Introducing:Dear Boy

LA indie rockers Dear Boy return with a fuzzed-out new chapter, channelling sunburnt Britpop, beat-heavy shoegaze, and pure creative euphoria. With their latest single ‘Kelly Green’—out June 20th via Last Gang Records—the band trades the meticulous tension of their debut for something looser, louder, and more alive. Written in a burst of joy and recorded live in under two weeks, it's the sound of four best friends reconnecting with why they started a band in the first place. Ahead of their anticipated sophomore album, we caught up with Dear Boy to talk about LA’s misunderstood magic, ditching perfectionism, and making rock music that actually feels something.

‘Kelly Green’ marks a shift from the meticulous approach of your debut to something more instinctive and live. What changed in your mindset or process this time around?

A:“There was just so much pressure on our first album. We were unsigned at the time, we pooled all of our own money into making it. I took out a credit card loan to have it mixed. It was tense. And when you’re doing something like that, every little choice becomes the most important decision of your life. We were so hyper-focused on making sure it was perfect, that we forgot to have a good time.

After we signed to Last Gang and released our first album, we were honestly depleted. We love Forever Sometimes, but there’s a lot of pain there. So when we regrouped and decided to write the next record, we agreed that it had to be three things: Different. Loud. Fun.”

You've described this album as celebrating “joy, connection, heartbreak, and celebration.” How did those emotions shape the sound and spirit of these new songs?

A:“Honestly, we all had the realization that we’re so unbelievably lucky. We’re in a band that people care about. Best friends. Doing this insane thing together. And in an age where the industry is getting torn apart, and artist intentions are more and more cynical, the four of us wanted to stand in defiance of that.

We’re more in touch with ourselves than ever. The opening line of our new song After All is, ‘I feel everything. It’s better than nothing.’ Doing this with the people you love is sacred and worth celebrating. All of it."

You’ve always blended Britpop and shoegaze influences with your own LA identity. How does your relationship with Los Angeles continue to shape your music today?

A:“I think we’re so eager to represent Los Angeles because the city is so misunderstood. People on the outside don’t see that it is an extremely tight knit community, especially within the music world. The diversity of thought, and culture. We’re really here for each other.

And so when you’re making something, the voice isn’t just your own. We’re trying to celebrate the sides of this place that nobody ever sees. LA is magic.”

Q4: With so many bands chasing trends or algorithms, how important is it for you to make music that feels human—and how do you keep that at the center of what you do?

A:“I don’t want to hear the word algorithm for the rest of my life. Trying to make yourself attractive to a goddamn robot—are we serious? That’s Ray Bradbury! And more importantly, it’s antithetical to what we do. I think because we’re all best friends, and because we were an independent band for so long, we’ve always had a true North. When we sit down to write, or play, all we’re thinking about is why we love doing this.”

You’ve called Dear Boy “a universe of its own.” What does that universe look and feel like on this record—and what are you inviting listeners into?

A:“Jubilation in the face of gnarliness. I’m not trying to be glib, I’m aware that life is unfathomably difficult for people right now. But music is a sanctuary. And while I’m not saying Dear Boy is the answer to all your problems, we are offering joy. And catharsis. A chance to make peace with pain. When people talk about nostalgia within music, it’s usually about the sound, but I’m after the connection to culture. Purity of spirit and intention. Community above all else.”

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