Seeing Double Talk About Groovy Singles "Leah" And "Don't Wait"

Interview by Faith Logue

Graphic by Rebekah Witt

Seeing Double is a band from Oneonta, NY, created in March 2021. The group has accumulated a big fanbase through their energetic shows and big social media presence, amassing hundreds of thousands of views on TikTok. They are very unique because the two lead singers have the same name, Allie and Ali. Everyone on the campus of SUNY Oneonta is talking about them, and if they keep on the track they are on, people will continue talking about them. On January 28, the group released their first recorded singles as a band, the songs “Leah” and “Don’t Wait.” Both of the singles are diverse and very well-produced, considering they have never been in the studio together as a band. I sat down and asked them about the singles and plans for the band’s future.

For those who may not know, why is the band called Seeing Double?

Mike: The first time we got together to meet, it was pouring out. We went into a local pizzeria (shoutout to Sal’s in Oneonta) and just chatted for about an hour. When we came outside, the rain had disappeared, but a double rainbow was in the sky... alas Seeing Double. We like to say it’s because Ali and Allie have super similar names. I guess there’s a double meaning! 

The band formed in March 2021, so what sparked the idea of forming the band?

Allie: The band started in March of 2021 when only 500-something students came back to campus at SUNY Oneonta because of COVID. I was bored of being stuck inside and logged into online classes all day, so I decided to call my friend Mike to start up a band to play my original songs and some covers. I had a show already booked for two weeks away and figured it would be a one-time thing. We pretty much scrambled for 14 days to learn an hour’s worth of material and had a lot of fun. After that show, I realized the dynamic of the group was unlike other bands I had been in before and we needed to stick together. 

The Upstate NY area really enjoys your band, and every show you put on has a lot of energy—how does that make you guys feel?

Ali: It’s so crazy that we have built this community that comes and supports every show that we have and other bands’ shows as well! I feel very fortunate to go to a school with such a strong and supportive music community, especially as someone who isn’t doing music as a career. I speak for everyone when I say the feeling on stage is like no other, especially when the crowd is singing back the songs that we wrote. We all can’t wait to expand our shows and go to other areas of upstate NY and see what the crowd is like there!

You guys just released two singles, “Leah” and “Don’t Wait,” how did you decide on what songs you wanted to officially record?

Mike: We originally had four songs that we wanted to record and release under one EP but there’s a lot of pressure that comes with being full-time college students and conflicting schedules. Plus, we were in the studio right up until finals week. We settled on just releasing “Leah” and “Don’t Wait,” as they were the strongest songs by the end of the sessions. Maybe someday, the other two will show themselves to the world, but we’re really proud of how these two tracks came out.

What was the process of recording? Was it exciting to be in the studio officially?

Zach: Recording was definitely very interesting. It was a learning process for all of us, really, as we have all done some sort of recording project before but nothing this proper. We did a lot by trial and error, so needless to say we spent many many many hours at a time trying new sounds or mic placements. I'll skip the nerdy stuff and say we recorded instruments overdubbed after the drums. Our friend/musician Luke Mock played the role of producer for us, so it was great to have someone behind the desk that knows what it is like to compose music and help us make even some creative choices. We also urged each other to stay and chat, even if our own part was over, so we could all hear it come together. It was tiring, and boring at times, but we all had a real blast in the studio.

Where do the band’s musical influences come from? 

Mike: I’d say we have a pretty wide range of influences. I grew up listening to a lot of indie rock and punk rock, as well as 60’s and 70’s pop music - I could name dozens and dozens of different bands that got me into guitar and music in general. I’d say some of the important ones for me are The Strokes, The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, Kings of Leon, Radiohead, and The Wonder Years.

Allie: Everyone in Seeing Double has crazy different influences, but I like the way they have all been coming together when we arrange the songs in practice. My top 5 on Apple Music this year were something like Madison Cunningham, Steely Dan, Fiona Apple, Fleetwood Mac, and Paul McCartney. Fleetwood Mac is a shared love for the whole band though.

Ali: My top 5 artists and inspirations are definitely very different from everyone else, as I love pop and alternative music. Some of my favorite artists include Halsey, Hippo Campus, 5 Seconds of Summer, and my new favorite band, The Beths. We figured out a pretty good way to have everyone’s influences and inspirations combine into the music we make and what we cover as well. 

Zach: I think our sound is very influenced by what we all like. When learning music, you play the things you find fun, and naturally, you pick up small mannerisms of your idols. I personally love Jimi Hendrix, Randy Rhoads, and SRV. Our songs were all written after someone had an idea and brought it to the group. After hearing Mike and Allie’s riffs and melodies with my riffs and melodies for a while, it really does have our own idiosyncrasies. 

“Leah, you’re breaking my heart, and I’m letting you oblivious/beauty, I’m betting you don’t even know what you’re doing to me” is a powerful chorus, what do the lyrics mean for you? And what does the song in general mean for you? 

Allie: The song’s sound and lyrics are a nod to classic 70s songs with female names in the title...some of my favorites are “Rhiannon,” “Sara,” and “Layla.” I wanted to find my niche for writing for Seeing Double, and I think for the time being, it will be combining retro elements of writing with a modern band sound, which has proved to be a lot of fun so far. I hope that this song resonates with a lot of people because it talks about a universal feeling of unrequited love and heartbreak.

The song “Don’t Wait” is very guitar-heavy and much different from the other single. What was the process of writing that one as opposed to “Leah”?

Mike: I had the main riff for “Don’t Wait” for about a year or so. We had talked about using it off and on for a bit, and one night, we were all just sitting around in Ali and Allie’s dorm room, and Allie and I just jammed out the rest of the chords within about ten minutes. The melodies and lyrics came after we had the whole structure down. 

Allie: Agreed with Mike. “Don’t Wait” is definitely a simpler song than “Leah” and meant to just get up and dance to it, even though it's about a tricky topic. The lyrics are few but describe a complicated relationship between two people where one waits around for the other to have similar romantic feelings and the speaker tells them .... don’t wait... in the nicest way possible. 

Your TikTok account has been blowing up recently; are you guys going to continue having a heavy social media presence?

Zach: We love posting on TikTok and Instagram and all socials and just being ourselves on there and having fun, not taking it too seriously. We’ll definitely keep posting, as a lot of our listeners came from our TikToks! We like to combine silly elements or trends to our videos to reach a bigger audience as well, and it’s always fun to participate in the trend on TikTok. 

Ali: I sure hope so. A lot of our social media stuff is planned and scripted, but the candid stuff has been a lot of fun. 

You guys just sold out a show in NYC, how does that feel, and does this mean you will have other shows not in the local area coming up? 

Ali: As someone who grew up 5 hours away from NYC (Syracuse), it’s so crazy to be playing a sold-out show there with people I’ve never met from all over the place. It’s definitely a bit overwhelming but very very exciting. I’ve also only been to NYC 4 times, so I’m excited to go and be a tourist too! 

Mike: It feels really good. The fact that people who aren’t our friends and family bought tickets to the show is so insane to me. I’m always super grateful for everyone who comes out to our shows.

Allie: Can’t wait for our NYC debut! Look out for a mini northeast tour early this summer and a few dates here and there in July and August. We got a van too. I am extremely excited about that.

Zach: After reading the past players that have performed at the Bitter End, it's a huge shock to me that we sold out a venue with that historical significance. As for future plans, I think we will have to expand to Madison Square Garden 

Lastly, what are some things you want people to know about the band, and what can we expect from the band in the future? 

Allie: Out of all of the unbelievable things that have happened so far, my favorite part is when the crowd sings our original songs back to us at live shows. Our friends in Oneonta, and now our fans from outside of upstate NY, have made being a part of Seeing Double even better than I could have hoped for. We have some new songs we’ve been recording in the studio... they sound a lot different than “Leah” and “Don’t Wait,” and we are so excited to release them as soon as possible. Maybe this time, we’ll brush our hair or wash our faces on TikTok or something. Also, look out for a Northeast mini-tour this summer. 

Ali: Our “Seeing Double sound” is definitely all over the place but in a good way. We all have different influences in music, so being able to combine them and create something we all enjoy and would listen to is such a fun part of the process. I’m so excited for the future in this band, between our little tour coming up and all the new music we’re writing. 

You can listen to their new singles on all streaming services, and be sure to follow them on their social media @seeingdoublebandny.