The members of the L.A. punk band the Linda Lindas are all under 20 years old but, in many ways, they’re already old hands at the music industry. 

The quartet formed back in 2018 for a performance at a music festival called Girlschool USA when guitarists Bela Salazar and Lucia de la Garza were 14 and 13, respectively; bassist Eloise Wong was 12 years old and drummer Mila de la Garza was only 10. It was supposed to be a one-off appearance, but they enjoyed performing too much to stop. 

A 2021 performance of their two minute punk song "Racist, Sexist Boy" at the Los Angeles Public Library went viral, and the next year they released their first self-titled album on Epitaph. They hit Outside Lands and other big festivals. A few years later, their song "Growing Up" was featured on the Inside Out 2 soundtrack, and this summer they toured with Green Day, Smashing Pumpkins and Rancid on a highly anticipated national stadium tour.  

Read More: 5 Women Essential To Punk: Exene Cervenka, Poly Styrene, Alice Bag, Kathleen Hanna & The Linda Lindas

That’s a lot of career before for young musicians who have yet to graduate from high school (or from college, in Bela’s case). But the Linda Lindas are done yet: In October the band released their second album, No Obligation, on Epitaph, and are hopeful that they'll head out on their first headline tour. In the venerable tradition of DIY punk bands past, the album is less an evolution from their bare bones debut than it is a continuation, with more crunchy, three-chords-and-a-prayer riffs backing songs about being stressed out, saying what you mean, finding your own path, and telling harassers to cut it out.

The Linda Lindas spoke with GRAMMY.com about recording with Weird Al Yankovic, their songwriting process, and what their cats are up to now. 

The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

You’re kind of music veterans now, right? How has that affected the recording of this album?

Eloise: I think we were more confident in our instruments and more confident in the recording process, and also more confident in our songwriting. Because the first record [has] the first songs that we'd ever written.

Mila: We were basically more confident in general!

Eloise: But I'm super excited for it to be out, and I'm super excited to play new music for more people.

Mila: I mean, we've only been around for like, six years, and when we started the band, that's also when we started learning our instruments. So our first record, we knew how to play our instruments, but I would definitely say that we're better at them now.

Lucia: We didn't really fully understand the concept of going through an album, putting the production on it, putting it out. We were kind of just "Oh, we're just gonna record the songs and put them out."

So we’re excited to show off how we have grown. Not necessarily putting down the first album, but just like, you know, showing that we are older, more grown. And that's partly due to all the opportunities that we've gotten since the first one was put out.

On the album, "Yo Me Estreso" is about stress and "Cartographers" is kind of about, indecision, or not being sure what direction to go in. Has making the new album been a stressful or confusing time? 

Bela: I wouldn't say it's been stressful. I think it's just day to day things that happen in life, and like, making music is an outlet to just talk about what's going on in our lives.

Eloise: Yeah, what's great about being in a band is that we have this outlet to express our stress and we have somewhere to put those feelings. And I think that's really special.

"Yo Me Estreso" is in Spanish, obviously; I just wondered how you decide which language to write in? 

Bela: We write mostly in English. I'm the only one that speaks Spanish. So if I write a Spanish song, then maybe there'll be one in there. But if I don't, there's no Spanish song.

Did "Yo Me Estreso" just come to you in Spanish? 

Bela: Yes and no. I mean, I hate talking about my feelings. I have a really hard time doing that. And writing this song in Spanish felt like a way that I could talk about my feelings without  exposing myself to the world and letting everybody know what the heck is going on in my life. It felt a little bit more intimate, rather than putting myself out there.

You collaborated with Weird Al Yankovic on that song. How did that happen? Are you fans? 

Eloise: Oh, my god. 

Mila: How can you not be? 

Eloise: Well, basically, Bela had already written this song, and we were like, "Oh, it would be cool if there was accordion on it." And I guess he was just the first accordion player that came to mind. We were like, "This is not gonna happen." But he said yes! 

And for the music video, he even brought his own suit and his own hat. He was prepared and super pro. 

Bela: He brought a specific accordion that was correct for the genre. I guess he had a bunch of different ones, and he brought the one that was correct. So it was cool. 

Mila: He was very nice and very professional. 

Lucia: He’s going on tour now. We feel like we should try to see him, because I feel like that'd be so fun. Everyone that says they've seen him live, they say it’s a really amazing show.

Since we’re talking about tours, you toured with Green Day. What was that like? 

Eloise: That tour was so fun. Everyone was super nice on the tour. All the bands were super nice, all the crews were super nice. We had catering, and I loved that. Just pile up as much food as we could eat. 

And then the most fun part about the tour was that we only played like, 20 minutes. So then right after our set I could just go wipe the cat whiskers off — because I wear cat whiskers on stage — and then go into the crowd for Rancid and watch that. And we got to watch Smashing Pumpkins, and we got to watch Green Day. IWho else gets to watch those bands every other day, you know? I feel so lucky to have been on that tour, and I had such a great time.

Lucia: It was just a super great environment and such great music every night. It was really an honor to be on that stage, for sure. Cool crowd, too! 

Were you touring over the summer? I’m just wondering how you balanced it with school. 

Eloise: It started in the summer and then it went into some of the school year.

Lucia: We tried to do both. 

Eloise: Yeah, we tried to keep up with the work, because after shelter in place [for Covid lockdowns], a lot of the work is posted online, so it's easier to access than it might have been otherwise. But, yeah, just kind of trying to do both to our best ability. 

So I thought we might talk about some of the other songs on the album. "Stop" is a song about bullying or harassment. Could you talk about how you wrote that? 

Mila: We were just writing, and I think at the time at school, one of my really good friends was being bothered by these other two classmates. And it wasn't cool. So [raises her palm up]…Stop. 

How do you write? Do you write individually? As a group? 

Lucia: That was a group one. 

Mila: I remember this very specifically. We were sitting on the floor in our back house, and we were just songwriting. And then we moved on from one idea to, oh, what should we do next? And I was like, oh, there's this thing that's happening. 

So are most of your songs sort of written collaboratively? 

Lucia: No, we've written in every way. Any combination. We write individually sometimes, and we write together. Sometimes, we start individually and it ends up together. And sometimes it starts together and ends up individually. There's no formula. There's no step-by-step process that we have. It's just kind of whatever happens, happens.

Could you talk about writing "Excuse Me", which is a song that talks about being stereotyped or profiled? 

Eloise: I wrote that. I think it’s about things that people expect you to be. And sometimes, when you don't conform to that, people are uncomfortable, and it just kind of winds up making everyone uncomfortable. 

But it's cool that I have the band to write a song about it and I have an excuse to yell about it to a bunch of people. 

So what's next for you all now that you've released this album? Are you going on tour? 

Lucia: We’ve never really done our own tour for more than five shows or something. We’ve toured a lot with other bands; but for a band that doesn’t tour very much, we do a lot of touring as an opening band. 

Mila: We haven't done a proper headline tour yet, and we really want to. [Crosses fingers.] Hopefully. 

Lucia: It’s going to happen. And we’re excited to have the album out there and see where the songs go from here. Because they're going to evolve now that we're doing them live. They're going to sound different from the studio. And so it'll be cool to see what journeys they all take on their own. 

So where are you planning to tour? In California? Or elsewhere? 

Bela: Anywhere! Wherever they’ll take us! 

Eloise: Invite us somewhere, please! 

Mila: Europe, South America, Asia… 

Okay, it’s kind of silly, but I did want to ask…we have a Siamese cat, so "Monica," your song about your Siamese cat from your first album, is one of my favorite songs. I'm just wondering what's up with Monica these days? 

Bela: She's doing good! She’s kind of old. Both Monica and Nino are pretty old now, but she went on a walk about five minutes ago. That's why I was kind of late. I had to take her to go get some grass. My cats are indoor/outdoor cats but she needed some grass and she likes the sun, so she went outside to sunbathe.

How old is she now? 

Bela: Both Monica and Nino are 13. Well, Nino's 13 and she's 12, turning 13 in March.  So they’re up there. 

Were they the cats in your video for "Growing Up"? 

Bela: No those were fake cats. I mean, not fake cats. Actor cats. 

Mila: They were professionals.

Bela: Though my cats are probably way better behaved than those cats. 

Eloise: Working with those cats was such a weird experience! 

Mila: The trainers would tell the cats, "Stay still!"  But then we wanted them to act like cats, and not just stand there like [sits rigidly]. 

Bela: For that video, a family friend of ours did these wigs for the cats. So my cat, Nino, was the model for all the wigs, and he just was sitting there, just letting her do whatever. And then when she tried to put the wigs on the real cats, they were just knocking them off. It was crazy. 

Mila: One time we played a headline show in Michigan and someone gave us bracelets, and one of them said, "Golden" on them. 

Eloise: Because it's an inside joke that we have from our childhood. We had this game where we were cats. And one of us was named "Golden."

Mila: And yeah, we were freaked out, because it was like, where did you get that from? And then we realized that it was from that video, because we named the cats. 

Is there anything else you’d like people to know about the album?

Bela: Stream it? Please. Buy the record. Buy a CD, anything. 

Eloise: Yeah, we're super excited to have new music out, and we're super excited to play new music, and I don't know. It’ll just be fun.

Who is brent? The title of Jeremy Zucker and Chelsea Cutler's three-part project isn't the name of a friend, family member, or ex, but it comes from a leisurely drive past Brentwood Road, back in 2019.

Escaping the buzz of New York, the artists decided to crash on air mattresses and couches for a week, piecing brent together in a one-room carriage house studio in the Berkshires. The immaculate five-song EP was what Zucker called a "beautiful accident," spawning the double-Platinum "you were good to me" among other stirring indie tracks.

But the EP's brilliance was no accident. The pair first met at a fraternity party in 2016 (more on that later), when their independent DIY careers were just barely beginning: Zucker had released his first two EPs (Beach Island and Breathe) in 2015, and Cutler was in the process of crafting her 2017 debut EP, Snow In October. While they each had their own style, they shared a similar lo-fi sound and contemplative approach to love, whether lost or found. So when they met up to write a song together for the first time in 2018, their mutual creative magic was instant — and it led them not only to brent, but also brent ii and brent iii.

Moving away from their first project's personal themes of insecurity and angst, 2021's brent ii found itself rooted in the beauty and hope of relationships, offering a positive outlook during a difficult time for many globally. Three years later, brent iii — the duo's first full-length album together — both takes their profound artistic partnership to new heights and gracefully bookends the brent project.

"We didn't think it was going to be an album at first, but we were just like, third time's the charm," Zucker shared with GRAMMY.com. "It ended up being an album and it seemed like a nice way to close the page — and have brent live as a thing that lives forever."

Though brent iii marks the end of the series in the studio (for now, at least), they're not yet done on stage: fans will get to celebrate the duo's music live on the month-long Brent Forever: The Tour, which kicked off Nov. 15 in Chicago. Brent Forever: The Tour features most tracks from all three brent projects, and will stop in 10 cities total across the U.S. and Canada. The trek is the first time the two have toured together, and, as signaled by its name, immortalizes the beauty of the brent project and their forever friendship.

In celebration of the album and the tour, the pair Zoomed in from New York to chat with GRAMMY.com about their first impressions of each other, how they wrangle their sporadic creativity, and how they captured all the magic on brent iii.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

Let's talk about brent iii! Tell me about the moment you realized that you wanted to make a third project.

Jeremy Zucker: I feel like we always knew. Ever since this we put the second [project] out and the response was incredible, I feel like we knew we were going to do a third. 

There's a group chat and when [brent ii] came out I was like, "Okay, let's start brent iii"! And then Chelsea was like, "What?" [Laughs.] It was a joke, but it was also serious. I was like, why would we not?

How did working on brent iii feel different from working on your other brent sessions?

Chelsea Cutler: Probably the biggest difference is that in the past, we've kind of given ourselves a bit of a time constraint. In the past, we've rented a studio for a week and gone there and written the project inside of that week. And then with brent iii, we took the approach of let's give ourselves as long as it takes to just get the best project.

So we wrote it over the course of about a year. And we rented different studios and different Airbnbs over the course of that year, in New York, LA. And up in Big Bear, we did a week. We gave ourselves time to breathe and sit with everything, and it really lent itself to making a pretty good project.

You made your first brent project in 2019. How do the 2024 versions of Chelsea and Jeremy compare to the 2019 versions, and how do you think that impacted your music?

Zucker: We were small.

Cutler: So naive. 

Zucker: Yeah, I think we were really innocent and still figuring out who we were as artists individually. We were both very relieved when we started working together, to do something that was so natural. To me at the time, it was more clear than what I was as an artist alone. The music that we made together — it was so specific and natural. 

Cutler: I definitely would echo that as well. brent is a thing that's had a really defined identity even before we totally knew what it was. And that's been a really wonderful constant, kind of in the midst of our own identities changing as individual artists over the years. So it's been really nice to have that.

Apprehension might be too strong a word, but was there any sort of apprehension or hesitation before you started working on brent iii? Did you think it might be difficult to try to recapture the same magic you had on the first two EPs?

Cutler: I had that.

Zucker: Really?

Cutler: Yeah, it would be a lie to say that I wasn't nervous because — not that I didn't wanna do it, like, of course I wanted to — I think that there is something so magic about it, and there's something kind of tricky about trying to capture that magic. 

I guess it's not tricky for us. It comes really easily, so obviously we proved my theory wrong, but I just felt like the first two were so perfect. Like, perfect. I wouldn't change a thing about the experience and the songs.

So I was definitely nervous. Like, All right, if we're gonna do this, it has to blow us away. And I couldn't be more proud of the music that we made. It feels so right. 

Zucker: Mhm. I would say like, the first project was an accident and it was a really beautiful accident. And then [with] brent ii, we were like, What if we really tried and intentionally did it? So we made a very polished, perfect brent ii. And then this time around, we were like, What's the angle? Why are we doing another one? 

We didn't think it was going to be an album at first, but we were just like, third time's the charm. Let's do this once and wrap the whole thing together, basically. We wanted to kind of capture all the eras and have a good final chapter to it. Three is just a nice number. It ended up being an album and it seemed like a nice way to close the page — and have brent live as a thing that lives forever. 

Cutler: Yeah, it's funny. I was apprehensive about it, then we ended up getting so many songs that felt so special and worthy of being on the product.

In the past, Chelsea, you've said that you were more hasty with your writing style — and then Jeremy, you said you're more meticulous. Do you feel like that's still true, or do you think your writing styles have changed more over time?

Zucker: I'm definitely pretty meticulous still. But it holds me back from being spontaneous and being able to come up with things freely without second guessing myself. So I remove being meticulous and like, don't give a f— and try to get as much on the page as possible. And then later, I comb through it. That's kind of what I've been doing lately.

Cutler: Yeah, I still feel like my creativity is really sporadic. If I don't catch the wave I'm on and just ride it, then I'm gonna lose it. Then I need to sit on my phone for 30 minutes until another one comes.

How do you think this has helped you in brent sessions? Or do you feel like it posed more of a challenge sometimes?

Cutler: I think it's really complementary. 

Zucker: It was a learning process at times. It really only happened during brent ii where Chelsea and I had to take a beat at the end of the day. One day we were like, Let's just not make music today. It was like, really sad. [Laughs.] And I was basically really pushing Chelsea because when it comes to making music, I kind of have a full tank all the time, and my work ethic kicks into overdrive. And Chelsea, I think, was getting overwhelmed and needed space and less pressure.

Cutler: I just can't work like that. I'll do nothing all day, and then at 4:42, a random time of day, I'll just sit down and write a song. And it'll come out in 10 minutes and then I'm like, all right.

We're just so different, the way creativity flows out of us, which is really cool. I think that it does work really well because Jerm has an endurance that I don't necessarily have, and I think creativity hits me at kind of funny times, which sometimes if we're in a rut, that can inspire us.

Zucker: So, yeah, figuring out a process… where we each got the most out of each other was what helped put a key to the lock.

You first met at a UConn party that Jeremy was playing, right? And then got signed to the same label, Republic Records?

Zucker: Mhm.

What were your first impressions of each other?

Zucker: In real life, like, honestly, I was really drunk. 

Cutler: We were both absolutely obliterated. I'd never been to a frat party before, so I was like, Ahhh!

Zucker: I don't know what happened to me. I was at a party, and then I was on stage, but it was so DIY in my career. Someone at the frat, that I'm actually still friends with today, messaged us — me and my friend Danny, and Ben, who I made a lot of music with at the time. He just paid us like 200 bucks and booked our flights.

I went to like a tiny school and this was like a massive outdoor frat party, and I was so overwhelmed in a fun way because I felt like a celebrity a little bit. But that was an older me, and I'm sure that was an older Chelsea. 

Cutler: Yeah, man, I was wearing skinny jeans. 

Zucker: Yeah, the pictures from that day are brutal. I was also wearing them.

They're coming back…

Cutler: I really hope they don't.

The first time you worked together resulted in your song "better off." How was that session for you guys? Were you like, "Wow, I just click with this person" right away?

Zucker: I was in this studio upstate, and we were chatting. I was like, "come up for a day, let's write a song" and then we just sat down. Chelsea, I remember we were hanging out, getting to know each other for an hour or so. And then when we sat down in front of a microphone and a computer, Chelsea starts playing a riff and I'm like, "what's that?" And she's like, "I don't know, I just made it up" and then I just pressed record and then we wrote the song. It was crazy.

Cutler: It came out really quick, too. 

What was the song that came together the fastest on brent iii?

Zucker: "ashes & rust." We were in the studio for maybe like five hours and when we left it, the song was there. It just needed to be polished. But we left with like a five-part harmony on Chelsea's vocals and like crazy guitar tones and drums. 

Cutler: It was awesome.

How would you describe your sound together?

Zucker: Folk pop? No, not, not pop. Folk singer/songwriter, acoustic… Let's use like Spotify Daylist terms.

Cutler: What?

Zucker: You know, like sometimes it'll be like, dreamy cottagecore, like… fantasy pop.

Cutler: Oh my God. 

Zucker: So I would say, like, crunchy…

Cutler: Crunchy?

Zucker: … like crunchy granola, you know, like wholesome. But I would say warm, wholesome, indie folk.

Cutler: I think warm, cozy, honest, real.

Zucker: Sick. 

Cutler: Dope.

Zucker: Swag.

Your friendship is so lovely. What are some standout memories with each other?

Zucker: I feel like you didn't have a good time blueberry picking?

Cutler: No, I had a great time doing it. I just didn't like eating the blueberries. 

Zucker: Oh, right. 

Cutler: I mean, I loved being in Big Bear together —

Zucker: — and crepes.

Cutler: Yeah, we went to a crepe coffee stand on the side of the road in Big Bear, California. And we were there in what, January? So it was really icy and cold, and it was just a stand so we waited outside in the cold for crepes for like, 20 minutes. [Laughs.]

Cutler: That was fun. And we watched Society of the Snow. 

Zucker: And we also watched, what's that horror movie… Midsommar? Midsommar.

Cutler: One thing that we did that was really fun six years ago was — maybe not you, but — I smoked a lot of weed.

Zucker: Didn't we go swimming? 

Cutler: I didn't go in, but I watched you guys. I was gonna say we put the 1975 Live From MSG or something. We watched on the big projector live… and we turned off all the lights and watched that.

Is there a standout memory from making brent iii?

Zucker: When we made one of our favorite songs "A-frame," the main instrument of that song is basically a guitar. I'm smacking the s— out of it so it's like, buzzing, and we recorded from the opposite end of an A-frame [cabin]. It's just this big massive reverb sound because the place was so echoey. That was kind of my favorite little tidbit, that "A-frame" was recorded in an A-frame.

Cutler: And it literally sounds like it. I think writing "and the government too!" because that was the first song that we wrote that we ended up using on the project. You could just feel when we wrote it that it was clicking, and the sonics of what brent iii was gonna be were kind of falling into place. You just get that feeling when we're writing a song and you know it's gonna be magical. Our cameraman was panning back and forth between us as we were kind of riffing. It was a really special moment.

What happens when you go viral on TikTok, sign a record deal, release four studio albums, and tour the world, but no one knows your true identity?

For Charley Yang, the 22-year-old behind once-masked phenomenon BoyWithUke, it led to Burnout — his fifth and last studio album under the moniker, out now. Coupled with a four-year relationship breakup and parting ways with his label, Burnout is more like Yang's rebirth from the ashes.

"This album is the most Charley Yang that BoyWithUke could do," he tells GRAMMY.com over a video call. Laid-back and messy-haired, Yang doesn't try to conceal himself anymore, in any aspects. "But I'm still changing, so some of these songs may have reflected who I was at the time when I created them, and some still hold true to who I am now."

Born in Daegu, South Korea but raised in Boston, Massachusetts, Yang was an introverted 18-year-old when he started sharing ukulele compositions on TikTok. Worried about what his friends might say, he came up with the online persona of BoyWithUke — while his offline life stayed largely the same. 

Anonymity also proved to be beneficial to Yang's creativity. People resonated with his bare melodies and gloomy lyrics about anxiety and loneliness, and in 2021, BoyWithUke went viral with "Toxic." The deceivingly upbeat single was featured in more than 69,000 TikTok videos, and reached No.1 on Billboard's Alternative Airplay Chart.

But while BoyWithUke continued to rise — releasing three EPs and a four-LP series he's referred to as the "Dreams saga," collaborating with Oliver Tree and blackbear, supporting AJR on tour, and reaching nearly eight million followers on TikTok — living like Hannah Montana was taking its toll.

"Over the past few years, I've come to realize that the mask has actually been negatively affecting my personal life, my creativity, and my mental and physical health," Yang shared on a now-deleted Instagram post at the end of 2023. "I feel now that I've outgrown the mask and I want to be more authentic to myself."

Hence, he put the ukulele to rest, and distilled all the pain and pleasure of the past few years into 14 multifaceted tracks. Gone are the no-frills, iPad-made productions that characterized BoyWithUke — Charley Yang has stepped onto the stage, and his new creations reflect a meticulous and dexterous artist. From the bossa nova beats of "Coffee" to shoegaze guitars in "Easier," Burnout opens up a daring, promising new era.

Yang sat down with GRAMMY.com to discuss saying goodbye to BoyWithUke, how it's helped him find self-acceptance, and the name he plans to adopt for his next chapter.

There's sort of a metaphoric storyline to your Dreams album series. The titles show a journey from deep sleep in Melatonin Dreams, to being awake within a dream in Lucid Dreams, as if you were waking up to reality. Now, this story culminates in Burnout. For how long did you know you would put an end to BoyWithUke?

Honestly, the decision wasn't made very long ago. In hindsight it's very easy to say, but I think the trajectory of the project was always going to end.

It was a bunch of little things. It's hard to quantify, but I remember on the Lucid Dreams tour, or the tour before — I forgot which one — I was on the tour bus with some of my friends. We were talking, and I was just so unhappy. My friends were asking why, and I realized I wasn't happy with BoyWithUke, and I wasn't happy wearing the mask… Then I decided, life's too short, I'm gonna stop using the mask.

Why did you feel that it was important to release a final album as BoyWithUke, instead of just releasing it as Charley Yang?

We actually debated starting a new project and releasing Burnout with it, but [because] I was a little unhappy with Lucid Dreams, I [thought that] I could do better for BoyWithUke before I ended it, and that's what Burnout is. It's almost a last-ditch effort of like, This is what I can do, this is what you can expect from me in the future.

From what I understood, this album has been done and ready for some time now. How do you feel releasing stuff that is so personal, but that happened when you were in a different headspace?

Yeah, some of the songs, like "Pitfall," I had pretty much 75 percent there one year ago. A lot of the songs were written about a breakup I went through, the good and the bad.

There's a few songs, like "Love Lost" or "Easier," that represent how I felt in the moment and in the healing of that. Definitely not anymore; I'm not upset about the breakup. But yeah, it's interesting to look back, and see my slightly younger self and the emotions that I was going through in the moment.

I feel like there are two halves in the album, connected by the interlude, "Petrichor." The first half is more agitated and "I want to burn everything and have fun," and the other one is more emotional and reflective of your doubts and worries. Does that make sense?

The way I ordered it reflects how I reacted to the breakup, which is like… I went through a bit of a hoe phase. [Laughs.] I don't think it's the best way to do it, but it was what I needed at the time.

But the way I had [the track list] organized was like, anger, hoe phase, hoe phase, and then around "Coffee," "Paper Planes," is when I was starting to get sick of it. And then in track nine, "Petrichor," is where I went like, Okay, I'm sad.

In "Can You Feel It," you sing, "If I'm alive at 24, my life is a dichotomy." What do you mean by that?

When I was younger, I was a little bit angsty. I don't know how to put it lightly… I had some suicidal thoughts, and I felt like, if I'm still alive at 24, my life is a dichotomy. Everything that I believed in, Oh, I'm not gonna be alive, or whatever, being alive at 24 would be the complete opposite of [that].

I hope you don't feel that way anymore. As you mentioned, you went through a lot of personal things, like your breakup and becoming an independent artist. How did you balance it all while creating new music?

Yeah, I'm a lot better. I'm one of the people that believe good music is made through intense emotions. So, feeling really bad, or sad, or upset, actually helps me.

As for the balance thing, I'm just so lucky to have good friends, my little brother, my little sister. The way I split it up is like, I have my music world, and I have my personal world, and I'm very fortunate to say that I have very supportive people in my career. It keeps me grounded.

And I run every single day. Run away from the demons. [Laughs.] It's kind of a joke, but also it helps you clear your head and get the body moving.

Now that you aren't anonymous anymore, how have you been dealing with being recognized and with fame, in general?

It doesn't bother me that much. First of all, I don't really go outside a lot. [Laughs.] I'm just naturally introverted, so I don't interact with a lot of people. Sometimes it'll happen at the airport, but yeah, it's a pretty quiet life.

What are some things that you didn't expect to deal with, after BoyWithUke became popular?

The way some people will treat you. I mean, this was always the case, even before the face reveal, but I definitely notice a difference in demeanor towards me between whether they know who I am, versus when they don't. 

I try not to tell people what I do, because if I do it too early, there's always that thing in the back of my mind — Are they only friends with me because of what I do versus who I am? That was something I didn't expect to be so prevalent in my friendships and relationships.

Do you think you're a perfectionist?

In some things, yeah. I'm very sensitive to music, especially now. Vocals just have to be perfect. Not autotuned, but perfect, you know? So I gotta do like, 50 takes. That's funny, you'd think that after 50 takes I'd remember my lyrics, but I'm so bad with that.

How do you remember the lyrics when you're on stage?

During rehearsals and like, a week before, I have a playlist that I listen to a few times a day and try to remember. It's a lot easier when you're doing actions, like, during this song I do this, so the lyrics are gonna be so and so.

You will soon embark on your last world tour as BoyWithUke. How are the preparations going?

I'm super excited about it, because this will be the first time I'm working with a band. Of all things in this project, that has been the most exciting for me — to go out and play songs live in front of people.

As an introvert, what do you feel when you're on stage and everyone's paying attention to you?

It's weird, I don't know. A lot of people probably say this, but it just feels different, like I'm a different person. Like, I was BoyWithUke on stage. 

Also, whenever I performed with the mask, I couldn't see anything, so it doesn't feel like there's people there. I can't see. I'm just glad I didn't get hurt.

Are you excited to perform without the mask?

I'm so excited. I did a little bit last tour, only for the second half of the show, but yeah, it felt really good to just play music without suffocating.

You used to do everything by yourself. How is working with other musicians changing the way you make music?

I think it's helping me to be more open-minded. When I was younger, I was using f—ng GarageBand on my iPad for the longest time, and part of it was because it was so easy, but a lot of it was because I didn't want to change. I didn't want to learn how to use other stuff and work with people. I'm getting better at that.

Is there anything you haven't told anyone about this album? Some Easter egg or so?

I've said up until this point that there is no ukulele in this album, but there is one song that has it. I wasn't even thinking about it, there was just a sound that I wanted to make, and I knew how to make it with the ukulele. So, I just added some filters, and yeah, somewhere in "Ghost," there is a distorted ukulele.

Since you like to plan ahead, you are probably already thinking about your next project, right?

I've been working on a lot of music. I have almost 20 demos that I'm working on, but nothing's set in stone. I do have a name for the next project — it's going to be Chandol, which was my Korean name when I moved to the United States.

It was my legal name, but I changed it when I was 7, because being in America it's weird to have an unorthodox name, and people definitely let it be known that they thought it was weird. So I changed it, but I thought it was fitting to have the new project be that name.

Does that mean you are reconnecting with your Korean roots?

It definitely opens that door. Not to say that it's the only reason, but I do feel like there is a disconnect between me and my ethnicity, because I didn't grow up in Korea. I was just born there. 

All my extended family lives in Korea, and it's kind of sad, but I'm not really connected with them. Honestly, I don't even know their names. They're kind of strangers.

If anything, [Chandol] is more so an acceptance of who I am, even if it's a little embarrassing or weird.

It's not weird at all! What does this acceptance mean to you?

Appreciate that. I think it would mean the most authentic music that I can make. There are some songs I make that I listen to and like… I cringe whenever I listen to them. And then there are some songs that don't make me cringe, they have more shelf life in my head. That's what's more authentic to me.

Do any of your past songs make you cringe now?

"Toxic." [Laughs.] A lot of my music, actually. It's like, being the creator feels bad, but I'm glad that people are enjoying it.

Since his debut in 2015, Declan McKenna has been a voice for his generation. The British singer/songwriter first gained attention at just 16, winning the Glastonbury Festival's Emerging Talent Competition with "Brazil," a track that cut through with its sharp critique of FIFA's actions around the 2014 World Cup. This early success signaled McKenna's commitment to addressing social issues head-on, distinguishing that he was more than just a fresh face in indie pop — he was an artist on a mission.

Fast forward nearly a decade, and McKenna remains an evolving force in music, one who consistently refuses to play it safe. But for fans, what makes Declan unique goes beyond his activism; he's an artist with a distinctive style and a personality that's as engaging as his lyrics that touch on inequality, mental health and government corruption. This drive for social commentary hasn't faded; if anything, it's deepened with time, giving his music a resonance that goes beyond catchy hooks. 

On Oct. 25, the now 25-year-old McKenna doubled down on his mission — literally — with his first two releases as a fully independent artist, "Champagne" and "That's Life." And with a slew of major tour dates ahead, including his first-ever arena and stadium performances, McKenna is gearing up for perhaps the most pivotal moment of his career yet. 

As McKenna celebrates this new chapter, learn more about his artistry, advocacy and where he's headed to next.

McKenna has consistently infused his work with sharp social commentary, starting with his debut album, What Do You Think About the Car?, where he tackled issues like political disillusionment, mental health and the struggles of youth in modern society. Songs such as "Brazil," a critique of corruption in FIFA, and "Paracetamol," which highlights LGBTQIA+ issues, showcased his ability to address complex topics with raw honesty and indie-pop energy. His second album, Zeros, built on this foundation with a more dystopian, cosmic approach, addressing existential themes about humanity's future, societal decay and technological overload.

In between What Do You Think About the Car? and Zeros, McKenna released one of his most politically charged songs to date, "British Bombs," which, as he described to NME, addresses "the hypocrisy of the British arms trade and the weapons convention in London." He donated all proceeds from the song to help those affected by those issues, telling DIY, "I think it's important to be as engaged as possible and if there is something there that can help people then that's brilliant. Ultimately that's what it's all about and if I'm not attempting that then I don't think I'm doing it right."

On his third studio album, What Happened to the Beach? — which arrived in February — McKenna turns his attention to environmental concerns, presenting a powerful narrative on humanity's impact on the planet. The album brings the urgency of climate change to the forefront, marking his latest effort as both a continuation and evolution of his mission to merge thought-provoking messages with resonant rock melodies.

In addition to making statements in his music, McKenna has been an active advocate for social and environmental causes, including climate activism, LGBTQIA+ rights, and racial justice. As a passionate supporter of groups like Extinction Rebellion, he urges his fans to join climate strikes and raise awareness through social media — further showing his dedication to inspiring action.

McKenna's music is often likened to that of legends like Bob Dylan and David Bowie — the latter of whom is a major inspiration for the singer — thanks to his insightful lyricism and genre-defying sound. Despite the praise, McKenna remains grounded, focused on creating authentic, meaningful music. 

With anthemic tracks like "The Key to Life on Earth" and "Be an Astronaut," he brings a passion and energy to his live performances that is reminiscent of the rock icons that came before him. McKenna's ability to connect with audiences through his raw, emotionally charged performances has solidified his status as one of indie rock's most compelling young artists.

Declan McKenna's career has been marked by a bold evolution in sound, fusing elements of indie rock, glam rock and classic Britpop into a unique and instantly recognizable style. His early music leaned into indie pop with socially conscious themes, but as his career progressed, he embraced a more eclectic mix, drawing inspiration from icons like David Bowie, the Beatles, and modern psych-rock influences such as Tame Impala.

McKenna's sound has grown richer and more experimental, weaving in lush, futuristic textures and embracing everything from anthemic rock to subtle folk inflections. This sonic growth reflects McKenna's expanding ambition, offering listeners a journey through genres and tones that remain cohesive yet ever-evolving.

Though McKenna only released one song between the Zeros' September 2020 arrival and his first What Happened to the Beach? single, "Sympathy," in July 2023, he celebrated his first-ever Gold record in 2022 with "Brazil," which has since been certified 2x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) thanks to a resurgence on TikTok.

TikTok also helped McKenna reach wider audiences in September 2023, when a fan-recorded clip of him singing ABBA's "Slipping Through My Fingers" on a 2021 Instagram Live went viral. The surge in popularity reignited interest in McKenna's catalog, prompting him to officially release the cover in December 2023. The track's release propelled it to the top of TikTok's Trending Songs chart and landed McKenna on Billboard's Alternative Streaming Songs chart, marking a moment of renewed visibility for the artist.

It was a perfectly timed occurrence for McKenna, as his third studio album, What Happened to the Beach?, arrived on Feb. 9, 2024. That release marked an important moment for the singer/songwriter, too, as it was his last in his contract with Columbia Records.

Eight months later, McKenna officially made his debut as an independent artist with two singles, "Champagne" and "That's Life" under his own label, Miniature Ponies. Though the label is a joint venture with ADA, a distribution company that's owned by Warner Music Group, as McKenna told Billboard, it's a fresh start for his career. "I've always spearheaded what I'm doing and who I've worked with creatively, but there's a different layer to it now where I don't have someone looking over my shoulder," he said. "It's a freeing thing."

McKenna fittingly became a fixture on the British and Irish music festival circuit after winning Glastonbury's Emerging Talent Competition, captivating audiences with his high-energy performances and engaging stage presence. After performing at the likes of Somersault Festival, Electric Picnic, The Great Escape Festival and Field day in 2015 and 2016, McKenna had an even bigger festival year in 2017, when he took the stage at Reading and Leeds Festival, Lollapalooza and even made a return to Glastonbury (where he’s since played two more times, in 2022 and 2024).

The budding star made his Coachella debut in 2018, the same year he invited a then-unknown Chappell Roan to open for him during his U.S. tour for What Do You Think About the Car?. In a 2023 interview with David magazine, Roan recalled watching McKenna on stage, perfectly encapsulating his awe-inspiring performances: "They had glitter on their face every night, and they threw balloons in the audiences and they were jumping off amps and speakers and everyone was screaming."

As he's continued to establish himself as a must-see act, he's embarked on several headlining tours and played more festivals around the world in the years since. But his next batch of tour dates are his biggest yet: in December, he'll head to Australia for a co-headlining tour alongside Two Door Cinema Club, and on May 27, 2025, he kicks off a 28-show trek opening for Imagine Dragons' European stadium tour — his biggest venues to date. With a whirlwind tour schedule, newly gained independence, and a passionate fan base behind him, McKenna's future looks brighter than ever.

Jay Blakesberg’s solo exhibit RetroBlakesberg: The Music Never Stopped at the GRAMMY Museum  takes visitors on a captivating journey through his extraordinary 30-year career in music photography, spanning 1978 to 2008.

On view from Nov. 8 to June 15, 2025, this exhibit showcases Blakesberg's extensive collection of over 150 film photographs that highlight pivotal moments in music history. From the raw energy of live performances to intimate artist portraits, the exhibit features iconic musicians such as the Grateful Dead, Neil Young, Snoop Dogg, Radiohead, and more.

Growing up in New Jersey, Blakesberg developed a profound passion for the Grateful Dead and music photography, igniting a lifelong journey of capturing the essence of the artists who create the music we all love — from rock and grunge to hip-hop, psychedelic, folk, blues, and beyond. RetroBlakesberg invites visitors to step into a visual narrative that chronicles the sounds, scenes and stories that have shaped popular music. 

Exhibit highlights include:

• More than 120 photos of musicians, shot on film, including Dr. Dre, Björk, Nirvana, Tom Waits, and Tracy Chapman.

• A special series of 20 "blue" portraits, featuring artists like Joni Mitchell, Green Day, Ice-T, and The Flaming Lips, created using tungsten-balanced film in daylight for a unique blue hue.

• Captivating images documenting the Grateful Dead and the vibrant, psychedelic culture surrounding them, a nod to Blakesberg’s lifelong inspiration since he was a teen.

Read on to hear from Blakesberg himself on how he captured these iconic moments, the inspiration behind his creative choices, and what it means to showcase his life’s work at the GRAMMY Museum.

Don’t miss your chance to experience this unique collection that has captivated audiences at the Morris Museum and the Contemporary Jewish Museum. Explore grammymuseum.org and buy tickets to witness music history come alive through Blakesberg’s lens.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length. 

Your exhibit, RetroBlakesberg: The Music Never Stopped, spans three decades of music photography. What do you feel has changed the most about the live music scene from 1978 to 2008, and how did that influence your work behind the camera?

The live concert industry has changed radically since I first started shooting. In the beginning, I was just a kid with a camera walking into a concert without a press pass. This was before corporate rock ‘n’ roll began restricting photographers, so back then, anyone could bring a camera to a show. By the mid to late '80s, however, when I started shooting professionally, credentials were required to bring a camera to larger venues. Thankfully, there were still small venues where up-and-coming bands like Jane’s Addiction, Soundgarden, and the Butthole Surfers were accessible without special credentials.

As the industry evolved, so did photography. Cameras improved, film quality advanced, lenses became sharper, and the lighting at concerts became more sophisticated. These changes allowed me to capture more dynamic images between 1978 and 2008.

When I first started, I focused solely on live concert photography. However, I quickly realized that to get my work featured on magazine covers, in editorial stories, or even on album covers, I’d need to take portrait photos as well. By the late '80s, I started doing portrait work, which was a significant shift — from relying on stage lighting and venue access to working one-on-one with iconic artists.

Tracy Chapman | Jay Blakesberg

The exhibit features 150 film photographs. What made you continue shooting on film for so long, and how do you think it shaped the look and feel of your work?

In 2008, I fully transitioned to digital photography. During the pandemic, my daughter, Ricki, came up with the idea to start a new Instagram page called "RetroBlakesberg," dedicated exclusively to my film photographs. There’s only a brief overlap in my work when I was shooting both early digital and film, so this page highlights a specific part of my career. Even though I had established a digital studio early on, we continued shooting on film for a while, delivering images digitally by first scanning prints and eventually moving on to scanning negatives. It was a time of transition between film and digital.

Today, in a predominantly digital photography world, there’s a noticeable resurgence of film photography, especially among younger photographers like Ricki, who almost exclusively shoots on film. Ricki not only curated the RetroBlakesberg Instagram but also developed the concept of showcasing only my film work. This idea evolved into a coffee table book, RetroBlakesberg, and then into a museum exhibit by the same name.

The first RetroBlakesberg exhibit was held at the Morris Museum, a Smithsonian affiliate in New Jersey, and then moved to the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco, where it remained for 11 months. Now, we’re thrilled to bring the exhibit to the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles.

One highlight of the exhibit is the "blue" portraits series, where you used the "wrong film" for the "wrong light." Can you tell us more about that creative decision and the process behind those images?

After I began doing portrait work in the late '80s and early '90s, I realized that to capture the attention of art directors and photo editors, I had to be as original as possible. I started experimenting in the darkroom by toning black-and-white prints with blue hues. But soon, I discovered an even more intriguing technique: shooting with tungsten-balanced film in daylight settings.

Tungsten film is designed to be used under incandescent stage lights, which are heavy on warm tones. When shot in daylight, however, this film takes on a blue cast, with the intensity depending on the amount of shade or under artificial strobe lighting with the use of CTB Gels. In darker, more shaded areas, the blue would be deep and intense, while in open shade, the color would be lighter and more subtle. Each shot was a bit of a mystery — I could never predict exactly how the film would turn out until I got the film back from the lab.

Joni Mitchell | Jay Blakesberg

You've photographed such a wide range of artists, from Snoop Dogg and E-40 to Björk and Neil Young. How do you adapt your approach when shooting such diverse musical personalities?

When doing portrait work with artists, many of my creative ideas revolve around location and lighting. Back in the days of film, creativity also meant choosing from different types of film and emulsions, lenses, and cameras. For any given portrait, I might shoot with a medium-format camera, a 35mm camera, or even a toy camera. I could select from color film, black-and-white film, fast film, slow film, or grainy, textured film — each an option in the toolbox. 

Combined with my understanding of these artists and my knowledge of photographic tools, I was able to create unique concepts for each session. Every shoot required careful prep including location scouting, and lighting choices to decide how best to capture the moment.

Growing up in New Jersey, you had a deep connection to the Grateful Dead. How did your love for the band shape your photography career, and what role did they play in launching your career behind the lens?

The Grateful Dead experience has provided an enormous amount of inspiration and passion for me. As a teenager, I went deep into the unique spirit of the music and community that emerged out of the Haight Ashbury in the 1960s  — I took that ethos, and with my camera in hand began photographing what was in front of me, which was often the psychedelic swirl of hippies and bands. Taking psychedelics certainly played a part, but more than anything, it was the thrill of capturing a moment and eventually the dream of turning that passion into a career that drew me in.

Photography isn’t without its challenges; there were plenty of tough, uninspiring jobs along the way to pay the bills. But over time, I found my groove and my own style, and it resonated with magazine editors, art directors, record companies, and artists alike. My career began to take off.

That early DIY inspiration I saw with the Dead and the Deadhead community had a profound impact on me. Passion and inspiration go hand-in-hand, and when you’re moved by something — maybe even a dancing Deadhead in front of you — it fuels you to capture that moment and see where it takes you as an artist.

Learn more: A Beginner’s Guide To The Grateful Dead: 5 Ways To Get Into The Legendary Jam Band

What was it about that particular scene that resonated with you? How do you capture the essence of that community in your photography and what continues to fascinate you about capturing it?

Once I truly immersed myself in photographing not only what was happening on stage but also the energy and spirit of the fans and the journey of it all, everything clicked for me. 

When I look back at these photographs of Deadheads from 40 years ago, they hold special meaning — not only as personal memories but as vital documentation of pop culture. These images capture fans entirely in the moment, fully absorbed in the music, having a magical experience free from distraction. There’s no technology, no phones, no one dancing with the intent to share it on social media the next day. They’re simply there, fully present. As Baba Ram Dass said, "be here now."

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Having your work featured at the GRAMMY Museum must be a proud moment in your career. What does this exhibit mean to you personally?

The GRAMMYs have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I’ve been watching the awards on TV since my teens, well over 45 years — maybe even longer. My connection to the GRAMMYs is ingrained in my DNA as a lifelong music fan. To have my work displayed at the GRAMMY Museum feels like a dream come true, even one I hadn’t realized I’d been dreaming of all these years. I’m incredibly honored to be working with the museum and the dedicated staff who are putting so much effort into bringing this exhibit to life. This is a major milestone in my career, and having the chance to work on it with my daughter, Ricki, makes it even more meaningful.

How did your transition from film to digital photography in 2008 change the way you capture and tell stories through your images?

Switching fully to digital was definitely a learning curve. With film, we had various camera and film formats, as well as different film types, to create unique looks and styles. But with digital, we were all working with essentially the same cameras, lenses, and sensors. Over time, it was the software that made the difference, allowing us to develop a distinctive look, feel, and style.

As an older photographer making the switch in my mid-forties, adapting to this new workflow was challenging. Younger photographers who grew up with cell phones seemed to adapt more easily to digital processes compared to those of us who had long careers working in an analog world. One of my early hires was a talented 19-year-old with great Photoshop skills, and he helped me refine a digital look that still captured some of the feel of film photography. At first, Photoshop was essential for creating a unique style, but with the advent of Adobe Lightroom, many of these tools became more accessible, making it easier for anyone to experiment and develop a distinct digital aesthetic without needing advanced Photoshop skills.

What advice would you give to young photographers who want to capture the spirit of live music in today’s digital world?

When I advise young photographers, I tell them to strive for originality. If you’re in the photo pit shooting a band and see 30 photographers on the left side of the stage for the "best" angle, go to the right and capture something different. There’s a lot of sameness out there, so finding ways to be creative, unique, and original is essential.

Your images have chronicled some of the most iconic moments in music history. Looking back, are there any specific artists or performances that hold a special place in your heart?

It’s hard to pinpoint specific shows or moments that I’ve documented because, for me, it’s about the entire body of work — capturing this unique pop culture phenomenon of rock ‘n’ roll over a 45-year period. Beyond the Grateful Dead, I’ve had the privilege of working with artists like Neil Young and Carlos Santana repeatedly for over 30 years. Michael Franti, whom I first photographed in the late '80s, who wrote the introduction to my RetroBlakesberg book and Wayne Coyne from the Flaming Lips who wrote the foreword are both examples of artists I have been shooting for over 35 years! Being able to follow and document these artists throughout their careers has been a uniquely meaningful aspect of my work.

It’s not just about individual events or shows — though there have been countless magical moments. What defines my journey is the cumulative story these photographs tell, capturing the evolution of pop culture and rock ‘n’ roll history, creating engaging portraits of legendary artists who have written the soundtrack to our lives. This whole body of work is what truly defines me as a photographer.

Finally, what do you hope visitors take away from RetroBlakesberg: The Music Never Stopped?

What I hope viewers take away from RetroBlakesberg is multifaceted. First and foremost, I want people to look at these photographs and be transported back to significant moments in their lives — just like hearing a song on the radio that reminds you of your childhood, your teenage years, or even when you first met your spouse, or significant other.  We have all had special moments that wrap around the music experience. These images should evoke feelings of nostalgia, joy and a connection to the songs, the Muse, that is part of our hopefully expansive lives.

I also want viewers to recognize that I’m a photographer who has spent countless hours in the trenches, dedicated to documenting history. For me, this work has never just been about getting paid; it’s about creating an archive and preserving stories that are incredibly important. Many of the photographs in this exhibition were taken on my own initiative, driven by a desire to document moments that I felt were significant, rather than for an assignment or financial gain.

Additionally, I want people to see this collection through my daughter Ricki’s eyes. She helped curate the exhibition and was present for much of the shooting as a child. Now, as a 29-year-old woman, the images resonate with her and her generation in ways that differ from my own experiences and or people that are around my age. I love that span of connection she brings to this project; it adds depth and richness to the narrative we’re presenting.