Q&A: The Aquadolls on Their Latest Album ‘Charmed’
SOMETHING CHARMING THIS WAY COMES — when, earlier this month, The Aquadolls released their junior album, “Charmed.” The band, composed of Melissa Brooks (lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist), Keilah Nina (bassist), and Jacqueline Proctor (drummer), stayed true to their femme-punk roots, taking heavy inspiration from ’90s grunge and the late ’90s TV show Charmed to make the magic that takes the form of their third album.
The album was brewed with nodes of self-love and nostalgia, highlighting the angst and ambiance of being a young adult during hot summer days. The guitar-driven band uses Charmed to showcase their evolution as a band and individuals.
Luna sat down with the band’s frontwoman, Brooks, to learn more about their recent album, LA roots, and the beauty in nostalgia. Read the interview below.
LUNA: Your latest album is titled after the late ’90s TV show Charmed. Explain the significance of the show to the band and why you chose the name.
BROOKS: Our album is heavily inspired by the grunge sounds of the ’90s, paired with the sparkly and colorful sounds of the Y2K/early 2000s. Comparing the TV show side by side with our band and our album Charmed, you have a story of three sisters bonded by magic. Our album focuses on the magic of love, friendship, chosen family, and finding your inner sparkle.
LUNA: The TV show was set in LA. As a band based in LA, do you feel your LA roots had an influence on the creation of this album? If so, how?
BROOKS: Definitely, yes! There is always something happening in LA, whether it's a concert, a party, friends to hang with, or a lover to swoon over. These topics are heavily sprinkled throughout the album, whether it's a sunnier track like “Beachy” or we’re screaming as if we were at a late-night warehouse show in “Cut Throat.”
LUNA: Charmed is your third album. How do the sound and vibe differ from your previous records?
BROOKS: This is the first album that the three of us collaborated, wrote, and recorded all together in the studio. It has a piece of all of our hearts in each track.
LUNA: In light of the album, you have released four singles, each with its own vibe. Why did you choose to release “Beachy,” “Sneaky,” “Burn Baby Burn,” and “Far Far Away” to introduce the new album?
BROOKS: “Beachy” was the perfect introduction to Charmed, as the lyrics describe coming out of quarantine and finding love within yourself in the hardships of physically being alone. This theme can be heard throughout the entire album, as well as covering all types of love. “Sneaky” critiques hookup culture and questions if romantic love can come from a late-night sneaky link. “Burn Baby Burn” is all about finding comfort within your best friends and knowing your group of pals have your back, no matter what. “Far Far Away” discusses the working class life of 9–5 jobs, and at the end of the day no one is going to save you from it other than yourself.
LUNA: Self-love is a prominent topic throughout Charmed. Why is it important to prioritize yourself and your needs before other things?
BROOKS: Love starts within yourself! In my past, I used to think I needed a romantic relationship to be able to feel loved, which is so untrue. As I have grown, I have learned to realize that you have to love yourself before you can give honest love back. Whether it's romantic or platonic, it’s very important to prioritize your mental health. Rupaul has an amazing quote I live by: “If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love someone else?!”
LUNA: In addition to discussions of self-love, Charmed has a heavy element of nostalgia. Describe the album’s creative process and why you felt it was important to include a nostalgic feel.
BROOKS: I felt it was important to have nostalgic bits throughout each song. I wanted to keep the dreamy reverb-y guitar sounds and vocal harmonies from “Stoked On You,” but with a modern twist. We incorporated the nostalgic sounds of the wall-of-sound ’60s-inspired reverb, the gritty distortion, and screams of the ’90s grunge and Riot Grrrl era, [as well as] the attitude and glitter from the early 2000s and the pop polish of the tunes from the early 2010s into our nine-track album.
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