Aynjel and Hon on Songwriting, Retro Music Videos, and Haunted Hotels
Since the age of 17, Aynjel’s been in bands, started club nights, and hosted radio shows. But now, she’s onto a new, solo venture, with three singles out so far. Her latest, “Sugar Coat,” brings in fellow DOTYK band member Hon, creating an electro-pop universe revolving around them.
Nestled in an easyHotel in Liverpool, while travelling for her day-to-day job as a tattoo artist, Aynjel had a revelation. The way people spoke to her, often speaking down, brought out feelings of frustration and anger. Instead of sitting with those feelings, she decided to express them through a fun, comedic song.
“I was like, ‘I’m gonna do the song now!’” says Aynjel. “A lot of my releases before this, especially the first one, have been really serious. I was tackling feelings about my friend dying, so this one is like a silly, bimbo, feminist anthem. I sent it to Hon really late, thinking, ‘Is she gonna think I’m really weird?’ But she liked it!”
“Aynjel sent me the version when I was coming back from work,” laughs Hon. “It was 4 am and I was waiting for the train. It was the best recording I’ve ever heard, I just loved it.”
From the beginning, the pair wanted to channel negative emotions in a productive way. It culminated in “Sugar Coat,” a carefree, 80s-inspired single that built an alternative universe around retro, feminist bimbos.
But what does music inspired by feminist bimbos actually sound like? Bimbo pop is glitter with teeth: with a tongue-in-cheek blend of 80s synths, camp feminism, and unapologetic humour, Aynjel and Hon reclaim the “dumb blonde” stereotype as a site of power, parody, and play.
“I usually start with different beats and synths to see what’s inspiring me, and lyric-wise I’ll do a spider diagram in a sketchbook or I’ll do some drawings,” continues Aynjel. “I sing along with what I’ve made again and again and again until it’s right. Hon wrote her piece when I sent it to her. When she first came to the studio to record it, I thought it was hilarious.”
“If I’m given a piece of music, I tend to have an idea for the lyrics, but I write on the day before, or on the day,” says Hon. “I’m really bad. There will be something floating in there, and I’m just like ‘Okay, now I need to, because I’m going to record it or practice it or whatever.’”
This piecemeal way of creating a song actually turned out in Aynjel and Hon’s favour. The punchy and bold lyrics use humour and punk influences to make a lasting impression on the listener.
“I was trying to bring out my little snarky comedian,” laughs Aynjel. “London Bridge has fallen on my head. Do you like girls who are partially brain-dead? I used to work at an art bar, and I had short blonde hair, and all these old men would come up to me and be like, ‘Ooh, I’ve always wanted to be served my Marilyn Monroe,’ or ‘Ooh, your hips look so good in that dress. ’ I was playing on ‘What if I actually wanted to be with these stupid men?’ Hon’s verse is funny too. I’ve got tits and brains, and now we’ve got badges that say that.”
The pair have been involved in multiple musical ventures, from indie band DOTYK to joint club nights in iconic London venues like the George Tavern and Ridley Road Market Bar. Both ventures draw on a rich pool of inspiration, namely the 80s synth and the New Romantic era. One song, in particular, “Sex Dwarf” by Soft Cell, inspired a fitting music video for “Sugar Coat”, which was filmed in a Scarborough hotel.
“In [“Sex Dwarf”] were comments talking about this dumb chauffeur,” continues Aynjel, her eyes lighting up as she mentions the lyrics. “We thought, ‘Oh my God, why don’t we get a chauffeur in? What if we’re bullying him?’ We did all of that. [But] we did lose half of the footage when we were up in Scarborough.”
Hon adds, “I do think the hotel might be haunted, and that might be a part of it.” The pair experienced objects flying off the dresser during the shoot, like the producer’s heavy camera and gimbal. They also heard loud noises coming from upstairs, as if they had neighbours above, but Aynjel and Hon were on the top floor. “There’s always a ghost thing that happens,” says Aynjel.
The music video for “Sugar Coat” is in the final stages of editing and will be available for the world to see soon. That, alongside a “Sugar Coat” manifesto, brings the 80s bimbo universe to multiple art forms, truly showcasing Hon and Aynjel’s creativity.
Despite criticism, previous difficulties, and doubts on live performance, Aynjel pressed forward in her solo venture, using it as a way to heal.
“It’s really scary to put your art out,” she reflects. “What if 20 people like it? What if someone makes fun of me? It’s got to the point where it’s been like ‘buck yourself up and just do it.’”
Catch Aynjel’s next event, ‘Aynjel’s Plastic Club’ with DOTYK on Tuesday, the 14th of October at Ridley Road Market Bar in London, but follow their socials below for more info as well!
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