“A lot of people who grew up there don’t end up leaving the neighborhood,” says drummer Eliza Enman-McDaniel of the Beaches, the area of Toronto she and fellow bandmates, sisters Jordan and Kylie Miller, are from. That neighborhood is a chill, touristy, family-friendly area with bistros, boutiques, and a quaint boardwalk—basically the Canadian version of Florida’s Seaside (of The Truman Show fame).
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Before they were the Beaches, the three friends were known as Done with Dolls, a band they formed in their tweens in 2007; Jordan on bass and lead vocals and Kylie on guitar. But six years later, they added another guitarist, Leandra Earl, and reformed as garage-rock band the Beaches, an homage to their childhood neighborhood. They released two EPs independently, The Beaches in 2013 and Heights in 2014.
Earl and Enman-McDaniel both point to Avril Lavigne as the artist who inspired them to become musicians. “She represented the other side of the pop world,” says Earl. “I was a little tomboy…and feeling like [I was} kind of the outcast of all the girly-girls in [my] class…and then Avril Levine came out and she made me want to play guitar and be up on stage.”
The Beaches released their first album, Late Show, in 2017 after signing with Universal Records Canada a year earlier. The band’s following grew after winning “Breakthrough Group” at the Juno Awards the next year. In 2019 they were invited to open for the Rolling Stones. The group, pardon the pun, was making waves.
But during the pandemic, everything fell apart. Universal dropped the Beaches in 2022, which caused them to re-evaluate their trajectory. “We kind of took that period as time to grow as a band and figure out what was working and what wasn’t,” says Enman-McDaniel. “And we kind of cleared house, got a new manager and new agents, and just really sat down and talked about what we want this next chapter to be and how we want our music to be.”
The band aimed to re-establish themselves—and that they did. In 2023, they released Blame My Ex, which won “Album of the Year” at the Junos earlier this year. The Beaches—never to be satisfied with just one award, also won “Group of the Year” thanks in part to the TikTok sensation, “Blame Brett,” the album’s first single. The song also led to an almost sold-out North American tour last year and another opportunity to open for the Stones.
Not bad at all for a group that had to start over from scratch during the pandemic.
“It’s been the most fulfilling year,” says Enman-McDaniel. ”I mean, we’ve been able to travel to new places. We got to go to Australia. We checked off so many things on our bucket list, I feel like, this year. But on the same token…it’s exhausting and it’s quite tiring. But we wouldn’t be doing it if we weren’t having the most fun.”
The Beaches are currently on tour through November 21 and working on a new album, which they hope to release next year.
Here’s a day in the life of Eliza Enman-McDaniel and Leandra Earl, who chose to shake things up and alternate their responses.
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Location Charlotte, North Carolina. – Leandra
Time I woke up 10 minutes before this interview, so 12:50. – Eliza
Breakfast consists of Today, half a Cliff Bar. – Leandra
To get going I always listen to Fred Again. – Eliza
I don’t feel dressed without My hat. – Leandra
Before I start working I must Smoke a joint. – Eliza
Currently working on A new album. – Leandra
But I’d really love to be I don’t know how to answer this one. Lee, what, what should I say? – Eliza
I think all of us would love to be, like, on a beach somewhere. – Leandra
Or honestly, home. I’d love to be home. – Eliza
I don’t know how anyone ever Finds true happiness. – Leandra
If I had to play one album on repeat, it would be The self-titled album by the Band. – Eliza
The perfect midday consists of A nap. – Leandra
Yeah, I was going to say a nap. We all need to get a nappy at that time. – Eliza
To help get through the day Drink coffee. – Eliza
Not a day goes by without speaking to My ex-girlfriend, Alex. – Leandra
My daydreams consist of Being at home. This whole time, I’m just like home, home, home. – Eliza
I’ll always fight for Love. – Leandra
Currently in love with My band. – Eliza
Hoping to make time to watch Abbott Elementary. – Leandra
By my bedside I always have Like, at home or on tour? I mean, I guess it doesn’t matter. My melatonin. – Eliza
To help get through the night Drink beer…You’re talking to the two currently, emotionally unstable people on the tour. – Leandra
The two who are the most depressed right now. – Eliza
When I think about tomorrow I shudder…No, I smile. Every day is a new day. That’s what I try to think about. – Leandra
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