Bringin' it Backwards

​​We had the pleasure of interviewing Alec Wigdahl over the phone! ​​ ​​Please share while we are #togetherathome ​🏠​ ​​ ​​Singer/songwriter Alec Wigdahl is a truly fearless artist, with little inhibition about sharing his most painful feelings. Often accompanied only by his subtle acoustic guitar work or nuanced piano melodies, the 19-year-old Minnesota native delivers sharply detailed songs that resonate on a universal level. ​​ ​​Based in L.A. but originally from outside Minneapolis, Wigdahl took up songwriting at the age of 15, initially using music as a form of therapy. After teaching himself to play guitar by watching videos of his favorite musicians, he put out a self-produced EP called On My Mind his senior year of high school. Upon graduating he headed to Boston to study at Berklee College of Music, but quickly dropped out and returned home to enroll at the University of Minnesota, compelled to continue with his D.I.Y. approach to music. Those instincts proved to be right on target when the Internet Money team reached out to Wigdahl after discovering his songs on social media. By the end of last summer, Wigdahl had signed his deal with 10K Projects, and soon set to work on Strawberry – released December 2019, the EP showcases Alec's stripped-down sonic palette. ​​ ​​Alec kicked off 2020 with a brutally honest but infectious new single called "Cologne." His most popular to date, it was produced by Wigdahl along with Internet Money founder Taz Taylor, Nick Mira, and OkTanner and featured more elaborate pop production than his previous record, Strawberry. Despite the differences in its production, "Cologne" offers up the same raw emotion that Wigdahl has always brought to his songwriting. As Wigdahl explains, that fearless honesty serves as a vehicle for personal connection. ​​"I love the kind of songs that are incredibly specific to the artist's life, but when you listen it hits you right in the chest — almost like it's happening to you," says Wigdahl. "In my own music I try to be as personal and vulnerable as I possibly can, so that everyone can feel like the song was made for them. I want them to feel like I'm narrating their story at the same time that I'm narrating mine." ​​ ​​ Following up the success of his biggest single to date "Cologne," the singer released his latest single "Lipstick." Continuing his departure from the acoustic offerings of Strawberry, "Lipstick" shows off his versatility as a writer as he moves further into a more pop-driven direction. Flirty and confident, Alec's carefree offering "Lipstick" proves to be a perfect soundtrack for summer romance. ​​ ​​We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com ​​ ​​www.BringinitBackwards.com American Songwriter Podcast Network: https://americansongwriter.com/podcast ​​ ​​#podcast #interview #bringinbackpod #foryou #foryoupage #stayhome #togetherathome #zoom #aspn #americansongwriter #americansongwriterpodcastnetwork --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

​​We had the pleasure of interviewing Hannah Fairlight over Zoom video! ​​ ​​Please share while we are #togetherathome ​​ ​​ ​​Nashville based artist Hannah Fairlight to released her new album Muscle and Skin on June 12 at all digital outlets with a physical CD and vinyl coming later this year. ​​ ​​American Songwriter Magazine premiered the first song and video for "Do What You Said You Wanted To". See it here: https://youtu.be/GFz6pR4pEd0 ​​ ​​The songs on Muscle and Skin dance between sassy retro vibes and haunting string-laden odes of hope, lost love, and regret. "This Silence" and "Do What You Said You Wanted To" splash listeners with an upbeat self-righteous opening. "Too Late To Wonder" and "Do You Ever Think of Me" settle us into more familiar Folk/Americana territory, while "Bells," "Money & Run," "Mother Moon," and "Walk Away" are beautiful storytelling ballads. The title track "Muscle & Skin" leaves us pondering our own accomplishments and defeats. ​​ ​​Fairlight's voice is the thread tying it all together. The songs date back years to recent months, exploring a span of Hannah's more personal catalogue. "I wanted to reveal my true self and confront some of the struggles I've faced. No box to fit into, no commercial outlets to impress. I wanted to be completely honest. I got sick of dressing things up, trying to 'be something'. I wanted to let out the real, raw songwriter underneath" explains Fairlight. ​​Recorded and produced by Austin Hoke and Fairlight and mixed by Grammy-nominated Brett Ryan Stewart Muscle and Skin is Fairlight's third studio album. ​​ ​​Fairlight grew up in rural Iowa playing classical piano and saxophone from eight years old and starting original songs at age twelve. Inspired as a teen by role models that include Patti Smith and Tori Amos, she picked up guitar and cut her teeth performing in New York City at clubs like CBGB and The Bitter End. Fairlight has since lived and performed around the world, released two studio albums after moving to Nashville, "Creatures of Habit" and "Bright Future"." ​​ ​​https://www.hannahfairlight.com ​​ ​​We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com ​​ ​​www.BringinitBackwards.com American Songwriter Podcast Network: https://americansongwriter.com/podcast ​​ ​​#podcast #interview #bringinbackpod #foryou #foryoupage #stayhome #togetherathome #zoom --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

​​We had the pleasure of interviewing Lindsey Lomis over the phone! ​​ ​​Please share while we are #togetherathome ​🏠​ ​​ ​​ ​​Lindsey Lomis captures the spirit of a Gen Z teenager reaching from the past into the future. Her music is filled with undeniable hooks, dramatic drum fills, sparse electronic edges, and a vocal rootsiness. At just 17 years old she is that rare pop treasure: a future superstar time-traveling through classic eras to land us firmly in the present. For Lomis, who is born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee and has been honing her craft from the age of nine, music is the place from where everything else in life began. In her songwriting process, Lomis calls the shots. Her newest single, "Feel", is cross-genre and cutting-edge; a song about the drama of teenage friendships, veering toward the darker edges of adolescence. In real life, Lomis is the girl next door – approachable, warm, and optimistic. The talent beneath her veneer, however, is extraordinary. Her earthen cadence reminds one of a Maggie Rogers or a Hozier: a sophisticated soul bursting from a young perspective. She's inspired by the possibilities of pop and the lack of pressure to fit into any box. She looks to powerhouses such as Tori Kelly and Adele as inspiration. After releasing her debut EP, Chapter I, in 2019, she signed with Altadena and Warner Records and has swiftly garnered an array of impressive fans, including Meghan Trainor, Alessia Cara, Allen Stone, Ryan Tedder, Lennon Stella, AJ Mitchell, Shawn Mendes, Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas. She even garnered a shout out on one of Justin Bieber's IG Lives. Her NYC opening slot for Bruno Major and sharing the stage with Brandi Carlile have been live highlights so far. Of her ambitions for her music's impact, Lomis says, "When people come home from a long day, I want my songs to help them feel like they dropped the weight of the world off their shoulders." ​​ ​​We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com ​​ ​​www.BringinitBackwards.com American Songwriter Podcast Network: https://americansongwriter.com/podcast ​​ ​​#podcast #interview #bringinbackpod #foryou #foryoupage #stayhome #togetherathome #zoom #aspn #americansongwriter --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

​​We had the pleasure of interviewing frontman James Priestner of Rare Americans. Rare Americans released their new single "Gas Mask" today. Each of their songs is accompanied by an animated visual, together they tell an interconnected story set in a world the band has dubbed "Crooked City." Their single "Hullabaloo" was released a few weeks ago and the video already has over a million views. They recently released another song called "Berlin". Their animations have earned more than 50 million YouTube views and gained them nearly 250,000 subscribers. The new singles follow "Brittle Bones Nicky" and other recent releases "Milk Man," "Ryan and Dave" and "Cats, Dogs, and Rats." They also have a song on the soundtrack for the movie SCOOB! ​​ ​​BIO: ​​Welcome to the slanted world of Rare Americans. Formed in Vancouver, Canada in 2018 by front-man James Priestner and guitarist Lubo Ivan, the band invites you to take a peek into its colorful universe, dubbed Crooked City. Crooked City is a place to unlock your mind. To be creative. To challenge any and all ideas in a thought-provoking way. To gain access to the doors of your own mind. A place to feed your interests and your passions. A place where culture and morals are created. The adventure of Rare Americans began when dumb luck struck brothers James and Jared Priestner on a trip to the Caribbean. A joke led them to open a door to the realm of songwriting and within days the first Rare Americans songs were born. With the brothers sharing songwriting duties, they enlisted musical comrade Lubo Ivan on guitar and soon recruited bassist/engineer Jeff Quinn to join Rare Americans' creative pursuits. The band is rounded out by Jan Cajka on backing vocals/guitar and Duran Ritz on drums. With "Hullabaloo" and more new music to come, Rare Americans invite you to explore a whole new world of possibilities if you just let yourself open the doors of your mind. ​​We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com ​​ ​​www.BringinitBackwards.com American Songwriter Podcast Network: https://americansongwriter.com/podcast ​​ ​​#podcast #interview #bringinbackpod #foryou #foryoupage #stayhome #togetherathome #zoom #aspn #americansongwriter --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

​​We had the pleasure of interviewing Teddy Swims over the phone! ​​Please share while we are #togetherathome ​🏠​ ​​ ​​"Atlanta-based singer-songwriter Teddy Swims released an infectious cover of The Weeknd's #1 global smash "Blinding Lights". ​​ ​​Just 10 months ago, Teddy posted his first YouTube cover, Michael Jackson's "Rock With You," and has been building a devoted fanbase since. He now has 1.1 million subscribers and his videos of his own renditions of songs by artists such as Lewis Capaldi, Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish, Shania Twain and Marvin Gaye (to name a few) has racked up an astonishing 118 million views! ​​ ​​Teddy's first original song "Picky" was released in January and has garnered over 1 million streams. ​​ ​​Earlier this year, Teddy embarked on his first sold-out U.S. headlining tour. More to come from Teddy Swims!" ​​ ​​We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com ​​ ​​www.BringinitBackwards.com American Songwriter Podcast Network: https://americansongwriter.com/american-songwriter-podcast-network/bringin-it-backwards-podcast/ ​​ ​​#podcast #interview #bringinbackpod #foryou #foryoupage #stayhome #togetherathome #zoom #aspn #americansongwriter --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

We had the opportunity to interview The Milwaukees over Zoom video! "The Calling, the sixth and latest full-length record from The Milwaukees, a long-running Jersey City quartet, is a veritable masterclass in timeless, straight-ahead guitar rock. Filled with ringing guitar chords, soulful vocals, and anthemic choruses that would sound equally inspiring in a sweaty barroom or a packed-to-the-rafters arena, the album's ten tracks amply testify to the magic that can happen when heartfelt, finely-honed songcraft meets powerful, sympathetic musicianship." Check out their new label: http://www.mint400records.com/ We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com ​​ ​​www.BringinitBackwards.com American Songwriter Podcast Network: https://americansongwriter.com/american-songwriter-podcast-network/ ​​ ​​#podcast #interview #bringinbackpod #foryou #foryoupage #stayhome #togetherathome #zoom #aspn #americansongwriter #americansongwriterpodcastnetwork --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

​​We had the pleasure of interviewing Heart of Gold over Zoom video! ​​ ​​Please share while we are #togetherathome ​🏠​ ​​ ​​We were able to chat with this very cool alt-pop band Heart of Gold about recent single "Midnight in Miami" - https://shrptn.co/midnightinmiami. ​​ ​​I get hints of The Midnight, LANY, The 1975 and so many other great bands I cannot stop listening to when I hear this band and I really think you'd love them! ​​ ​​So where this gets fun is this is the side project of post-hardcore band Being As An Ocean's guitarist/vocalist Michael McGough. This project could not be FURTHER from BAAO, but when you hear about his musical influences as a child, it all makes a bit more sense. ​​ ​​"I grew up between two households'" says Michael. "My mother brought in this incredible range of Pop and R&B to my life. I've always been so drawn to dominant vocals in a song, accompanied by just the right chord progression that really makes you feel something. Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Lisa Stansfield in particular were the leaders of that. However, my father's house was always filled with rock and roll music. The Smiths, Queen, Thin Lizzy, and Led Zeppelin just to name a few. That brought in a wider range of inspiration of vocal ranges, and how the voice can really work when accompanying the right music." ​​ ​​On this track specifically, Michael shares "Midnight In Miami was the song I wrote when I wanted to start actually doing the things I always thought about doing but would forever put off. I would listen to so many songs and experience all of these feelings as I was trying to translate what they were actually about, and I told myself 'I wanna write a song that physically makes me feel something like these songs do. I wanna write a song that can transport you to a completely different place to where you're currently at.'" ​​ ​​Social Links ​​https://www.facebook.com/thisisheartofgold ​​https://twitter.com/heartofgold_88 ​​https://www.instagram.com/thisisheartofgold/ ​​ ​​We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com ​​ ​​www.BringinitBackwards.com American Songwriter Podcast Network: https://americansongwriter.com/american-songwriter-podcast-network/ ​​ ​​#podcast #interview #bringinbackpod #foryou #foryoupage #stayhome #togetherathome #zoom #aspn #americansongwriter #americansongwriterpodcastnetwork --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

​​We had the pleasure of interviewing SLOANE (Nick Rosen) over Zoom video! ​​ ​​Please share while we are #togetherathome ​🏠​ ​​ ​​"A jazz prodigy-turned-soundtrack guru, Nick Rosen might be the last person you'd expect to release an addictive collection of experimental electro-pop gems, but 'Too Young To Be Lonely,' his captivating new EP under the Sloane moniker, is proof of the multitudes he contains. Grappling with depression, loneliness, and the hollow nature of our social media-obsessed society, the six-track EP is deceptively upbeat, packaging heavy reckonings inside shiny, glittering productions. Rosen plays every instrument on the collection himself, layering up infectious beats and dreamy synthesizers into a potent mix of slick pop appeal and raw emotional intensity. That mix of dark and light is at the heart of Rosen's mission with Sloane. Sure, he's here to exorcise some personal demons, but more than that, he's here to help you do the same, and to make sure you know you're not alone in the process. ​​ ​​"I'm not afraid to talk about depression or anxiety or getting caught up in the materialistic trappings of the world," says Rosen, a devout practicer Buddhism. "Enlightenment isn't about the absence of darkness, it's about learning to be okay with the mixture of light and dark that's inside all of us." ​​ ​​A self-described L.A. gutter punk in his youth, Rosen discovered jazz as a teenager and began devoting his every waking moment to the bass. Before even graduating high school, he was making national headlines for helping resurrect the career of jazz legend Henry Grimes, who'd been thought dead for decades, and generating serious waves around Los Angeles for his performances with luminaries like Bennie Maupin, Arthur Blythe, and Nels Cline. After college, Rosen dove into the world of film and television, recording with Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino on scores for everything from Super 8 and Star Trek to Fringe and LOST in addition to serving as music director for massive live broadcasts like NBC's Fourth of July and Christmas in Rockefeller Center specials. On top of his soundtrack work, Rosen served as music director at L.A. hotspots Bardot and The Sayers Club, where he found himself performing live with Prince, will.i.am, Jamie Foxx, Perry Farrell, Bruno Mars, Macy Gray, Common, and countless other celebrities. Adding a slew of other instruments to his repertoire along the way, Rosen also managed to become a prolific session musician and producer/engineer, boasting a resume that includes the likes of Phantogram and Tinashe among others." ​​ ​​We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com ​​ ​​www.BringinitBackwards.com https://americansongwriter.com/american-songwriter-podcast-network/ ​ ​​#podcast #interview #bringinbackpod #foryou #foryoupage #stayhome #togetherathome #zoom #aspn #americansongwriter #americansongwriterpodcastnetwork --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

​​We had the pleasure of interviewing Whitney Flynn of Days n Daze over the phone! ​​ ​​Please share while we are #togetherathome ​🏠​ ​​ ​​"There's DIY, then there's DnD. ​​ ​​Veteran "thrashgrass" band Days N Daze has spent more than a decade doing it themselves in a way few can match. From the beginning, Whitney Flynn (vocals/trumpet) and Jesse Sendejas (vocals/guitar) have forged their own path—playing acoustically so they'd have less gear and could perform anywhere, booking and promoting themselves, and self-recording and self-releasing their albums. Days N Daze—rounded out by Meagan Melancon on washboard and Geoff Bell on gutbucket—have done it all on their own, thank you. ​​ ​​In the rare instances when they work with outsiders, they stick with people they know. Which is why, after a dozen hardscrabble years, they've joined Fat Wreck Chords for their eighth full-length, Show Me the Blueprints., released on 5/1/20. ​​ ​​Sendejas calls the decision "terrifying." Flynn describes it as "massively intimidating." And they couldn't be happier. "It's been pretty awesome—just the positive reinforcement and the drive," Flynn says. "They've really pushed us to go that extra mile, to get that confidence in ourselves, to keep going, keep making music." ​​ ​​"Keep going" may be Show Me the Blueprints.' biggest message. Its 11 tracks practically vibrate with anxious longing for something better—comfort, stability, acceptance, happiness—and the struggle to find it. Sendejas describes the album's most prominent themes as addiction, "existential depression," and appreciation. ​​ ​​It's all in "Flurry Rush," which opens the album with Sendejas singing, "I try not to give a fuck about the little things." Sendejas got sober last year "after basically being drunk for 14 years," which had some unintended consequences. "A lot of what I had been suppressing for so long hit really hard," he says. "I wrote a lot of the songs when I was drinking, but I had the chance to go back and touch them in a clear state of mind. I feel like, if I can write a song about it, then I have all those thoughts in a clear, concise little package, and it's easier for me to unwrap." ​​ ​​Like previous Days N Daze albums, Show Me the Blueprints. crams more ideas into its 11 tracks than albums twice its length. Flynn and Sendejas' rapid-fire words dig into addiction and sobriety ("LibriYUM," "My Darling Dopamine," "Addvice"), obsessive-compulsive disorder ("Show Me the Blueprints."), the current political climate ("None Exempt"), old-fashioned heartache ("Fast Track"), and death ("Goodbye Lulu Pt. 2," a sibling of sorts to "Goodbye Lulu," from 2013's Rogue Taxidermy). ​​ ​​Having arduously recorded themselves for years in a closet with a single microphone on an analog machine, Days N Daze enjoyed the relative ease of modern digital recording with John Carey (Old Man Markley) and production by D-Composers. ​​ ​​"I remember so clearly the first time that I got through an entire take, but my thumb hit the strings on my strumming hand," Sendejas says. "I was like, 'Well, great, we'll just punch right it there,' and John was like, 'No.' He cut and pasted that same strum from earlier in the song and put it in, and that blew my goddamn mind!" He laughs. "It's like sorcery!" ​​In a sense, doing it the hard way for so long made the transition easier for Days N Daze. ​​"Those years of us recording ourselves prepared us for being like, 'Oh, this is a cakewalk,'" Flynn adds. "Once I got in the groove of things, it was just like, 'Oh, okay, I know what I'm doing now.' The intimidation level went way down." ​​ ​​If anything, the band's intensity level has gone way up. Show Me the Blueprints. is a bold step forward for a band that has always followed a bold path. "I just feel like this is a new chapter," Flynn says. "We have so much more to give and to do. Because with these tools, we're only gonna do more." ​​ ​​We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com ​​ ​ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

​​We had the pleasure of interviewing Jeph Howard of The Used over Zoom video! ​​ ​​Please share while we are #togetherathome ​🏠​ ​​ ​​Heartwork is available today at https://theused.ffm.to/heartwork ​​ ​​Excited for you to chat with Bert about The Used's recently released eighth studio album Heartwork, which was released last month via Big Noise. Heartwork celebrated a strong first week, locking in #2 spots on both the Current Alternative and Record Label Independent Album charts, #3 on both Current Rock and Top Current Album charts as well as landing in the Billboard Top 200 at the #87 spot. ​​ ​​The album arrived with the unbound spirit of the pair of platinum albums that first introduced The Used to the world, mixed with the dramatic air of their gold-certified third. The emotion, sincerity, and vulnerability found on The Used (2002) and In Love and Death (2004) is more urgent and insistent than ever on Heartwork, a diverse 16-song offering filled of self-examination, hyper-literate exploration, political pyromania, and keenly self-aware yet unrestrained whimsy. ​​ ​​Check out their recently released music video for "The Lighthouse (feat. Mark Hoppus)" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpZUm2rpaM8. The video is so special and heartwarming featuring home videos from fans highlighting frontline workers including delivery drivers, nurses, grocery store employees and more. ​​ ​​We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com ​​ ​​www.BringinitBackwards.com ​​ ​​#podcast #interview #bringinbackpod #foryou #foryoupage #stayhome #togetherathome #zoom #aspn #americansongwriter --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/