Giving us a look into what it’s like to be a musician, Social Animals opens up about life on the road with their new single, “Best Years.” This is the band’s second single after coming back from 2017 and it gives off completely different vibes from their single they released in November, “Bad Things.”
“Best Years” reminds us to be in the moment and to pause in our busy lives to reflect and take in our surroundings. Looking back on their time on the road during tour, the band reminisces about how relationships are paused and people eventually move on. Showing the “ugly” side of tour life, the lyrics breakaway that glamourization that can be so easily thrown on.
“When you’re always leaving/ Nobody cares if you stay,” playing to the fact that after so many times, it’s normal so no one really cares. “The first time you leave, there are tears when you go and tears when you return. The tenth time, nobody asks where you’re going. The hundredth time, nobody cares,” said frontman Dedric Clark.
Take a look at the visuals for Social Animals‘ newest single, “Best Years” below!
Offering the perfect vibes for windows-down cruising through LA, Alt Bloom’s newest single “West Coast” definitely needs to be put on your Chill playlist this year! We got a chance to catch up with him between his traveling and music-making to learn what went into producing “West Coast.”
Hi Ethan! Thanks for talking to us today. Congrats on your new single by the way! “West Coast” is definitely in our vibes playlist here at MDRN. We have a question we want to ask first. We noticed you’re traveling quite a bit recently, where are you at this very moment?
Hello! Thank you so much for taking the time to talk about my project! I have been traveling but currently am back in LA. For the last 10 days I’ve been doing live acoustic videos for each song on my EP across national parks in California. It was a blast of an experience and I can’t wait to share it!
Are the sights and places you’re visiting inspiring you to write new music? If so, how is it inspiring differently than other writing sessions?
I’d say stepping out of the studio always inspires new music. Living life is the only way to find new material and honest stories to write about. Being outdoors and out of LA keeps me in my own space artistically and makes me realize how vast the universe is which reminds me to keep on my path as we are all making it up on this little dot in space.
Now on to your new single, which is honestly so amazing. What about the west coast inspired this song? A person, a moment, a sight?
Thank you so much! Lyrics for me are always something that is bursting to be realized in my life and I just let them flow. “West Coast” is in that vein. But what really inspired the song was my roommate and producer Devin Damato. I was about to leave the house on a trip and heard him working on a track. The groove caught me and I started hearing the chorus melody and lyric right away. So I popped my head in his room and asked if I could write over what he was working on. About 20 minutes later the whole thing was written. I recorded a voice memo of it and when I got back from the trip, myself, Brian Phillips (producer), and Devin hopped in the studio and finished out the recording.
Your “October Eyes” video and “Stay” lyric video have some amazing visuals and really catch the feel of the song? What can we expect for the “West Coast” music video? We hope there’s a lot of driving with the roof down.
Thank you! For the “West Coast” video we wanted to capture parts of LA that people who don’t live here don’t recognize but locals see all the time. LA river, Crenshaw, downtown, etc… It’s funny the original idea was to be driving in all the locations but the director, Erica Eng, knows that I am a big longboarder so she suggested I do that for the video instead to ground it to who I am. It ended up being a blast of a day just doing two things I love to do, sight see and skate.
If you had to put “West Coast” in a vibes playlist, what other songs would you include? Can be more of your own, as well as other artists? What would you call that playlist?
“Biking” Frank Ocean, “Morning” Marc E Bassy, “Habit” Still Woozy, “Small Worlds” Mac Miller, “Make It Better” Anderson Paak. I’d call it PB and Jam.
What is your usual method of attack when writing music? Do you have a certain order you like to work in?
I usually like to start with a palette of chord and groove. Whether it’s in my head or on a seed track. That helps me dive into a flow. Writing for me is a zen space. When I am in it I am in it 100%, committed to whatever the next few hours hold. It’s a ride every time. After that initial burst the song is either done or I spend the rest of the day or months putting the rest of the pieces together like a sudoku puzzle with a producer.
Is there a specific line or lyric that you wrote that you are super proud of? Which one?
In “West Coast” there’s a lyric, “Got a firework face, light up the whole place.” Not sure why I like that line, probably because I’ve only met a few people who can take out a room with a look and it reminds me of them when I sing it.
If you don’t mind, we’d like to get a bit deep. What made you create Alt Bloom? We know that it’s your stage name. Is Alt Bloom a completely different version of you? Or is he an extension of yourself?
Alt Bloom was a new step for me. I had so many things associated with my name that I wanted a fresh start. AndI didn’t want the pressure of anything I had done before to fall on this new place for me. I wanted to feel free to take this music wherever my heart wanted to, folk, hiphop, pop, rnb, rock, and by switching my name it gave me that space to let go of whatever had been holding me back from doing just that.
We’re dying to know, do you have an album or EP in the works?
Right now there is so much music I have in the stash but the first step for me is an EP which we do have done and are planning to release a track at a time. Just waiting on those mixes ! An album for sure in the future, but for now I want to keep releases to EP’s so I can keep releasing at a quick pace.
Since you love traveling so much? Can we expect a tour soon?
As soon as I can get out I will! Right now the focus is building and making the music I will be touring on. I’m hoping to get out a bunch this year and am keeping my fingers crossed for the opportunity. I do love traveling and singing. Especially if I can find new nature spots to explore and climb. On top of that the band is gonna be a kick to play with! Good people.
What is your take on the MDRN day fan and how important they are to the industry right now?
Fans are everything. Without fans there isn’t an industry. Everything great that happens in this world takes a lot of people. Every success is do to the fact that masses are involved. DaVinci wouldn’t be remembered if millions of people didn’t reflect on and save his work. Even NASA wouldn’t be able to explore the worlds beyond without tax dollars from the masses. Every success is more that of the people and less the person. Though a person can stimulate the people it is the people that make the music connection so special.
What can Alt Bloom fans look forward to in 2020?
Lots of new music, lots of new visuals, lots of new places to explore, live shows and a presidential election.
Okay last question and it’s an important one… What do you call your fanbase? If you don’t have one yet, what would you like them to be called? (May we suggest Bloomers?)
Haha bloomers sounds a lot like boomers I’d have to be careful. We actually call ourselves tribe. Tribe means a lot to me because it’s a heavy part in human existence, finding your tribe. My base is about connecting with each other and I love to watch them slowly growing as this project begins. It’s only really been six months !
Thank you for talking with us, Ethan! MDRN Mag wishes you the best luck! We can’t wait for all the new music! If there’s any last things you’d like to tell the fans, please do!
Thank you so much for taking the time. I’d like to tell people to get outside anyway you can. Staring at the stars, some trees, and getting fresh air does so much more the soul than any other thing in this world. Get out tribe!
After being awoken at the Devil’s Hour to draw, Halsey takes us into her dream world with her new video for “Graveyard.”
One of the first scenes we see is of Halsey drawing a girl on her sketch pad, before that figure manifests beside her and the drawing of the mysterious girl she sketches comes to life. The girl, played by Sydney Sweeney, transports them into a dream carnival, filled with pretty lights, pastel colors, and complete with two moons.
After riding Ferris Wheels, froclicking around, and dancing in the completely empty carnival grounds, they step into the entrance of what seems like a funhouse before Halsey skips along leaving her mysterious partner outside.
This funhouse actually turns into the aquarium from her recent “Clementine” video for a few moments before Halsey passes out and appears swimming underwater as she floats back up into the carnival.
Realizing she is alone, she wanders through a now bleak, black and white carnival ground, completely opposite from the scenes before. The video ends with Hasley sitting back in her bedroom, which has now taken on the bleakness of the carnival.
We love the mystery and hidden messages throughout the whole video, Halsey has not let us down yet with these visuals for her upcoming album, Manic! We can’t wait to see how the other videos and tracks intertwine with each other as her recent ones have.
Halsey recently put out a new single for her 25th birthday, and it’s a lot different from her usual sound, but we LOVE it! This is her third single off her new album, Manic, which is set to release in early 2020, following “Graveyard” and “Nightmare.”
The song is one with a sweet comforting tone, as it has an acoustic type feel and kid like echos featured throughout it. Accompanied by a simple piano melody, and soft percussion in the background, Halsey seems to give us the meaning of her new album Manic, as the song is a cryptic one full of contradicting lines. Just take a look at the mainline in the chorus, “I don’t need anyone / I just need everyone and then some.”
The video was something we hadn’t seen from the performer before and she even tagged-team in her family to help out on this production! The visuals for “Clementine” feature both Halsey and her brother Sevian Frangipane dancing through a dimly lit aquarium.
This adorable, compilation of shots has the siblings doing interactive choreography as they frolic throughout the empty aquarium, which makes the perfect backdrop for the cutest video of the year. The choreography for the video was done by Dani Vital who also co-directed the video, and it fits the song’s vibes perfectly!
Exactly 25 years ago to this moment I was born. I wanted to celebrate today by sharing a new song called “clementine”🍊and a cute lil video for it that i made with my brother Sevian. Enjoy 🙂 https://t.co/1HkK3HIJrc
OK, not the best sandwich, but maybe the best music video. You’d think it would be hard for Lil Nas X to one-up the “Old Time Road” music video, but he showed out with the “Panini” visuals that were recently released last week.
It was suspected he’d go with a futuristic vibe after his VMA performance late last month, and the audio’s visuals put out ahead of the official music video.
This futuristic video has it all; holograms, flying cars, and jet packs. And you may see a super familiar face, former Disney Channel star, Skai Jackson.
As the lead for the “Panini” video, the storyline follows her as she tries to run away from Lil Nas X. After not being able to get away by foot, or by flying uber, she finally tries to leave by plane before jumping out the flying plane door to get away from him on the plane’s wing.
Lil Nas X stays true to the futuristic vibes with “Panini”, especially with the dancing robots, and he also stayed true to the song’s storyline, as it’s about those who love you till you get big, then things change. He received the idea for the song’s namesake from the Cartoon Network show Chowder, where Panini is a character. “Panini was possessive over Chowder in the show,” said Lil Nas X to Genuis. “She’s a representation of fans of who love you when you’re small. Once you get the spotlight, they aren’t feeling you as much. The song is not a diss, but anger towards that fan, but also wanting them back.”
The video depicts the song’s message perfectly as Jackson sees Lil Nas literally everywhere because he became such a big star, but in the end, she saw that he just wanted her to be happy.
Full of alcohol and a**, this video should be in the dictionary for an example of a “Hot Girl Summer.” Megan Thee Stallion brings the party with Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign on the visuals for her newest single.
This huge pool party features the ULTIMATE girl’s day full of women just letting loose and having fun. It begins by comedian, Jaimesha Thomas receiving a notification about a pool party with Megan Thee Stallion before she basically reenacts her viral video, and does all she can to get into the “Hot Girl” spirit.
Even though she doesn’t fully catch the hotness, she still goes to the party, but her fellow girls have her back and she gets the magic passed on to her by the end of the video!
Showcasing the perfect pool party venue, it features endless views of the landscape in between amazing twerking shots between Minaj and Megan. The video also features many other celebrities mixed into the grand party, including LaLa Anthony and Rico Nasty!
Megan Thee Stallion definitely left a HOT mark on this summer and we can’t wait to see what’s to come! Check out the video for “Hot Girl Summer” below and let us know what you think in the comments or tweet us @popsundae!
Katy Perry is back with a new video for her latest single, “Small Talk,” and she’s bringing a new meaning to the fact that people really do resemble their pets. She may have also made the cutest video we’ve ever seen.
A complete 180 from the lyric video she put out a few weeks ago that was full of awkward post-breakup situations, the official music video shows that Katy Perry is back in all her glory!
It seems like Perry is taking on a retro style for this whole new era, with the hippie vibe of “Never Really Over”, to taking on the role of a prized dog trainer in this new luxuriously vintage video “Small Talk.”
Training her dog for the Mutt Ball, Perry and her pup are total BFF’s before they win the trophy at the competition. But Perry takes home an even better prize. Soon we see the poor pup is instantly feeling forgotten until it finds a love of its own.
Fans loved the new video and thought the idea was just brilliant!
Little Mix recently released their newest single and video, “Bounce Back” and it’s a definite bop. The track is the perfect mix of cute, yet sassy attitude; an awesome contender for song of the summer – the video fits the vibes seamlessly!
Taking inspiration for the power vocals from famous British group, Soul II Soul, and their hit single, “Back To Life”, the girls put a nice modern twist on a classic song!
The video opens with a little girl playing with her dollhouse, and what more fitting dolls than Little Mix themselves! Perrie, Jesy, Leigh-Anne and Jade bring some serious fierceness in these fun visuals. Bight colors, singing heads and twerking – this video has it all!
In a recent interview with BBC, Leigh Anne mentioned how the band instantly knew the song fit them. “We love this song” she said. “It was a no-brainer. It’s just an absolute summer anthem, an absolute vibe”.
'It's an absolute summer album. An absolute vibe.' 🌊
We can’t wait to see what Little Mix has in store next! Hopefully a US tour soon? Let us know what you think of it in the comments or tweet us @MDRNMAG!
