Some two years in the making, today marks the debut single release from Gold Coast indie-pop duo Geniie Boy – a collaboration between award-winning artists Alisha Todd (singer-songwriter) and Scott French (producer, multi instrumentalist).
Titled 'Fool's Play', the song is filled with hooks, beats and harmonies that will keep you humming for days."Geniie Boy started as an homage to my mother. She changed her name to Jeannie when she migrated to Australia and after she passed away when I was 19, I sold everything I owned and travelled solo around Europe for four years, searching for parts of myself in other cultures and music," Alisha says.
"I met Scotty when I came home and we instantly started working together on our solo projects. We realised we share a vision to make music that is honest and uplifting, and that our individual processes in songwriting and in the studio perfectly complement each other."
Produced by French in his commercial studio, Lovestreet Studios, this is the first glimpse from Geniie Boy's debut EP that is slated for release in 2021.
Who is Geniie Boy... Me (Alisha Todd) and Scott French make up this brand-new, indie-pop duo based on the Gold Coast.
We've been making music separately and in other groups since we were teenagers and have finally decided to join forces and musical minds with this new project. It's guitar-heavy indie pop, with real-talk messages and big grooves.
We sound like... A bit of Haim mixed with a bit of Corrine Bailey-Rae and The Preatures.
Our first gig was... It was very recently at BBQ Bazaar.
We were supposed to be opening for Bella Paton and Acekays, but it happened to be on the weekend that one case of coronavirus was discovered in Brisbane and both acts had to cancel due to lock-down regulations, bumping us to the headliner! We played to a room full of friends and a super-stoked Brazilian crew – so ideal.
When did you settle on the group's name, and was it a unanimous decision... We had 'Geniie' for awhile, which was my mum's name, it's kind of an homage to her. Then after much deliberation I eventually I just shouted 'Geniie Boy' and Scott waggled his eyebrows, which is our way of saying 'yes please'.
In the studio we usually... We'll go into the studio with the bare bones of a song, just vocals and guitar usually. Then Scott and I will throw around production ideas until something sticks, usually starting with drums.
Scott plays everything on the recordings which is handy, and he's also the most Zen human in the studio, unlike me. . . apparently I'm a bit mean in the studio. I think it's my alternate persona that comes out. I get hyper-focussed so manners and being reserved kinda go out the window.
If we could tour with anyone... I'm personally a massive Aurora fan. I love the community she's gathered with the messages in her music and personality, so opening for her would be a dream not only to witness her live but also to be involved in that community.
Social media is... Mainly a distraction but also severely entertaining and inspiring. Scotty's extent of social media is Facebook Marketplace, so we keep a nice balance in our household.
My favourite app at the moment is... Google Maps. Unlike most other apps, it is always one step ahead of me – my guiding light.
To date, our most embarrassing moment was the time... This one is Scott's. "One time I was trying to be really rock & roll at a day festival with lots of kids and families. I jumped off the speakers but missed the edge of the stage and slipped and broke one of the tuning pegs on my guitar. Finished the song on my back and nicely out of tune."
Life on the road can be... A great way to never need to officially move out of your parents' house (Scott moved out of home when we has 30).
If you'll have us on your bill, all we ask is that our rider contains... A gourmet mushroom platter: oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, shimeji mushrooms, magic mushrooms, we're not fussy.
The most scary scenario I've found myself in was... I lost my way on day three of a five-day hike in Iceland once. The weather turned and I couldn't see more than 20m in any direction. The foot prints in the snow suddenly disappeared and I couldn't figure out for the life of me where to go.
It was raining and freezing cold. I was so scared I even blew the emergency whistle, which is when I realised how stupid those things are (flashbacks of the Titanic). Eventually the fog cleared and I realised that the trail ascended the glacier I kept walking past. Of course.
What celebrity/ famous person would you love to be spokesperson of the band... Russell Brand. He knows way more words than anyone we can think of.
If you had to live in a city abroad, where would you choose and why? Berlin. Apart from having an endless supply of Kransky, Sauerkraut, techno and bicycle lanes, also being so close to other European countries is also an exciting concept. It'd be great to live in a city where exploration not replication of art is encouraged.
Three people you'd like to invite around for a dinner party... David Attenborough – to ponder on how we could fix the world. Dave Chapelle – to laugh at how f...ed the world is. Rick and Morty (they're pretty much one person) – to beam us to another planet after realising this one is doomed.
If we were coming over to your place, what would you cook us? The mushroom platter you gave us at the gig you just booked us for. Scott might even crack out his signature Migoreng if you're lucky.
The last time I saw the inside of a gym was... I train aerial silks so sometime this week. Scott – never. Haha.
What's the one chore you dislike the most? Hanging the laundry. Our laundry is outside and the mosquitos FAVOURITE place to incubate, so there are a million mosquitos in there every time. It's the worst.
Luckily we have these satisfying mosquito-zapping rackets, and Scott goes in gallantly and eliminates them.
Would you ever partake in a reality show? Scott is willing to try his signature Hotel Migoreng on 'Masterchef', but he refuses to share the secret ingredient.
If you could prank any of your friends, who's your target, and how are you bringing them down? I think Scott is compounding all the times I've jumped out of dark crevices at him into one, big, future plan to give me a poop-worthy scare. He's putting on his best poker face, but I know it's coming.
Geniie Boy play Can You Keep A Secret (Brisbane) 7 February.
