We had the good fortune of connecting with Maitejosune Urrechaga Tony Kapel and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Maitejosune Urrechaga, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Work life balance has had its adjustments as new projects happen and life happens as an individual. When we started the balance was more about our music, our art career, and our relationship with each other. We both had our own direction as artists such as Maites painting, and comic series, I was working on documenting shows and writing books. When we started playing music together was when we realized collaboration, cooperation, and trust are key to making cool things happen. It has turned into a support system to each other to be creative. We have been able to recognize and encourage each other when and if we find a moment of idea. Sometimes we need more time focused on creating an album or on one’s energy restoration and rest.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Tony and I have two totally different aesthetics, I’m more of a painter, installation, and drawing with mixed media materials. Tony on the other hand his artwork is actually very textual, audio driven, typography, and statements – he’s very about the word or the poetry in him. Which makes sense I guess within how we both evolved into becoming Pocket of Lollipops on creating songs and creating albums and videos and interacting with the public. Our “Art Practice” has always been something we’re proud and excited about and how it gets executed because it always has different challenges. Challenges make us curious to come up with ideas that push us to the next thing. Easy. I wouldn’t say that what we do is easy. I don’t know how to explain it, I don’t think we would do it any differently, unless you’re saying our life experiences. And as artists we obviously respond to things we don’t agree with and have an art form or concept to it, so it wouldn’t be fair to dismiss anyone. Lessons learned; learning how you put time into things and how much time you let people take from you. Learning to pace yourself creates balance. Our brand was always us being us- A friend coined our music as Posh Punk, which our style, activism, opinions and art falls into the same thing. So our brand fell into place on its own. We’re both strong and honest in the way we think and people gravitate towards that. I feel people like our brand because it’s something they can identify with at some point in their life. We have a rebellious manner but rebellious that encourages growth and change. People look at being reactive or outspoken as negative, as people when you realize that rebellion and activism are usually what has made change in the world you learn to understand what is actually going on. It might be important to live through it and be a part of it no matter what side you’re on. You can’t have light without the dark. Our brand goes beyond how we approach our music, it’s more of a lifestyle.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Honestly, we would probably take them for a cortadito.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Well we’d like to recognize our families! I mean they have been super supportive in everything we do from my parents and Tony’s parents and our siblings. Our fans are extra unique and full of so much style, It’s cool to see them streaming the songs and watching our videos, supporting us anyway they can. It is really encouraging to us to see them excited when we have new Merch or new announcements, I would definitely shout out to all our fans. Hi Lollies, we love you Sucker Fan Club!
Website: www.pocketoflollipops.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pocketoflollipops/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pocketlollipops
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pocketoflollipops/?ref=ts
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Pocketoflollipops
Image Credits
Ben Guzman, Liam Milano, Edgar Mojica, Hunter Welsh,
Nominate someone: ShoutoutMiami is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.