Since coming together 5 years ago, Gus and Luke, AKA VOILÀ, have now established themselves as a duo who make music with a message, and nowhere is this more evident than on and through their latest single “Therapy.” The track addresses those post-break up feelings that so many people will no doubt have experienced and identify with, but there’s also a powerful underlying message to the song, as it calls for an end/stop to toxic masculinity and the stigma that is so often attached to those that seek and undergo therapy. PopWrapped caught up with the pair to discover the story behind their band name, their artistic influences and their thoughts on society’s current reactions to/views surrounding mental health issues and those affected by them.

The two of you met 5 years ago at USC – what would you say ultimately drew you to one another and made you both feel like you had a connection you could grow something, artistically, from? 

Gus: Luke sat next to me. Clearly thought he could level up by doing so…haha, I’m kidding – It’s interesting. I think the main point on this is that stylistically we like the same things in music. We like the same bands – Fall Out Boy, Paramore, 30 Seconds to Mars etc and at the same time he gives me pretty much complete melodic control where I give him complete lyrical creation and that back & forth has become pretty standard for us when we work. 

Luke: Friendship. Gus is an amazing friend and I wouldn’t want to make music with someone I couldn’t laugh and cry with!

How’d you come up with the name VOILÀ? Is there any particular story behind it? 

L: Gus changed the time like 200 times and I said enough is enough. We both liked magic growing up and the meaning of voila is “there you are”. And we want people to hear the music and relate to it at a level of “ah there I am.” 

G: It was Luke’s idea! We were inspired by magic and the concept of using some sort of illusory component in our live show and “Voila” meaning directly would point to us trying to depict other people in our music as it relates to them. “Here you are” is essentially our translation.

Generally, who or what most inspires or influences the music you make? Is there one particular band or artist you feel a strong connection to, and if so how does that filter through into your own creativity? 

G: Apart from the bands I mentioned earlier I think it’s definitely sonic inspiration that I go for. Combinations of edgy guitars and then the clean and powerful sonic of slightly more electronic based productions make for such a pleasing blend in my opinion. Always trying to up-the-anti in a production sense!

L: I’m a nerd and really sappy so I’m inspired by romance authors. Jennifer Niven, John Green, Audrey Niffeneger, Nicholas Sparks. 

Your new single, “Therapy”, and its video represents and addresses two things – messy post-break up feelings and toxic masculinity. Are these two things topics and issues personal to you or just something you felt inspired to write about? 

L: We went from everything to nothing in a night – I think could apply to more than just a break up. The feeling of having it all and losing it so fast is enough to make anyone lose their minds.

G: Definitely not opposed to a messy breakup! It can serve an extremely important purpose on setting you on a path to further introspective learning. We are not responsible for a significant other’s emotional make up. The second we feel that we are is where we lose touch with our own self. True contentment HAS to be found within. Anything else is merely a stop gap.

The release of “Therapy” is timely, and coincides with Mental Health Awareness Month. Was it always your intention to release this single now as you have?

G: It was actually a bit of a coincidence; but at the same time that we realised, we committed to the date! As men it’s tough to talk about emotive topics but hopefully “Therapy” can help some people do that and allow us to break every taboo out there.

L: Yeah! I think mental health is important. You break your wrist, you go to the doctor. You break your heart, you should go to the doctor too. Therapy is super accessible especially during covid with zoom sessions. It’s a lot more comfortable to talk to someone from your own home. 

Luke, as well as being a musician, you’re also an actor and a model. Would you say that given those professions, you’ve been a witness to or experienced more incidents of toxic masculinity and the like? Mental health is such a taboo subject just in general, would you agree it can be or is worse in professions where you often have to “play” someone else, fake a smile and literally act like everything’s okay? 

L: That’s a good question. I think those industries actually have had the opposite effect. When you play another character different from yourself you become more empathetic. Toxic masculinity is the opposite of being empathetic. It comes from putting yourself and others in a box. Acting definitely helps find the through line to relate you to any type of person. 

What would you like to see industries like the music business, fashion and entertainment worlds do in terms of how they address mental health issues or help those who are struggling? From what I’ve seen, little to nothing is being done, or has been so for years – is that something you’d agree with? 

L: I think To Write Love On Her Arms was a great organization I saw going to shows when I was growing up. They really made it okay and comfortable to talk about sadness and depression and self-harm in an environment away from parents and sterile doctors’ offices. As long as people keep supporting organizations like that we are going in the right direction.

More artists are starting to address topics like mental health through their music or on their platforms – would you like to see even more do so, and how big of an impact do you think something as simple as a “You’re Not Alone” tweet from someone with a platform like yours can and does have, particularly on the younger generations and fans who can be easily influenced by things their idols say and do? 

L: I think it’s important! With social media now everything artists do is public information. We lead by example so as long as the artists keep their mental health up and don’t rely on substances and toxic relationships to escape from their troubles then they can set a good example.

Gus: I agree with your point here! We don’t really use twitter but probably should and we try to communicate as much as possible directly through our music. As long as you have the ability to listen to our work, we feel that this is what we were put here to do. We will be there with you by your side. I think it’s a very strong message. 

How do you think society’s overall feeling and reaction to mental health issues and those who suffer from them has changed over the years? Do you think the stigma is starting to diminish or is there still a long way to go before we reach that point of genuine understanding and compassion for those affected by the likes of depression? 

G: I think we’re seeing a HUGE shift as of right now. Artists like Billie Eilish are quickly becoming iconic in the space of a couple years for doing exactly that. There will be a lot more love around after this pandemic I feel. As long as you surround yourself with good people. Surround yourself with people who bring you up. 

L: I think the younger generation is very sensitive and supportive of mental health causes. There is definitely some catch up time to be done by older generations but it feels like positive momentum.

Finally then, what’s next? Can we expect to hear some more honest, lyrically and topically important singles from you in the months ahead?

L: Definitely. 

G: How about a few weeks?

Check out the video for “Therapy” below and for more information on VOILÀ, visit their website, give their page a like on Twitter, or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.