Their album ‘Ribbed Music for a Numb Generation’ featured hard hitting lyrics that explored themes of love, lust, suicide and more, establishing a proven reputation that won them touring spots with other iconic electronic artists like Daft Punk and Ladytron. Even though the band later split up in 2014, the appeal of their music has stood the test of time. In late 2020, not only did the bands music remerge, it did so on a massive scale. Their tracks ‘Bang Bang Bang’ and ‘Stripper’ have now accrued hundreds of millions of streams since going viral on TikTok, exposing a whole new generation to their music and creating an almost overwhelming demand for the bands return, despite having been broken up for almost a decade.
Naturally, front woman Maya Von Doll has wasted no time writing a whole host of new tracks for the band’s eager new following. Since returning to making music at the tail-end of the pandemic, her song writing has remained just as raw and vulnerable as the band’s early work. We were lucky enough to get the chance to speak to Maya about her experiences of viral fame, returning to the music industry, her new creative influences and much much more..
Sohodolls were catapulted back into the public eye when your singles from ‘Ribbed Music for the Numb Generation’ , Bang Bang Bang Bang and Stripper, went viral on Tiktok. Can you explain what this experience was like for you, did you ever expect that you’d get the opportunity to make more music with the Sohodolls since you disbanded?
“It was an intensely positive experience as it came when I was at my lowest in life. I am so utterly grateful for all the TikTokers, Youtube fans and Spotify listeners for becoming my ‘tribe’. I knew the door was always open for making more Sohodolls music, I just didn’t think an army of new fans would kick it open for me!”
Your virality can be traced back to a larger trend of renewed interest in music from the Y2K/Noughties era. Why do you think so many younger listeners are resonating with the music from this time?
“A lot of good music came out then! There was Crystal Castles (whose remix of our track ‘Trash the Rental” is in our top 10), She Wants Revenge (we toured with them), New Young Pony Club and The Klaxons. Looking back it was quite an experimental era. I do love pop music but it’s also lovely when acts dare to be different and slightly bonkers so I think that’s part of it.”
Are there any other acts or tracks from the electro-clash and electro-sleaze scenes that you could recommend your younger listeners to check out?
‘What Kinda Love’ leans very heavily into themes of fantasy and escapism, what motivatedyou to explore these concepts?
“Escapism and fantasy are my best coping mechanisms. This is the first song I wrote when I came off certain medications. I could not have been any lower and despite me finally getting back in shape I was at my least confident when I wrote it. It’s actually quite a sad song once you strip away the incredible production. I’m singing about how the only romantic relationships I’ll have from now on will be total make-believe. Pure escapism!”
Your work has always covered topics like sex, intimacy and mental health; since returning to music, do you think that you approach these subjects from a different perspective?
“In one way I think I’m different – I had strict parents and was almost 20 when I had I sex for the first time. So I did a lot of thinking, writing and studying. I think I might suffer from a sort of arrested development. I never went wild. But I’ve always thought wild. I joke with my friends that ‘I talk the talk but I don’t walk the walk’. I do it all in my songs! On the mental health side – I was exposed to unusual things as a child with the long war in Lebanon. That put a lot of strain on the parents that affected their parenting. I think it has given me a different perspective: death is always on the cards for me with any decision I make. I sometimes hide skipping ropes because I don’t want someone to accidentally strangle themselves with it in a freak accident.”
‘Queen of Spades’ features some fantastic production from Otabek Salamov, can you talk us through how you came to work with him and what your creative process was like constructing ‘Queen of Spades’?
“He is brilliant! I reached out to him through the music talent site soundbetter.com which I had never used. I liked his reel and messaged him. I decided to find him on instagram too and messaged him there. I nearly fell off my chair when he replied saying he loved my music and had listened to it before I went viral. I think he said he had an iPod full of my songs! He also couldn’t believe it was really me and I couldn’t believe he knew my project. We did ‘Letter to my Ex’ remotely and then I flew to Uzbekistan and we worked in a studio together.”
How has the music industry changed in comparison to when you were last active ten years ago?
I’m sure it’s changed in many ways but I wouldn’t know. But if it’s compared to Y2K and the noughties it’s easier to find your tribe but also a lot harder to make money just from the songs. I really need to get my merch shop up and running!
As a female-led act, do you think that the industry has made noticeable progress in its treatment of female and non-binary artists? Particularly in relation to accessibility?
