by madden levin
photo by madden levin
At the last date of Grayscale’s tour, we caught up with the incredible THE WLDLFE as they closed out the last two dates on the tour. After an incredible set, the members chatted with us a bit about recent projects and what’s in store for fans always waiting for new content. The music video for their newest single, “Close To You,” is out now and we suggest taking a peek at that before you go! And be sure not to miss our coverage of all acts from The Umbra Tour right here on our site now!
For those who have not been lucky enough to come across you guys just yet, can you give us a bit of a quick introduction to who THE WLDLFE is?
THE WLDLFE: “The Wldlfe is a pop-rock-indie-alt-fuck-boy-band from Indianapolis. Jansen (vocals, guitar) and Carson (vocals, guitar) are brothers, and Jack (bass) I met in college. We like to do a little bit of everything and are just here to have a good time.”
If you had to pick one song of yours for a new fan to listen to first, which would you pick and why? Is there a song that you’d recommend they warm up to first?
THE WLDLFE: “We probably would all have different answers for this, but I would personally say that ‘Blood Orange’ or ‘Boy On A Phone’ would be the ideal introductions to our band. Both are songs that we feel like we haven’t gotten tired of and have stood the test of time in our own heads.”
During the last year and a half where life was put on stand still, do you feel as if the band took time to reevaluate any goals or plans? Did it help give time to inspire and really dedicate time to creating Repaint My Mind after releasing Waking Up Is Hard to Do?
THE WLDLFE: “Short answer: Yes. We just kept our heads down and worked really hard on writing and creating a sonic and visual space for Repaint My Mind. We are really happy with how it turned out and similarly found that the whole project has really remained super important and lasting for us as a band.”
Speaking of Repaint My Mind, it seems like fans are clinging to songs like “Anxious” and “Blood Orange” most. Though there is no doubt that these songs are incredible and deserve the recognition, why do you personally think these two are the songs that are really making their mark in The Wldlfe fan universe?
THE WLDLFE: “I think it’s probably because of how singable the chorus of each song are. We pride ourselves on trying to keep melodies catchy and lyrical content meaningful and those songs do a great job of that in our opinion.”
As a “New Age Meds” fan myself, I’m really curious as to what sparked the inspiration for this song? As the queen of self-deprecation, I think this song has a unique perspective, while still lightly tackling a heavy subject — do you think it is important to continue this outlook while creating all your music?
THE WLDLFE: “For sure. I think that with every season of life there are different challenges that arise and so what is important to us is remaining vulnerable, whatever the subject matter is. I don’t know if there was one specific moment that sparked ‘New Age Meds,’ but just a general repetition of posts on social media that often minimize one’s individual self. One can assume it’s bred out of insecurity and is being used to cope with what those insecurities are, but at the time, I was just finding it to be pretty annoying, so I wrote a song about that.”
With quite a few memorable shows back since the return of concerts and some of the best music I’ve heard to be played live, what newer song have you guys been most excited to play live for fans and newcomers?
THE WLDLFE: “‘Close To You’ is the newest one and it’s been fun to play that one live. Also loving ‘How To Move On’ because we never really got to play that one live until now.”
After experiencing your live performance, I can’t even begin to explain the comfort and happiness — and of course, the talent — that radiated through the walls of The Queen in Delaware. Why do you think it is so important to keep up with this environment at all your shows?
THE WLDLFE: “In a sentence: We’re here for a good time, not a long time. We want to have fun and want everybody else to have fun, so we try to create our show with that in mind.”
I just have to ask... Jansen and Carson, what is the real inside scoop of working alongside your brother? I can imagine that your relationship has to be strong (because if I worked with my brother that closely, I think I would lose my mind), so what would you suggest to anyone thinking about starting a band or getting into business with a sibling or family member...?
THE WLDLFE: “We’re brothers. It’s probably more challenging for some reasons to be in a band with your brother, but at the same time there are a lot of reasons why it works really well for us. I definitely don’t think that being in a band with a sibling is for everybody, but I think the three of us make a really great team.”
As a group, what are your goals or plans for the near future? Can fans expect to see you at a show again near them sometime soon?
THE WLDLFE: “2022 is hopefully going to be a year of shows, shows, and more shows. Finishing up some new music as well that we are pumped to release.”
Would you like to share a message to your fans? Let them know what you guys are up to!
THE WLDLFE: “I am sitting by the door in a coffee shop right now and I am very cold.”