Sorry Darling on finding the weight in the quiet moments
New York duo Sorry Darling are leaning into the darker, heavier side of their sound without losing the hooks that got them noticed in the first place. Their latest release, Like You, brings a more melodic and melancholic edge to the band’s evolving sound, exploring what happens when a relationship slowly erodes your sense of self.
The track arrives as part of Mirrors, a three-song release that acts as a bridge between the band’s earlier jangle-pop-leaning material and a moodier, more raw direction. There’s still plenty of melody and songwriting craft at the centre of it, but this time the guitars hit harder and the emotional stakes feel higher.
With a return to the UK also on the cards, we caught up with Sorry Darling’s Steve and Liz to talk about Like You, choosing yourself, the pressure to sound perfect, and where the band are heading next.
“Like You” slows things down compared to some of your heavier material, but it still has that bite. What made you want to show this more melodic, melancholic side of Sorry Darling?
Steve - Sorry Darling has always had that side to us I think – the ‘heavy side’ of things has really only come into play recently. When Liz brought ‘Like You’ in we just realized it felt huge right away, which is usually a good sign to press ahead on something. We both bring a different flavor to our side of the SD songwriting equation, and in this case I think ‘Like You’ is everything you’d want out of the perfect ‘Liz’ song – big feels, big hooks, but enough detail to realize it had to come from somewhere real.
The song explores how a relationship can slowly chip away at your sense of self. Was there a particular moment or feeling that unlocked “Like You” lyrically?
Liz - I did write these lyrics after one specific event in my life but I find a lot of times lyrics end up unpacking a thousand tiny cuts more so than just one big painful moment. Like You especially is an amalgam of all the moments I folded myself a little smaller to fit something that wasn't working, rather than walking away.
The video follows a pageant queen who does everything “right” but still comes second, with the idea that the real win is choosing yourself. Where did that concept come from, and how does it connect to the song for you?
Liz - The idea for the pageant theme was a sort of random stroke of inspiration, the symbolism of that kind of picture perfect presentation being an impossible standard to sustain felt like the right imagery for the similar more abstract way those themes play out in relationships.
Steve - I think in general that’s a theme we feel pretty strongly about across all the Sorry Darling material – the importance of having our own take and vision that deserves its moment in the spotlight. Given the continued push towards more ‘perfect’ sounding music with AI and the like, it feels like a well-timed stance to have out there right now.
You’ve described Mirrors as a bridge between where Sorry Darling has been and where you’re heading next. What did making these three songs reveal about the kind of band you want to become?
Steve - Mirrors came about because we knew we wanted to push ahead towards something that felt heavier and moodier, but weren’t entirely sure how to make that fit with our previous material that was more jangle-pop adjacent. We ended up tracking several songs in the last year or so as we explored this concept, and the stuff that made the cut for Mirrors felt like the best balance between ‘what was’ and ‘what is to come’, I suppose.
As far as what that says about what we want to become? I think we’re pushing for something that feels more raw and desperate sounding sonically, but still has poise and hooks. If the previous material felt more like the work of individual songwriters trying to write great guitar pop, the new material feels more ‘band’ and hopefully reflects the depth and nuance of that approach.
You’re returning to the UK around the release of Mirrors after your first run here in 2025. What stuck with you from that first trip, and what are you most excited about this time around?
Steve - From the get-go, UK audiences seemed to grasp our music immediately without needing it explained to them. The idea of big, sing-along rock music has never left and people seem game to get into it as long as you’ve got something unique to put out there. I was also struck by how diverse audiences were here – less of the ‘other bands sticking around’ vibe and more normal folks who just happen to be fans of music in general. It was very encouraging!
Where we’re from in New York City is an incredible place to start a band, but a very difficult place to be one. The audience can be very disconnected from local music because of how much great stuff we have here culturally, and as a result they can be tough to impress and are less eager to let themselves go and really enjoy something. Bands here often succeed more on vibes than songs, so you just don’t feel like you can connect sometimes even if you’re writing from a place that feels universal.
We’re really excited to come back and hopefully reconnect with folks who saw us last time, as well as share what we’ve got coming up with new folks. Hope to see ya’ll at the gigs!
Comments