Following their debut EP, the band New Friends is switching gears with their cathartic and brave new project, Camaro.
Four tracks tell the short story of a relationship’s ultimate breakdown. One of those tracks is “Find You,” an earnest anthem that sees change as a vehicle to emerge stronger.
We sat down with these not so “New Friends” to chat about the project, performing in Europe, and more!
What was the production process like for your new EP Camaro?
The production process varied from song to song but all started the same. We wrote and demoed each of all 4 tracks in a 3 day weekend after getting back from a 6 week long trip in Los Angeles. We set up each session as an eight hour day where at the end we would gather around in the studio and almost do a ‘show and tell’ styled presentation of what we made. find you, “Ricochet,” “Doomed” and “Waste My Time” all came out of those three days. After we knew those songs were special, over the course of a few months we worked away at them to finalize and polish the tracks which then all lead to what we now know as Camaro.
How was the process different from your debut single “Purple Candy” and first EP?
The process was DRASTICALLY different. When the band made Purple Candy, we were all first year students in college. The song was written in a dorm room and recorded in one of the classroom studios. The band had just met a few weeks prior to the start of the song. Camaro was written and demoed in Toronto’s legendary Phase One Studios and was the first time the band had ever collaborated with new writers and producers for each song.
One of the songs featured on the EP is “Find You.” What was the inspiration for that anthemic track?
The inspiration behind “Find You” came from the self deprecating echo chamber in someones head after going through a long-term relationships’ break up. The song stemmed from that feeling of hopelessness, wondering if you are incapable of love or doubt that you will ever find that person for you.
The making of this project was a very cathartic process for you. How do you hope people feel after listening to the EP?
We hope that people find themselves within these songs the same way we did. Oftentimes before writing a song we feel like a lot of experiences and emotions are so deeply personal and no one will understand them. After beginning the conversation, we always find that everyone in the group has experienced or felt something similar to each other. Camaro is all about the parts of relationships that people shy away from talking about. So if you find yourself in any of these songs, we hope they bring you that same sense of relief and the easing of the pressure to be perfect.
If you could set fans up in the perfect environment to listen to Camaro, what do you imagine it looking like?
The perfect place to listen to Camaro is in the car with the windows down on a nice sunny summer day with your closest friends 🙂
You recently played your first show in Europe. What was that like?
We are still speechless after playing in Europe for the first time. It was surreal to see that the songs we made in our living rooms, basements and studios in Canada, made their way around the world and resonated with people we would have never met before if it wasn’t for the band. The crowd was incredible. They welcomed us with open arms and even went above and beyond to make us feel loved. One show, a group of fans cut out a bunch of paper butterflies and hearts to wave them in the air during ‘Purple Candy’ and our jaws were dropped when we looked into the crowd. A moment this band will never forget.
What has it been like to see your music resonate with people all over the world?
It was really emotional for us. We learnt so much about not only ourselves but each other making these songs and to see that overseas, even with a language barrier, those songs have the same impact on other people’s lives is truly something special. We mean it when we say, we still are taking it in.
What can fans look forward to next?
We’ve been working on a bunch of new songs that we’re all super excited about and also can’t wait to keep hitting the road to dance and sing with everyone and meet some new friends (pun intended).