almost monday has just released their new song “live forever”, the lead single off of their upcoming EP. We were able to attend a press conference and ask them a bit about their process, but first, a bit about their music.
Released in 2021, “live forever” is an exciting and lively track that introduces almost monday’s alt-pop sound with energy and flair. With an underlying wavering tone that adds a fun, unpredictable element to the song, “live forever” boasts a killer beat and one of those catchy choruses that you’ll be singing along to by the second time it comes around. Their previously released EP don’t say you’re ordinary featured several stand-out tracks such as “broken people” (which has over 5 million plays on Spotify), a song that shows a slightly different side of the band’s sound. Featuring elements reminiscent of a disco dance floor, lead singer Dawson Daugherty effortlessly sings “We’re all just broken people and we don’t know why” to a groove-worthy beat. “come on come on” is a pop-heavy track with a pronounced rhythm, dreamy guitar instrumentation, and harmonious choruses that will have you prepping for your next sunny vacation. “parking lot view” includes a surprising hip-hop element with syncopated lyrics over their signature pop sound while not forgetting to include an infectious hook. Title track “don’t say you’re ordinary” highlights the band’s catchy accompaniment with laid back vocals, incredible harmonies, and engaging, flawless orchestration that perfectly frames the lyrics.
We had the pleasure of meeting the San Diego-based trio comprised of Dawson Daugherty on vocals, Luke Fabry on bass, and Cole Clisby on guitar. We asked a bit about the way they are influenced by pop culture as they often reference movies and icons in their music and videos, to which Cole replied “You just get influenced by others and what happened in the past and kind of make it your own and combine different things. … it just kind of happens in anything we ever do.” Check out the rest of their answers from the conference below, make sure to listen to their latest single “live forever”, and keep an eye out for their upcoming EP! With their impeccable alt-pop sound, it’s going to be one you don’t want to miss.
Written by Katrina Charles
Press Q&A with almost monday
Q (Urban Latino): Can you tell us a little about your background as bandmates and why do you think you work so well together?
DAWSON (of almost monday): Me and Luke have been friends for a really long time. We grew up together playing music and we wanted to start a band. Then, I met Cole when we were 15ish out surfing through a mutual friend and I ended up hearing that he played guitar. So we just linked up on that. Throughout high school, I started a band called the Mondays. That name was already taken. Became almost monday and we got more serious when we got into college.
LUKE (of almost monday): I think why we work well together is I think we have strong opinions so we disagree a lot but we respect each other enough to hear each other out.
Q (PLNKWIFI): Since all three of you grew up in San Diego, do you feel as though it’s important to reflect your hometown roots through your music and if so, how do you guys do it?
DAWSON (of almost monday): When we’re making music, we’re never really thinking about “Oh how does San Diego tie in or anything.” I feel like people in San Diego are pretty chill, at least where we’re from.
LUKE (of almost monday): It’s interesting because there’s not a whole lot of bands that come out of San Diego and so it’s kind of cool to represent.
Q (PLNKWIFI): Which one of your songs would you recommend as the ultimate Monday afternoon mood booster?
DAWSON (of almost monday): I’d probably go with “come on come on”. It’s pretty chill.
LUKE (of almost monday): Chill happy vibes.
DAWSON (of almost monday): Yeah, I’d say “come on come on” to get you through a Monday.
Q (LolaZine): In January, you announced that you’re in a new era of almost monday. We’re just now getting a first taste of that and I was wondering if you could describe this era and what’s to come in one word or a phrase?
LUKE (of almost monday): It’s hard to say in one word but the general idea is not taking things for granted. So not taking relationships or time for granted and trying to really live in the present and not worry too much about the past or the future.
DAWSON (of almost monday): The new EP is very different too from the first in terms of the sound and stuff. We’re excited to jump into new visuals, new everything with it.
Q (Luna Collective): How would you compare the feel of the second project to your previous music?
DAWSON (of almost monday): I feel like this new project… It’s interesting because our writing process has never been super linear. There are some songs on EP2 that we wrote before some of the songs that came out on EP1 but I feel like it’s different in terms of… I feel like the second EP has a little more emotion on some of the tracks, so that is something that is kind of exciting to jump into with our fans and people listening. The songs feel really different. “live forever” doesn’t really give it like, “Oh this is what the EP’s like.” The next three songs are very different. It’s tied up by that “not taking things for granted” type of theme.
Q (Rising Artists Blog): You tend to mix pop culture into your lyrics and music videos. For example, you’ve said the music video for “broken people” was inspired by The Truman Show. In that same video you also reference that iconic Risky Business scene when you’re singing and dancing in your underwear. Then, you have that clever lyrical reference to Johnny Cash’s “I Walk the Line” in “parking lot view.” Not to mention, your music video for “live forever” is a nod to the Beastie Boys, among other things. Are the pop culture references in your music and music videos inspired by anything in particular or is it just an unconscious product of growing up in the digital age?
COLE (of almost monday): I think it’s like just whatever we’re into at the moment when we’re creating whether it’s a music video or just music in general at the time. Maybe we’re into the Beastie Boys or something and in some way like it just influences what we do. It kind of goes for all art. You just get influenced by others and what happened in the past and kind of make it your own and combine different things. So, it just kind of happens in anything we ever do.
DAWSON (of almost monday): You’re gonna get a kick out of the title of our next track coming out.
RISING ARTISTS BLOG: Oh, I can’t wait!
DAWSON: When you guys see the next title, you’ll laugh.
Q (Elle Novella): Who or what have been the most important influences on your musical life and career?
DAWSON (of almost monday): I would say for me personally the band U2. My dad played them religiously growing up. So I feel like that was sort of like an introduction of getting into music and watching all those DVDs of U2 made me fall in love with wanting to perform.
LUKE (of almost monday): My dad really loved the Beatles. He’d play Blackbird on the guitar around the house 24/7. I didn’t know it was a Beatles song for the longest time. I’d get so annoyed because he’d play it over and over again. But looking back in retrospect, it was cool that that was kind of my introduction to music and like through osmosis, I started playing guitar and turned to bass.
COLE (of almost monday): I started getting into guitar just by learning different covers. Bands like the Strokes and the Cure and stuff inspired me to continue playing and I think gong to live shows as a young kid really inspired me to be like, “Oh I want to do that when I’m older” and inspired me to start in a few bands before almost monday.
Q (The Honey Pop): How does it feel to go from performing in your garage to a small audience to becoming a band with international success and having a fan base with people all over the world that don’t speak English?
DAWSON (of almost monday): Yeah, it’s pretty funny. We started as a garage band. Literally, we practiced in the garage. And then, we started touring and now we ended up back in the garage somehow. So it’s been an interesting path but it’s honestly so crazy seeing people from around the world like Brazil and Korea and Germany. It doesn’t feel real. It’s so crazy to know that there’s people out there that resonate with your music and you’ve never met them, you’ve never seen them, you’ve never even been to their country. So I feel like that might be one of my favorite things growing as a band and being able to go there one day and see fans from different countries. Oh my gosh, that’s so exciting. I can’t wait to do that. But yeah, it’s insane.
Q (Fever Dream Zine): Is there one piece of advice someone told you before you started making music?
DAWSON (of almost monday): Probably one of the best pieces of advice I’ve gotten, and this is not before I played music but during, and it’s always stuck with me was from one of my heroes, Jon Foreman. He’s the lead singer of the band, Switchfoot. We were opening for him in San Diego and I was really nervous. It was one of our first big shows. Jon came up and told me you’re basically a mirror for people. So if you go out there and you’re having a good time or if you go out there and you’re having fun and you’re confident and love what you’re doing, people are going to reflect that energy. And if you go out there nervous and unsure of what you’re doing, people will reflect that energy. For me, I always try to get in a mindset of loving what I do and loving the songs I make with my best friends and just getting out there and having a good time and hopefully, people can feel that energy and enter into the good times. That’s a piece of advice that stuck with me for a while.
