We had a chat with indie-folk duo The Bergamot about their stunning new single ‘Tides’ and their forthcoming new album
A rousing indie-folk duo who have been earning consistent acclaim on this site and beyond for the thoughtful and inspired nature of their sound and style, The Bergamot have been truly on a tear as of late, developing and expanding upon themselves with a plethora of immersive releases including their recent album Give Love Away that was created in collaboration with the Notre Dame Children’s Choir.
Their latest single ‘Tides’ is a heartfelt and nuanced new piano ballad that explores some difficult themes in a way that feels graceful and stirring throughout. You can find our glowing review of the track HERE, but following the release, we caught up with the duo for a chat about the track, the inspiration behind it, and what else the pair have planned for the future.
Hey! We love your new single “Tides.” What more can you tell us about it?
Well, it took us six years to get this track out. The journey began when we lost the biggest gig of our lives: opening for OneRepublic at the University of Notre Dame in 2020. That triggered a series of events that eventually led us to Sedona, Arizona.
When we arrived, we were devastated by the news. Would we ever recover from this setback? So I began working on a very elaborate piano orchestration, which then led to the lyrics. I wrote the song over a series of weeks, something I had never done before because our schedule had completely changed.
Then I recorded a demo, and we began charting out what it would take to get the song produced and recorded by our good friend and legendary producer/mixer, Matt Wiggins. That led to years of touring and saving money, all while I kept pushing the song forward.
Fast forward a few years, and we had the chance to premiere the song live with the South Bend Symphony Orchestra this year at the Morris Performing Arts Center. It was a dream come true. Shortly after that, we lost my father, who was a massive supporter and lover of music. We were devastated, but we dedicated this song in his honor because it means so much to us.
We also just got back from Ireland, where we filmed a music video on the Cliffs of Moher for “Tides.” We’re currently editing that short film and hope to have it out within the next few weeks.
What was the process like putting it together?
A labor of love—that’s what we always say.
It all happened with great patience and reflection because the pandemic gave us the gift of time. I recorded the original demo in Sedona in 2020, then brought the song to Matt in London in 2024. He had this beautiful upright piano brought into his studio specifically for the recording. It sounds absolutely magnificent. We finally finished the song last year and had it mastered this spring.
What were your biggest influences when creating it?
I’ve always been a huge fan of orchestral piano rock artists like Ben Folds and Billy Joel. With this song, I really wanted to dive into the depths of composition. I pushed my music theory knowledge while challenging myself melodically and lyrically. I think the pandemic gave me the space to really go deep.
Back in 2020, I imagined performing this song with a full symphony but I had no idea how that would ever happen. Little did I know we’d be invited to perform it with the South Bend Symphony Orchestra in early 2026, and that dream would become a reality. A great lesson in manifesting… or destiny. I’m still not really sure which one! Haha.
What else should we expect from your upcoming new album, Before This Is Over?
I was just listening through all of the mixes from this collection of songs, and I’m really happy with what we’ve created, both musically and lyrically. I feel like this record really moves the needle for us from a songwriting perspective.
The BPMs range from 75 to 188, so there’s a lot of ground covered. Overall, it’s a really fun record with so many great moments that I’ve been laboring over for the better part of a decade. I’m incredibly excited to finally get this record out into the world and start playing these songs live.
What else do you have planned for the near future?
Right now we’re focused on finishing the video we shot for “Tides” on the Cliffs of Moher. I think we’re going to release it both as a music video and as a short film that we’ll submit to film festivals in 2027. It’s our first venture into narrative filmmaking and acting, so it’s quite a leap for us.
But I have to admit, I really enjoy pushing myself to do things I’m not comfortable with. I never imagined acting in one of our music videos, but once we started sketching out the idea, I thought, “Why not?”.
I think, as artists, we have to keep pushing ourselves to stay ahead of AI. The goal is to be just unpredictable enough that no one, or nothing, can truly emulate us. I hope to continue doing that with this short film and build on the success of our feature documentary, State of the Unity, currently streaming on Apple TV.
Then it’s time to focus on the release of this record. Before This Is Over is going to be a huge effort for us, and we can’t wait to share it with the world.
Ever Upwards, friends!
