Q&A WITH EORA/SYDNEY INDIE DUO ‘FVNERAL’
Eora-based duo FVNERAL, comprised of Tim and Ally along with their supporting band, have tugged on our heartstrings with the deeply vulnerable lyrics and uplifting harmonies featured in their new song ‘HAPPY ANNIVERSARY’
“HAPPY ANNIVERSARY is ultimately about celebrating the failure of a suicide attempt, and recognising that I’m part of the more than 40% of trans and non-binary people who report having tried to take their own life. Even though it’s tongue-in-cheek, the title speaks to how genuinely grateful I am for the failure. It’s about embracing the idea that things will get better, even when you can’t see it just yet. It’s exhausting, in a truly relentless way, to be constantly living in such a dark place, but so deeply liberating to wholeheartedly embrace the desire to live in the light, or at least keep searching for it.”
FVNERAL burst out onto the Australian music scene with their debut EP, “WHEN I GET SOBER”, which is emotionally charged and brimming with intensity. Having already spent years in the studio with Australian favorites, including Birds of Tokyo, Middles Kids and Stand Atlantic, and collaborating on creative powerhouses such as The Struts and Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, FVNERAL’s debut offering was a strong and confident step forward into a spotlight of their own. FVNERAL have built a strong, caring and kind community for themselves in creating their first EP and they’re ready to invite the rest of the world to be a part of it.
Over time, FVNERAL have moved from friends to chosen family. Not to be misled by the name, the ethos of the Sydney-based group is about finding the beauty in life’s nuances and complexities, while focusing on the joys in overcoming battles. Building upon a shared love for storytelling and exploring the human experience through art’s different mediums, FVNERAL have started finding a following for themselves that is steadily growing.
We caught up with Tim & Ally from the band to chat further about this release
What’s the meaning behind your stage name, FVNERAL?
Tim: I swear it’s less morbid than it sounds. Well, sort of… When Ally and I started working on the first songs for this project, it was off the back of a period of time when it felt like we were both being bombarded by a lot of endings - in the dissolution of romantic relationships and friendships, as well as the passing of some close friends and family members. It was during this time that I was first struck by - while obviously devastating - how beautiful and poignant the moments of and surrounding a funeral can be. Ultimately, FVNERAL is a vessel for Ally and I to self-actualise and figure out who we are as individuals, as well as in our friendship and in relation to the people closest to us, and it felt like the best name to embody the melancholy of endings alongside to possibility of rebirth and new beginnings.
If I listened to your songs for the first time, who would I think you sound similar to?
Ally: I think the references we always try to hit are Charli Adams, Phoebe Bridgers or any of the other boygenius crew, as well as more overtly emo stuff like Tigers Jaw and Bright Eyes
Are there any overarching themes across your discography?
Tim: I really think the whole project is about searching for your community, for your chosen family, and about the joy and warmth that comes with finding them, little by little.
Can you describe your music in 3 words?
Bath-cry-core: we really think that every single thing we do is best enjoyed while crying in the bathtub :)
Can you tell us a bit about your latest release, “Happy Anniversary”?
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY is ultimately about celebrating the failure of a suicide attempt, and recognising that I’m part of the more than 40% of trans and non-binary people who report having tried to take their own life. Even though it’s tongue-in-cheek, the title speaks to how genuinely grateful I am for the failure. It’s about embracing the idea that things will get better, even when you can’t see it just yet. It’s exhausting, in a truly relentless way, to be constantly living in such a dark place, but so deeply liberating to wholeheartedly embrace the desire to live in the light, or at least keep searching for it.
Why is raising awareness about mental health important to FVNERAL?
Both of us have our own experiences with mental ill-health, and have been so present alongside each other during some of our lowest and darkest points. We both think that without the kindness, care and love of friendships and community, neither of us would be here. We’ve both found so much comfort in other artists who talk honestly about their mental health, and we really strive to create something that’ll help someone feel a little less alone or isolated.
What are some common misconceptions about mental health that you think need to be addressed?
I really think the idea that mental ill-health is obviously observable is a big misconception I’d love to disrupt. A friend of mine lost their own battle with mental illness earlier this year, and I wish that we’d been able to notice the turmoil they were clearly in before it was too late.
How do open conversations about mental health benefit individuals?
I mean, open conversations about mental health literally save lives. I know I wouldn’t still be here if not for some crucial conversations with friends, where they really pushed me to be vulnerable and to be honest with myself about the pain I was feeling.
Do you have a message or some advice regarding mental health/awareness you’d like to leave with your audience?
All we want FVNERAL to be is a vessel for people - particularly our queer and trans communities - to feel as if they’re part of something bigger than themself, and that they’re so fucking important to us. We want to create a space where you can make friends who’ll show up for you when you really need them; where we can show up for you when you really need us. Talk to us and go to fucking therapy!