Meet Queen of Spades: A Conversation with Peggy and Emilio
- Hawk-IT Interviews
- May 4
- 14 min read
Welcome back to Hawk-IT Interviews! Today, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Peggy and Emilio from Queen of Spades, a dynamic Dutch band pushing the boundaries of Hard Rock. Known for blending multiple subgenres and challenging traditional ideas of femininity within the scene, QOS is on a mission to reshape perceptions of the genre and connect with a broader, more inclusive audience.
The band has already made its mark on stages like The Little Devil, The Mezz, Stage Music Café, and Breda Barst, and has performed as a support act for artists such as Woyote and The Dirty Denims.
In this interview, we dive into the stories behind Peggy and Emilo, explore the journey of Queen of Spades, and uncover what drives their unique sound and vision.
Amit Ahuja: To begin at the very foundation of your story, I’d love to take each of you Peggy and Emilo back to your earliest memories. Can you paint a vivid picture of the environments you grew up in? What were your hometowns like in terms of culture, energy, and community? How did your surroundings — the people, the atmosphere, the challenges, and the opportunities — shape your emotional and creative development during your childhood and teenage years?
Peggy: I grew up in a big and loving family in the south of the Netherlands. Everything was evolved around family and playing outside. I got bullied at school from the age of 9 until I was 12. This hurt my confidence a lot. My teenager years were fine, but once I became 18 I had a lot of bad relationships. I think this made me strong and the person I am today.
Music plays a big role in my life. It also runs in the family, my grandmother was a singer in a choir and my uncle and dad were in a band together. There was always music.
Emilio: moved to many different place due to my father’s work situation. I lived a in a few different states in America and when I was about 15 we finally moved to italy (where I am originally from) But in the time I was grateful for the many travel experience and saw different parts of the world. I t helped me open my mind at a young age and exposed to me how there are many different cultures. I struggled a lot with leaving friends behind and that closed me up until I realized that is also apart of life people come and go. But in music I was able to express these feelings. I also played the violin for a while until I started playing the guitar. It was an easy switch. I am more or less the only person in the family who plays music.
Amit Ahuja: Looking back now with greater perspective, how do you feel those formative years influenced the individuals and artists you’ve become today? In what ways did your upbringing shape your worldview, your emotional depth, your resilience, and ultimately the way you approach creativity and self-expression? I write all the lyrics for the band and
Peggy: I write about my personal life. It’s a form of self-reflection and therapy for me and it heals me. Because I went through some tough times in life and I think it made me stronger and I have a good view on people and life. Being the front woman in Queen of Spades is my passion and dream and I’m doing everything I can to make us grow into a bigger band.
Emilio: By visiting different cities and seeing different cultures it opened my mind to how we may all live and have different ways but we are all looking for stability and safety. For me my safety is music and there I can express my emotions. Music is also a space to express whatever you want. I have choices in how I want to play my music.
Amit Ahuja: Every local music scene has its own identity — its own pulse. Can you walk us through what it was like coming up in your respective scenes? What were the venues, the people, the promoters, and the communities like? Were there any defining moments, struggles, or breakthroughs that stand out? And how did that environment influence not just your sound, but your work ethic and sense of identity as musicians?
Peggy: We are always kind and grateful to everyone we meet and have contact with. We have played for 5 people at times, but we still tried to make the best out of it and played like there were a 1000 people. We have been playing live for more than 6 years and you learn a lot from that. The first show I was shaking a lot and wasn’t moving at all. We try to learn for every show and do it even better the time after. The people we played for and venues were always nice to us. The people who came to our show were either interested or not and just drank their beers. \
Emilio: Rock/metal music isn’t that popular but if you find the crowd then it starts growing. We have played many shows in the last 6 years. The first few shows I was nervous but I have already done performances from my formative years as a violin player. But this time I had to present myself differently on stage. There is also a great fear at the start will people accept me if I dress like this or if I move a certain way. But as I do more concerts I am learning I want to do what I want and if people want to join feel free and if not I am also completely fine with it. We also had issue with band memebrs coming and going. It was hard to find people with the same mind set. But Peggy and I remained and we kept pushing each other and up until now I am happy with the steps we have made and have learned a lot in the process. Out breakthrough is when we opened up for tremonti. It was a great feeling to open up for not only an amazing band but also in an amazing venue and in front of the public.
Amit Ahuja: Individually, when did music shift from something you simply consumed to something you felt compelled to create? Was there a specific moment, experience, or realization that sparked that transition for each of you? At first, our band was a cover band. But I didn’t
Peggy: get a lot of energy from doing that. I was scared to write my own music, but I pushed through. Hearing your own song for the first time is a feeling you can’t describe. Once I started writing lyrics I could also feel that this was my passion. Doing this together with my vocal coach, uncle and father brings me joy.
Emilio: There really wasn’t a transition for me. Since I played the violin I always wanted to create music. But I feel like violin is a bit constricted. While guitar is more general and you can use guitar in more genres and have more flexibility to play with the tone of the guitar.
Amit Ahuja: What initially drew each of you toward the genre you’re rooted in today? Beyond the technical or sonic elements, what was it about the culture the emotion, the aesthetic, the sense of belonging — that connected with you on a deeper, more personal level?
Peggy: I grew up with bands like Queen, Dire Straits and more classic rock. But I was not really into rock and metal at first. Then there was a question online that they were looking for a singer to sing rock covers and I thought: why not. Let’s try it. And it really helped me gain confidence in myself, finding my voice and evolving my singing. I love this scene so much, because the fans are really true and loyal and usually the fans of rock and metal are really kind people.
Emilio: When I first saw the guitar I got pulled into rock and then later I was pulled into metal, especially bands like Meshuggah, Anterior, Soilwork, Inflames. Those were bands that really got me into some heavy stuff that you hear today. It helps release pent up energy that I have whether it be from work, life etc… So there is a more emotional aspect to it. But also now hearing those thick riffs get me going!!
Amit Ahuja: Thinking back to your early influences, were there specific artists, albums, or even individual songs that left a lasting imprint on you? For each of you, how did those inspirations shape your musical identity, push you toward your instrument or voice, and ultimately contribute to the chemistry that brought you together as a band?
Peggy: Like I said I grew up with Queen and Dire Straits. I can listen to that music and never get tired of it. Being a little girl I was a big fan of Britney Spears. After that I’ve listened to a lot of other music like Amy Winehouse, Etta James, Frank Sinatra, Michael Bublé etc. I like a lot of different music! I’ve always been singing in my room all day after school. And when we started the band, I also began to have singing lessons.
Emilio: The first metal band I listened to was Anterior they really left an imprint even till this day. With amazing solos and brutal and technical riffs combined with harmony left me with goosebumps. I pushed me more into the metal scene especially modern metal and metalcore now are huge elements that I try to bring into the band. Listening now to modern metal has pushed me to playing heavier music with 7 and 8 string guitars. I am slowly incorporating this in our music to make groovy riffs that people can listen to and not say it’s just noise.
Amit Ahuja: Take us back to the origin of the band itself. How did the five of you first cross paths, and what circumstances led to the formation of this project? Was there a particular moment where everything aligned creatively and personally, making it clear that this was something worth building together?
Peggy: Emilio and I started Queen of Spades together in 2019 and have had a lot of other band members come in and out. They didn’t want the same things we wanted: to become big. We had to keep going and times were sometimes really hard. But we finally gathered the right people around us to finally start going somewhere together. We all love each other like family! We always knew we had the right ingredients to become something bigger, but we just needed the right people to get there.
Emilio: I started with Peggy in 2019 the band Queen of spades. We had a lot memebr coming and going. That was getting us demotivated, but by supporting each other we ushed forward and managed to find the right people and right now we are working on some amazing songs and pushing each other to strive for the top!
Amit Ahuja: When you first started, what was the initial vision for the band — sonically, aesthetically, and thematically? As you reflect on where you are now, how closely does that original vision align with your current identity? And where have you evolved or surprised yourselves along the way?
Peggy: At first we wanted to do something with the Queen and the Spades, so wear a crown and have a scepter etc. But we felt like a Queen is always above her people and we want to stand next to people to connect. So this was also a learning process for us, to think about our image. Right now the Spades is our ‘God’ like a divine. And we are the warriors of the Spade to fight for humanity in the modern world. We want people to feel connected to us and our music.
Emilio: I agree with what Peggy wrote :D
Amit Ahuja: The process of choosing a band name can be deeply intentional. Did you explore different names before settling on your current one? What was that journey like, and what made the final choice feel like the most authentic representation of who you are?
Peggy: This was quite easy: what is rock? Motorhead, ok Ace of Spades, oh we have a female singer maybe Queen of Spades?!
Emilio: I agree with what Peggy wrote :D
Amit Ahuja: Your band name carries a certain weight and presence. Can you break down the meaning behind it? What does it symbolize for each of you — emotionally, philosophically, or artistically — and how does it connect to the themes that run through your music?
Peggy: Queen of Spades stands for everyone in the world who needs our music. We try to write about personal problems to connect with people on a deeper level. The Spade stands for our God and we’re the rebels/warriors who fight for human rights. Our lyrics are all about life and the difficulties you face.
Emilio: We write music where people can relate to. So we are trying to let people know that you are not alone. Through this we want to connect to people on a deeper level and find safety in our musi.
Amit Ahuja: When it comes to songwriting, every band has its own creative chemistry. Can you walk us through how a song typically begins and evolves for you? (The question is for Peggy)
Peggy: Usually, Emilio starts with some instrumentals and sends it to me. I ask him about how he feels when he listens to his song and I ask him some words. Then I think about my own personal feelings with it and I try to write a poem at first. Then it evolves into a song with the help from my uncle, dad and vocal coach.
Emilio: I usually write the instruments and explain to Peggy what I felt when I wrote this song. As peggy is busy with the lyrics I try to stimulate the other memebr to come up with more layers or different ways to express the riff. Then it goes back and forth and slowly starts forming into a song.
Amit Ahuja: Peggy, do your lyrics and vocal melodies stem more from personal experiences, introspection, or broader concepts?
Peggy: All my lyrics are based on my personal experiences. My vocals have progressed a lot throughout the years. When I started I was not that powerful and I really had to find my voice. I’m still taking vocal lessons, because I think you’re never done learning.
Amit Ahuja: Emilio, as the guitarist of the band, how do you usually get ideas usually from riffs of the song like for example when it comes to the song your brand new song “Chasm and your past songs like “Committed, Near and Stagnant” how did you decide on the tone, or a specific atmosphere you’re trying to build for the song to sound better?
Emilio: I really try to listen to what I am feeling. I normally start with midi drums and make a pattern. Once I have a clear pattern, I start adding chords or notes to the riff to make it more melodic. But sometimes I just fiddle around until I like something. I try to listen to the structure of the song in order to bring in a certain tone or express a certain emotion. Atmosphere comes from the scales and keys I decide to use for the song. Like if I want something happy, I will play more major, more dreamy/soft I would use bigger brighter chords adding a 7th to it or whatever I feel/ hear gives that feeling. I tend to listen to what each chord makes me feel
Amit Ahuja: How do these individual contributions come together to form a cohesive and fully realized track?
Emilio: Just by giving each other feedback until we are satisfied with how the project sounds.
Amit Ahuja: Diving into your catalog, are there specific songs or releases that feel especially significant to you? Can you share the stories, emotions, or life experiences behind the following songs such Chasm, Committed, Near and Stagnant ? Were there moments in the writing or recording process that felt particularly vulnerable or transformative? (This question is for Peggy)
Peggy: Each one of these songs have an emotional charge.
Chasm is about the struggles/divisions in the world and how unfair it sometimes is.
Committed is about my dream: being the singer in Queen of Spades and wanting to achieve big goals. But people question my passion.
Near is about loosing someone very dear and grieving, but also knowing they will always be near.
Stagnant is about a very dear person who struggles with depression. I’ve tried to capture her feelings into words. It’s a message to people that you’re never alone and are always loved. All 4 of these songs mark a change in lyrics and voice, they have more dept and vulnerability. I hope these songs will help anyone who struggles with their feelings.
Emilio: I agree with what peggy wrote :D
Amit Ahuja: On a deeper level, what does the act of creating music represent for you both? Does it feel like catharsis, self-discovery, confrontation, healing or some combination of all of these? How do those emotional states influence what ultimately makes it into your songs?
Peggy: It’s a combination of everything. Sometimes you get stuck and you have to move forward, sometimes you realize something during the writing process and we write about personal things.
Emilio:I feel like it’s a combo of things. Sometimes when I get writer’s block I don’t see that I am dealing something in my unconscious and that get’s turned into write’s block. Which in turn becomes a confrontation, which leads into a self discovery and then into a healing process. I am unlocking aspects of myself to free myself from my own negativity.
Amit Ahuja: When listeners engage with your music, do you hope to communicate a specific message or emotional takeaway? Or do you intentionally leave your work open-ended, allowing fans to interpret and connect with it in their own personal way?
Peggy: We try to write in a way people can relate in their own ways.
Emilio: We try to give an emotional takeaway and try to connect to our fans like that. To give them a safe space and show them that we too go through these problems, struggles and just life. We want to uplift and bring them together.
Amit Ahuja: The creative journey is often filled with rejection, setbacks, and self-doubt. What advice would you give to emerging artists who are navigating those challenges? How can they transform those difficult moments into motivation and long-term growth?
Peggy: To never ever give up, no matter what people say about and to you. Keep doing what you love and pursue your dreams. To get there, you’ll have to face the journey to get there. But don’t forget to enjoy that ride too.
Emilio: JUST KEEP GOING! Learn from these things and improve yourself through failure. If you reject that you will not go far.
Amit Ahuja: Looking forward, what does the next chapter look like for you? Are there upcoming projects, collaborations, tours, or creative directions that you’re particularly excited to explore?
Peggy: We’re working on our second album at the moment and will release the songs every 8-10 weeks after each other. We will be in the studio a lot and also shooting content for it. We are also working hard on booking some shows and perform.
Emilio: I am really excited for the next stage in our band we are exploring different feelings and using more complex rhythms and styles.
Amit Ahuja: On a more personal level, for each of you — who are three individuals who have had a profound impact on your life, whether artistically or personally? What lessons did they teach you, and how do those lessons continue to influence you today?
Peggy:
My grandmother inspires me to always stay positive and keep smiling.
My ex taught me I’m stronger than I ever knew I was.
My boyfriend and son teach me how big love really is.
Emilio:
My family have had a huge impact on my life and helped me push forward
My girlfriend is teaching me how to love.
Gordon Ramsey He is teaching me a strong work ethic and how to lead (yes he may be extreme at times)
Amit Ahuja: What’s one thing each of you brings to the band that the others couldn’t replace?
Peggy: Perseverance and I am kind of like the secretary of the band. I do all the socials, and I do all the planning.
Emilio: Creativity and support
Amit Ahuja: Beyond music, what other forms of art or storytelling inspire you? Whether it’s film, literature, visual art, or something else — what draws you to those mediums, and how do they influence your creative process?
Peggy: I like reading books in my spare time. This teaches me how to be open for different writing styles in my music.
Emilio:I do enjoy playing video games in my downtime, the artwork that goes behind that is amazing. It also helps me get inspired
Amit Ahuja: There’s often a strong connection between creativity and mental health. How have you each navigated that balance throughout your journey? What practices, habits, or support systems have helped you maintain well-being while pursuing something so emotionally demanding?
Peggy: Like I said, I use my writing as a form of therapy.
Emilio: It helps me release negative emotions that I hold sometimes or help me just relax after a long workday.
Amit Ahuja: As we close, what would you like to leave your fans — and readers with? For anyone out there chasing a dream or trying to find their voice, what message or piece of wisdom feels most important for you to share right now?
Peggy: Pursue your dreams and never give up.
Emilio: Find something you are passionate about!! Let your soul shine through it!
Amit Ahuja: Thanks to Peggy and Emilio from Queen of Spdes for sharing their story with us tody.
Make sure you checkout Queen of Spades music and where you can follow them at the linktree below:
Queen of Spades Facebook page:
***Video credit is attributed to Queen of Spades. Photos are credited to Robin Christian Adrian Smits and Darklings Photography, unless otherwise specified.***
Comments