Barebones Ent linked up with Rivals to sit down and talk about their music. Rivals is one of the bands we have been most high on this year and have backed fully as being a really big deal. Believe me when I tell you this band is going to be huge (we have a little bit of a track record of predicting this). Take a stroll below and see what all the band had to say when they sat down with Barebones Ent!
BS: For people that are just tuning in how would you best describe your music?
Sebastian: Dark pop, rock/metal-ish vibe with a lot of pop music influences.
BS: You’re one of the bands that I’ve been most high on through the end of last year and this year. How has this year been going for you?
Kalie: It’s honestly been so insane, all the support from fans and industry folks alike has been amazing. We’re so ridiculously thankful for everything we’ve been given so far and for everything that’s coming. We’ve been grinding those touring gears with The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus this year and they’ve been so supportive! Thankful for them!
Sebastian: It’s been great, a lot of new faces, beautiful places, crazy memories and many amazing experiences.
Josh: This year has been so crazy for us and it’s only half way through! The shows, the kids…everything has been so awesome and we are so thankful and excited to see what’s coming next.
Micket: This year has been full of lots of awesome and intense moments. Can’t wait to see what’s next.
BS: You recently released your debut album, Damned Soul. What was the creation process for you?
Kalie: it was honestly long and crazy but was worth it. We spent so much time working on Damned Soul, and I’m talking years, that finally seeing it all come to life has been beautiful. We wrote like 50 something songs for it and we’ve started the same process for LP2 which won’t be coming for a while but we know we want it to be the best it can be.
BS: The album is fantastic and I’m a big fan of it. At what point in the recording process or when you started releasing singles did you know you had something special? (spoiler: it will be up for album of the year)
Kalie: I’m not really sure we even knew what we had to be honest lol, there is always a little voice in your head that tells you “maybe it isn’t that good” but as time went on and everyone really started to tell us how much it has effected them is when it started to soak in. We wrote something that was emotional for us as people and others are connecting with what we did and that’s a feeling I just can’t get over. So thank you to everyone who has been listening.
Micket: Well first off thank you and tbh we kind of just made something that we all really enjoyed. We took what we all personally like and did our best to mix it together in a fashion that sounded like the combination of all of us behind. So I wouldn’t say that we ever knew that we had something special but more or less made something we thought sounded cool and then crossed our fingers lol
BS: What was the waiting period like for you while waiting to hear the first few fan responses to the album?
Kalie: Nerve racking lol, we kept debating like “is it good enough, is what we just spent years making actually good?” And still we sit here wanting to make something better. Wanting to push to be the best version we can be, we are all very strong headed. We want to always create something different, something new, something crazy lol.
Josh: I was really eager to hear what people thought and more importantly what they feel while listening to it. It has so much to offer and there is literally something for everyone.
Sebastian: I was very excited I felt that we did a very solid album and I felt it was going to get a lot of good response.
Micket: It’s like when you buy someone an awesome Xmas gift or bday gift pretty early and it’s wrapped up hidden somewhere and you have to wait to give it to them. You’re excited and antsy at the same time.
BS: How have people reacted to the album?
Josh: Everyone’s response has been positive. Kids will come up to us and explain how a song would mean so much to them. Powerful stuff.
Sebastian: It’s been very positive and very impactful it seems a lot of people come up to us and thank us, and tell us how much the album means to them. And I find that really special and sentimental.
Micket: It’s been crazy awesome, ever since this album came out we’ve seen people way more excited and way more involved with the band then ever before and we honestly get excited that they get excited.
BS: Now being months removed from it, is there anything you wish you would have done differently?
Kalie: Not at all, everything happens for a reason in my eyes. I try to never regret anything I do even the bad stuff because it teaches me for later in life.
Micket: If we had done anything different then we wouldn’t be where we are today and I like what’s going on.
BS: You won a good number of awards in our 2017 BareBones Awards which is 100% fan voted. What did it mean to you to see so many people vote for you?
Kalie: It was sort of crazy to be honest with you and very unexpected lol. We’ve never won anything really so it was a pretty solid feeling winning so much at once.
Sebastian: It was a good feeling knowing a lot of people care about us.
Micket: I’ve never really won any awards so this was a story for the books for me. Especially since it’s fan voted.
BS: What is coming up for you?
Kalie: We have a tour this July with The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, playing some festival I can’t say just yet, and playing warped also! Summer is very packed!
Josh: We go back out with Red Jumpsuit in a few weeks which will always be fun. Getting to play Warped tour is a dream come true so I’m very excited for that also.
BS: What is the best way for people to contact you and stay up to date on your music?
BS: Anything else you would like to add?
Kalie: Keep going always!
Josh: Always pick your self back up no matter how hard the fall and never be afraid to share your emotions.
Sebastian: Don’t let your thoughts control your emotions. Focus on the good and always strive for greatness.
Micket: “Yesterday is history, tomorrow’s a mystery and today is a gift…. that’s why it’s called the present” ~Master Oogway
Since completing this interview, the band can now be heard inside Journey’s shoe stores!
