Brett CallwoodL.A. WEEKLY: When and how did the band form, and what was the mission?
ZACH DEGAETANO: We formed Mannequin Online in the summer of 2019 after a fair amount of daydreaming. We were both working on separate projects that were polar opposites sonically and kept wanting to create something together as a bit of an escape from familiar sounds. It was also my first shot at producing, which has been a blast.
Describe the sound…
ZD: Our goal with the band was to mix all the different kinds of music we like to listen to and somehow make it our own and original. We wanted to take inspiration from artists we collectively enjoyed, and to combine the genres fluidly. This resulted in a concoction of pop, funk and indie/alternative which created what we have today. We didn’t want to set many rules for ourselves, and since have adopted the goal of simply focusing on what feels and sounds exciting at any given moment.
The debut EP comes out on July 24 — are you pleased with the way it has turned out?
BRIDGET BOLTZ: We’ve had a lot of fun working on this project in general — from each song concept to songwriting session, we’ve really tried to approach it with an open mind and a light heart. We both see Mannequin Online music as a fun creative outlet, and it provides lots of relief and levity for us. It’s a place where we get to be loud and colorful and different, and we’re really proud to say that our debut EP reflects that brightness.
How have you been coping with lockdown, and the current state of the world?
BB: The sad reality is that a majority of our time prior to lockdown was spent indoors writing songs in dark rooms — so not much has changed on that front :’). We have pretty much checked off every single quarantine stereotype besides baking our own bread at this point. We’re hopeful these current events will inspire some much-needed changes in the world, and we’ll just continue working hard from home and trying not to go too crazy.
What’s next, for the rest of the year and after lockdown is lifted?
BB: We have a ton of new songs we’ve created in quarantine, and a plethora of music videos we haven’t really been able to flesh out since lockdown started. We’re looking forward to getting some unique visuals out, and trying to challenge ourselves as much as possible with new sounds and new genres. We also would love to meet any fans out there in the future, once we’re able to safely. There are quite a few tricks up our sleeves at the moment, and we thoroughly look forward to showing you what we have in store.
The I Feel It EP is out July 24. The “I Want It” single is out now.
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