by mariah estran
photo by miranda fredriksson
“One thing we have in common is all three of us were emo kids,” Tribe Friday vocalist Noah Deutschmann reveals about the band. A three-piece alternative-pop group, taking listeners on an electrifying ride of bubble-gummy aesthetics, complete with a grunge tinge. Think thick eyeliner, a My Chemical Romance tee, and studs. The epitome of mid-2000s alternative teenage angst.
“I was raised in a small Swedish town,” the singer explains. “You could play sports, do drugs, or you can play music. We had a small group of kids who didn’t fall into that category, which meant we were like five or six kids running around with the makeup and listening to that (emo) music.”
Emo has been considered a subculture of its own. From the emotion-heavy, belt-your-heart-out lyricism to the fashions the era inspired, it was a moment in time that existed in many adolescent lives. “For me, more than anything else, the emo scene was a community and finding a place to belong,” Deutschmann explains.
That sentiment has not become lost through the stages of growing up. Instead, Tribe Friday is creating a haven for those rebellious souls. It’s just now, done with their music and performances.
Releasing their single “forward is the way out,” and most recently, “for real?,” they’re cementing their genre style while giving a sneak-peek into the essence of their upcoming album, Bubblegum Emo.
“'forward is the way out’ is the intro to the movie before the record scratch, freeze-frame kind of thing,” he says. Fuzzy guitar chords roll into a crisp drum beat as Deutschmann boldly calls out: ‘Everyone is dead.’ In just under three minutes, listeners are descending into a polychrome vortex. The track's highs and lows suit the lyrical content – the uncertainty of emotions. “I feel like that sort of became the spark that lit the record, I suppose,” the singer adds.
Bubblegum Emo became the product of processing the chaos brewing inside one’s mind, specifically within these unexpected pandemic years. And it’s without a doubt that some might find it relatable. “I guess in my mind, the entire record is about – you know, this self-detrimental stuff that’s not very good for you, but you want it anyways. Then, it ends up ruining your life and your relationships. An artistic endeavor or a drug, something of that nature.” He describes, further explaining that major shifts occurred amid writing in the 2020/2021 chaos. The band itself was going through different revisions. New members added, Isak Gunnarsson and Robin Hanberger-Pérez, as Deutschmann was experiencing turning points of his own – graduating and leaving his hometown.
“Once the pandemic hit in March or April, we finally had time to plan and process the whole thing,” he describes. “I think you can hear that on the record. You can hear my descent into madness and then back out of it. It was an isolated process. I was in the studio for about a year doing nothing else.”
They’ve released two EP’s prior, Chasing Pictures and Waiting For A Sign, which they label as “trying to figure out” projects. Which, for any up-and-coming artist, there’s a level of experimentation. “All the previous projects were mix-match songs from different periods, different studio sessions, in between shows, school, whatever was happening.”
Yet, in a matter of two years, they have watched a steady trajectory, even throughout a time of distanced interactions. The group adjusted to livestream performances – filming TikToks and releasing electrifying singles. For instance, this October, they posted their take on a Spiderman theme, an "emo spidey" rendition. After much praise, it quickly became available on streaming platforms. So, when it was time to perform again, things changed. “Now, we have a community,” Deutschmann spells out. “Now, playing shows, people show up with Tribe Friday tattoos. That’s been the craziest part because we’ve only interacted with people digitally. You don’t grasp what’s going on when doing that (livestreams).”
The live footage music video for “forward is the way out” documents growth in the fanbase. They’re lining up outside venues, carrying that energy into the crowd. There are mosh pits alongside head-bobbing, as Deutschmann becomes supported after jumping into the crowd. An evident affection towards the universe the band is creating.
photo by miranda fredriksson
Tribe Friday has found their space alongside the fans. And with Bubblegum Emo racing towards its official release, the collective will only grow stronger. There’s fresh confidence in their work, stemming from new certainty in production. But, that imagery, that sound, oozing in whimsically alternative hues is a homage to what once couldn’t be done, at least for this trio.
That smudgy, black eyeliner, punky plaid paired with fishnet is whole-heartedly – them. “The stuff I am wearing on stage now is pretty much what I wanted to look like when I was thirteen years old,” says Deutschmann. "I think it’s about being nostalgic and doing the things that maybe we didn’t have the opportunity to do when we were younger."
In a sense, the album and the band are making up for some lost time. A full-circle scenario that could impact a listener, similar to what the emo-greats did for these three. “I feel like, that’s why we create music – to connect with people,” the singer states. “We want to have that sense of community. It’s that same thing – the emo thing. It’s the same experience.”