller (keyboardist/vocals) and Theron (drummer/percussionist) joined our lovely family!”
How would you describe your music to someone who had never heard it before?
“We are a unique folk rock/folk pop band that has a lot of influence from different backgrounds. Some influences from The Beatles, Lumineers, Mumford and Sons, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, Of Monsters and Men... But we feel that we have made our own type of fusion mix. Our own originality of folk, rock, pop, and roots of the universe. We use harmonies and synths to bring the spirit out in our songs.”
What does your band name, “We The Ones,” mean? How did you decide on that name?
“We The Ones means that we are all connected in this world. That we are all family…a oneness of truth and peace. We decided on it really quickly, it truly stands for what we want to spread. It just came to us, it was in us.”
When did you form your band? What inspired you to make music together?
“We formed our band about a year ago by really good friends Boris and Salome. Boris had been a writer and poet for most of his life. Salome had been a singer all her life, first started her career in her birth Country of Georgia. She came to America to fulfill her childhood dreams of making great music and helping people with it. Boris and her had the same want, to use music as a vehicle of care and change. They soon joined with amazing and talented souls Ludvig, Tim, and Theron. We had fun jamming and just being oursleves. Making music just came natural to us.”
Describe the band’s camaraderie.
“We all jell and vibe well together. Our camaraderie is a fire of brotherhood. We are what we preach in our music and message...we are family. We try to do everything together: yoga, meditation, being in nature’s welcoming arms, and just hanging out.”
What the experience of making your debut album like?
“It was truly fun, exciting, and a bit nerve-wracking. This was our first big project together and we wanted everything to go well and for people to truly get the right feel for our music and message. It was fun experimenting with our sound, coming up with new ideas. We had the most amazing producer named Christian James Hand who put all of our songs together. We couldn't have done it without his genius and humble help. It was definitely had a journey we will never forget!”
What has been your biggest challenge as a band?
“Our biggest challenge is getting ourselves out there. It's hard in the beginning to tour and do many shows outside of Los Angeles because of financial chains. But we don't want that stop our dreams, we won't let it!”
What makes We The Ones different from other folk acts today?
“We are truly a humble and loving family where we want to help people. We want to use music to raise awareness of different and difficult issues in life. We want to bring unity and unite society. We want to be a helping hand. We are genuine, raw, and real! Our music talks and deals with all facets of life and its emotions.”
What's your ultimate direction for the band?
“Our ultimate goal is to make music from the heart that people can relate to and attach their souls to…where music becomes more than just words and melodies, but a way of life.”
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “Milwaukee”?
“The first thing that comes to mind is a small city where everyone knows each other, and everyone is one big family. A humble place where nature speaks.”
