ATWOOD “Building an identity is most definitely a challenge”

We had the chance to catch up with Italian Duo ATWOOD to talk about live shows, being a musician in the digital age, their biggest milestones and much more.

What was the best music video experience you ever had?

Definitely shooting the video for our single “So Bad”, as we got to include portions from our previous videos and to play with color a lot. All of our videos are shot by Dalilu, which we have a lovely relationship with, and we’re never afraid to submit our ideas and doubts.

What are the biggest challenges you face as an up and coming artist in the digital age?

Building an identity is most definitely a challenge – we live in a world where everybody can have a strong presence online, so it is hard to come up with ways of getting “noticed” without giving up your own identity and values. Same goes for music, as the digital world is now full of great music and musicians. It is crucial to understand how important social media and, in general, the digital dimension is for artists.

Do you have some insights on running a smooth live show?

First of all: loads and loads of practice. We practice once a week, 4 to 6 hours at a time, in order to get every detail perfectly under control.
Before shows, we also like to replicate a live performance in every aspect so that nothing can take us by surprise.

Which career milestone are you the most proud of so far?

Definitely having “So Bad” on MTV Italia in June 2021 and being opening act for the sold out show of Sonohra at Legend Club Milano.

Do you have a songwriting routine or ritual?

We like to build the foundation of the track and then rework it until it is completely different from the beginning. It has always worked for us! We never settle for the first thing that comes to our mind.

Name 3 major mistakes you made and other musicians could learn from.

We will leave one only which we think is the most important – in the past, we’ve let our insecurities stop us from accepting new challenges. We learnt from our mistakes and now try and take advantage of every opportunity we get, as you may never know the outcome! Always give your decisions another thought, but don’t let insecurities stop you. This applies to touring as well – we definitely could have gone on tour right away instead of putting it off.

How important are data insights for your (strategic) decisions?

Very. We analyse data in order to understand what countries to have promo in, to look for shows in, and in general to look for audience in.

What’s next for ATWOOD?

We may have big news coming in in a while, but we’re also arranging a EU tour in fall.