War on War addresses very current themes such as war, manipulation of truth, and the destruction of progress. What inspired you to write this song at this particular moment?
I wrote the lyrics in the spring of 2025 when the chaos of the current administration was being unleashed onto the American people. The aggression and complete recklessness of their actions was staggering. It wasn’t hard to imagine that the hostility would spill over beyond our borders.

Samantha, you directed the music video. What story or message were you trying to convey visually?
The power of the voices of the people of the world. I wanted a sense of urgency for action, a condemnation of silence, the need for unity beyond borders. There may be billionaires pulling the strings, but they are few and far between compared to the billions of people who just want to live their lives in peace, raise families and make the most of their time on earth. I used the winter scenes to convey coldness and the outfits with the long coats (incidentally the coat I’m wearing is an actual Navy coat) as a visual reference of world wars, the stark portrait type scenes for urgency and power. The breakdown portion with the ink splattering and my scream causing it to retreat, a visual nod to the power of our voices.

Scott, your background in hardcore punk has shaped the band’s sound. How does that energy manifest in War on War?The intensity I feel when I play has always been there from the beginning when I started at the age of 13. Even though I now use an acoustic-electric hybrid Fender guitar, the energy is ever present. This song taps into that raw energy and when I sing the backing vocals especially when I bark the word ‘war’ it always reminds me of Cal the singer of Discharge, a big influence for me, singing about the atrocities of war.

The song combines electro-acoustic guitar, electronic percussion, and strong vocals. How do you balance all these elements without losing the power of the message?
It all works together to deliver the message. Everything falls into place to create that intensity, whether it’s the down picking on the guitar changing to strumming back to down picking and back again in the verses and pre-chorus, it’s the tension and release. That works in conjunction with the different chord voices. The keys use that main line to bring a groundedness and also heighten the intensity at some points. The sounds that pepper the track, punctuate. The vocals carry the message with a sense of urgency and call for action, working as an antidote to apathy.

Frenchy and the Punk has a distinct post-punk aesthetic but also incorporates new wave and sonic experimentation. How would you define your musical identity today?
An amalgamation of our two distinct journeys that collided and formed this ever growing and evolving sound.

You both come from very different artistic backgrounds — Samantha in visual arts and dance, Scott in punk/hardcore — how does this fusion influence composition and live performance?
Although we come from such different backgrounds we are both very fiery people when it comes to creative expression. My dance background brings a dramatic flair to my style and Scott’s hardcore background brings an intensity that perfectly complements that.

Your creative process is very DIY. What are the biggest challenges and benefits of maintaining this independent approach?
Although we did get signed by independent record label, Distortion Productions, last year, we maintain creative control and can continue to shape our vision in a very organic way and be true to our own evolution. The challenges are the same for any full-time independent artist without a trust fund… financial. And of course, the challenge that there are only so many hours in a day and balancing our creative work with rest, which we are trying to be better at; which is a pitfall of loving the work that you do.

Performing up to 100 shows a year is a marathon. How do you maintain energy and consistency on stage?
A healthy lifestyle! We are both very conscious of the need to support our bodies and minds with what serves us to have the energy to do what we do. We eat healthy and we try not to go down negative mind spirals. We also both love performing so, no matter what, the switch is turned on as soon as we hit the stage.

For this Spring 2026 tour, what do you hope to bring to your audience, especially longtime fans?
A sense of unity of the alternative communities we have been part of, for all these years. A sense of passion for the art of creating what is meaningful to us and for the messages we want to share. A love of humanity even with all its flaws and a call to movement through action, through voices whether it be just within your own life or on a larger scale. We have always wanted to create a space to get respite from the chaos of the world and to inspire.

What differences have you noticed between performing in the United States and Europe, in terms of audience reaction and stage atmosphere?
Playing in the alternative scenes here in the US feels like there is a European sensibility intrinsic to the scenes themselves. If we were playing in a more Indie Rock or Americana type of scene in the US, it would be much more ‘American’. Or at least that’s our perception. When we go to Europe, it’s an intensification of what we feel here in the States. It’s a different experience for Scott than for me as I grew up in France and England before moving to the US.

The single precedes a full-length album planned for late 2026. What sonic or thematic evolution can we expect from this next release?
A continuation of the delving into the darker aspects of our existence with a dose of resilience and determination to forge ahead supported by a sonic backdrop of our ever evolving post-punk sound. The exploration and expansion of keyboards and beats providing textures and framework to buttress the guitar and vocals to create the sonic power that we’re looking for.

If you could summarize in a few words the central message you want to convey with War on War, what would it be?
Our voices matter. The chaos, the poison, the bloodshed, the greed, the indifference and so much more ugliness that is unleashed on the many by the few cannot prevail. There are billions of people who don’t want war, who don’t profit from it. We cannot stay silent. Whatever act of resistance you can do matters. It can be small or it can be big, it all matters.