They’re the half-Italian, half-English pop band who describe their music as ‘nostaligic summer escapsim’. The perfect soundtrack to the coming months then. We spoke to singer Daisy Finetto about why she left Italy for Newcastle, how to swear in Italian and what she’s going to get up to at the Cambridge University Ball.
Hello Daisy. Why are you called MAUSI?
In German it means darling or honey. It’s a little term of endearment. We thought it was cute.
You grew up in Italy but ended up in Newcastle. Er, why?
Well, Thomas (her brother and bandmate) went to Newcastle for university and I just happened to go to the same city, too.
Right...
I know. Why on earth would I go to Newcastle? But I did.
What’s better, your idyllic Italian upbringing or Newcastle?
We’re from just north of Milan where’s there’s loads of lakes and it’s the beginning of the Alps and it’s all beautiful and super nice. But in Newcastle, the music scene was so good for us as an emerging band. We wouldn’t be where we are now without Newcastle.
What course did you do at uni?
I did product design.
Really helpful for your music career then, right?
Actually, all the stuff we did separately has been really useful for band. So I use all of my design skills to do all the artwork and branding and website stuff and then Ben did politics, erm, which doesn’t help but then he went and worked in a radio station, so he learned about the way the music industry worked. Thomas went and worked at Apple for a couple of years and learned how to use all of the software that we now use live, and got it all for free as well!
Did you have to convince them to leave Apple for the band?
No, don’t tell Apple though! Apple was just an interim job until things with the band kicked off. We got signed a year ago and we left our jobs and had a celebration.
What were you doing?
I'd just graduated so I was kind of like postponing getting a real job until I knew what was happening with the band. My parents were telling me like, ‘You need to get a real job!’ And I was like, 'No I’m a musician Mum, I promise you’ll see one day!’ It’s all worked out now so we’re pretty happy about it.
Can you tell me a swear word in Italian?
Shit is merda.
Do you talk about other people in Italian?
Of course! That’s the best part about speaking another language! Unfortunately, in London there’s so many Italians that it doesn’t really work as well. We definitely use it in the band but they're starting to understand that it’s because we don’t want anyone to know what we’re saying, so it’s not as subtle as we once thought.
Is it fun being in a band with three boys?
There are definitely lots of positive points to it. I normally get the bed on tour. I can get away with lots of things. I think there would be a bit of rivalry if there was another girl in the band like, ‘Oh she looks so nice in that dress.’
What’s coming up next?
We’re doing the Cambridge University Ball. They’re so much fun. They always organise them really well and they have like bouncy castles and chocolate fountains and different themed rooms. And, free food! Which is always good.
-
My Friend Has A Swimming Pool is out next month*.
Follow Jess on Twitter @jess_commons
Picture: Rex
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.