We all have those artists and songs we hear that strike the right chord and make us fall in love at first listen. They’re the reason we refresh social media pages, tour schedules, and Spotify profiles — because we can’t miss a single release. This is Love at First Listen — a series introducing you to the emerging, and established, artists with new music guaranteed to upgrade your playlist.
If you are a fan of The Veronicas or The Beaches and have Lola Young and The Last Dinner Party on your playlist, Fionn just might be your next obsession. Since we first introduced you to the Vancouver alt-rock duo (or, as they put it, “your new fave femme-rage girlband”), twin sisters Alanna and Brianne Finn-Morris have kept fans fed with a string of high-energy singles: a song for the girlies who experience sufficient amounts of wrath on the daily (“BLOW”), one for situationships (“Bad at Being Casual”) and another for walking red flags (“Snake Behavior”), and their latest embodying quarter-life crisis core (“Banshee”).
Catching up with Fionn at the first-ever Departure Festival in Toronto, the twin sisters dished on ‘departing’ from their past releases ahead of their upcoming album, writing the battle cry song of their dreams, and crafting their perfect pre-show routine.
As we chat here at Departure Festival, how does it feel to be bringing your new music and fan favourites to first-time and repeat audiences?
Alanna: Any time we get to play in Ontario, it’s so fun, it’s so different, and the audiences have a great buzz to them.
Brianne: Especially during a festival time like this, people are really excited to see different musicians coming in from out of town, so it’s exciting all around.
Our Love at First Listen community met you when we chatted in 2023 following the release of your third album, ‘I Might Start Smoking.’ Fill us in on what you’ve been up to!
Brianne: We’ve been on tour a couple times since then, but most recently we opened for JJ Wilde across Canada, which was a super cool opportunity. We have also been working towards a new album that we think is coming out in the fall.
For your latest singles, how would you say they are a ‘departure’ from your past releases, and how will that sonic evolution keep unveiling itself?
Alanna: I personally went through a bad breakup before writing this record, so I feel like there’s a bit more anger and angst in the next one. We’re rocking it up a bit more.
Brianne: It’s a little bit more ragey, but I also think that there are a lot of similarities to the old records as well so it’s not too far off our path. We’re really proud of it and we’re really excited to put it out.
Your newest single, “Banshee,” is a femme-rock battle cry. What inspired it, and what have been some of your personal F the Patriarchy / battle cry / empowerment songs?
Brianne: I had always wanted to write a song called “Banshee” and then write a melody that sounds like a banshee’s cry. It sort of came to me with my fear of aging that I feel like is really put on women’s shoulders in society, which I kind of came to the conclusion is at the end of the day a fear of death, a fear of lack of control… So, it kind of has themes of all that. And the banshee is like the symbol of death, like that anxiety that’s screaming on your shoulders and that’s making you freeze or just feel really anxious about the future.
Alanna: I’m still trying to come to terms with my own mortality (laughs), but maybe if we sing the song enough, I’ll realize I’m not immortal!
Brianne: I love “Troy” by Sinead O’Connor. … I don’t know if it’s specifically about the patriarchy, but it’s definitely a battle cry sort of song for me.
Alanna: For me, recently I’ve gotten into Amyl and The Sniffers and I can’t think of a specific song that would be my battle cry, but I think [with] that whole new record, anytime I’m feeling angsty about the patriarchy, I’ll throw [it] on and it usually does the trick.
Do you have any pre-show rituals or anything you make sure to keep in your day-of-show routine?
Alanna: I wish we had a cool one. I don’t know.
Brianne: I just try and stay as chill as possible because I think I can get a bit in my head sometimes about all the logistics of everything. … Usually we forget to write our setlist down, so we’re backstage scribbling. Some people show up to the show with a printed out lovely setlist. Ours is usually hand scribbled 10 minutes before.
Alanna: Who has a printer these days? That’s what I’m wondering. [Also,] maybe just coffee, but I feel like … that’s a life thing! If I don’t have a coffee, if I don’t have a good meal before performing, I think that that’s a big thing for me. I hate going on stage hungry.
Do you have a go-to post-show snack?
Alanna: Probably something really bad for me honestly… because usually it’s late when we finish but I do want a snack. So, probably chicken nuggets.
Given that you’re twin sisters writing and recording music and touring together, what’s one thing you’ve learned about each other that you don’t think you would’ve realized pursuing another career path?
Alanna: We spend an obscene amount of time together, so maybe we’ve gotten to know each other better than most twins.
Brianne: I’ve learned that Alanna really hates doing her hair. She complains about it every single time.
Alanna: It’s too annoying. I don’t like having the arm over my head too long. I’m a baby.
If you were putting together your own future festival showcase, with Fionn headlining, who are some fellow artists that you’ve loved at first listen that you’d invite to share the stage?
Alanna: Ooh… I would say Molly Anelle. She’s a Vancouver artist.
Brianne: Madisyn Gifford. She’s also a fellow 604 artist. Vox Rea, too. They’re from Vancouver and also on our label, but they’re sisters as well and they’re amazing. I could keep going on… Tegan and Sara. I love them.
Coming up this summer, you’ve already announced shows in British Columbia and at Riverfest Elora. Where can people find you online to request a show near them, and is there anything you can add about projects in the pipeline?
Brianne: Follow us on Instagram @fionnband. That’s where we put all of our info. We’re just very excited to put out some new music and hopefully we’ll be touring in your city soon because we’d love to see you!
