By: Mariah Thomas
Photo By Sorry Youth
Q) How would you describe your sound?
A) In a way, our music is a reflection of Taiwan: raw and deeply rooted in the local scene, but also wide open to possibilities.
We’re a power-trio that writes in our native language, but there’s no single leader – we rotate the creative lead and each of us handles lead vocals on different tracks.
Q) Who are some musicians that inspired you growing up?
A) Our sound is a mix of the stuff we grew up on – 90s grunge, Brit-pop and that early 2000s garage rock revival and Post-Rock wave. You’ll definitely hear some Nirvana, The Strokes, BRMC and Mogwai vibes in what we do.
But for our lyrics, we use our native language, Taiwanese. That’s because of the “New Taiwanese Song Movement.” Taiwanese artists like Wu Bai, Lim Giong and LTK Commune really influenced us and showed us how to write in Taiwanese language.
Q) You launched a new single in August of last year and have a new collaboration with Pedro on the way soon. Is this a prelude to a full album or EP?
A) After putting out our fourth record, Noise Apartment, in 2024, we’re taking a break from the full-album format this year to experiment with some new singles.
We’ve got more than just the PEDRO collab in the works – we’re busy in the studio right now and hope to drop these new tracks starting in the second half of the year, so stay tuned!
Q) What was your experience collaborating with Pedro on “Outta My Way?”
A) Our latest track “Outta My Wa”’ is our very first collaboration with a foreign artist and it was a journey full of surprises. Getting to record with PEDRO in a Tokyo studio was an incredible experience – we had the best time!
Despite the language gap, Japanese and Taiwanese pop cultures really echo each other. Our band has always been influenced by some Japanese bands, so building on that shared foundation to create this Taiwan-Japan collab was a truly special experience.
Make sure to catch the global premiere of “Outta My Way” on all streaming platforms on March 18th!
Q) How did Sorry Youth and Pedro come to work together on the single?
A) Years ago, when PEDRO first played in Taiwan, we were lucky enough to get our album into their hands. We reached out hoping to collaborate one day and we were so honored when we finally got to kick things off last year.
After countless emails and video calls discussing the song’s direction, we were really grateful for how smoothly everything worked out. Since we’re both three-piece rock bands, we really respected each other’s vision and it meant a lot to us that they trusted the project so much.
Q) What is your songwriting process? Do you need music before you can craft lyrics?
A) Back when we started, we mostly just jammed. We’d play in the rehearsal room over and over until the song was done. These days we try to talk about the concept first. Sometimes the music comes first and sometimes we start with a few lines of lyrics. But the most important thing is the cinematic feel. We want the music to have its own visuals. When that happens, the audience just gets what we’re saying.
Q) How involved is Sorry Youth in the production side of the music that you make?
A) We’re involved in every step, from writing and arranging to producing our shows and deciding our own direction. All three of us work together on everything to make sure it’s done right. It’s a lot of work sometimes, but that’s the fun of it. For us, being “indie” means having total creative freedom over what we create.
Q) How does “Outta My Way” compare to your plans for future music?
A) This track is our first international project. Besides the track itself, we’re dropping a live session, a music video and some Reels. PEDRO is even joining us on the main stage at the Megaport Festival this year to premiere the song in front of tens of thousands of fans.
This Spring we’re also touring together in both Japan and Taiwan to build a deeper connection and show the world what a Japanese-Taiwanese rock collab can do. “Outta My Way” is a fresh start for us – it proves we can handle international collaborations. We’re always looking for more shows outside of Taiwan and reaching out to international artists for more songwriting and tours.
Q) Who are some dream collaborations you have?
A) We’re actually influenced by quite a few American indie bands, like Wilco, The National, Yo La Tengo, Sonic Youth, Pavement and so on. It would be a great honor to collaborate with them if we had the chance. Or take DIIV – they’re mesmerizing in how they present their sounds and working with them would be a dream come true.
Q) There is a two city tour expected in Tokyo and Taipei! What songs do you most look forward to performing live?
A) What we’re most looking forward to with these two shows is sharing the stage with PEDRO. Especially since we co-wrote the new song “Outta My Way” – it’s quite special, featuring both Taiwanese and Japanese, which we believe will offer listeners a fresh and novel auditory experience. We’re also really curious about how fans from different countries will react.
Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform?
A) We actually love performing in all sorts of non-traditional venues, like bookstores, hot pot restaurants, breakfast shops, breweries and so on – instead of always sticking to live houses or music festivals. The reason is we really enjoy that sense of music weaving into everyday life. I remember watching Explosions in the Sky at SXSW years ago in a bike shop. I’m excited to catch tons of fun and interesting shows at SXSW this time too.
Q) You are taking part in the SXSW Taiwan Beats Showcase. What does it mean to you to get to represent your culture and introduce Taiwanese music to a new audience?
A) Performing as representatives of Taiwan is a tremendous honor. We’ve always created and written our songs in Taiwanese. Taiwanese actually have a history of suppression in Taiwan and when we chose rock music for our creations, we saw it as embodying a spirit of rebellion – which perfectly aligns with our reasons for choosing Taiwanese.
All our songs also come with English translations, so if anyone connects with the stories in our lyrics, they can look up the meanings online. The lyrics mainly depict life in Taiwan – some tie into Taiwanese culture or view contemporary dilemmas from the perspective of a young person in Taiwan, sparking a lot of resonance among Taiwanese people. But we believe music can transcend borders.
Q) Talk about the process you went through to craft your set list for SXSW.
A) Beyond our usual hit songs that we often perform, we’ve specially selected one called “出巡 (Pilgrimage)” for this time. This song was from 2022 when we were selected for the SXSW lineup, but the pandemic prevented us from going, so we presented it online via a live session instead. We’re thrilled to finally have the chance this time and bring it to the live stage.
Q) Are there other artists you plan to see while in town for SXSW or sites you want to visit?
A) We’re really looking forward to seeing Lola Young’s live show and we’ve always been faithful viewers of NPR Tiny Desk – we’re excited for the performances they present, too. Plus, we’ve received an invite to the Yamaha Experience and can’t wait to spark some fun ideas with different creators and brands, maybe even forge deeper connections. Heard the sandwiches and BBQ are amazing too – counting down the days!
Q) What would you like to say to fans and supporters of you and your work?
A) We’ve been playing in the band for twenty years now, from university days to today – we never imagined we’d come this far. A huge thank you to everyone for your support along the way. We’ve always thought fans of indie music are the coolest. Let’s build the most fun music scene together. We’re thrilled to bring our music to the SXSW stage this time and can’t wait to meet everyone – come hear some Taiwanese indie rock.