Her’s

Stephen Fitzpatrick and Audun Laading of Her’s. Courtesy of Neelam Khan Vela.

Her's, an indie rock duo, was formed in 2015, in Liverpool, England, a city internationally known for music and recognized by Guinness World Records as the World Capital City of Pop. Stephen Fitzpatrick from the United Kingdom and Audun Laading from Norway met in their early twenties as students at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, where they finished a three-year music degree and graduated in 2016 (Garcia, 2018). While they were studying, the young adults often explored the city after midnight with a video camera rolling to record and produce comedic music videos that they would then upload to YouTube the following morning (Milton, 2017). These videos can still be found if you are a skilled and savvy investigator. But today's Her’s has grown from just a comedy hobby to an iconic name loved by many.

Her's Genre and Debut Album

The band was recognized for its unique and distinct sound, which fused both dream pop and indie rock to produce an unusual hybrid. Fitzpatrick's inventive guitar riffs, Laading's silky bass grooves, and their combined decision to utilize a drum machine rather than the conventional drum kit significantly contributed to this (Garcia, 2018). SoundCloud labels Her's music as "dream/jangle-pop." Through the various layering of synth melodies over crisp drum beats and the addition of lo-fi vocals for gritty juxtaposition, the sounds gel together to create a dreamlike atmosphere that seems to pull from the past and future eras. With their primary affection for the Beatles, Her's also drew influence from classics like The Beach Boys, Harry Nilsson, and Randy Newman, as well as the late '70s and early '80s, like Martin Rev and Suicide, The Doobie Brothers, Peter Ivers, and Bruce Springsteen. Furthermore, the dream-pop duo adored old-fashioned songwriting and cutesy tunes (Her’s is Dream Pop, 2018).

In 2016, they released Dorothy, their first single, which was inspired by the respective cultures they grew up in. Her's has skillfully crafted an instantly recognizable and constant vibe since their debut, but that doesn't mean all of their tunes sound the same. In 2017, Her’s released a compilation album, Songs of Her’s that consisted of 9 tracks. The collection of music from the compilation album is broad and superbly made, ranging from the euphoric pleasure of Speed Racer and the hedonistic rhythm of Cool With You to the heart-achingly passionate What Once Was (Dhillon, 2017). The following year, Her’s released their first and only studio album, Invitation to Her’s under Heist of Hit records (Goggins, 2018).

Invitations to Her’s Album Cover

My all-time favorite song from Her’s would be What Once Was, which appears on Her's debut album, Songs of Her's, as the seventh track. It was actually originally released in 2016 as a standalone single (What Once Was, 2016). The duo describes this song as a mournful ballad about the loss of a family member. The lyrics are so intimately connected that it builds a sense of connectivity and intimacy for the audience. Fitzpatrick sings about the desire and necessity to know and understand all of the "essential stuff" about another person, highlighting that by learning all the small details, one is able to craft and define the characteristics of their partner, such as their favorite color, which creates a sense of emotional closeness between two individuals (Charteris, 2021). What Once Was, is also currently the dream-pop duo’s most-streamed track on Spotify, with over a 100 million streams (Her’s, n.d.).

A Tragic Turn of Events

Following the release of their debut album, Invitation to Her's, in August 2018, the band had numerous successful tour dates in Europe and the United States. Their tour was so well accepted and loved, that the duo scheduled and announced that they were going to be a second round of North American performances in October 2018. Despite a promising start, the band was unable to complete their North American tour. On March 27th, 2019, their label, Heist or Hit, posted on their Facebook page about the duo's passing. Their sudden departure from the world came as a shock to many fans (Garcia, 2018). According to the statement released by the duo's label, the duo, alongside their manager Trevor Engelbrekston were killed in an unfortunate car accident en route to a performance in Santa Ana, California (Martin, 2019).

Her's were generations ahead in the music industry, with genuine and profound emotional lyrical compositions and dreamlike tunes that were the ideal match for a coming- of-age cinematic soundtrack (Charteris, 2021). These two young musicians lived their lives with extreme vim and joy. Today, their music provides comfort for many who are still grieving the loss of their loved ones, almost like medicine when one is sick. The legacy will continue resonating throughout the bars and venues they went to in Liverpool, and their impact on the music industry will reverberate for longer and further, inspiring many of the future up and coming musicians (Torpey, 2019).

I discovered Her’s sometime early last year, and one of the most devastating parts about exploring a new band is discovering them one step too late. Today, we will never know how far Her’s would have gone, or what they would have been. But I am positive that they would have released many great tracks that would have been continuously loved. Her’s have brought me so much peace and comfort with their music during my highs and my lows. Thank you, Stephen and Audun. May you continue to rest in peace.

Written as a Music Journal at the University at Buffalo, 2022.