Nightly
You’ve heard of dynamic duos, but let me introduce you to a dynamic trio: Nightly. Indubitably indie-pop, the group’s self-described “songs to drive to” have racked up tens of millions of streams. Stepping into the scene in 2016 with their four-track debut EP Honest, Nightly is yet to let their well of new music run dry: EPs, singles, stripped-down versions of old songs, and even an album (2020’s night, love you.) are just the beginning of their portfolio. But what groups of music-goers would enjoy Nightly? All of them, really. There’s something in there for everyone, and yet the music still--magically, it seems--remains within the umbrella of the aforementioned indie-pop genre. From the upbeat “summer” to the more mellow “the movies” (both of which appear on their latest album) to the emotional “Twenty Something - Stripped Sessions,” the trio has a song to cater to each and every one of your emotions. We spoke with Johnathan of Nightly following their release of their new album about what they view as their biggest accomplishment thus far, their songwriting process, and more!
You describe your music as "songs to drive to". Who are some of the artists that have helped you to develop this sound?
We love Coldplay, The Killers, Tears For Fears, Miguel and a million other artists ha.
Congratulations on the upcoming album release! How long have you guys been working on the project and how does it feel now that it's finally out?
We started in March of 2020, and finished in June! it will feel very surreal I’m sure. I’m mostly just excited to hear this body of work instead of just a bunch of singles.
What is the one song that you're looking forward to most to perform live?
I think “time online” will be a lot of fun, super high energy.
Your collaboration with akokay has quickly become your most popular. What was it like working with the artist?
Alex (ayokay) is an awesome dude! We clicked right away and had both been fans of each other's work, so it was super easy to work together. That song actually went through several versions in several different keys, but it paid off!
Walk me through your typical day in the studio. How does your typical Nightly track first come to be?
It either happens with a lyric that I have written in my phone, or if there aren’t any immediate lyrical jumping off points the three of us will just jam until something feels inspiring.
How do you overcome writer's block?
Go outside, watch a movie, listen to music that inspires me.
What is the best part of being a band?
Doing what you love with your best friends.
How important do you value evolving your style as artists?
It will be incredibly important moving forward, I think this album is a starting point for us to build on. We don’t ever want to make the same album twice, and I like to think of albums as time capsules, so the next one will encapsulate a different time in our lives.
You've been releasing music for around four years now. What has been the best part of this journey?
I think the headline tour we did at the beginning of 2020 was our favorite thing we’ve done to date. It was the most fun we’ve ever had and still feels like a dream.
What is the most important thing that you've learned in this time?
I think it’s just shown the fragility of life and helped refocus on what’s most important.