Oregon-based alt-pop trio, We Three, have built up a passionate and global safe space for their fanbase with their anthemic, emotive and life-affirming songs. I got in touch with the siblings, Manny, Bethany, and Joshua, to find out about their forthcoming album Love Me (out 21 July), which is set to be their rawest and most honest yet.
How long have you been We Three?
Manny: I guess we’ve always been doing this to an extent, because we’re siblings, but officially we started the group over ten years ago. We started out doing a lot of covers and playing a lot of weddings and then slowly but surely those turned into originals – we found the right people and started writing music.
Did you have a musical upbringing?
Bethany: It was everywhere. I think that’s something we might take for granted but I think we had three actual pianos in the house at all times, and with the number of guitars and instruments that would just come in and out of the house all the time, there was always access to music and people playing.
Joshua: It was really important to our parents to actually get us private lessons so we were involved with music groups for as long as we can remember so we had a lot of opportunities, and we’re very grateful.
Tell us about this new album, what makes it different to others you’ve done in the past?
Manny: I guess they all come together pretty organically but this one for me was slightly different because I didn’t know we were going to be releasing an album so quickly and so as soon. When I heard that it had a date and things were starting to move I had a full-blown panic attack, ‘I was like I have to write new songs, I have to do all this’ and then we were like, ‘no we have so many songs’.
Bethany: A million songs.
Manny: But I felt like I should probably write more and so I went back through the catalogue and realised what was in the vault. Some of these songs were written a while ago and it’s weird to have them still come out and be a part of this. It’s called Love Me and I think we ended up going with that because love me can be interpreted in different ways. You could be screaming it, questioning it, demanding it – whatever it is, it’s just left open and I think you can see that throughout the songs.
It’s quite raw and one of your most honest – does it ever feel quite vulnerable to put that out into the world?
Manny: Yeah, it’s terrifying. There are a few tracks on this one that lyrically are very intense. I’m writing from a very personal place and there’s not really any beating around the bush, I’m just saying things straight and bluntly and it makes me very uncomfortable but to me, that’s the point.
Joshua: I think you’re talking about things that you haven’t been so clear about before and going to places that you haven’t been that honest about before so that’s always scary.
Bethany: The fans so far have received that in a way that’s caused us to continue doing that and so it’s just the next evolution of that and we trust that we’re in a safe place to share.
You’ve kind of created that safe space for you it sounds but also for your fans, how does that feel?
Manny: I don’t think you ever really intend to create that space, it just comes down to you being as genuine as possible I think if you’re intending to create a safe space you don’t really create it…
It comes from authenticity I suppose.
Manny: Yeah, and so we were just as surprised that people are feeling comfortable enough to come out at our shows and to cry and to talk to us about things that are going on. We are always surprised every single time and I hope that’s what makes the safe space.
Did you guys have anything like that which helped you through when you were younger?
Bethany: Our upbringing was incredible in so many ways and then in other ways, we lacked what we now love to bring to the fans. Finding people that went through similar things is really special and it just came from writing about it and having people relate, and bring their own experiences to it, it’s very emotional for us.
Do you find the music industry a welcoming place to diverse identities?
Bethany: I love it for that reason. At times it can be exploited to a point and so the authenticity is really important – we want people to know that where we’re coming from is us, and if you found us here, we love that for you. We’ve found a lot of freedom so far within the music industry in that sense, for sure.
Joshua: There are good and hard experiences in all of it and so I think it’s just continuing to journey together.
How do you practice self-care?
Manny: I’m still learning but I think something that I’ve started to revaluate is my hobby that I love to do now all of a sudden is my job and so I had to find other things that I enjoyed doing other than writing music or else I just get burned out. You need those dumb little things where you can shut your brain off, they’re overlooked quite a lot and so that’s been something that I’ve tried to spend a little bit more time on recently.
Bethany: I think for myself when I’m not doing ok or when I’m mentally not at my peak, I’m very kind to other people but I need to let myself have a bad day and just let that be ok. I will often just grind and push through and not give myself time to not be ok. It’s just about continuously getting to know myself and how my brain works.
Joshua: For me, it’s all about being present. Like Bethany, I’ll just go and go and grind and grind and I just don’t let myself feel things. I think a lot of that is due to the times that we live in. Whenever we’re bored or have a free moment, we pick up our phones and we scroll or look up something and we’re not very good at just sitting and being present. For me, that’s really important but it’s also scary because as soon as you’re present your soul catches up with your body and there are a lot of scary things that come with that.
What makes you feel proud?
Bethany: I actually had an interesting conversation with my husband the other day about whether he loves himself, which I think I do. I’ve been surrounded by people that have really encouraged me to be proud of my authentic self, and I’m proud of elements of what we do and how we show up as a band. I’m just proud of us three and how we’ve worked together for so long and prioritised our relationships and found a way to show up in the music space.
Manny: I wrote a song a few years ago which was really just for me, in which I was talking to our late mother telling her all the things that I’ve done and that I hope she’d be proud of. That was really therapeutic for me because at that time I was really questioning that and I think for me a good practice is if I’m struggling, to think about how she would look at me. She’s always been our cheerleader and has always been so proud and was so good at finding even tiny little things and celebrating them. I try to be proud of those little things like, ‘I was really present today’. It helps me to think of myself through somebody else’s eyes.
Image Credit: Emilie Farris
