Danish lo-fi duo lil cat is a new band, whose unpolished musical expression is the result of the period of isolation, which the pandemic brought in the spring of 2020. Consisting of couple Mads Vadsager & Cathrine van Leeuwen, lil cat was forged as a fun and creative space where they can relax and process all the dreams, frustrations and insecurities that are associated with a completely normal relationship.
Check out the impressive new single “woman up” (below) from lil cat. Engaged vocal output cuts across a bass-driven indie-pop groove, as they tatter the beat with articulated charm and restrained keyboard color. “Woman Up” is a bright effort touching on the pertinent topic of breaking down gender norms while widening our scope on how we interact and see the world around us. The duo also answered some questions – read on below…
What inspired you to make the track?
Mads: “It all started when we talked about how absurd the phrase “man up” really is. Many of us probably use a lot of phrases, which we don’t really think about and that are problematic in some way. The term “to man up” indicates that you are more of a man if you pull yourself together, which of course isn’t the case. That’s why we wanted to turn the phrase upside down and say “fuck you” to outdated gender stereotypes.”
What do you hope the listener gets out of listening to “woman up”?
Cat: “We hope the song contributes to making it cool for people to carry any gender in the way they want, no matter what. It would be nice if the song felt empowering. I am tired of being confronted with stories about how you should behave according to your gender. Most people probably mean well when they use phrases like “man up”, but I think phrases like that indirectly contribute to maintaining some twisted expectations. That’s why I think we should shake up the phrases and show how absurd they are.”
How is this song connected with the rest of the new project?
Mads: “We don’t really care about gender roles in our relationship. In our house, it’s Cat who puts up the lamps while I fetch her the tools and vacuum when she’s done. We are both fine with that. Personally, I have chosen to be a man in my own way and have a flexible relationship with my own gender identity. 99% of the time I feel confident in it but now and then I wish I had bigger muscles or knew how to use a power drill. When that insecurity hits, Cat is good at reminding me how unimportant it really is and how I should just “woman up”.”
Is there anything else you would like to point out?
Cat: “It is without a doubt the song with the fastest tempo that we have ever made. When we wrote the song it couldn’t get fast enough. It was like the song had an energy, a message, and an aggressiveness that demanded explosiveness, and that is why we kept pumping up the pace. It’s probably twice as fast as the songs we usually make. We get all out of breath when we play it in the rehearsal room. So awesome!”
