If you haven’t heard of this week’s Her Campus Cutie, you probably will soon, as they will be up on the stage as one of this year’s Spring Fling Student Openers. We got a chance to ask the members of Nero, My Panda some questions about their band, Spring Fling, and more! Meet Elliah Heifetz, Andrew Goble, Max Gordon, and Paul Hinkes:
HC: So y’all are playing at Spring Fling! (First off, congratulations!) What preparation are y’all doing in the days leading up?
EH: Practicing a ton—learning some new songs, digging up some old ones. I think there are a few surprises in store.
AG: Yeah, we’re just hammering out details now. We know all of the songs really well, but it’s the little things that are the difference between a good show and a great show.
HC: Tell me a little about how Nero My Panda was formed! Also, can you explain the origin of the name?
EH: One night, I told Max I had to go write a paper on this painting called “Hero and Leander.” For some reason he heard it as “Nero, My Panda” and it stuck. I actually think the band really got started, though, when we all came together, practiced, and played our first show.
PH: Yeah, our first rehearsal was really special for all of us.
AG: Paul sent me an .mp3 of the first song Elliah and Max wrote and asked me if I wanted to join. I was like, this is tight, count me in.
HC: What’s your favorite part about it?
AG: Practice. It’s hanging out with some of my best friends and playing music. Doesn’t get better than that.
EH: Watching people dance while we’re playing and not really care about watching us play. That’s awesome.
PH: I love playing with these guys. It’s exhilarating
MG: Def getting to be a Campus Cutie.
HC: What did you do when you found out you’d be playing Spring Fling?
AG: I found out first, and then tweaked and called everyone else. Only Elliah answered—Max and Paul, am I nothing to you?! Anyway, we were in disbelief. So excited.
HC: You played Fling last year so how is this year different? Are you more or less excited? Nervous?
AG: We are headlining the student bands this year, which makes it easier for both friends and strangers to come hear us play. I’m probably more excited this year because we’ve got more tracks that people know.
MG: And my weather app says it’s supposed to be sunny this year!
HC: Which other artist playing would you most like to meet?
AG: I think Diplo and I have similar sensibilities.
HC: Any crazy performance stories you can tell me?
AG: We were playing a show earlier this year where I didn’t know the majority of the fans. We’ve had tremendous support from our friends, but to see strangers singing along to our songs—I was so, so pumped that people dig what we’re doing. Also, we once played at the Jack Wills’ store and they paid us in clothing!
HC: If you could use one word to describe the group, what would it be?
PH: #memories
AG: Paul, you’re a weird man.
HC: Celebrity Crush
MG: Taylor Swift.
EH: George Clooney in O Brother, Where Art Thou
PH: Daenerys Targaryen
AG: Michael Cera in “This is the End”
HC: Favorite Dance Song
AG: “Juliet” by LMNT. That’s how you write a boy band song, people.
MG: Either that or “One Kiss” by One Direction.
HC: Do y’all have any pre-show rituals?
AG: Before every show I get really nervous and forget how every song starts. Paul reminds me and then I’m good to go.
EH: Sometimes we all sing through the first song Max and I wrote together, which we never play live anymore because it really sounds like the first song we wrote together.
HC: What is one thing we should all be looking forward to about your performance?
EH: The covers. Goble’s outfit.
HC: Spring Fling Drink of Choice
PH: Juice! Juice! Juice!
MG: Too soon.
HC: Best Pickup Line
AG: I’m the only member of my band that’s expressly not allowed to sing!
MG: “You ever heard of the Gobbler?”
HC: Relationship Status
AG: Single.
EH: Taken.
PH: I Just Want a Girlfriend.
MG: (914) 819-3138
AG: Snapchat is my preferred medium.
HC: And finally, Yale girls are the best because…
AG: I don’t want to generalize about 2,750 people, but they are all smart and nice and passionate about a lot of things.
EH: They’re smarter than me.
PH: I don’t think we’d have anything to sing about without them.
MG: Like an onion or those little Russian dolls, they grow increasingly complex and more beautiful with each new layer you learn about them.
So if you haven’t heard them yet, make sure to be on Old Campus at 4:30 to hear Nero, My Panda! You can also check out their music at https://soundcloud.com/neromypanda and like them on Facebook!