Californian's Of Eyes That See are a EDM rock band that was started by Tiffany Sinko in 2012 when she was only 15 years old. Now 18, she asked her cousin and drummer Nick Giordano to join in that would later accompany bassist David Brockenborough. Once all was set up the band went on to write and record some tunes that would lead to their debut EP "Empty Shadows" that would be followed by a debut full-length currently a work in progress. Frontwoman Tiffany Sinko the vocalist/writer for the band discusses the band's progress with music and plans for the future.
1. Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Of Eyes That See, and how long the band has been together.
Tiffany: Hey guys, this is Tiffany Sinko, vocalist, writer, and front woman of Of Eyes That See. I started the band when I was 15 going on 16, when writing our first 5 song EP "Empty Shadows" (now on iTunes) and formed the band around the time that the EP came out in January of 2013. We're about 2 and a half years strong!
2. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there?Are there any local bands you could recommend?
Tiffany: The band is based out of Orange County, California. Our music scene is extremely diverse. Orange County can be known for genres such as indie, hardcore (Chain Reaction, etc.), EDM, and so on. We're also right next to Los Angeles, the biggest music county in the world. We've played with many local bands, and they've all been amazing. Any Orange County, LA, or Inland Empire bands I'd recommend!
3. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.
Tiffany: As I said above, this project started when I was 15, when I had entered the studio with our producer Joel Piper (Confide, Avery Pwky). Him and I started writing towards a 5 song EP and soon into the writing process I'd decided I wanted this project to be a full rock band. Especially since that was the way the music was heading. So I called up my cousin Nick Giordano (23), who's been drumming for around 15 years, and asked him to be my partner through this process. He agreed, and through looking for members, he asked his long time friend David Brockenborough, AKA "Scoop" to play bass for us. There was an undeniable chemistry and we've been 3-strong ever since.
4. How would you describe your style? Which bands influenced your music?
Tiffany: I'd describe our style as alternative-rock with an EDM flair to it. It's hard for us to pinpoint a specific band that we take influence from, because when we're in the studio, we just write what comes to us. But if we had to pick, some of my personal influences when writing are Flyleaf, Paramore, Calvin Harris, Tove Lo, and more.
5. What are your songs about? (What specific themes do they cover?)
Tiffany: When I'm writing the lyrics to our songs, I usually write in the perspective of things that I've been through, and communicating them in a broader, more universal way that is relatable and comforting to those who listen. I'd say the overall concept is about the darkness of the world we live in, and being able to overcome that and truly be free, as well as living life joyfully and to the fullest.
6. Do you write your own songs? (Discuss the songwriting process in detail.)
Tiffany: I write all vocals for all OETS tracks. So that covers melodies, harmonies, lyrics, concepts, etc. Our producer, Joel Piper, writes and tracks all music. Him and I are a dynamic duo when you put us in a studio together, and theres a definite chemistry that helps us both write together and feed off of each other to come up with the best possible version of the song we're writing.
7. How has the band’s sound evolved from the EP "Empty Shadows" to "Of Eyes That See - Self Titled"?
Tiffany: We've evolved a ton. When Empty Shadows was released on iTunes, we were just getting started. Playing our first gigs, trying to find all the right members, etc. Now, we're so comfortable with each other on stage, which definitely transfers into the studio. There's a stronger and more mature sound in us that we wanted to get out. Personally, I aged a few years between those two releases. So I had experienced a lot more in my life, and grown so much, that I was able to really channel that in the studio. Empty Shadows is reflecting a very dark period of my life. And the self titled album reflected me coming out of that dark period and finding so much joy in my own life, and I so desperately wanted people to hear that so that they may find that as well, and/or relate to it.
8. Was your songwriting and recording process any different than usual for this CD?
Tiffany: Our songwriting and recording process changes and varies for every song we write. It depends on what idea comes first that we hang on to and run with. Sometimes it'll be Joel playing chords on a midi-keyboard. Sometimes it'll be a concept, a lyric, or simply just a melody running through our head. So with that being said, I don't think there was much of a difference, simply because the process changed through every song we wrote.
9. What inspired the album title? Is it a concept album?
Tiffany: We wanted our album title to be self titled because it's our first full length album we had written and released. We were proud of what we wrote, and there was such a change in growth and maturity, that we wanted the world to know us by these 10 songs on the album. It was kind of our way of saying "Here we are, here's what we stand for, and here's our hearts."
Tiffany: Again, Joel Piper of Confide produced the self titled LP. It's always great working with Joel. Him and I are extremely close. He's the older brother I never had. With that being said, such a close relationship causes an extremely strong bond and chemistry when it came to writing together in the studio. He always had ideas. His mind was never dry. And that was something incredible to work with. He would come down to my house for weeks at a time, and we'd set the studio up in a spare room and create a certain vibe in there. We'd sit there for hours on end and write until we couldn't see straight. It's always a great experience working with Joel, because it's like working with your best friend or a family member.
11. Who did the cover art for "Of Eyes That See" and how much input did you have on it?
Tiffany: A good family friend of ours Rodney Agura designed the cover art for us. Him and my dad worked together as graphic artists for close to 10 years, and I grew up with his kids, so there was a very close relationship and understanding there. Rodney is an extremely talented artist. He knows exactly what to do when he hears the music. He has an image in his head and he runs with it. I trusted him due to his musical tastes (like The Smiths, Misfits, etc.). I told him a general idea of what I had in my head, and he delivered tenfold, along with making the logo that's also on the cover. He did a great job bringing our ideas to life!
12. What are your expectations for the CD?
Tiffany: Our hopes for this CD is just to reach as many people as possible. We hope it can be a light when one's life might seem dark. Or just an encouragement that they're not alone, and they can do it. We want to go on the road ASAP and play these songs across the country every night. As long as it positively effects at least one person, I believe we've done our job, and we've accomplished what we did this for.
13. What are your upcoming tour or show plans?
Tiffany: Right now we are in the planning stages for a couple west coast tours in late spring, early summer, and other tours that are being planned for the fall time. We can't wait to go on the road. While those are being solidified, we are playing everywhere locally we can as often as we can.
14. I had discovered you guys while watching this channel a Christian based one called JCTV where they had a segment called "Hardcore Blender" showcasing an array of acts, with your video "Breathe Again" popped up and that's what drew me in, what do you think of people discovering music in this format? Which way do you use to discover music or would you like or want people to use?
Tiffany: To us, it doesn't matter how people discover us, we don't mind any way! As long as people find us and like what they hear, that's the best thing we could ask for. It's awesome that we have a relationship with JCTV, they're great, and we're so glad you heard us on that. But people can find us anywhere (Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, etc.) and listen to our music. Any outlet is awesome!
15. What was the last song you listened too and why?
Tiffany: The last song I personally listened to was "Out Of Mind" by Tove Lo. My current obsession. It's one of the best songs melodically I've heard in a long time, an has an incredibly strong chorus. Not to mention Tove Lo's voice is phenomenal. And man can she write! Give her a listen if you haven't.
16. If you weren't involved in Of Eyes That See, what would you see yourself doing continue doing music or do something totally different?
Tiffany: Music is all I've ever known and ever wanted to do. For as long as I can remember I've never had any desire to do anything except music, whether it be writing, performing, producing, etc. So if I wasn't involved in OETS, I'd like to think I'd still be pursuing music one way or another. However if I absolutely had to chose, a couple other interests would be possibly going to school to study theology, or even pursing being a makeup and/or special effects artist.
Tiffany: I'd like the listener to remember the way the music made them feel. I know the most powerful music for me are the songs that move me, no matter how many times I listen to them. That is my ultimate hope: that these songs move people in a positive way. I want them always to remember the feeling they had when they first listened to our music, hopefully forever positively effecting and influencing their lives for good.
18. Do you have any final words of wisdom?
Tiffany: Life isn't all gumdrops and rainbows. It can get pretty discouraging. Even I get discouraged on a daily basis. But if you take a step back and look at the big picture, is it worth it to be discouraged? Go out and do something that makes you happy. Find and surround yourself by people who lift you up. And don't be afraid to go after risks. You gotta risk it to get the biscuit. Because I don't know about you, but I'd rather have absolutely nothing from trying, than have everything from never trying at all.
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