A Chat with Close To Monday (22.10.25)
European electro-pop duo, consisting of singer Ann and producer Alexander, creates music to serve as a guide for those on a journey into a world of hopes, fears, and dreams. We caught up with Close To Monday to discuss their new single ‘Pray’, and more, below.
OSR: ‘Pray’ has such a meditative, layered quality. What was the first spark of inspiration for the track?
Close To Monday: The inspiration came from a rather unexpected place – a sound. I was completely captivated by the sound of a specific synthesizer, lost in its texture, and that state of reflection naturally led to thoughts about faith. So, the track was born from that fusion of a sonic landscape and a personal, meditative theme.
OSR: How do you decide when a song is complete, especially with music that unfolds gradually like ‘Pray’?
Close To Monday: For us, a track is like a painting for an artist. It’s finished when we feel we’ve said everything we wanted to say. There’s a certain intuitive feeling that the final piece is in place and the story is fully told.
OSR: Your sound is often described as cinematic-do films or visual art play a role in your songwriting process?
Close To Monday: Absolutely. We see ourselves as painting, but using our voices and music as the brush. A key goal for us is to evoke imagery, and we have many songs that are specifically designed to come alive in the listener’s own imagination.
OSR: The vocals in ‘Pray’ feel very intimate, almost like an inner monologue. Was that intentional from the start?
Close To Monday: Yes, that was entirely intentional. The chorus actually uses lyrics from a traditional prayer, and since prayer is something deeply personal that one might not even vocalize aloud, we wanted to preserve that intimate, internal quality.
OSR: How do you balance electronic precision with emotional vulnerability in your music?
Close To Monday: We don’t actually strive for “electronic precision.” While we use electronic instruments, almost everything is played manually, with a strong focus on modular synthesis, which is very organic. The human voice then becomes the powerful vehicle that amplifies and carries the raw emotion.
OSR: Can you walk us through a typical studio session between the two of you?
Close To Monday: A typical session often starts with me sending Anna a demo. If her reaction is a positive “Oh, cool!”, then one of us will write the lyrics. We then meet in the studio to record the track. And often, we end up re-recording it!
OSR: How do you think ‘Pray’ connects with your earlier works like ‘Guns’ or ‘Step by Step’?
Close To Monday: ‘Pray’ isn’t directly connected to them in a narrative sense; that wasn’t our goal. However, we frequently explore themes of faith, justice, and the internal struggle between good and evil, so it’s connected on a thematic level.
OSR: Is there a particular lyric in ‘Pray’ that resonates with you most on a personal level?
Close To Monday: The entire song resonates with us deeply. We firmly believe that living with sincere faith in your heart is challenging, yet it’s impossible to live without faith altogether. This central idea is what the song is built upon.
OSR: Do you approach songwriting as a way of self-expression, or more as a way of creating a shared space for listeners?
Close To Monday: It’s both. We use songwriting for self-expression, and by doing so, we inherently create a space that is open to everyone. It’s an invitation for listeners to find something of themselves in our music.
OSR: If ‘Pray’ were to be a scene in a film, what would it look like?
Close To Monday: Like our snippets: a solitary figure moving through pale-gold dunes, the world hushed, air tinged with dust and sun. In the eclipse moment, daylight thins to a cool halo, and the desert feels suspended in time, holding its breath. Hands open, eyes closed, footsteps unhurried: a quiet reverence that feels both vast and close. Faith here is a sheltering sky and, at the same time, a door you choose to open inside your own heart.
Many thanks to Close To Monday for speaking with us. Find out more about Close To Monday on their Instagram, X, Facebook, Spotify, and YouTube.
