To gear up for South by Southwest, the ORANGE Music Staff polled some of our favorite artists playing next week, and nothing was off-limits. From the silly to the serious to the mysterious, their answers made us love them even more. Check out the their responses below, and be sure to catch them live next week amid the festival madness.

Story by Amy Fennie and Rachel Rascoe

Joseph

What’s your most treasured article of clothing?

Usually the one I can’t find because it’s two cities behind me.

What album can you not stop listening to right now?

“Sales EP” by Sales, “Pools To Bathe In” by Japanese House, “Running With the Wolves” by Aurora

What was your favorite song in middle school?

Meegan and Allison: “Here Comes Goodbye” by Rascal Flatts

Natalie: The “Sister Act 2” soundtrack

What color is your music?

Sunset and sunrise colors.

What food best describes your band?

A breakfast hash with sautéed beets, kale, sweet potatoes, goat cheese, poached egg and a steaming black cup of coffee.

What’s your weirdest tour experience?

One time we were loading up the car after a show and a young drunk guy came up to Meegan and stood there quietly without addressing her. She said hi and offered him some plantain chips as a way of lessening the awkwardness. After a long pause filled only with the smacking and crunching of his open-mouthed chewing he said, “Man… These really get stuck in your teeth.” A beat. Meegan nods. Then just before she can gracefully exit he follows it up with, “Well, I’d kick myself if I didn’t ask if I could kiss you right now.”

See Joseph’s SXSW schedule here.

HÆLOS (answers by vocalist Lotti Benardout)

What’s your most treasured article of clothing?

I have a black leather belt I bought six years ago from a friend who is a vintage trader. It’s got beautiful engraved silver plates all the way around and a big silver front buckle. It’s an amazing, irreplaceable piece that’s so old and worn, but I love it and wear it all the time.

Where do you feel the safest?

I guess probably at home in London around some home cooked food with my closest friends.

When/where was your first kiss?

Unfortunately it’s not the most romantic of stories. I was 15, with my first boyfriend, standing at the bus stop outside the school gates.

What album can you not stop listening to right now?

“Maribou State” by Portraits

What series/book have your read/seen multiple times?

A few years ago I was at a difficult point in my life and someone gave me a book called “Creative Visualization” by Shakti Gawain. It talks about using mental imagery, affirmations and meditation to shape your reality and visualize positive change. It helped me through a rough patch and I often go back to it.  

See HÆLOS’s SXSW schedule here.

The National Parks (answers by frontman Brady Parks)

What is your most treasured article of clothing?

I’m a shoe guy. I love shoes but I would have to say my most treasured are my Nikes. You can never go wrong with a fresh pair of Nikes.

What album can you not stop listening to right now?

“The Desired Effect” by Brandon Flowers has been on repeat for the last several months. I can’t get enough of that album and how powerful it is from the lyrics to the production.

What was your favorite song in middle school?

I would have to say “The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World. I will always love it.

What color is your music?

I would say our music is on the bright side of the color spectrum. It’s energetic and full of life. I can’t pinpoint an exact color, so just bright.

What’s your weirdest tour experience?

I would say one of the weirdest moments was after a show in Idaho. We played at a really large/old theater and after the show everyone in the venue left, including the owner. We were left alone, so we turned off all the lights and played an intense game of hide and go seek. Memories were made.

See The National Parks’s SXSW schedule here.