IDER’s upcoming album unpacks the uncomfortable tension between self-discovery and self-diagnosis. The duo reflects on the ways culture, relationships, and unresolved trauma shape not just our behaviors but our very sense of identity. Vulnerable and expansive, the album feels like a window into the mind of an artist actively working through growing pains, where introspection can be as distorting as it is revealing.
The album’s six singles—“Girl,” “Unlearn,” “You Don’t Know How to Drive,” “Late to the World,” “Know How It Hurts,” and “Attachment Theory”—are a masterclass in sophisticated, texturally unique production, blending nostalgia with a cinematic depth.
In conversation with EARMILK, IDER gets personal about their creative process and their upcoming album Late To The World, available February 21, 2025.
E.M: Thank you so much for sitting down with me today. I’m curious, how did you start collaborating?
Lily: We met at university and became friends quite quickly. We just spent a lot of time together. We eventually started writing music and singing harmonies, and it just felt so natural, easy, and fun. We got kind of addicted to it—constantly writing songs together.
E.M: Was this a music school?
Megan: Yeah, it was sort of an arts university with a lot of different music courses. The classes we took together were more contemporary music-focused, though, not classical.
E.M: Did you both always know you wanted to pursue a music career?
Lily: I’m not really sure…I’ve always done music and loved it. It feels like one of those things where you keep choosing it, in different ways, over and over, and then it becomes such a dominant part of your life that you just end up on that journey.
Megan: I was pretty adamant about wanting to be a songwriter and an artist from a young age. I think it became a dream when I was around 14 or 15, doing open mic nights in London and writing songs. Then, when I met Lily at university, it started to feel like it could be more than a dream. It felt possible.
E.M: What is your songwriting process like as a duo? Do you have set roles, or does it depend on the song?
Megan: It’s always changing. It’s really fluid from song to song. Sometimes we’ll sit down together and mess around, other times we write separately and bring ideas to each other. There’s no strict formula. We’re always there to help each other—almost like we’re editors for one another. But, as we talked about the other day, Lil, there’s also a sense of knowing when not to step in. Sometimes someone’s personal story needs to stay a singular voice, and you can’t interrupt.
E.M: I’d love to talk about your earlier releases leading up to this new album. You started putting out music in 2016, but around 2020, your sound seemed to mature significantly. Was that a conscious shift, or more of a natural progression as you grew and gained experience? I’m thinking specifically of your song “Saturday.”
Megan: Oh my god, throwback. I forgot that song existed! I think it was definitely growing up. Around 2020, we had finished our first album, and we did a lot of growing up during that time. We must’ve been, like, 27. Your late 20s are such formative years. That growth probably made its way into the music.
E.M: Do you have a favorite project you’ve worked on?
Megan: That’s such a hard question because every new project feels like the best one at the time. Our first record was so challenging but also incredibly rewarding. It was such a massive learning experience, and when I look back, I feel really proud of us. We were young women and had to learn everything so quickly.
E.M: I’ve listened to the new album, and it’s fantastic. My favorites are “Know How It Hurts” and “Girl.” Do you have any personal favorites from this record?
Lily: It changes all the time, but right now, I’d say “Attachment Theory” and “Zero.”
Megan: I was going to say the same thing!
E.M: Is there a reason those songs feel so special to both of you?
Lily: “Attachment Theory” has just been such a central part of this project for us. It’s been a while since we made it, so revisiting it feels good. Also, playing “Zero” live recently on stage has been so fun—it’s just such a great song to perform and the audience really reacts.
Megan: Exactly! Performing really does breathe a whole new life into some songs. Some tracks just feel better when played live. “Attachment Theory” has always been my secret favorite child. It’s very personal to me. And it was such an easy birth!
E.M: How long did it take you to finish this album?
Megan: We finished the mixing process last February. We started recording in the summer of 2023, but we had been writing for years before that.
Lily: Yeah, it’s probably been a couple of years in the making.
Megan: “Killing the Game,” for example, started way back during the pandemic. I was playing the chorus even then.
E.M: For this album, were there any specific artists or influences you drew from? Or, considering the themes of nostalgia, trauma, and the female experience in your lyrics, do you feel your music is more inspired by the media you consume?
Lily: That’s such a good question. I think lyrically, I’m often inspired by conversations, psychology, reading, and podcasts.
Megan: Yeah, the world around us definitely influences our writing. “Know How It Hurts” comes to mind massively. We started writing it in 2022, when there was so much conversation around abortion bans in the U.S. That was a huge part of the song’s origin. And then it came out in November, making it feel relevant all over again.
E.M: Are there any artists you’d love to collaborate with?
Lily: Chappell Roan, Charli XCX…
Megan: Who wouldn’t? CMAT would be amazing too. And Blondshell! Waxahatchee!
E.M: “Girl” actually reminded me of Charli’s remix album—you totally exist in that musical world.
Lily: We’re ready whenever you are, Charli.
E.M: I’ve talked to some artists who feel a mix of nerves and grief around releasing music, like they’re letting go of a part of themselves. How do you feel during this release cycle?
Lily: I think I disassociate a little bit. I’m kind of joking, but there is some truth to that. It feels like both the hugest and smallest thing ever.
Megan: It’s separation anxiety. When we released “Girl,” I was a wreck. But as you keep putting out singles, you get a bit more comfortable with the process. Now, I’m mostly just excited.
Lily: Same.
Stream Late To The World on Spotify and Apple Music, available February 21, 2024.
