If you’re looking for a new band to take over your playlists, look no further than Arrows in Action! Their latest album, I Think I’ve Been Here Before, is the perfect gateway into their musical world, so this is the ideal time to jump in! We were lucky enough to get to chat with Arrows in Action all about their newest album, past music, live shows, and so much more!
Hello! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us! To start us off, how would you describe your sound to someone who is tuning in for the first time? We’re an alternative pop-rock band! We’re a blend of everything we love, and we love a huge array of music.
I Think I’ve Been Here Before is less than a month away. What emotions are you guys feeling leading up to the release of this record? We’re feeling a mix of relief, excitement, and catharsis with the release of this album! We can’t wait for people to hear it all in its intentional order.
Out of the eleven songs on the record, only two are unreleased. What goes into the decision of what to release and what to hold back? We wanted to make sure to save the conclusion of the album for the day of release. We were very intentional with the track order on this record, and we wanted our fans to experience the album in its entirety together.
‘Hello Sunlight!’ is the oldest track on the record, having been released in May of last year. When this song came out, did you know it was part of a bigger project, or did that come with time? Though it was released far ahead of the album, ‘Hello Sunlight!’ is the track that started the writing process and was instrumental in guiding us towards the sounds that would make up Side A.
You’ve released this album in two parts, with Side A coming out earlier this year. How do you group the songs and figure out which song belongs on which side? In both subject matter and sonics, we accidentally curated two distinct vibes while writing this album. It could be the simplest thing, like the placement of a minor chord that guided a song toward side B, and in many cases, it was the lyrical perspective that placed the song.
With a new album comes the hope of live music! While crafting the album, which song off this album were you most looking forward to bringing to life on stage? Victor: ‘Cheekbones,’ Jesse: ‘Empty Canvas,’ Matt: ‘Empty Canvas.’
Your debut album, Be More, came out four years ago! When you look at the artists who released that record, and the artists who are about to release this record, what do you see as the biggest area of growth? Our biggest area of growth has been how much we collaborate! With years of touring and writing together, we know each other better than ever before, and we know how to expand on each other’s ideas.
Once again, thank you so much for chatting with us! Before we let you go, what is one thing on the Arrows in Action bucket list as we close out 2025? A bucket list item we completed this year was headlining in Europe and the UK! A bucket list item we have that is yet unchecked is performing at Red Rocks in Colorado. Thanks for having us!
We would love to hear from you! What is your favorite song off of I Think I’ve Been Here Before by Arrows in Action? Let us know by commenting below or by tweeting @TheHoneyPOP! We are also on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok!
If you’re looking for a new supergroup to dive into, look no further than one of our most recent musical obsessions, CVCHE! If you’re just now tuning in, you’ve done it at the perfect time! CVCHE’s debut album, Get Fluffy is due later this year, and we’ve just gotten their newest offering from the record, ‘The Star.’ We were lucky to chat with CVHCE about their upcoming record, ‘The Star,’ and so much more!
Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us! To start us off, if someone is tuning in for the first time, how would you describe the kind of music CVCHE makes? No, thank YOU! We’d definitely describe ourselves as the pioneers of Rural Canadian Techno, since that genre did not previously exist – nor may it EVER exist – unless people want it to. You could also say “organic electronic jams that make you want to dance in your socks on a hardwood floor.”
Get Fluffy is due later this year! What has the process of crafting your first album together as a group been like? We set up four or five synths at one station for each of us. I would make a beat, then we’d all start dialing in sounds on our stations. Once we all had a good palette of sounds, someone would come up with a bass line or tonal starting point. Then we’d hit record and start laying in parts simultaneously, like a live jam, for about 20 minutes. We then edited the best parts into the final track. Some ended up tracking the record rather quickly, and on others, we spent a bit more time on arrangements.
How far into the creative process of ‘Get Fluffy’ did ‘The Star’ come to be? Were you still actively crafting the album? It all happened very quickly from inception to completion because of the process I outlined above. It’s a great way to work, and we just know each other so well that there was very little mucking around and/or throwing things out. We actually have a bunch more tracks we really like that aren’t coming out on the record. The chord progressions are more vocal-friendly, so we saved them to experiment with that at some point. We basically got into a great flow state and just made a whole bunch of stuff with no ‘demographic’ or all the other things you’re supposed to think about – where it fits, who will like it, etc. We just made music, and all this stuff is what came out, with no fidgeting around with expectations. It was fun. And still is!
When you’re in the midst of a jam session, and a song like ‘The Star’ starts to form, do you guys automatically realize you have something you want to dig into further and possibly release? We actually aren’t jamming in the typical sense. It’s more about coming up with a beat we all like, then a bassline, or riff, or chord progression. If we like where the early stages are going, we start dialing in sounds we like on all of our respective synth stations and all sorts of approve of them or not as we’re working them up. Once we have a big palette of sounds and the framework of the track, THEN we “jam” in a structured way for 20 – 30 minutes as every synth patched into ProTools is in record. We then edit it down with the sections we feel are gelling the most.
With CVCHE, when did the idea first spark to form this group? Were you all approached at once? Liam and Jimmy started jamming a bit after tracking a Metric record, and then I came in. We drank wine, pulled out more synths, and then decided to make a record after we’d already finished making it.
Each of you comes from different groups that we are sure have their own creative processes. How do you bring each of those into this new group, and what works best for what you want to be creating? I think all of our experience combined really helps in making navigating the technological aspect of things secondary to creativity, which can be a challenge for everyone. We know how to dial sounds up quickly, and we know how to get around our synth collections, arranging, mixing, etc., so it’s more about us playing off of each other rather than getting caught up in midi troubleshooting (which we’ve collectively probably spent 8 million hours doing). We all use Pro Tools, and it helps that Liam is a legit Pro Tools wizard.
And speaking of what you want to be creating, it’s been said that you guys want to “make releasing music as fun as creating it.” What aspect of creating music do you think is lost in the stress of releasing said music? Oh, wow, I could talk shit about algorithms all day! Making records is fun, spiritual, bonding, magical, and all the other feels, and then comes… algorithms, metadata, streaming companies, troubleshooting passwords, traffic light captchas. So romantic, isn’t it? So, we just said “fuck all this.” Yes, it has to be done, but what else can we do to keep it fun? That’s when we brought Jon Morris in as a member of CVCHE. He did Nine Inch Nails’ stage design, as well as designed for Lady Gaga and Metric, and has done loads of huge installations at Burning Man. Jon is the official-unofficial king of fun. He helped make an infinite scroller video game (it’s fun… check out www.heycvche.com), and we’re building out a super fun merch store. We’re planning a crazy, awesome live show as well. We tell more jokes on calls than we talk about business. We have no strategy to ‘beat the algorithms.’ We just have fun and, in between, fill out endless forms and upload to streamers and publishing info. Gotta keep it fun.
You recently released your single ‘Thumper.’ What inspired that song, and how did it come together? A super weird thumping sound that randomly started coming out of the MS-20… a ghost in the machine, as Sting would say. We made a track around the sound and then ended up muting it in the end — the track, as you hear it, remained.
While crafting this upcoming album, Get Fluffy, was there a song that felt like lightning in a bottle? That once it started, you guys knew it was going to be one of the ones that made the record? No, because we like all of them. We have more that aren’t on the record – more so because the chord progressions lend themselves to vocals – so we’re sitting on those for the right time.
We have to talk about the video game! Where did the inspiration come from to include this in the process of putting out music? Jon Morris brought that to the table, and his friend/coder, Sonny, dialed it all up. At the time of creating the game, with a new song release per level of the game… We are as certain as we can be that we were the first to do this in this way.
Once again, thank you guys so much for your time! Before we let you go, what can fans look forward to as we close out 2025? More sock jams that make you wanna dance in your socks on a hardwood floor, live shows from us at some point, and hopefully vacations in the Caribbean when it starts to get cold — for both us and fans alike. Who wants to make a plan!? We’re SO IN. ⚡️
We would love to hear from you! What do you think of our interview with CVCHE? Let us know by commenting below or by tweeting @TheHoneyPOP! We are also on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!
If you’re looking for which artist is going to be the talk of the town before too long, look no further than Benjamin Steer! Benjamin Steer has just released his EP Figuring It Out, which showed us, clear as day, that we were looking at an artist who is going to have a long and prosperous career! We were lucky enough to chat with Benjamin all about the EP and so much more!
Hello Benjamin! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us! To start us off, how would you describe your music to someone who is tuning in for the first time? It’s a pleasure, thank you! I would say my music is sort of a soundtrack to confusion in your 20s, a soundtrack to love, to heartbreak, and to figuring things out. I’d like to think it’s pretty cinematic but has some energy in it too!
Figuring It Out is your debut EP! What feelings accumulate as you get ready to put your first collection of songs out? It is weird. I always feel a bit of anxiety before release days, but then as soon as the project is out, the anxiety disappears. I don’t hold emotional attachment to the songs once they are out. It then becomes a case of how many people can get their ears on it. But certainly, I am really proud of these songs. I feel like it sort of marks the end of my first chapter in the music world. I feel like each song serves a different purpose; the whole thing feels pretty dynamic.
You described this record as “a hopeless romantic’s dream and downfall.” What is one lyric throughout the project that best represents the dream aspect, and on the other hand, what lyric would you say best represents the downfall? I think the dreamer line is definitely the chorus of ‘No One Wants To Die Alone,’ “Live Big Love Fast and not Die Alone.” It is sort of the payoff line in a song that lyrically is frustrated in many senses, and encapsulates the sort of desire of the EP. There are many downfall lines in the EP, so I’ll give you three: ‘Oh Darling,’ “Many nights I try to find you in other eyes… Am I blind to all that makes you you?” ’5%,’ “It’s the 5% that is in the spotlight and the 95 that hides behind my eyes – So I’ll keep it out of mind and out of sight.” ‘Sweat Off Our History,’ “I’ll thread the needle between who I am and what you want from me.” I think all of these lines sort of summarize the pressure that you have to appear complete and confident and put together… But in reality, you are still figuring things out – trying to find a purpose. And you often hide these insecurities and fears in actions and facades that are not favorable to yourself – just to appease others or numb yourself to vulnerability.
As we are writing this, the EP is officially out! What has the reaction to the record been like over the last few days? How are you feeling post-release? Honestly, I think it went as well as I had hoped. I think these things take a journey themselves when they are out. I think hopefully it has legs to continue to connect with people and make an impact. People have been so supportive and kind, and I feel very unworthy. I always say this, and it is very cliche, but I am just a dude who writes about life and love in his bedroom, so it’s surreal that it is connecting so well!
When you released ‘No One Wants To Die Alone’ last year, did you already know this track was going to be everyone’s first taste of this EP? Or was it added in as the creation of the EP went forward? No Idea. ‘NOWTDA’ always felt special. It was the first song that I wrote, and I was like, if this doesn’t become the biggest song, then I am not sure what will. It felt so right and felt so me. The EP was certainly not a manufactured Idea. It was sort of the collection of the best things I had written in the last 8 months, and it all felt rather cohesive. I think if I were to sit down with the intention of writing an ep, and with a certain goal and message, it would have almost felt like I wasn’t being authentic. That being said, ‘No One Wants To Die Alone’ was probably the first song I wrote out of the ones that made it on to the EP, so maybe in some way it did guide the sonic and messaging of the rest!
Hailing six songs, half of the record was previously released, and half of the songs were saved for release day. How do you go about deciding which songs you want to hold onto and let fans discover all at once? I think there is a feeling that you get when you have a single, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the non-single tracks are missing something. I feel like putting out a bigger body of work allows you to release songs that may never come out as a single, but you still want people to hear them. I think ‘Sweat off our History’ is a good example; this would never be a single, but that does not mean that it isn’t good. So I am glad I had the opportunity to release it.
We want to go back a bit and talk about ‘Muted Colors,’ This track changed a lot for you! When you look back, what does your relationship with that song look like now vs two years ago when it was released? I think ‘Muted Colors’ was the unexpectedly perfect first song to put out. It served its purpose in the time that it was written for me personally, but also to show an audience the type of music and messaging I wanted to pursue. I look back positively on it now for sure. It was the first stepping stone in a long journey to cross the river, and I’m so grateful that I could have even had the chance to start or embark on that journey. I think it worked because I was just honest, it was one of the first songs I had ever written and I did not really have a reference point as to what was ok and what was not. I think I do naturally cringe a little bit looking back to it now because I think my style and tone have changed a bit, but it certainly was a fantastic first step!
Once again, thank you so much for chatting with us! Before we let you go, is there anything coming up that fans can look forward to? Any live shows? Hopefully got a lot of exciting stuff coming up! Going to hopefully do another London headline before the end of the year, and then a bit more of a fuller tour in early 2026! I’m also really excited to open for Arthur Hill on his UK tour in September!
We would love to hear from you! What is your favorite song from Benjamin Steer’s EP, Figuring It Out? Let us know by commenting below or by tweeting @TheHoneyPOP! We are also on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!
The most compelling singer-songwriters can tell a story with not only their lyrics, but the way they unleash the emotions of the song with their voice, and the perfect example is rising superstar Leroy Sanchez. He’s stolen hearts worldwide with his latest viral hit, ‘NUCLEAR,’ and we know this is just the beginning of a whole new chapter for his career! As the culmination of over a decade of experience in music, the song sets the bar high for his upcoming debut album while Leroy effortlessly describes the thrill and threat of a passionate relationship in a perfectly immersive way.
We got to ask Leroy all about ‘NUCLEAR,’ his creative process, posting covers online, and more! Watch the ‘NUCLEAR’ music video below and keep reading to check out our exclusive Q&A. Side note: we wish real-life trips to the grocery store could be this interesting.
Hi Leroy, congrats on the release of ‘NUCLEAR!’ How did it feel to finally let the song out into the world and into your fans’ lives? Thank you so much!! It was always so exciting to release new music for the fans and for the world to listen! It was also a bit nerve-racking because you never know how people will react, but I was super proud of ‘NUCLEAR.’ I thought fans would get to see a side of me they hadn’t seen before, and I hoped they were excited too.
What does ‘NUCLEAR’ mean to you, and is there a certain lyric you’re especially proud of? ‘NUCLEAR’ means the beginning of an amazing new journey for me. It’s my first single leading up to my debut album! It’s the result of years of hard work and everything I’ve learned as an artist, producer, and songwriter. I’m super proud of it! One lyric that really stands out for me is, “slow down every inch of time before our love goes nuclear.” I love how it captures the contrast between something as tiny as an inch of a second and the vastness of going nuclear. It really shows how the little things can have a really big impact.
‘NUCLEAR’ has been popping off on TikTok, which must be so exciting to see! Do you have any favorite videos or trends you’ve seen fans make using the song? I’m absolutely obsessed with all the content people are making to ‘NUCLEAR’ on TikTok! I’ve seen so many cool and different trends, but my absolute favorite has to be when fans dance to the original choreography from the music video. First of all, it’s not an easy dance, but everyone is giving it their all, and the best part is seeing how much FUN everyone is having while doing it. To see the joy in their faces as they recreate those fun dance moves makes me SO HAPPY. It’s very refreshing and healing to have a trend like this right now, especially with all the negativity and division around us.
If you could have any artist cover ‘NUCLEAR’ or hop on for a remix, who would you choose and why? Oh wow, what an exciting question! What about Khalid? His smooth vocals would sound so sick with this song and also give it a whole new vibe. A lot of people have also been wanting to hear Sia or Chris Brown singing it, and I think that’d be so fun to listen to as well!
Congrats on the success of ‘NUCLEAR!’ What has it been like for you to see how much fans love the song? Thank you! Honestly, it’s been quite surreal to see how much love people have shown NUCLEAR and I’m so grateful. Just last week, I was at the iHeartRadio Music Festival, watching all these amazing artists, and I had this thought; “how wild would it be to hear this crowd sing ‘NUCLEAR?’” Out of curiosity, I checked my TikTok to see how the post with ‘NUCLEAR’ was doing, and just a few hours before, the video had about 17k views. At that moment, it had jumped to 150k! I turned to my friend Ryan, who was totally immersed in watching Gwen Stefani, and I said to him, “Something’s happening…” By the next morning, it was close to a million views! Just imagine a fraction of those people singing ‘NUCLEAR’ together!
You recently told The Knockturnal that part of what made ’Nuclear’ so special to you is that it reminded you of the songs you’d hear on the radio while growing up in Spain. How has your upbringing shaped how you approach making music? Have any Spanish artists particularly inspired you for this new chapter? Growing up in Spain has completely shaped how I approach music. I’m from a very small town in the Basque Country, with barely 3,300 people. I was a very emotional kid and music became my escape and eventually my passion. I was obsessed with how the songs on the radio made me feel, and I wanted to recreate that. So, when I write music, I always try to capture that sense of escape and make sure the songs hit me emotionally.
One artist who’s inspired me a lot, not so much in style but in spirit, is Rosalía. I find it amazing how she’s stayed true to herself no matter what’s trending in the industry and still managed to succeed. It’s a reminder that I have my own story to tell and that trusting my instincts is key to doing the music that feels real to me.
Something that stands out about each song you’ve released so far is how emotive your voice is! Do you have a certain ritual or tradition to get into the right headspace for a song before you record? It really depends on the situation when I’m recording. For instance, with ‘NUCLEAR,’ the vocals you hear are the original demo vocals, the very first ones I recorded when writing the songs. A lot of times, the purest emotion comes through right in that moment, and it’s hard to recreate that later. When I do have to re-record, I try to go into the booth without listening to the track beforehand, so I can approach it fresh and be as raw as possible. As soon as I start overthinking it, the emotion gets lost, even if the technical side gets better. To me, it doesn’t matter if a song is technically perfect… If it doesn’t make you feel something, it’s not worth it.
You got your start in music when you started posting covers on YouTube in 2015 – what’s something you learned during that time that you’ve carried with you while working on your original music? The biggest thing I learned is to always keep pushing yourself to improve your craft. When I started, all I had was a crappy little digital camera and a low-lit room to film in. But I’d always try to make each video better with what little I had, which forced me to get creative. That really stuck with me, whether it’s with singing, writing, or just being a better artist, I’m always looking for ways to grow and get more creative.
In addition to your own music, you notably co-wrote Chanel’s ‘SloMo,’ which became a global hit on Eurovision and went to #1 on Billboard’s Spanish Songs chart! Do you approach working on songs for other artists differently than you approach working on your own songs? Yeah, the approach is definitely different. When writing for other artists, you have to step into their shoes and imagine you’re living their life for a moment. It’s kind of like writing a song for someone while looking at them through a tiny peephole—you only see a small part of who they are compared to everything they know about themselves. So you take the little bit you know and shape it into what you think their “artist” persona should sound like. If the artist is in the room, you basically become their therapist for the session, trying to pull out what they’re going through, process it, and then turn it into a song.
But when I write for myself, I have access to everything in my own mind! Which can be both freeing but also overwhelming because there’s so much to pull from. It’s a much deeper, more personal process.
What can your fans look forward to in the rest of 2024? 2024 is just a warm-up for what’s coming in 2025, but before the year’s over, fans can expect to hear some more new stuff, and maybe even get into the holiday spirit with me!
Is there anything else you’d like to mention or say to your fans that the questions didn’t touch on? I hope you all enjoyed ‘NUCLEAR’ and that you sang your hearts out to it! Oh! And don’t forget to share those covers! I can’t wait to hear your beautiful voices!
You already know we’ll be singing our hearts out to ‘NUCLEAR’ until the end of time. Thank you so much to Leroy for answering our questions and giving us such great music to jam out to!
Now, honeybees, we have some questions for you! What do you think of ‘NUCLEAR?’ Which part of the song is your favorite to sing along with? Let us know in the comments below or hit us up on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
One of the best parts of discovering an artist you can’t get enough of is getting to step into the immersive world they create with their music and visuals, and we can confidently say that no one does that quite like BAYBE! Her signature fusion of dark pop, metal, hip-hop, and horror has propelled her into a league of her own and proven she’s a genius artist you need to keep a close eye on. And now is the perfect time to start doing so, because BAYBE just dropped her latest single, ‘Pretty Gay!’
‘Pretty Gay!’ is a sapphic anthem that sees BAYBE pining for a girl who says she’s straight, with a chilling soundscape that combines the tumultuous adrenaline of falling in love with the edgy thrill of films like Jennifer’s Body. In fact, we actually need a film inspired by this song, because we’re absolutely obsessed with the plot and imagery. We’re feeling pretty lucky, because we got to ask BAYBE all about the song, her thought-provoking visuals, and so much more! Check out ‘Pretty Gay!’ below, then keep reading for our Q&A.
Hi BAYBE, congrats on the release of ‘Pretty Gay!’ How does it feel to let the song out into the world and see how your fans are reacting? Thank you! It’s been an interesting release for sure- I’ve been nervously holding onto this song for over two years now so finally getting it out into the world feels great. My music tends to receive a mixed review online, but this one probably wins for most dividing response so far.
What does ‘Pretty Gay!’ mean to you? This song started as just a song about liking a girl with a boyfriend. When writing the chorus, it evolved into a sort of jab at internet culture and how overly sensitive we all can be. There’s a sort of tip-toe feeling around using the word “gay” in a negative context nowadays, which I think is a complex argument on both sides. The point I wanted to make was that it’s just not that serious. There are many things I will not say, or sing about. I think this one in particular is funny though, and I like laughing.
There are so many cool lyrics on ‘Pretty Gay!,’ with one of our favorites being “all your boyfriends wanna fight me.” Is there a certain line on the song that you’re especially proud of? I think the line I’m most proud of is the outro, specifically “When they say the end is near and the missiles head our way, all I think about is you and I think that’s pretty gay.” The producer, Paige Blue, and I couldn’t stop laughing when writing it, but there was such a deeper feeling of dark, satirical sadness tucked into that section which makes me love it so much more.
“Pretty gay” has long been used as an insult against the LGBT+ community – what has it been like for you to get to reclaim the phrase and build such a powerful story around it? I think if we used it in a lighthearted fun way, as it’s used in the lyrics, it wouldn’t hold such negativity around it. Being gay rocks, and calling things “gay” also rocks. I don’t think we have to choose.
Speaking of reclaiming, you released a reimagined version of your previously-released song ‘Cherry Pie’ this summer after taking it down. How did you approach remaking the song with a new BAYBE flair? What has it been like to see how much fans are embracing it? It’s been amazing. After two years of comments and messages asking for it to come back to streaming, I decided it was time to give the song a second chance. I gave it my own touch so it’s a lot darker and heavier now- it’s been great hearing from fans that they’re loving this new version more 🙂
Your songs have such a cinematic quality to them while often talking about relatable experiences – how do you go about creating an immersive world around the stories you’re telling in your lyrics? Thank you! That means a lot. When writing a song, I picture the music video simultaneously. Those two things happen at the same time for me, so I like to keep the visuals in mind when producing or recording, to make sure they’ll lend to something special visually.
You blend elements of metal, hip-hop, and pop so effortlessly! When you’re starting to write a song, do you typically know which direction it will go in production-wise, or does that come later? Do you feel like certain feelings match certain genres better? That’s a great question – I think when I go into a session I generally know if I’m feeling like leaning one way or the other beforehand. With that being said, I’m a believer in “the song writes itself” for the most part, so if the song tells me it wants to be heavier with more organic metal instrumentation, I listen. The feeling and emotion of the lyrics play a huge role in dictating the genre as well.
Another defining quality of your work is how much thought you put into your visuals – one of our favorites is the ‘Dinner For One’ video, which sees you killing a creepy guy who wants to go on a date even after you claim to be 14. What’s your creative process like when you’re preparing a music video? I touched on this earlier, but when I write songs, I write the video concept as well, usually day-of. Last week I had a session in LA and left with such a detailed vision for the music video, that I drove straight to a coffee shop and sat for 3 hours until I finished the entire video treatment. I might not even shoot it for another year, but I had to get it down. I think in another life, or maybe just later in this one haha, I would be a director. I direct all of my music videos, and I don’t think there are many things in life that make me happier.
Content Warning: The ‘Dinner For One’ music video contains blood and slight violence.
Something else that stands out to us about songs like ‘Dinner For One’ is how intentional you are with the themes and imagery you use, even if it’s not always apparent on the surface. For example, the cannibal-themed ‘Dinner For One’ makes a statement against predators in the music video and ‘Stray Dog’ explores the effects that toxic relationships can have on someone. How do you go about finding the right balance between surprising or shocking imagery and making sure the message is clear? Do you feel that these messages have been overlooked among casual listeners, or do people seem to grasp them well? I have absolutely no idea if people catch onto it or not. I hope they do! It’s all very intentional. I’ve tried many times to keep the artwork, visuals, and promo for songs ultra simple (for my own sanity), but I cannot do it. I am obsessed with pairing each song with a visual world, as I think songs on their own hold much less weight than if I can immerse someone into it fully.
How do you feel you’ve grown as an artist since releasing your God’s Favorite EP last year? I think I change as an artist every single day, as we all do, so it’s a tough thing to measure. I’ve discovered new music that changed the way I think, experienced new things for the first time, etc. – it’s such a cool thing to think about. To answer the question: immensely, and in many ways.
What can your fans look forward to in the rest of 2024? I have one more release coming out this year that I’m so excited about, which may or may not have a featured artist on it.
Is there anything else you’d like to mention or say to your fans that the questions didn’t touch on? Not really, other than my constant “thank you.” The artist-to-fan relationship is so special, and I love finding my people while releasing the music I love creating.
As a site with a mission to celebrate the connection between artists and fans, we couldn’t agree more! Thank you so much to BAYBE for answering our questions and sharing your vision with the world! You’re a truly special artist and we’re so excited to see what ‘Pretty Gay!’ and this new chapter bring to you.
Now honeybees, we have some questions for you! What do you think of ‘Pretty Gay!’ and BAYBE’s music? Which of her songs do you think is the best sapphic anthem, and which one is your personal favorite? Let us know in the comments below or hit us up on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! We could talk about her work all day, so we’ll be waiting to hear your thoughts.
If you’re having a conversation about the hardest-working and most talented people in the industry, Abigail Barlow simply has to be in that conversation! From making some of our favorite pop music, including her newest track, ‘Strike Out,’ to crafting the soundtrack for Moana 2, there is truly nothing Abigail can’t do! We simply had to pick her brain and get all the details about everything she is up to!
Hi Abigail! Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us! To start us off, how would you describe the music you’re making to someone who is tuning in for the first time? Absurdly fun, flirty, fierce, and unserious!
We have not been able to turn off ‘Please Me!’ What was the inspiration behind this song and the visuals behind it displayed in the lyric video? Aw, I’m glad you love it! ‘Please Me’ started as a verse and chorus I posted to TikTok in 2020 about nothing and no one in particular. Until this past year, the idea was sitting on a shelf. That is until I met a handsome stranger in NYC… We went on a date in the city, and the next day, I was baking sweets in his kitchen. Classic 50s housewife behavior! I tried to emulate that energy in the visuals for this song, as it’s secretly a fantasy of mine to time travel.
One thing about ‘Please Me’ that immediately stuck out to us is that it sounded like you had taken all the best parts of tried and true pop music and combined them all into one song. When crafting the track, were you always planning for the track to be fun, upbeat, and reminiscent of the early 2000s pop songs? Honestly, the production of this song started with me using any producer girl trick I had to make the demo sound somewhat fun and listenable. It wasn’t until I collaborated with Michael Dunaief that the production really came to life in that bubblegum 2000s way.
We know you spend a lot of time creating with a partner as Barlow & Bear, so with that in mind, what do you find is the biggest advantage to working solo on your music, and on the same note, the biggest advantage to working with Emily on Barlow & Bear projects? Being part of a collaboration is so incredibly sacred to my life these days. It grounds me, enlightens me, and fulfills me in ways working alone just doesn’t compare to. In the same breath, it’s so important that both of us have balance with personal endeavors. It keeps our partnership healthy and ever-evolving, together and separately.
Moana 2 is officially a go! What is it like jumping in on the soundtrack to a sequel of such a treasured movie? Literally a DREAM. I can’t even put into words how honored I am to be a part of the world of Moana. She is my girl, and I can’t wait for everyone else to experience the masterpiece we’ve been working on for two years!
Something that we can’t just glide over is that you have a Grammy! As a musician, we know what a huge accomplishment that is. What can you tell us about finding out you’d won? We were at the ceremony, and it was surreal. Walking onstage and actually giving the speech we prepared *just in case* was an out-of-body experience. Best moment of my life so far!
Songwriting is a huge part of you as an artist. When you’re writing a track, how do you know if it’s something you are going to work on for your catalog or offer to another artist? Honestly, I’m not married to anything I write because I write a LOT of songs. A cut is a cut! If a big pop star wants it, I have no qualms with giving it away. My songs are like my children. I just want them to be heard. And loved. :’)
We have to ask, with The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical soundtrack and the soon-to-be Moana 2soundtrack in your back pocket, if you could go back in time and put ‘Please Me’ on any soundtrack, which one would it be? LOL! I think it could be in some 2000s rom-com getting-ready montage for sure.
‘Strike Out’ is the newest track! The song is a full-on pop dream. Where did the inspiration for the track come from? ‘Strike Out’ is my bi-girl anthem. It’s inspired by my yearning for love and how I’m in search of it literally everywhere, from a club in Santa Monica to a bar in Hollywood.
‘Strike Out’ follows ‘Please Me,’ do you think there is an invisible string connecting these two tracks? Definitely! If ‘Please Me‘ is the fantasy of being a wife and mother, ‘Strike Out’ is my reality as a 25-year-old girl just doing her BEST to find love. Either way, I’m just having fun being a songwriter. It’s never too serious. 😉
The cover art for ‘Strike Out’ dawns on the infamous Barbie font. If you could have had this track play during a scene in the Barbie movie, what scene would that have been? I love this Q! I guess when they start deprogramming all the Barbies from the Kendom. Honestly one of my fav parts of the movie.
Once again, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us! We like to end these interviews by asking what is on the horizon. What can fans look forward to as we venture into the last half of 2024? I’m doing my darndest to release *one more pop song* before the release of Moana 2 in theaters on November 27th! After that, who knows? A tour? An album? I guess you’ll have to follow me to find out 😉
We would love to hear from you! What is your favorite Abigail Barlow release between ‘Please Me’ and ‘Strike Out?’ Let us know by commenting down below or by tweeting us @TheHoneyPOP! We are also on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!
The rumors are true, we haven’t stopped listening to Amy Shark’s new album Sunday Sadness since our first listen-through. From songs like ‘Can I Shower At Yours,’ to ‘I’m Sorry,’ we are simply hooked. We were lucky enough to chat with Amy Shark about the in’s and out’s of this record, as well as her time coaching The Voice, her past work, and more! Let’s jump in!
Hi Amy! Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us! To start us off, if someone was diving into your music for the first time, how would you describe your sound? I think I would describe it as honest, gritty, indie pop.
‘My Only Friend’ has just come out! What can you tell us about working with Tom DeLonge and how that partnership came about? The whole blink collaboration was never a part of the plan. They just happen to be my favourite band but I never in a million years did I think that I would be able to do a song with even one of them let alone all of them. Tom was the hardest to lockdown just because he’s so busy with other commitments, movies, aliens, etc but after I sent him the song he made it very easy. He loved the verse I wrote and he tracked his vocals in San Diego and sent them over to me. I worked on it with my producer and the rest is history. It’s one of the coolest songs I have in my entire catalog.
Upon listening to ‘My Only Friend’ we thought back to a track you released last month ‘Two Friends,’ to us, it seemed like ‘My Only Friend’ was ‘Two Friends’ softer counterpart, is there an intentional string between the two? I feel like I have unintentionally written an album about two friends haha. Every song can kinda hold hands with the next. It’s kinda cool.
As we are writing these questions Sunday Sadness comes out in twenty days, how are you feeling? What are the emotions leading up to your first album release since 2021? I’m quietly confident, but I’m still a little nervous. I really want people to love it as much as I do. But then again, it is my third album so by this time I really know what my fans love. They’re going to love this album and hopefully, it’s good enough to grab more Amy Shark fans along the way.
When talking about Sunday Sadness you said that this record was specifically written on Sundays, what do you think it is about Sundays that allows you to create so freely? And when did you realize that a creative pattern was forming? There was one specific Sunday where I was finishing a song, it was the last song on the album ‘Our Time Together.’ It’s a pretty emotional song full of memories. I think that’s when I realized that Sundays have always been the emotional day that I can’t escape. Even when I try and work on a Sunday by finishing songs the songs end up emotional.
We were lucky enough to be able to listen to Sunday Sadness a bit early to prep for this interview, and it’s incredible. What really struck us is the range of emotions that the listener is taken through with these tracks, it really feels like getting an inside look at your diary. With that range in mind, are there two lyrics on the record that you think perfectly represent two opposite ends of the emotional spectrum? Yeah, totally! I’m so glad you picked that up. I love the very opening line to the record in ‘Slide Down The Wall’,“ doesn’t matter what I do. I always get emotional with you”. But then you hear the line “tell everyone you’re dead to me” in the song ‘Gone’ and I love how this album feels like a series of mini-movies! So many ups and downs but a lot of love throughout.
For us, eleven tracks is such a sweet spot for an album, but we know that the number of songs that could have been on the record was probably a much higher number, was there a song that you wrote during the process of making Sunday Sadness, but that didn’t make the album that you hope still sees the light of day in some capacity? Yes, this always happens to me. It’s very sad. But it’s like sport. Only the strongest get picked for the team, unfortunately. But it doesn’t mean I don’t care about those on the bench.
We know that crafting an album takes a village, and there are so many thank you’s that could be said to the people involved, but something that is often hard for people to do is to pat themselves on the back. What is something that you accomplished during the process of crafting Sunday Sadness that you are proud of yourself for? I explored every single avenue for every single song on this record. I wasn’t lazy. I worked really hard to make sure every song could stand strong on its own. Even if I had to heavily compromise or lose a guitar riff that I was attached to. I did everything I could to make this album as strong as I believe it is. I’m proud of that.
We have to take a minute to ask about Australian Idol, was there a piece of advice that you were able to give a constant on that show that you wish someone would have given you when you were starting out? Music isn’t a sport, no one can tap you on the shoulder and tell you to retire because you’re not strong enough or fast enough. You can keep making art all day every day for the rest of your life! There’s no age to making music. So just because it’s a ‘no’ today. Just get up and get after it again tomorrow.
Once again, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us! Before we let you go, what is the rest of 2024 shaping up to look like for you once the record is out? I plan on promoting this album to every part of the world!
We would love to hear from you! What is your favorite song off of the new Amy Shark album Sunday Sadness? Let us know by commenting down below or by tweeting us @TheHoneyPOP! We are also on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!
If you’re anything like us, then the name Andrew McMahon is a staple when you think of the music that has soundtracked your life. From Something Corporate to Jack’s Mannequin to Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Andrew has quite the discography in his back pocket. We were lucky enough to get to chat with Andrew all about Something Corporate reuniting, releasing ‘Death Grip,’ and now ‘Happy,’ as well as going on tour!
Hi Andrew! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us today! To start us off, how would you sum up who you are as an artist to anyone who is going to dive into your music for the first time? First and foremost, I’m a lyric-focused songwriter. I’m trying to tell stories with my songs and to tackle the conflicts and questions that arise in my daily life. I get a lot of joy from experimenting with sounds in a studio setting. While there is a pretty clear, pop-minded approach to my writing, you’ll hopefully identify a diverse palate of sounds and arrangements throughout my recordings.
You’ve been a part of so many projects over the course of your career (Something Corporate, Jack’s Mannequin, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness). How has your creative process changed as you move between projects? I think my process has become a lot more collaborative. The more time you spend making things, the easier it is to articulate what you want and the more fun it is to translate everyone’s ideas into the work. I’m far less obsessed with the outcome these days and so much more interested in digging deep with collaborators and going on an adventure in the studio and on the stage.
Something Corporate is officially back! What made you want to reach out to your old bandmates and get the ball rolling working together again? I had the band out for a surprise set during my birthday show a couple of years back, and the vibe was so good we decided to get back together properly for the When We Were Young fest. There was such a beautiful energy at those shows and, for the five of us, there was palpable joy being back in practice and hanging out in dressing rooms and laughing together. The shows were such a pure connection between us as band members and the audiences we were playing for that we decided to book more and keep the party rolling.
Working with Something Corporate this time around comes about a bit differently, as you’re working as Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness. What has coming from the mindset of the art you’ve been making brought to working with the band again? Working with other projects has made me a better collaborator and it’s given me a real appreciation of the unique chemistry of Something Corporate. There is something magical about the bond we share, having grown up learning to play music together as kids. I am able to fully appreciate and celebrate the rarity of that connection now and it’s made this reunion a really peaceful and joyful moment in my life and I think the other guys’ as well.
‘Death Grip’ is the first single back! Were there other songs that were completed that you chose between to get to this track? What was it about this track that made you guys want it to be your comeback? ‘Death Grip‘ happened really organically. I wrote it in Nashville a month or two before we left for tour. I loved the song and wanted it out into the world. The decision wasn’t made through the lens of this is your comeback track. It was made out of love for the song and the band being excited to be back in the studio together. The song itself is about letting go, receiving life as it comes, and giving back what the universe gives to you. It gave us this song, and we gave it back.
Upon crafting ‘Death Grip’ could you automatically tell what you wanted the live performance of that song to look like? Not necessarily. I think the biggest shift for me post-Something Corporate has been letting the music evolve in the studio first and then crafting the show separately. ‘Death Grip‘ was very much created through that process. Hence, the Wilderness/SoCo Collab. The production of the next single that’s coming out was approached a little more like a traditional Something Corporate song, and on that one, we will flip the collaboration order to SoCo/Wilderness to reflect that.
You guys just kicked off the Out Of Office Tour. What can fans expect from these shows? Are we going to be getting unreleased music played? The show itself has a beautiful production incorporating video that weaves in moments from the early days and I think does a beautiful job of connecting fans to the band’s history while creating beautiful new memories to hang on to once you leave. The nearly two-hour set manages to cover the majority of our catalog with some deep cuts from night to night. We also have two new songs that will be out by the time we get to the second leg of the tour, and we will be throwing one of those in per night going forward. We’re really proud of both of them.
The Out Of Office Tour isn’t a typical tour since you’ve said that you’re all having to work around your current jobs. What’s been the hardest and most rewarding parts of touring now compared to back when you only had to focus on SoCo? Honestly, I’ve been hoping to reimagine the way I live, work, and tour for some time now. The way we structured these dates has afforded me and the band the opportunity to play for lots of fans and have incredible weekends together while still making it home to take care of our families and the careers we’ve built since moving on from Something Corporate in ‘05. The other guys would be able to speak more to the challenges, I’m sure, as some of them are definitely juggling work fields outside of music.
Let’s talk about your partnership with Big Loud Rock! How did that come about? And how has that unfolded for you thus far? The truth is I’m pretty cagey when it comes to record deals these days. After Tilt came out, I was pretty hell-bent on stepping back from music for a bit and seeing where the wind blew. The day I wrote ‘Death Grip’ I was so excited by it. I started sending music around, and the Big Loud guys were so genuinely stoked about the song and the potential of releasing more that they made me a really fair deal based on mutual trust, and the rest is history. It’s early still but working with them has been a breath of fresh air. So many labels these days simply obsess over data and TikTok and make all their decisions based on fear. These guys love music and building artful campaigns around their releases. It has really been a joy to work with them.
The Holiday From Real cruise kicks off this fall! Obviously, we and all the other fans are so excited. But what aspects are you most excited about? Playing shows with all of my favorite musicians and friends on a single weekend is going to be incredible. I know people look at these projects as separate entities, and, in many ways, they are, but for me, it’s my life and my music. Bringing that all together in one place, especially a vacation setting, just feels right to me.
Now that the single is out and the tour is underway, what does the rest of 2024 look like for you? What can fans expect? We’ll be dropping our next single, ‘Happy,’ on July 26, and I have high hopes for that song. It’s about to get busy with more regular shows and lots of travel, but I’m ready for it. We built this show to celebrate the magic that found me and my bandmates in my parent’s garage back in 1998 and the beautiful years of music that followed. I just want people to feel alive at these shows, to use this music as a time machine and make contact with the moments in their lives when this music was the soundtrack. Most importantly, I want fans to walk away with a new formative memory of all of us doing what we love most. Giving ourselves over completely to music for a couple of hours and singing these songs together. I want it to be visceral.
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We would love to hear from you! What do you think about this interview we got to do with Andrew McMahon? Let us know by commenting down below or by tweeting us @TheHoneyPOP! We are also on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!
It’s no secret at this point, we are huge Greysons Chance fans, and have been for years, so this is a pretty huge moment for us! We got to pick Greyson’s brain about his latest releases, and about what’s next, as well as about his relationship with his fans and about displaying vulnerability in his music. We are still processing getting to have this conversation! We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Hi Greyson! Thank so you much for taking the time to talk with us today! To start us off, how would you describe who you are as an artist to someone who is just tuning in for the first time?
Oh that’s rather hard isn’t it? Ever so often I have to tell my story in full, starting from the YouTube video to where I am now; and the whole thing really does read out like a movie. It’s a bizarre story. But if someone is truly tuning in for the first time, I would say my career started with me singing at the piano. And now 14-years-later, I’m still singing at the piano.
‘Rearview Mirror’ marked the start of this next musical journey you’re on, what was it about ‘Rearview Mirror’ that made you want it to be the first introduction to this new era?
There was something very classic about ‘Rearview Mirror’ that made me want to make it the lead. I am always chasing that feeling of nostalgia everyday I go into the studio, to make things that feel bigger than me and to make things that will stand the test of time. From the jump, ‘Rearview Mirror’ felt that way, and I didn’t second-guess it.
‘Haymaker’ is the track following ‘Rearview Mirror’ and you’ve said the track was born out of a place of conflict within your family, what was it like to be able to work that out through music? Was writing the healing process, or had that already come and writing was the result of the healing?
I’ve gone through a lot in my life, but nothing quite stings like the emotions of family conflict, and for three years, I watched my family crumble before my own eyes. It was awful. Writing was certainly the healing process for me, and it’s been that way since I started writing songs. I told my cowriter Sam Harris the day we wrote ‘Haymaker’ that a thousand pounds were lifted off of my shoulders once those words hit the page.
You’ve always been very personal with your music, with your songs chaptering parts of your life. Can you pinpoint something that you were hesitant to put to music, but ended up in a song that you released and got to see it resonate with people?
I was very hesitant to release ‘Haymaker,’ because it is my real life. I haven’t really spoken to my brother in a few years, so ‘Haymaker’ is this an encapsulation of everything I would say to him if I had the chance. So for these lyrics to be the first words he hears from me? Yeah, that shit’s raw, it’s ugly, it’s nuanced, but it’s necessary. Good art comes from vulnerability, I’ve always believed that.
Palladium was the last record, what is something that you learned during that album rollout/creative process that you’ve taken with you into creating the next project?
I learned through Palladium that I am an album artist, and I always will be. I want to world build, I want my music and my visuals to paint a scene for the listener, to bring them to a place that feels disconnected from their own reality. And that doesn’t necessarily mean that the world needs to be complex, it just needs to be purposeful.
You’ve been in the industry for a long time, and because of that, you’ve had fans that have been around for a decade+ going to shows and supporting the music, what has having the support that’s allowed for breaks (like going to college and stepping away from music) while aways sticking around meant?
When I tell you I am the luckiest artist, you have no idea. My fans know my life, they know what I’ve been through, they know that I’ve suffered a lot, both mentally and physically since I was kid … they keep me upright. Think of someone you’ve known for 14-years of your life? That’s the type of relationship I have with my fans. I don’t feel a pressure to make music for them, if anything I feel a pressure to be healthy and happy for them, because I know that is what they want for me more than anything. My relationship with them is the coolest thing I get to experience in my life.
We know that crafting any form of art takes a village and it is often easier to thank the other people involved and harder to pat yourself on the back, but what is something you’ve been really proud of yourself for during the process of crafting ’Rearview Mirror’/’Haymaker?’
I am proud of myself for pushing forward and continuing on no matter the adversity I’ve gone through. Music is a cutthroat industry, and it’s full of rejection. But the older I get, the more I realize the power in just surviving, waking up everyday and focusing in on the silver lining. I’ve been doing a lot of that lately, and that feels like a huge accomplishment.
When you look back at your discography is there a song for you that you have recently felt reconnected to? Maybe a track that you hadn’t revisited in a while and realized it still hits as hard as when you made it?
Boots, a song I released as a stand alone single around four years ago. “I’ve been western before all of these punks,” hits way hard in 2024. Don’t get me started on these fake cowboys out here right now.
Once again thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us! Before we let you go, what can fans expect as we finish out 2024? What’s on the horizon?
I’ve been working on this record for the past year and a half, and ‘Rearview Mirror’ and ‘Haymaker’ are just the first two songs; I’m ready to show everyone the full world. So I guess to answer your question … more music, and a lot of shows. That’s what is on my horizon.
We would love to hear from you! What is your favorite track out of the two recent tracks Greyson Chance has released? Let us know by commenting down below or by tweeting us @TheHoneyPOP! We are also on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!
