Phoneboy – Moving Out

By starrymag | April 18, 2023

By: Dianca Yssel

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

A) We take a lot of inspiration from the pop punk and indie rock music we listened to growing up. When we play live we definitely try to add some more intensity to our songs, even the most laid back ones. I’d say we really just want folks to jump around.

 

Q) What is your creative process when making new music? Do you need lyrics before adding music?

A) Usually, one of us comes to the other two with an idea – whether that be lyrics, a melody or just a riff – and we build outwards from that. Honestly, most of the time lyrics are the last things we add.

 

Q) Is your writing process a collaborative effort or does only one person usually take the lead?

A) Definitely a collaboration. Our songs wouldn’t be what they are without everyone’s input; if someone doesn’t like a part of a song, we talk about it until it gets sorted out.

 

Q) Your musical influences include the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Frank Ocean, Megan Thee Stallion, and Billy Joel. What is it about their music that resonates with you?

A) Definitely a lot of lyrical inspiration. This is partly from what stories they tell, but more importantly how they tell it. Also, we all just really love “Moving Out” by Billy Joel. It kicks ass.

 

Q) Congratulations on your new single “Your Apartment” off your upcoming new album Moving Out. The song is said to be about the gray area between regret and knowing it would never work out. What inspired you to write a song on this particular theme?

A) Thanks so much! “Your Apartment” is us reflecting on going out and essentially being self-defeatists. It’s better to say “oh well” than “what if” and this is us wondering about all the “what ifs.”

 

Q) The music video for “Your Apartment” features your band playing in an actual apartment, while the viewer follows the highs and lows of a couple who spend time together in that apartment (the transitions are very well done!). How does the video play into the message behind the song?

A) Thanks again, y’all are so nice! When we were writing the video, we decided to take it in the opposite direction of the song itself. Instead of wondering what could’ve happened with someone you liked, we wanted to show what would’ve happened if you ended up dating them.

 

Q) Your previous single “Ferrari” (also from Moving Out) explores the theme of unintended consequences of growing up and becoming famous. What advice can you give to other young musicians navigating the journey to adulthood while trying to make a name for themselves in the music industry?

A) The music industry is weird. You’re thrown into a situation where you have no idea what’s going on, and you’re being told by a bunch of people with decades of experience what’s wrong and what’s right. We’d say to not let the business side of things hurt your spirit, and to never forget why you started making music in the first place.

 

Q) What other themes will you be exploring with the album Moving Out?

A) The album definitely has a loose story to it. We try to explore the whole spectrum of emotions that someone feels when they have a strong attachment to something (or someone).

 

Q) What do you hope to convey to your fans when they listen to Moving Out?

A) Behavior is cyclic, and the only way to break out of it is to become self-aware and change.

 

Q) In support of the release of your new album you will also be going on tour starting March 24 in New Jersey and ending on May 11th in New York. Is there a particular city you look forward to performing in?

A) Honestly, we’re just excited to go on tour in general. Opening up for The Happy Fits last fall was the coolest experience we’ve ever had. But that being said, Phoenix is going to be cool because it’s close to the Grand Canyon and James [Fusco] cried the first time he went there.

 

Q) Which of your songs off the album are you most looking forward to performing live?

A) “Need a Friend” is definitely going to be a good time. It’s gonna be exciting hearing the audience sing back more and more lyrics the further we get into the tour.

 

Q) Your early music efforts in college quickly earned you a following on social media, helping you gain over a million streams across the web! How important do you think the role of social media is for upcoming artists wanting to get on the map?

A) Yeah, social media was huge for us when we first started out. A lot of our friends from college and high school put our first song up on their Instagram stories, which helped gain a lot of traction early on. But now, social media is a whole different beast; TikTok’s algorithms are so mind-blowing, anyone can blow up with the right video.

 

Q) Which artists would you like to collaborate with?

A) Blink-182 would be a dream come true. We’re not sure how it’d work though. If anything, we’d settle with taking Tom [DeLonge] and Mark’s [Hoppus] harmonies.

Q) What would you like to say to fans and supporters of the music that you make?

A) Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. This is only the beginning. Go buy a t-shirt so we can pay rent.