What better way to start off the New Year than with a new album from Wild Fire, Mirrors Edge, which has a whole new sound for them. Wild Fire’s previous albums were very much pop-country and there’s some hints of that on their current ballads. However, the sister duo (Kayla and Kelli Iutzwig) have taken on a much more mature, 90’s, alt-pop-chicks sound that I am living for on the majority of Mirrors Edge.
Not only are these two in total control of their singing and songwriting, they also took on their own crowdfunding campaign (why give Kickstarter or Indiegogo a share of the profits, when you can do it solo) to fund the production of Mirrors Edge. I backed the campaign that gave supporters early access to the album, which is the way crowdfunding should work. Wild Fire is as indie as you can get, which is a good thing because I don’t think a record label would give them the opportunity to go in such a different direction.
Wild Fire were gracious enough to answer a couple questions about their new album and creative process, here’s what they had to say:
Dave: The new album has a very different sound than your previous albums, was that a conscious decision?
Wild Fire: The new sound in “Mirrors Edge” was definitely a conscious decision. We wanted to explore new territories, experiment with different styles, and push our boundaries. It’s been an exhilarating journey, and we’re glad you noticed the shift and how we are leaning more towards pop rock.
Dave: Were there any artists that inspired the new sound or your sound in general?
Wild Fire: We draw inspiration from a variety of artists, across different genres. While working on “Mirrors Edge,” we were particularly inspired by some classic rock artists such as Joan Jett, as well as modern pop rock artists such as Olivia Rodrigo. Their fearless approach to music and storytelling really resonated with us.
Dave: What is your song-writing process?
Wild Fire: Our songwriting process is quite collaborative and organic. It usually starts with a melody or a chord progression, then we build on that with lyrics. We both contribute ideas, tweak, and refine until we feel the song truly represents what we want to say.
Dave: How did you get into the music business?
Wild Fire: Our journey into the music business started from our shared passion for music and storytelling. We’ve been singing and writing songs since we were kids, and over time, it naturally evolved into pursuing music more seriously.
Dave: At mygayopinion, I like to promote female and/or QUILTBAG artists, are there any female and/or QUILTBAG musicians that you feel don’t get the recognition that they deserve?
Wild Fire: We are big fans of Brandi Carlisle and believe she deserves much more recognition.
Many divas promise growth and fresh musical styles on new albums, but Wild Fire actually delivers. I’ve had Mirrors Edge playing non-stop in my car for weeks now and I keep picking new favorite songs. I don’t often say someone’s new album is their best, but in my gay opinion, Mirrors Edge is Wild Fire’s best to date.
The second song totally caught me off guard!
I found that was the case on many of the songs on Mirrors Edge, I never knew where the songs were going or what to expect!