INTERVIEW WITH DESPERATELY SEEKING SUKI

RAW TAKES & RISING SOUNDSCAPES:
THE ART-POP VISION OF
DESPERATELY SEEKING SUKI

Interview With Desperately Seeking Suki by Benjamín York.
Fotographs by Eshe Taylor.

Desperately Seeking Suki, a sibling duo consisting of Natassa Zoë and Danny Pugh (SIG SALI), recently debuted with their single “Suki.” Collaborating between Australia and the UK, the pair blends art-pop and synth-heavy beats to explore the “beautifully messy” reality of love and self-acceptance. The track serves as a cinematic introduction to their upcoming EP, pairing spoken-word verses with high-energy, infectious choruses.

Despite being a new project, the duo boasts an impressive artistic pedigree. Natassa is an accomplished filmmaker and Fender-sponsored guitarist who has shared stages with artists like Liam Gallagher, while Danny is a veteran Bristol producer and Glastonbury performer. Together, they fuse their backgrounds in film and electronic music to create a genre-blurring sound designed for the modern indie-pop landscape.

Your music blends indie pop, art pop and synth pop — how would you describe the Desperately Seeking Suki sound in your own words?
I think that’s quite accurate, but also indie rock - especially with some of the songs we will be bringing out later this year.

Artists like Wolf Alice, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Arcade Fire are listed as influences. What elements of their music resonate most with you?

With Wolf Alice and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, I really admire the confidence and attitude of their frontwomen. Karen O’s live performance, in particular - how free she is with her body, how unpredictable and irreverent she feels - is really inspiring. I also love how Ellie Rowsell embraces her feminine power and connects with the audience. Musically, both bands blend indie-pop and indie-rock so effortlessly - great synth textures alongside strong guitar work. Their songwriting is also incredibly diverse from release to release, which really speaks to their willingness to evolve and push boundaries.

As for Arcade Fire, their songs don’t just sit in one place - they build and expand into something really immersive and communal. There’s something deeply human and reflective in their songwriting, like they’re tapping into shared experiences of memory, connection and growing up.

Your music balances emotional storytelling with big synth-driven energy — how do you find that balance?
I think it comes from staying authentic to whatever comes up creatively and not judging ourselves in the process. It is a vulnerable thing to do, so we try to create a space where we can just follow instinct. The emotional side tends to come through in the lyrics and storytelling, and then the production naturally lifts it into something more energetic and expansive.

Are there particular sounds or production choices in “Suki” that define the band’s sonic identity?
Keeping things as authentic as possible is really important to us, especially with vocals. I’m not a fan of vocal tuning - it can take away from the rawness. That does mean the recording process can take a bit longer, as I’m not trained and like to capture performances that feel real rather than perfect. But that imperfection is a big part of our identity.

Danny, through your project SIG SALI you’ve explored glitchy electronics and emotional production — how did that translate into this project?
SIG SALI feels like a deeply personal project - very detailed, layered, and introspective. The glitchy electronics and emotional production mirror what’s going on in my head at times. DSS, on the other hand, is all about movement and simplicity. I don’t need to overthink how I express things, the music takes care of that. That’s why I’m so into it.

When you’re writing together, does the music usually start with a feeling, a lyric, or a sound?
It’s a real mix. Sometimes it starts with lyrics and we build the song around the story, and other times it begins with a sound - a guitar, a synth or a drum pattern. Sometimes I’ll bring in a foundation and Danny will build on it, and other times I’ll arrive at his studio and he’s already laid down the bones of a track. It really depends on the moment.

As you continue to develop your sound, where do you see the Desperately Seeking Suki sonic journey heading next?
We’re definitely leaning more into guitars at the moment - Danny just bought a Firebird, so he’s feeling really inspired, and I’ve brought my pedalboard back from Sydney, which I’m excited to experiment with. That said, we both still love big, synth-driven sounds, so it’s hard to say exactly where it will land. It’ll probably continue to sit somewhere between the two, just evolving naturally as we go.

Which emerging artists makes you think, ‘Why aren’t more people talking about them?’
This is such a hard question because there are so many amazing artists out there! I guess right in this moment, I’d say… Pixey, Lizzie Esau, Prima Queen, Harry Hayes.

You've mentioned the possibility of touring on your Instagram. What might folks expect in that regard?
We both have a strong background in touring, and playing live is a huge part of why we make music. We actually performed together at Glastonbury last year under Danny’s SIG SALI project, which made us really excited to take this project out on the road.
Expect high energy, lots of movement, and a really interactive, immersive show.
We will be announcing tour dates very soon on our socials!

"Desperately Seeking Suki - Suki"

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