Blending elements of folk, jazz and rich storytelling, The Mist Calls have quickly established themselves as one of the North East’s most exciting emerging acts. The 19-year-old twins write, record, mix and master everything themselves, creating music that feels both intimate and adventurous. John Curtis caught up with Millie and Joe to discuss their creative partnership, their DIY approach and the inspiration behind their latest single, ‘Stories Never Told’.
Your sound is a really intriguing blend of folk and jazz with a huge emphasis on storytelling. How do your individual musical backgrounds – especially being classically trained musicians – influence the way you write and arrange your songs?
It’s been incredibly refreshing to begin this musical journey together as The Mist Calls. Before 2024, we were both focused on learning classical instruments, so starting to write and perform our own music has felt completely liberating. It’s given us the opportunity to bring together all the different musical influences that have inspired us over the years. Although we have quite different tastes in the music we listen to, we’ve discovered that we actually share a lot creatively. Our songwriting has become a space where those influences naturally meet. We also enjoy experimenting with the music theory we’ve studied over the years.
As 19-year-old twins building a band together, what is the dynamic like between you when collaborating? Do you share a single creative vision for The Mist Calls, or do you bring completely different perspectives to the table?
Being twins means we’ve always understood that we think in very different ways, and that’s actually one of our greatest strengths. We love combining our contrasting ideas because it often leads us somewhere neither of us would have reached on our own. When we write together, lyrics are usually the first thing that comes to Millie’s mind, whereas Joe naturally begins with melodies, arrangements or musical ideas. Somehow those different starting points merge together into something that feels completely shared. When we’re performing, our connection becomes even more noticeable. We can support one another instinctively on stage, and that trust means everything to us.
You handle everything in-house, from recording to mixing and mastering, to preserve that clean, natural live sound. What made you choose the fully DIY approach? And what are the biggest rewards – and challenges – of having complete control over your production?
Our music blends folk and jazz with storytelling, guitar melodies and close vocal harmonies, so it felt important to understand every stage of the creative process. We wanted to learn how to record, mix and master our own music so we could achieve exactly the sound we imagined. At the moment, we really enjoy having complete creative freedom. It allows us to take each recording in whatever direction feels right without compromising our ideas.
You’ve had an incredibly busy year already with eight releases, and your latest single, ‘Stories Never Told’, has just been released. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the song?
‘Stories Never Told’ is about losing track of time, particularly while we’re writing and playing music. The song is written from time’s own perspective, telling the story of something that’s constantly being chased but can never be caught. One of the most important things for us is making music that feels uplifting while still offering something fresh and unexpected. We hope listeners hear that energy throughout the song.
Growing up on the North East coast, you’ve been surrounded by a brilliant and diverse music scene. How have both the local landscape and the coastal environment influenced your songwriting? And what has it meant to receive such strong early support from platforms like BBC Introducing?
We love writing about the everyday places and experiences that surround us, whether that’s growing up beside the sea, walking through the countryside or simply appreciating the peace and beauty of nature. One of our songs, ‘Pulls From The Tide’, explores the idea of finding calm, going with the flow and allowing life’s natural rhythms to guide you. It was inspired by the ever-changing sea, from its gentle tides to its dramatic crashing waves. More generally, we enjoy weaving philosophy, hope and a sense of adventure into our songwriting. We don’t limit ourselves to one particular subject because every song begins with a different idea or experience.
You can listen to ‘Stories Never Told’ now on all major streaming platforms.
