tUnE-yArDs on how to succeed in the face of criticism
- Text by Huck HQ / Nick McGregor
- Photography by Mike Belleme
#2 – tUnE-yArDs
tUnE-yArDs, founded in the late 2000s by native New Englander Merrill Garbus, is the definition of joyous cacophony. Together with partner Nate Brenner, the band’s music is an intriguing mish-mash of ukulele riffs, looped beats, propulsive percussion, fluid bass lines, and full-throated howls. Visually, Garbus trends toward the riotously kaleidoscopic, rocking face paint on stage and punching up tUnE-yArDs’ imagery to retina- scalding levels. Here, Garbus explains how letting go helped her hit her stride:
“Is it personally gratifying to succeed in the face of criticism? No, it’s terrifying still. I wish that I could be so confident about my future and myself and turn away so easily from negative criticism. There are always people who really don’t like this stuff, and as a perfectionist, that hurts. I really have this vision that I can get every single person in the whole wide world to like my music. But again, as I get older and mature in this industry, I realise the championship is really just creating more work. Letting go of all the fear around what people think about me. And having a dialogue with people. Like, ‘So my cultural appropriation is offensive to you? Let’s dig into that conversation.’ But if anything ever gets me to stop making music, then I’ve truly lost.”
This is just a short excerpt from Huck’s Fiftieth Special, a collection of fifty personal stories from fifty inspiring lives.
Grab a copy now to read all fifty stories in full. Subscribe to make sure you don’t miss another issue.
You might like
The utopic vision of Black liberation in ’60s & ’70s jazz
Freedom, Rhythm & Sound — As Pan-African optimism spread across the world in the postcolonial era, Black-led record labels gave artists space to express themselves away from the mainstream. A new book collates 500 groundbreaking albums and their covers.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Venice Biennale will not award artists from Israel & Russia due to war crime accusations
Art Not Genocide — Both countries will still be allowed to exhibit work at their respective pavilions, but be excluded from judging considerations, as they have leaders facing arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court.
Written by: Noah Petersons
“I didn’t care if I got sacked”: Sleazenation’s Scott King in conversation with Radge’s Meg McWilliams
Radgenation — For our 20th Anniversary Issue, Huck’s editor Josh Jones sits down with the legendary art director and the founder of a new magazine from England’s northeast to talk about taking risks, crafting singular covers and disrupting the middle class dominance of the creative industries.
Written by: Josh Jones
Analogue Appreciation: Wesley Joseph
Forever Ends Someday — In an ever more digital, online world, we ask our favourite artists about their most cherished pieces of physical culture. Today, visual and sonic shapeshifter Wesley Joseph.
Written by: Wesley Joseph
The Strokes condemn US imperialism in Coachella set
Oblivius — The band finished their performance at the festival’s second weekend with a montage of bombings in Gaza and Iran, along with images of world leaders that the CIA has been accused of overthrowing over the past century.
Written by: Noah Petersons
The heady bliss of Glastonbury Festival after the music
Not Done Yet — While the weekend’s headliners and stacked line-ups usually draws the majority of the attention, much of its magic occurs after the music stops. Mischa Haller’s new photobook captures the euphoria and endless possibilities of Glasto’s “in between” moments.
Written by: Isaac Muk
