ELECTRO
Introducing New York, a Girl-Pop Group From London
Coumba wears Sweater Miu Miu. Shorts Blumarine. Scarf Coumba’s Own. Gretchen wears Jacket Hermès. Bra Reet Aus. Vintage Shorts Twos.
Meet New York, the London-based experimental music and performance project made up of Gretchen Lawrence and Coumba Samba. After releasing their debut album, No Sleep Till N.Y., in 2022, the duo quietly percolated overseas before returning to the Big Apple with a series of live gigs and a glitchy concept album, Rapstar*. With lyrics like, “I want to get in your skinny jeans,” and a collab with Club Eat’s Ren G., New York’s sound is reminiscent of early electro acts like Chicks on Speed: cloying, deadpan, and danceable.
———
What’s up?
COUMBA SAMBA: Working :S
GRETCHEN LAWRENCE: Just chilling as always…
Where are you?
SAMBA: At home in London.
LAWRENCE: In my kitchen. Best hangout spot.
How would you describe your social life?
SAMBA: I keep my social life to a close circle of friends. I enjoy meeting new people but get drained from social situations easily.
LAWRENCE: No stress, low-key. I only hang out with people who I can have no filter with.
What do you think about when you’re alone?
SAMBA: Nice things I can do for myself, films I wanna see, life plans, the past, and all of the things I’ve been putting off doing.
LAWRENCE: The Soviet Union and how much my hometown has changed since the ’90s.
Who are your enemies?
SAMBA: I don’t have any on a personal level really, but I tend to stay away from those with little self-awareness.
LAWRENCE: Same.
What’s your step count?
SAMBA: This week my average was 8K.
LAWRENCE: 10,403.
Sweater Miu Miu. Skirt Courrèges. Bikini Bottoms Bless.
What’s your diet?
SAMBA: I used to be a die-hard vegetarian and strictly no sugar. I also had a keto phase 😀 But now I more or less eat everything.
LAWRENCE: Quite chaoic but healthy-ish. Heavy foods make me pass out.
What are you invested in?
SAMBA: My mental health and communal success.
LAWRENCE: Learning about myself, collecting random samples, staying in a creative mood, and work (even though I hate it).
What do you think about dying?
SAMBA: I’m so afraid of dying. When I think too hard about the concept of forever it gives me a panic attack.
LAWRENCE: I don’t really. Can’t control it I guess.
What advice do you have?
SAMBA: Take care of your body, practice self-awareness, face your fears, remember to give back, read more.
LAWRENCE: Take your time.
Are you where you want to be?
SAMBA: I’m in a constant battle with getting to where I want to be; I have trauma I need to resolve around that. But I’m doing well, I have a great support system, and can afford to pay my rent.
LAWRENCE: Deffo. I’ve had to make a lot of changes to live the life I’m living.
Do you save money?
SAMBA: I save money but not in the smartest way. I tried getting into crypto and savings accounts but I actually hate bureaucracy and anything money-related so I decided it’s not worth it.
LAWRENCE: No way. Really need to start though, but I’m so used to being broke all the time.
Jacket and Skirt Celine by Hedi Slimane. Scarf Coumba’s Own.
What more do you need?
SAMBA: Moneyyy.
LAWRENCE: Good music.
What’s in your fridge?
SAMBA: Kefir yogurt, beet juice, almond milk, fermented pumpkin, rye bread, figs, and a lot of expired jams.
LAWRENCE: Leftovers, wine, kefir, and butter.
Where do you shop?
SAMBA: I used to shop a lot at thrift stores but would end up getting a bunch of random shit and having too many clothes. I shop way less now, and use Vinted and Ebay instead.
LAWRENCE: Vinted and local spots.
What do you buy?
SAMBA: I buy a lot of art supplies, books, and clothes.
LAWRENCE: Shoes, sweatpants, books, incense, sometimes music when it’s not on Soulseek.
Where are we headed?
SAMBA: We are entering dark times but also everything is kinda always shit, always has been throughout history. Just depends if you want to look at it or not.
LAWRENCE: Doomsday.
Who’s the last person you blocked?
SAMBA: Truthfully, apart from spam accounts, my father.
LAWRENCE: My former boss.
What’s your last Google search?
SAMBA: “Whale fat cosmetics.”
LAWRENCE: “uk london found black mold in my apartment what to do.”
What’s your survival tactic?
SAMBA: Okay this really depends on the scenario but I’ll say I have great spatial awareness and would be a leader type in the apocalypse.
LAWRENCE: Stay anonymous, hide your real identity.
Do you talk during sex?
SAMBA: Not really, I think it’s cringe, sorry.
LAWRENCE: I’m very serious, so no.
What do you really want?
SAMBA: World peace and free education.
LAWRENCE: Ego death.
Gretchen wears Coat Burberry. Trousers Stylist’s Own. Vintage Shoes The Grotesque Archive. Coumba wears Coat SC103. Leggings Aniye Records. Scarf Hermès. Belt Bless. Shoes Stylist’s Own.
———
Set Design: Marcs Goldberg.
Fashion Assistant: Grace Bot.
Production Assistant: Kiernan Francis.
