Scream by Tulips is a six-piece alternative rock band hailing from Tāmaki Makaurau, known for their explosive live energy. Fronted by two lead vocalists, Sam Redgrove (also known as Teddy) and Malachi Freeman, whose contrasting female and male vocals help shape the band’s sound, the group also features guitarists William Lyall and Anders Lee, bassist Minje Kim, and drummer Lucas Choi.

The band initially formed when William and Malachi met in high school. William later connected with Anders and Minje from a university songwriting club, and they decided to start playing music together. Anders then met Lucas from working at a Genghis Khan restaurant. 

That group saw a live gig that pushed them to play music more seriously. The guitarist that night was Teddy, now one of the co-lead vocalists of Scream by Tulips. They initially contacted Teddy as a fill-in guitarist, but she soon became a second singer – because deep down that’s what they’d always wanted. 

Asked about the meaning of the name, William admits that Scream by Tulips was not the first choice. “Originally we were named something really corny and lame, and then we realised we needed to change that. It was Gin and Harmonics. Really bad!

“So one day I’m going up to Whangarei, and on the way there’s this place called the Tulip Cafe, and I thought; tulip, two lips, scream… scream by tulips. Originally we were supposed to have another vocal singer besides Teddy, we just never got there. And then when Teddy got in (the band), we were like, this literally what we were supposed to be.”

The ‘tulips’ part of the name is also supposed to be a pun referencing the two vocalists, as in the two lips. The ‘scream’ was added into the name because they wanted a contrasting word, a dark word latched onto a sweet word. 

Teddy enthusiastically cites Paramore as one of her biggest inspirations when writing and performing music. “I love Hayley Williams (the vocalist of Paramore),” she adds.

The others also list several other bands as inspiration for Scream by Tulips – including Linkin Park, Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins and Turnstile. 

Malachi adds that his early songwriting inspiration came from a lot of grunge music.

“My biggest inspiration when writing originally used to be a lot of grunge. Silverchair, Stone Temple Pilots. And then as we (the band) moved into more alternative music, Radiohead inspired me.”

William adds that the Auckland music scene they’re part of has shaped the band’s sound, and inspires him a lot. “Back To The Hillside too. I love that band. Shout out to local bands.” 

William states that his favourite show the band has performed to date is the Onehunga show – as part of the two-day Swamp Spawns music festival at the Factory Theatre in October last year. Teddy enthusiastically agrees before William elaborates.

“It was a massive stage. Malachi wasn’t there. The thing is, when you have six members in your band, you can lose a couple members. Besides Lucas (the drummer). Me and Lucas are the only people who’ve been to every gig.”

For Lucas his favourite gig with the band was their Hamilton show, part of Hamdown Smackdown.

“It was in a city we had never played before. It was in a huge hall and everyone gave us so much energy there and we felt so loved, literally in a city we had never stepped into before.”

Teddy quickly responds, laughing, “I was in my pyjamas when we played!”

Scream by Tulips have by now written several songs, but have only released one song, Over and Out. The plan is to produce and release an EP. While their other songs have been tedious to complete, that was the hardest according to Teddy.

“When we were recording Over and Out, they kept changing what I was supposed to be singing when I was in the vocal booth. I was fighting back tears and I was so alone, but the song is great, thank god.”

Malachi explains that the original vocal chart caused challenges in the studio.

“Initially, I wrote it on my vocal part, the chorus, and Teddy, she couldn’t go down to my vocal line.” 

“Because I’m a woman!” Teddy adds in a singsong voice. 

Their easiest songwriting experience to date resulted in their most recent song, written during rehearsal after the band decided they wanted to have more songs before recording. 

“I played this little riff and everyone immediately latched onto it and we bashed out a song in like 20 minutes,” says Teddy. “And we opened with that just a few days later at the Crossover Chaos show.” 

William says humour is a key theme in the band’s music, and Teddy agrees, but notes that the band has been leaning towards playing sadder songs recently.

“Also happy energy,” adds William. “Scream by Tulips – the name is the contrast, a scream and a beautiful thing,”

With their infectious vocals, killer riffs, and undeniably catchy hooks, Scream by Tulips are certainly a band to watch.