Big Little Lions, ‘Kind’ [Exclusive Premiere]

Folksy duo Big Little Lions are premiering their song "Kind" exclusively for readers of The Boot. Press play below to listen.

The duo, comprised of Helen Austin and Paul Otten, wrote "Kind" in the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election, when it seemed as though divisiveness was peaking.

"'Kind' was a word that was bouncing around my head the day after the U.S. election, when I saw how people were tearing each other apart," Austin tells The Boot. "I kept feeling that surely we had more in common than what divided us, and if we were all just kind to each other and recognized that we all had our own real real struggles, that would soften everyone.

"Over a year later, that polarity still seems to be holding," she adds, "and it still still stands ... Can’t we all be kind?"

Together since 2014, Austin and Otten have honed their sound into Big Little Lions' sparse and dreamy Americana vibe. "Kind" will appear on their forthcoming album, Alive and Well.

"When we started writing together, Helen and I were just throwing everything out there musically that we thought would work, and that would be fun," Otten says. "And I was trying every production trick I knew on our songs, layering each song with lots of instrumentation and vocals. It wasn’t until after we started performing together in 2014 that we realized our true sound, I think."

Alive and Well is set for release on Feb. 23.

Listen to Big Little Lions' "Kind"

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