FEBRUARY 2023
REVIEW & INTERVIEW: INDRÉ
A MONTHLY ARTICLE WRITTEN BY JUDE LEWIS, EDITED BY HAYLEY FAJERSKI
Indré from Akron, Ohio consists of Maddie Indré (lead vocals), Angelo Indré (keyboard), Sam Merendino (drums), Matt Zimmerman (bass), and Chris Brown (lead guitar). They formed in 2021 and have played numerous venues around Ohio like The Beachland Ballroom, Grog Shop, The Rialto Theatre, and more!
I’ve only heard good things about Indré but unfortunately have never seen the group live. I did however listen through a lot of their discography in the last week or so! I think my favorite song is Golden Hour.
Golden Hour is extremely catchy, upbeat, and polished. It has quickly become one of my favorite tracks from the local scene. I can definitely tell Indré’s musical influences, sounding like a 70/80s pop rock track straight from a montage scene in a movie. I mean that in the most genuine way possible, I love it! It makes me want to roll down my windows in my WRX and cruise along some backroad on a nice sunny day. Like I’m the main character in a movie! Okay, enough gushing about how happy it makes me feel, let’s talk about why it sounds so good!
I think the main “selling point” of Golden Hour is undeniably the chorus. The upbeat drums, the catchy lyrics, and those layered “ooooos” and “aaaaaas” in the background really make this a solid track. The instrumentals are extremely tight, and Maddie’s delivery is amazing. The production of Golden Hour, as well as Indré’s other tracks, are phenomenal. Their recordings sound like they were done by big hotshot producers like Rob Cavallo. No that isn’t a joke, I really think that these recordings are of platinum quality. I usually have a critique for any artists I listen to but not for Indré. Maddie gave me some insight about her inspiration for Golden Hour.
“I wrote that one about Sam. We were on a first date and driving home from Columbus. I was thinking “yeah, I think I love him, yeah wait no that’s ridiculous I can’t say that but it’s on the tip of my tongue.” Then I was like, “I got I love you on the tip of my tongue.” and then starred off into the distance. I pulled out my phone and wrote the idea for the song in my notes and sent Sam the song a couple days later.”
I also got some really great history about Indré, their influences, and challenges below!
Q Tell me about yourself Maddie!
A “Indré kind of consumes my life and I couldn’t be happier. I get to create music and perform it with my brother and my boyfriend and two of our best friends. I’m really lucky to have a group of people that wants it as bad as I do. To play as much as possible to travel and create. That pretty much sums me up. I’m a writer, I run the band, I teach yoga on the side, and I sleep.”
Q How did Indré form?
A “I basically was a solo artist for a few years. I realized that I wanted to do this with more energy, and I don’t want to do it alone. I had this vision of having a family to do it with and thought it would be more fun than being a solo artist. I asked my brother, he’s a keyboard player and singer and he’s starting to cowrite songs with me a bit, he said yes! Right away we started jamming with people. We met Sam, he came to audition, in January 2021. He was in the band for a month and then we started dating, which is really great! We met Matt and Chris really recently. Matt and Chris are pretty great cause they’re so gung-ho about this, just like we are. They’re willing to drop all their stuff and hit the road even if we don’t make a bunch of money right away. They’re down to rough it and try it. “
Q Who’s Indré’s biggest influences?
A “We all like different things which makes for a nice blend. I personally grew with a bunch of classic rock, pop, alt, and country. I love The Eagles, The Beatles, all the greats. I really got into Alanis Morissette, Paramore. I like that rock sound! When the band formed, we got a lot of 90s comparisons which is really funny because no one actually gravitates towards that sound. We do this cover of a Cranberries song so that’s probably why. Now we’re kinda leaning into those comparisons.”
Q What’s your favorite song you’ve written?
A “Not out yet. It’s called Passenger Side. It’s coming out this summer.”
Q Are you guys working on an album?
A “We’re actually just gonna do a bunch of singles, just the way the industry is. It’s better to release singles instead of albums when you’re an up-and-coming artist. The algorithm responds better to constant content.”
Q What’s your favorite venue in Akron?
A “Hmm gonna have to say The Rialto *laughs* We do love The Rialto ha-ha. My favorite venue in Ohio is Beachland Ballroom. I love that venue. It was really special to play there because I grew up going to concerts there going to shows when I was in high school and thinking, “I wanna play there!” and we did, and it was packed!”
Q What does Beachland Ballroom do right?
A “Honestly, it’s just the vibe. I can’t explain it, I don’t even think it’s the people that work there. It’s just a legendary spot.”
Q Who’s your favorite local musician?
A “That’s a hard choice. Ya know what? The Rosies, they kick butt! We were on the same festival, and I caught the end of their set and was like “woah!” everyone was dancing. So, I got hooked right away because they can create such a fun time!”
Q What has been your favorite show Indré has played ever?
A “I would say our show at Beachland was the most memorable one for sure.”
Q What has been your biggest challenge as a musician?
A “Hmm, there’s a lot of them. I think the biggest challenge comes every day. To keep your head up, be persistent even if you feel discouraged. Anyone can do this; it just takes persistence. I know we have the talent but sometimes I just feel swallowed by the whole thing and then I remember if you’re persistent, like truly want it and work every day at it, good things will happen! I think it’s a mixture of that and enjoying the journey, celebrating the wins, and living in the moment. This thing is fun, and it doesn’t matter that we aren’t huge yet. Does that make sense?”
Q Are you excited for Pop Prom?
A “Oh my god yes! I cannot wait.”
Want to see Indré live? You’re in luck! Friday, February 17th is Pop Prom with Indré, Recess, and Dive Bombs here at The Rialto Theatre. Purchase your tickets here!
Give Indré a listen on Spotify, and follow them on Instagram or Facebook!
Found this month’s Review and Interview interesting? Give it a like and share! Comments, questions, and concerns can be emailed to jlewis1231@live.com