Power duo and harmonically-rich soul sisters, Bridget Linsenmeyer and Ines Nassara are a Brooklyn based group called Heroine. Their timeless and raw pop anthem’s always have us coming back for more. They embody what it is to be a confident and proud woman and are advocates for intersectional empowerment of women.
After the release of “Sundays”, back in February, dynamic duo Bridget Linsenmeyer and Ines Nassara are back again with the much anticipated single “You Are Seen” and we can’t get enough. I love the soft piano behind the expressive lyrics. The group Heroine are best known for their unique and expansive unison singing. It’s spectacular to hear the precision and expert delivery of every single lyric. When the drums and guitar become more powerful through the chorus it really gives it that creative anthem vibe. The chemistry and camaraderie between these two women is so evident in their vocals and songwriting skills. These multi-talented women not only have a vivid artistic view but are able to spread powerful message that their fans can relate to. “You Are Seen” is a therapeutic anthem for anyone feeling like they are invisible. It’s almost as if you have two best friends digging you out from a dark place and restoring your faith in humanity. The last chorus features a ground-breaking key change and I was blown away! When I think Heroine has peaked in skill, they surpass all expectations. Stay on the lookout for their debut EP “The Heroine EP” sometime soon this year!
Listen to "You Are Seen" here and get to know more about Heroine below!
Hi ladies! We love the new single. What inspired this song and can you tell our readers more of the meaning behind it?
Thank you so much. We think of ‘You Are Seen’ as our call to anyone who has ever felt invisible
in the world. Which has probably been every single one of us, in so many different variations and for so many different reasons. As humans, it can be difficult to know how to reach out to the people in our lives who seem to be struggling- because we’re unsure of how someone may respond or we’re afraid of overstepping. But this song is our way of saying “no matter how invisible you may feel right now, we see you, and you are not alone in feeling this way.”
Inés wrote the first verse melody and chorus in a very echoey theatre practice room at Towson University (where we both went to school). I (Inés) think I was feeling particularly sad and alone that day. I remember repeating the melody and lyrics and making a voice recording and the boomy-ness of the room sounded like a battlefield- which inspired the electronic elements to the song. Hopefully it conveys this idea that even in the midst of chaos or being lost in a crowd, you are still seen and are a vital part of the puzzle that is life.
In anticipation of the single release, we launched a campaign on Instagram called the “You Are Seen Challenge,” where we’re asking people to post their answer to the prompt “I feel seen when…” either on their feed or story, tag us and challenge 3 friends to do the same. We think it’s super important to start this conversation around what makes each of us feel seen because it’s different for everyone! If we can talk about it with our friends and family and learn to ask these kinds of questions, we can start to learn more about the people around us and we can begin to build more empathy --something the world could use a bit more of right now.
You are both so empowering for all women, do you have someone in your life who inspired you to be passionate about something so important?
Inés: I would have to say the women in my family definitely have. One specific person does come to mind for me. She was my favorite professor at Towson University. Dr. Garcia. She taught my intro to Sociology class and as soon as I finished that class I switched my major from music to sociology. I had a friend back in undergrad that was studying international studies and I asked her for advice on how to choose a passion within the social sciences/humanities. She said choose whatever pisses you off the most. Choose what you desperately want changed. Taking my intro to sociology class I learned SO much about different groups of people and class, race, gender, demography, behaviours. I grew obsessed with learning about people different than me and the underdogs. I grew more open minded and interested in having more conversations about social issues and learning how I can make a change or help people feel special and seen. That professor taught me so much and I left Towson wanting to be more like her. That whole dept is incredible. Shout out to the sociology dept at TU! So many my friend, Chinenye, during college and Dr. Garcia.
Bridget: One huge inspiration for me is my mentor, teacher and friend, Marsha Becker, whom I met at TU as well. Her and Nina Simone. After graduating from Towson, Marsha encouraged me to apply to NYU Gallatin for grad school. In the midst of applying, Marsha shared with me a one woman play she had written while she was a student there, “Whispers,” which explores issues of domestic violence. Her research included interviews with over 100 domestic abuse survivors, and she went on to perform the play in a number of different environments, including prisons and theatres around Baltimore and New York. I was so inspired by her motivation as an artist to combine her work with social change-- it made me realize how art can be such a powerful tool in this way. Around the same time, I remember watching the Nina Simone documentary (What Happened, Miss Simone) on a late night megabus, just to help “pass the time” (ha!). I ended up pulling out a notebook and taking the notes the whole time. It just clicked in that moment. Writing songs and performing about issues I’m passionate about-- music for social change-- this is what I have to do. I ended up writing my MA thesis about Simone and the impact of her music.
What is your writing process like together?
We sometimes come up with our own separate ideas and share them with each other. Then we’ll either add sections to it together or individually and hear every option. We love trying every option because you never know what could work unexpectedly or spark another idea. We each normally work with lyrics and melody first, then add chords/an arrangement, though it can vary per song.
What artists do you relate/ look up to?
Lucius for sure. The two women singing lead and unison. We do have our own flavor and sound, but they were an inspiration for this band for sure.
Would you ever consider adding more members to your group?
We do have three other band members that play with us during live shows: Elena Bonomo (drums), Dan Muniz (guitar) and Leo Sherman (bass/synth bass)— and we occasionally have a keys too. But we’ve found that a duo as the forefront works really well. We’re so different and alike at the same time. Our voices and our looks differ, but compliment each other well. And singing with your best friend? You can’t beat that feeling.
Connect with Heroine on social media
Instagram: www.instagram.com/heroine.music.nyc
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Heroine_NYC
Facebook: www.facebook.com/heroine.music.nyc
www.youaremyheroine.com