They’re the duo who had the most Shazam-ed hit in America back in 2016 when their track, Down, featured on Apple’s AirPods ad.

Now, Marian Hill AKA producer Jeremy Lloyd and singer, Samantha Gongol have a platinum single under their belts and have just released new track, Subtle Thing. 

Here’s what went down when we grabbed five…

How did it all start for you?

J: I asked my parents if I could learn to play violin when I was four and a half.

S: I sang Just Around the Riverbend from Pocahontas in a first grade talent show

What does your typical day look like?

J: At home – wake up late, make lunch and watch a show, shower, head to the studio, meet friends for dinner, head back to the studio, work ‘til late making things. On the road – wake up in a new city, find a delicious vibe-y brunch, walk around after, head to the bus studio for a bit, soundcheck, go out to dinner, play the show, head back to the bus studio, work ‘til late makin’ things.

S: Honestly I travel so much it’s hard to have a set routine. It totally depends on where we are and what we’re doing. When we’re on the road I often have to start getting ready for the show pretty early. I’ve been trying a new routine where I get up a little earlier and practice French for an hour (I’m taking a French class) / mayyyybe go to the gym (but honestly it’s so hard haha) and then work on music in some capacity.

Describe your sound in three words…

J: Unusual familiar groove

What was your most memorable gig?

S: We’ve had a lot of memorable shows but we once had to play our song One Time on an airplane heading back to SXSW. They flew us out of Austin just so they could fly us back to perform on the plane. We had maybe 4 minutes to get the song right as the plane was rapidly descending haha. I think Steve’s head was bumping against the ceiling, and Jeremy was crammed in the front exit row.

What did you have on your playlist growing up?

J: Oh man…Nelly, Postal Service, Kanye, Eyedea & Abilities, Blink-182, Imogen Heap, Missy Elliott, anything The Neptunes or Timbaland or Dr. Dre touched, the garden state soundtrack, Tonedeff, Simon & Garfunkel (shout-out dad)

S: Eeeesh. I liked Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears and Destiny’s Child, Whitney Houston, Norah Jones, Eminem, Missy , Mariah Carey , Etta and Ella and Dinah Washington, Donny Hathaway , KT Tunstall and Amy Winehouse

What’s the last song you listened to?

J: The El-P Remix of Lorde’s Supercut. Wowowowowow.

S: Bathwater by WESLEE . Thanks to my Lyft driver for showin’ me

Who’s the coolest person you’ve met?

J: When I was in an a cappella group in college we sang at a holiday party at the Obama White House and an older man in a dope suit wanted to get a picture with us and after he got the picture and left the room I realized that he was Quincy Jones.

S: Wait Jeremy so was it Obama or Quincy Jones? I did get to meet Christina Aguilera who was a childhood idol of mine and I was freaking out.

If you could collab with anyone who would it be and why?

J: One of my bucket list lifetime dream goals is to produce a whole record for Usher. I think he’s got the best voice in the world and I’d love to really put it on display.

S: This question’s always hard for me – there are a lot of artists I’d love to work with!

What does 2018 have in store for you?

J: New album, new tour, new everything…feels good to get things going again and we’ve got a lot of stuff in store. Really proud of this new record, it’s super concise and sexy and different.

S: What Jeremy said! We’re also going to Japan for the first time and are hitting a few cities domestically and internationally that we’ve never been to before.

What advice would you give anyone wanting to get into music?

J: Give yourself time and freedom to play around and find what excites you. And then focus on that, lean into what your specific preferences are. The most important thing is to distinguish yourself from the crowd, and the best way to do that is to try a million things and follow your totally unique self.

S: It’s not a rush nor a race, though sometimes it can feel that way. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, and work with different people.

My style is…

J: Long, comfy, autumnal and logo-free

S: Changing. Though crop tops are a spring essential

I really can’t live without…

J: Cereal

S: Red lipstick

At the weekend I can be found…

J: Baking pies

S: Going back and forth between wishing I had a dog, I seriously consider getting one then recognizing how impractical it would be at the moment to get one. It’s a toxic cycle.

My special skills are…

J: Baking pies, tap dancing, subbing in your church choir

S: Accents, glitter

I’m always talking about…

J: Music and whatever amazing TV show I’m currently watching

The hashtag I always use is…

A word or phrase I overuse is…

J: Sam says interesting all the time. It has lost all meaning.

S:  Haha, I do overuse that. But it’s my fave and so versatile!

If I was an emoji I’d be…

S: Hmmm. I don’t know if I would be this emoji ( I’d like to think I’m the ‍new fairy ish queen) but my new fave is definitely the googly eyed face where the left eye is smaller than the right eye and the tongue is sticking out. That and the disco man in the purple suit . They definitely filled a void in my emoji lexicon. I love emojis tho- sometimes I go on a hunt for super random ones I might have missed and find ones I never knew existed!

Follow them @marianhillmusic