New Friends – Sad Sugar

By starrymag | October 2, 2023

By: Paige Zinaman

 

 

Q) Growing up, who would you say were some of your musical influences? 

 

A) Every band member varied with their influences growing up. Ayden was influenced by James Bay, Cole by John Mayer, Stefan by Coldplay, Nico by The Police and Conrad by Green Day. There’s countless more bands and artists that influenced us all, but these are some of the greats for sure.

 

Q) Some may say New Friends is a mix of pop/alternative music. How would you describe your sound?

 

A) Our sound is a collection of the nostalgic artists and groups we grew up listening to all summed into one.

 

Q) You’ve just released your newest single, “Sad Sugar,” and it was one of the most enjoyable songs to listen to. Talk about the story behind it.

 

A) That’s so sweet! We’re glad you liked it. The song stemmed from a fun day in the studio with our friend Derek Hoffman. We got together and started writing away and just talking about some of our favorite songs from the 90’s and grabbed some chords that fit that mood. It eventually started to be a song about bonding with someone new over your toxic traits and falling in love with them rather than making them red flags.

 

Q) What kind of fan response have you been receiving to it?

 

A) We went old school with this song and actually toured it for a bit before it was finished because we wanted to get instant feedback live. People were asking what song that was when we got off stage and knew that we had a good one in our hands. This song is the way it is because of the fans.

 

Q) What would you say was the most challenging part of creating “Sad Sugar?”

 

A) The challenging part was the last stretch. We had sat with this song for a few months at that point and knew it was just a matter of sprinkling in the final touches. Every decision, no matter how small it may be, is a massive decision when nearing the end of a song so figuring out what those final calls were was definitely the most challenging part.

 

Q) “Sad Sugar” was a collaborative process between you and producer Derek Hoffman. What was that experience like? 

 

A) Derek is incredible. From the first day we sat in the studio with him, we knew that not only is he a talented producer and writer but also just a genuinely great guy. He made the whole song process one of the most fun experiences we had making a song.

 

Q) When you go into the studio, what do you often find more challenging, the music or creating the lyrics?  

 

A) Every song comes to us differently. Sometimes the lyrics will fly onto the page and other times a whole song is produced and melodies are made but the lyrics require an all hands on deck search party. It constantly varies and we’re just at the mercy of whatever the song is lacking or having.

 

Q) How much of a hand do you have in the production of your music? Are you always a hands-on type? 

 

A) We’ve always been very hands on with our productions and mixing. We started this band doing everything “in-house” amongst ourselves and it’s a big part of how this band creates. Although we produce a lot as a group, we absolutely love collaborating. Having that kind of insight into the process of creating a song makes it even more fun to bring in other producers because the communication is frictionless and everyone just gets to add a piece of themselves into everything we do.

 

Q) Can fans expect another EP or album coming to them soon? 

 

A) We’ve been locked away in the studio all summer working on new tunes. We can’t spoil any secrets, but we can say, oh yeah. There’s a project coming together that is some of our most exciting work yet.

 

Q) You’re about to kick off on a tour! What are you most excited about? And are you looking forward to visiting a certain place during the tour?

 

A) Yes, we are! To say we’re excited is an understatement. We love being on the road. The most exciting part for us is the fans. Hanging out and just having a party every night with everyone will NEVER get old. We just finished a run in Germany and Canada in May and we have been itching to get back out there and see everyone again. We’re playing a bunch of new cities we have never played before so we’re just excited to soak them all in.

 

Q) Who are some artists/musicians that you are really into at the moment?

 

A) The new Dominic Fike record is incredible. We’ve also been listening to a lot of Del Water Gap and the new Post Malone record.

 

Q) What would you like to say to your fans and supporters of your work?

 

A) Words can’t even explain how grateful we are for all of the support. It truly means the world to all of us, and we can’t wait to show you all what we’ve been working on! See you on tour!