Johannesburg - This week we feature South African electro hop music duo Locnville.
Identical twin brothers Andrew and Brian Chaplin formed Locnville in Cape Town in 2009 and have since become a household name in the music industry in South Africa.
The twins are singer-songwriters, song producers and musicians, in addition to being guitarists, drummers and business entrepreneurs.
Their debut studio album, titled “Sun in My Pocket”, was released in South Africa in 2010 and has become a major success, peaking at number one on the RISA South African Albums Chart and later winning them the award for best newcomer at the 2010 MK Awards.
Yesterday, the electro hop music duo released their latest single, “Be My Love”, in collaboration with Max Hurrell.
Locnville have won several awards, including the MTV Europe Music Award for Best African Act.
Locnville is able to collaborate with any DJ in the world. Who do they choose to collaborate with and why?
Brian: I’d really like to do something with Black Coffee, I feel like his music really lends itself to songwriting, so I think we could do something really special.
The best thing and worst thing about being identical twins is?
Andrew: The best thing is having someone who generally speaking is by your side and probably understands you better than anyone else. In our case there is a sense of trust and loyalty that I don’t think many people might be able to understand. The worst thing would probably just be all the constant comparisons. Some can be harmless, but sometimes people can say things that can be deemed as downright offensive.
Has the same girl ever liked the both of you? And how was that resolved ?
Brian: Probably. But not that I’m specifically aware of. Luckily we’ve never had to confront that situation. Yet.
Locnville’s go-to takeaway spot in Jozi is?
Andrew: A go-to has to be Andiccio24. 24/7 beer, pizza and ice cream conveniently delivered. Wonderful.
What is one thing most people don’t know about the Chaplin brothers?
Brian: We’re both pretty good at coding.
You are able to spend the day with any famous twins in the world. Who do you choose to spend it with and why?
Andrew: Probably the duo, Ibeyi – they have a really interesting style and I like the rhythmic but eclectic sounds they use. I think it could turn out to be an interesting day of collaborating to make something fresh and new.
Tell us about the worst date you have been on?
Brian: I met this girl in LA once, and I thought she was stunning, so I asked her out to a Stooki Sound show. I was really excited at the time, because they were one of my favourite groups, but when we arrived, this girl was as exciting as a plank of wood. She didn’t say a word, didn’t want to dance, just wanted to sit there and look pretty, it was really awkward, so needless to say we didn’t link up again.
Locnville are able to perform at any arena in the world. Where do you choose to perform and why?
Andrew: Red Rock Amphitheatre looks like it would be an incredible place to do a show.
The biggest regret you have as a music group is?
Brian: Wow, there are quite a few for me. I think one of my biggest regrets is not going to Pharrell Williams’s place when we were offered a deal from Interscope. Jimmy Iovine invited us to his place but our manager at the time already knew we were signing with Sony instead, and he thought it would set a bad precedent, so insisted we not go. I still think something amazing would have come out of that.
The Netflix series all South Africans should be watching right now is?
Andrew: There’s a new show called “PainKiller” that I’d recommend on Netflix all about the US opioid crisis and how it came to be. But there’s a much better version of the same story called “Dope Sick” on HBO.