• 2016-

  Hannah JoyLead vocals, various instruments

  Tim FitzVarious instruments

  Harry DayDrums
• Hannah Joy and Tim Fitz are the primary songwriters in the group. They're also married - they had their first child in 2020.
• The group is from Sydney, Australia. They got a lot of support early on from Australia's Triple J radio station, which played their 2016 debut single, "Edge Of Town," and showcased the band. They were happy to get some attention in their home country and thrilled when word spread overseas. A producer on the American late-night show Conan show heard the band and had them perform, which game them some cachet in that country. Elton John got word and declared himself a fan. He put the song on his Apple Music playlist and played it on his Beats 1 radio show, introducing Middle Kids to the UK and other parts of the world.
• Tim Fitz was established locally as a solo artist when he met Hannah Joy in 2014. At the time, Joy was in a band and also recording as a solo artist. Fitz became her producer, and when they started working on the song "Edge Of Town" in 2016, they brought in Harry Day to play drums on the track. The collaboration went so well that the three of them formed the band.
• Hannah Joy and Harry Day both went to school for music. Joy is a graduate of the Australian Institute Of Music, and Day of the Sydney Conservatorium Of Music, where he majored in Jazz Performance.
• They first played America in 2016, then returned in 2017 as opening act for Cold War Kids and on various festivals, including South By Southwest and Lollapalooza.
• Hannah Joy writes most of the lyrics, which got more personal starting with their second album, Today We're The Greatest. Their discography is a mix of true stories and fiction.
  
  "It's easier to sing angst that sounds true, and harder to make a joyful song land," Tim Fitz explained to Songfacts. "The best songs are a mixture of both."

Comments

More Songfacts:

Don't SpeakNo Doubt

No Doubt's hit "Don't Speak" is about Gwen Stefani's breakup with the band's bass player, Tony Kanal, after seven years together.

Don't Worry Be HappyBobby McFerrin

The song "Don't Worry Be Happy" doesn't use any instruments - it's all Bobby McFerrin using various parts of his body to make the sounds.

Nothin' On YouB.o.B

When "Nothin' On You" reached #1 on the Hot 100, B.o.B became the first American act whose name is a palindrome to top the chart. The other two who did so prior to the Atlanta rapper were both Scandinavian groups - ABBA and A-Ha.

ChangesDavid Bowie

The movie The Breakfast Club opens with a passage from David Bowie's "Changes" ("And these children that you spit on...")

Burning Down The HouseTalking Heads

"Burning Down The House" by Talking Heads was inspired by chant band members heard at a P-Funk show where the crowd yelled, "burn down the house... burn down the house."

SingEd Sheeran

"Sing" was inspired by a girl that Ed Sheeran met in Las Vegas in the summer of 2013, when "one thing led to another and now she's kissing my mouth."

Editor's Picks

Stan RidgwaySongwriter Interviews

Go beyond the Wall of Voodoo with this cinematic songwriter.

John Kay of SteppenwolfSongwriter Interviews

Steppenwolf frontman John Kay talks about "Magic Carpet Ride," "Born To Be Wild," and what he values more than awards and accolades.

Macabre Mother Goose: The Dark Side of Children's SongsSong Writing

"London Bridge," "Ring Around the Rosie" and "It's Raining, It's Pouring" are just a few examples of shockingly morbid children's songs.

Narada Michael Walden - "Freeway of Love"They're Playing My Song

As a songwriter and producer, Narada had hits with Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Starship. But what song does he feel had the greatest impact on his career?

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TVSong Writing

Shows like Dawson's Creek, Grey's Anatomy and Buffy the Vampire Slayer changed the way songs were heard on TV, and produced some hits in the process.

Desmond ChildSongwriter Interviews

One of the most successful songwriters in the business, Desmond co-wrote "Livin' La Vida Loca," "Dude (Looks Like A Lady)" and "Livin' On A Prayer."