PopRocks Interviews

Prairie Fire is a rock band from Long Island, NY. They released their debut EP Studies and Observations earlier this year. The first track on the EP, King Bee, can also be found featured on Spotify's emo right now playlist. Check out our full interview to learn more about Prairie Fire!

The Frst is a Nashville-based rock project fronted by singer and guitarist Mikei Gray. I got to chat with Mikei about how The Frst was formed, as well as some of the singles they've released this year including Bruce Lee, Murderabilia, and most recently, their latest single Big Shot. Follow: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | SPOTIFY

A choir boy gone rogue, Fox Revett is a fast rising LGBT singer and music producer. His upbringing in classical music, coupled with his deep admiration for singer-songwriters, sets him apart as a pop musician. Since his debut in the fall he has been profiled by GRINDR, produced a viral hit song for RuPaul's Drag Race, wrapped production on his debut mixtape, and most recently produced the album for famed Canadian drag artist, Lemon.  Follow Fox Revett: INSTAGRAM | TIK TOK | YOUTUBE

The new season of PopRocks is here babyyyyyy! New look, new interviews, new vibes. I'm so excited to announce that the next season starts on Tuesday, September 26! A huge thank you to our friend Sal Mastrocola for the new logo!

Today we have Brooklyn-based synth-pop artist Nick Throop! In addition to his multiple music projects and writing for TV and media, two of his songs “Shame” and “Child's Play” were recently featured on the second season of Netflix's Ginny & Georgia!

New Friends is an alt-pop band composed of members Cole, Stefan, Conrad, and Ayden. The band met in college and starting workeing on demos in their dorm rooms. Soon after, the band scored themselves a hit single with their debut Purple Candy in 2019. New Friends released their debut album The Pilot in 2022, and are currently preparing for the release of their forthcoming EP “Camaro.” I caught up with the guys from New Friends to learn more about their early days, the success of Purple Candy, and what we can expect from their new music! Also make sure to stick around for the end to hear our game “Name That New Friend”

Highwind is the pop-rock passion project of New Jersey singer-songwriter, Chris Russo and drummer, Dan Smith. Highwind's aim as a pop-rock act is to tell an honest, relatable story by means of catchy hooks, colorful guitar parts, and infectious rhythms. I talked with Chris about how he started Highwind, his latest singles, playing shows, and what we can expect to hear from them next!

Jake Brewer is a singer/songwriter based in New York, whose latest album "objects in mirror are closer than they appear" launched the young creator into a new era of indie, bedroom pop. The Seattle-native is a recent TedX speaker, founder of FRNDLY Media, host of the Groundbreaking podcast, all while selling out shows across the US since 2018. I chatted with Jake about the inspiration behind his debut album and preparing for his music festival FRNDLY Fest.

Sisters Bailee and Kenzie Eaglin make up the newest pop-rock duo Eaglin. Their Denton hometown inspired an ambitious collaboration of growing up and personal musical influences. The duo released their self-titled debut EP Eaglin in the summer of 2021, featuring a breakthrough collaboration of nostalgia and modern indie pop-rock, led by the infectious Brooklyn-inspired anthem, “Twenty-Three.” I got to chat with Eaglin in early 2022 to learn more about their debut EP!

Saint Slumber consists of vocalist Josh Perna, guitarist Aaron Brown, and drummer Stephan Stanzione. I had Josh on the show back in October of 2018 to talk about their YOUTH// trilogy. Since then, Saint Slumber has garnered even more attention and success. During the pandemic, Saint Slumber premiered their darker and more complex sound with their fourth EP cycle, how to lose your self, opening the band up to millions of new fans with singles such as “peachy” and “Guillotine”. I caught up with Josh back in early 2021 to talk about the success of “how to lose yourself” and what we can expect in the future!

Pollyanna is a four piece New Jersey band consisting of power-pop, loud rock, bubble grunge, and punk influences. Earlier this year, they released a deluxe edition of their EP Sugar Coat with a fresh perspective under their new label, I Surrender Records. We caught up to chat about how Jill and Dan met when they were in just first grade, to starting a band at 13, to their most recent success. Since this interview, they released their latest single “Slut” off their debut full length album called “Slime” out on June 17.  Follow Pollyanna: Instagram | Twitter | Spotify Follow PopRocks: Instagram | Twitter | Website | Podcast

L E A is an LA-based alternative pop artist who has intertwined the boldness of punk with the beachiness of pop. Inspired by artists such as Mayday Parade, Charlotte Sands, Secondhand Serenade, L E A considers her sound colorful, extroverted, aggressive, and blunt. I talked with L E A about her experience of growing up in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, moving to LA, and how that inspired her debut EP “Jersey Boy” Follow L E A: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Spotify

LiL MiK_e is a Phoenix-based pop-punk artist who brings a fresh new sound to the alternative scene. His debut album “Memories” was released in December of 2019, and led to collectively over 2 million streams on Spotify. Last month, LiL MiK_e released his sophomore album, Sellout. This album is about him leaving his old self behind and evolving into his new self and new sound. We caught up with LiL MiK_e to talk about both of these albums and the new music we'll hear from him this year.  Follow LiL MiK_e: Instagram | Twitter | Spotify

Range Life is the passion project of seasoned New Jersey musician Mike Chiarappa. Mike released his debut full length album in October called “when it all gets old”. The album's themes span from fun songs about drinking beer to songs about friends dealing with addiction. I first met Mike years ago with his band The Stolen, and I was happy I was able to catch up with him again before his show in Brooklyn. Follow Range Life Follow PopRocks

Courtney Govan is a queer independent pop singer from San Diego, California. Courtney is known for her first hit single “Serotonin” that went viral on tiktok and landed her on Spotify Editorial playlists like Fresh Finds and Fresh Finds: Pop. Courtney uses her own life experiences to connect with her listeners on a deeper level. She uses her music as a way to lift up the voices of those who feel unheard and unseen. Her humanistic and introspective approach to songwriting brings a refreshing twist to today's pop music. Courtney's ultimate goal in her career is to help everyone who comes across her music to feel, seen, safe, and unstoppable in the skin they are in. We chatted about “Serotonin”, her single “Mistake”, and also the viral video on TikTok of the two of us!

We chatted with KTJ & CARLY, a duo, who write, produce, and perform all their music. They frequently combine influences of EDM and soulful pop into masterful storytelling performances. Over the past year, they've experienced incredible growth off the success of their debut EP, "Identity." We got to talk about their song "Rollercoaster," where we see a different, softer side of KTJ & CARLY. Deeply emotional and mature, the track explores the intense ups and downs of loving someone unconditionally, despite the damage they might do to you in the long run. They also perform "Rollercoaster" live on air! Follow KTJ & Carly: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify

Start the Week Over is a New York based power-pop band. Formed in the spring of 2019, friends Bobby Gioiosa (vocals, guitar), Matt Wikstrom (guitar, keys), Stephen Sorris (drums), Cooper Gould (guitar, keys, mandolin), and Amanda Pasqualini (bass) started to write songs and play open mics while growing their local following. In March of 2020, STWO released their debut “Wonderland EP”, blending their punk roots with well-crafted pop-rock ambitions. The band was separated during the pandemic, but continued to write and record new music over Discord. They kicked off 2021 with the release of “Up Tonight,” “Keepaway,” “Sex In Berlin,” and their upcoming single “Losing Control”

Brooklyn-based indie dance duo Supertaste is comprised of DJ’s Hundreds Thousands and Slug Father. When the pandemic hit, the guys decided that when all else fails, head into the woods to make a disco record. Supertaste packed up their Brooklyn recording studio and road tripped to a cabin in Bristol, Tennessee, to produce their Super Classic EP, which they described as 'Bon Iver, but make it disco.’ We talked with them about this experience and what we can expect to hear on their forthcoming sophomore EP, Super Classic. For more episodes, check out our website www.poprocksbk.com/

Gatlin is an indie pop singer-songwriter who combines instinctual humanity with daring vulnerability to craft musical moments of meaning and melody. Gatlin’s music brims with confessional lyricism and emotional storytelling. Her debut EP Sugarcoated is one of my personal favorite releases from 2020. I was able to catch up with Gatlin to talk about her writing process for this EP and some of the inspirations behind her songs. Gatlin also shared about what we can expect from her new music, starting with the release of her upcoming single “What If I Love You” out April 8. Check out our website for more https://www.poprocksbk.com/ Artwork by Kim Kyne Theme by Nick Throop Background music: Gatlin - Talking to Myself

Lisa Remar is a New York City native who has always loved music. Her passion for song-writing, producing and singing lives in her songs. Characterized by her soulful vocals and her unique sonic sensibility - Lisa’s music takes the listener to a familiar place they’ve never been before. Similar to her music, Lisa’s style also draws influence from various backgrounds, and is representative of her biracial heritage. We caught up with Lisa to chat about her new EP “Still Good” and she also performed two songs live on air. Check out poprocksbk.com for more!

Today we have someone who is no stranger to our show, Jenny Kern. Jenny Kern is a New York-based, Toronto-born indie singer-songwriter who, according to A&R Factory, has amassed plenty of attention with her magnetic vocal style and emotively piercing lyricism.  I got to catch up with Jenny Kern live on air to talk about her latest single, Coming Back For Me, and hear about what we can expect from her this year! Hope you enjoy! PopRocks is a live radio show that plays new music every Tuesday at 7pm EST on Radio Free Brooklyn. You can find us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok, at @poprocksbk and you can find all our interviews and more at poprocksbk.com.

Peter Wise's new EP 'Too Blind to Hear' is extremely personal, and that's probably because he recorded and produced it entirely from a home in Massachusetts. 'Too Blind to Hear' is about letting go of expectations of yourself, past relationships, and things you can't control. Follow @peterwisemusic for more!!

Arlo Parks is a poet and singer from London. In her own words, she spent most of school feeling like that Black kid who couldn’t dance for shit, listening to too much emo music and crushing on some girl in her Spanish class. Her songs are confessional and tender, mainly inspired by Portishead and Earl Sweatshirt. She was predicted as the breakthrough act of 2020 from BBC as well as recognized by, NME, DIY, and Amazon Music. She won the Ones To Watch Award at the Independent Music Awards, and was recently featured on Michelle Obama’s Playlist. It was an absolute honor to chat with her about the inspiration behind her vulnerable songwriting and the response to her deeply personal art. Visit poprocksbk.com for this interview and more! Artwork by Kim Kyne @kimkyne

joan is a duo from Little Rock, Arkansas consisting of members Alan Thomas and Steven Rutherford. After releasing their successful EP Portra in 2018, the guys went on tour for two years straight, with sold out crowds, and last year they released three songs. On August 6, joan released their latest EP 'cloudy'. We caught up with Alan and Steven to talk about how they met, what inspires their sound, and a little about their latest EP. Check out poprocksbk.com for the full article and more!

Claire Fraizer is an 18-year old singer/songwriter from Mobile, AL. She creates emotion-driven and booming songs that blends pop, hip-hop, and EDM and is heavily influenced by artists like Billie Eilish, Flume, and Chelsea Cutler. Her debut single I Want You Bad was just released on April 17, and I had the opportunity to chat with Claire Frazier over zoom to talk about her new single and what we can expect from her in future! For more, check out poprocksbk.com and follow @poprocksbk

NYIKO is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, label owner, visual artist, and actor based out of Los Angeles, California. They have released synth-pop, new wave, post-punk, and hip-hop projects with Disney, Amazon, Sony/ATV, Heard Well, Trailing Twelve, and more. Back in August, NYIKO dropped their collaborative EP with The White Electric. The 6-track Crush boasted early singles like the online-dating anthem “9x16” and the late-night slow jam “Go To Bed”. Today, NYIKO is back with their new single, “Like The Movies.”  We caught up with NYIKO over zoom to talk about Like The Movies and the inspiration behind this coming of age film. Check out our website poprocksbk.com for more interviews and follow us at @poprocksbk on Twitter and Instagram.

Eighty Ninety is the project of brothers Abner & Harper James. Their 2016 debut single "Three Thirty" hit #2 on Spotify’s Global Viral Charts. Since then, their music has garnered over 22 million streams, and was even hand-picked by Taylor Swift for her official Spotify playlist, Songs Taylor Loves. In early April, they released their latest single, “Know Me.” I was able to catch up with Abner over Zoom to talk about their new single and what’s next for Eighty Ninety. Check out our website poprocksbk.com for more interviews and follow us at @poprocksbk on Twitter and Instagram.

Stereo Jane presents an edgy blend of genres that leaves you wanting more. There are few things more powerful than siblings Sydney and Mia finding the same creative spark within themselves and working together to build something impactful. With Sydney at the helm belting out her powerfully soulful vocals and guitar and Mia driving the heartbeat of every song on the drums, the group exemplifies what it is to be a young, real band with a resonating sound.   Back in February, Sydney and Mia stopped by the Radio Free Brooklyn studio to talk about their latest single, Strangers.

Holander is LA’s glitter grunge princess. She’s garnered a reputation for interweaving evocative stories with raw emotions against the backdrop of edgy, earworm pop melodies. Her music explores the corners of alternative pop by masterfully knitting together brat, brooding, and electro-pop hooks and introspective lyrics.  In 2019 she released her EP Glitter Grunge, which includes her hit Boy Tears. This year, she has released two singles, Car Crash, and Quarantine Love Song.  I was able to chat with Holander over zoom to talk to her about her music and what we can expect to hear on her next EP.

Jenny Kern is a New York-based, Toronto-born indie singer-songwriter. Her debut EP was released in 2019 and since then, her songs have been a huge hit in the indie music scene. She stopped by in September to talk about her first EP, and her Europe and North American tour. Since then, she has released two new songs from her upcoming project. The atmospheric and emotional Satellite, as well as the heartbreaking and emotional Now We Know. She stopped by the Radio Free Brooklyn studio again in February to talk about her new songs. Check out poprocksbk.com and our playlist on Spotify for the music that inspired her new music.

Hillary Capps is an alternative-pop singer-songwriter based in Brooklyn, NY. Her full-length album, The Way Back Home, will be released in full this year. Capps is rolling out the album with a unique release concept: releasing in four parts in tandem with four lunar cycles. Capps stopped by to talk about her writing process for this album and the meaning behind her release concept. Read an excerpt from our conversation on poprocksbk.com. This episode was recorded in the Radio Free Brooklyn studio in Brooklyn, NY on January 28, 2020. *It should also be noted that the release date for the album and singles mentioned in the interview have since been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.*

Sleep House is a New Jersey-based alternative rock band consisting of members Nicholas Gardyasz, Adam Mink, Evan Marcinko, and Nick Marcinko. The guys began the group back in 2016 during their freshman year of high school at the age of 14, and have never looked back since. Since that time, they have wrote, recorded, and produced two EPs, toured the East Coast, and have amassed over 100k streams on their song Her. "Don't You Cry" and "Pano-319"  are their latest singles, and the beginning of a new era for the band. Check out poprocksbk.com for an excerpt of the interview and some behind the scenes photos! This episode was recorded live in the Radio Free Brooklyn studio in Brooklyn, NY on January 7, 2020.

Anna Shoemaker is a NY-based alt-pop artist who became a SoundCloud sensation three years who when her mashup of Kendrick Lamar’s “Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe” and Chance the Rapper’s “Cocoa Butter Kisses,” when viral. Since then, she released her debut EP, East Side with GRAMMY-nominated producer JT Daley in 2018. She just released her brand new single, “If You’re Going (I’ll Go),” from her new EP which is set to be released on February 28. We had a blast chatting with Shoemaker about our high school love for Ashlee Simpson and Usher, getting margaritas and tacos at SXSW, her artist of the decade, dream collaborations, and more. Read an excerpt from our interview below and some behind the scenes photos at poprocksbk.com!

Emmrose is a 16 year-old singer-songwriter who blends moody, dark pop with alternative vibes. The themes of her music include love and heartbreak. Emmrose stopped by to talk about her brand new song, Hopeless Romantic. Check out poprocksbk.com for an excerpt of the interview! This episode was recorded live in the Radio Free Brooklyn studio in Brooklyn, NY on November 19, 2019.

Natalie Claro is a 20-year old alternative rock singer and producer. The Deli describes her music as garage singer-songwriter, with additional nods to electronic R&B and classical piano composition. She released her latest album Selfish Topics on August 10, 2019 and stopped by the Radio Free Brooklyn studio in October to talk all about her music, the meaning behind her songs, touring, and more. Check out poprocksbk.com for some behind the scenes photos and an excerpt from the interview! This episode was recorded live in the Radio Free Brooklyn studio in Brooklyn, NY on October 1, 2019.

Jenny Kern is a New York-based, Toronto-born indie singer-songwriter. Her debut EP came was released in April and since then, her song Slow Burn has been a huge hit in the indie music scene. She went on tour to promote her EP in Europe and North America, and is now starting to record music for her next project. Listen to our full interview to hear live performances of her songs Slow Burn and Carousel. Full episode on poprocksbk.com

I was finally lucky enough to meet Disco Shrine while she was in the East Coast on tour! She’s a self-proclaimed Persian-American Valley Girl and her electro/pop music is fun and guaranteed to make you dance. We caught up to talk about what’s next for her, including new music videos and a new EP due near the end of the year. Check out our full interview to hear more and listen to a sneak preview of her brand new song, Power!

Peter Wise stops by to talk about his new single, Trustfall. This is his first song since his 2018 album Unattached. He explains why he had to take a break from writing his own music, and how he was inspired to write songs for his upcoming EP. He also gives us insight on the songwriting process and starting over. Peter Wise performed two songs live in the studio, Trustfall and Hot Air. Follow Peter Wise @peterwisemusic Follow us on social media: poprocksbk.com | twitter.com/poprocksbk | instagram.com/poprocksbk

Indie pop band EXNATIONS released their sophomore EP Pink Haze on June 28, 2019. Pink Haze keeps EXNATIONS classic “dance while you cry” sound, with songs about love, heartbreak, losing a loved one, and nostalgia. The lyrical vulnerability and synth tones of the 80’s shines on this EP. Taylor Hughes stops by to talk about some of the songs that inspired Pink Haze! Follow us on social media: poprocksbk.com/ | twitter.com/poprocksbk | instagram.com/poprocksbk

EXNATIONS talks about their debut EP, Tiny Sound in the Dark! EXNATIONS is an indie/pop band based out of Brooklyn, NY. The band is comprised of Sal Mastrocola, Taylor Hughes, and John O'Neill. They just finished their Tiny Tour in the Dark and shared with us some of their tour stories. Check out our full interview including tons of laughter, jokes about cats and bugs, tacos and tattoos!  This episode was recorded in the Radio Free Brooklyn studio in Brooklyn, NY on October 7, 2018. Follow us on social media: instagram.com/poprocksbk twitter.com/poprocksbk www.poprocksbk.com/

Alt-pop rock band 90’s Kids talks about their latest single, Heartbeat! Corey Mouch, Robby MacAskill, Matt King and Jordan McVey bring back your favorite nostalgic feel good sound. If you like The 1975, LANY, and WALK THE MOON, you’ll love 90’s Kids. We chat about their new music, some of their past inspirations, and play a game of This or That: 90’s Edition. Find out about some of the guys’ favorite things from the 90’s.  This episode was recorded over the phone in the Radio Free Brooklyn studio in Brooklyn, NY on November 20, 2018. Follow us on social media: instagram.com/poprocksbk twitter.com/poprocksbk www.poprocksbk.com/

Mess is a Kansas City based orchestral indie rock band who recently released their latest album, Learning How To Talk. Allison Gliesman and Kevin Briody chat about their new album, their songwriting process, and some tour stories! This episode was recorded in the Radio Free Brooklyn studio in Brooklyn, NY on May 14, 2019. Follow us on social media: twitter.com/poprocksbk instagram.com/poprocksbk www.poprocksbk.com

The Stolen's self-titled album debuted at #45 on the Billboard Alt New Artists Chart, and features the songs Rooftop, Overboard, Millennial, and Change the Record. The band talks about how they wrote this album. Check out the full interview to hear about some of Kevin’s high school phases, the amount of water that Mike drinks daily, the big Jersey debate of pork roll vs taylor ham, and Rob disappearing during loading. This episode was recorded in the Radio Free Brooklyn studio in Brooklyn, NY on May 21, 2019. Follow us on social media: twitter.com/poprocksbk instagram.com/poprocksbk www.poprocksbk.com