New Politics Interview: COVER STORY

When David Boyd, frontman of New Politics, called me right before 1 pm for our scheduled phone interview, I took my first opportunity to let him know that this magazine would not exist without his band. You see, I originally founded this magazine with a good friend named Vic, who I met at New Politics’ Lost In Translation 2018 tour. We connected through Twitter prior to the show because we were both looking for someone to hang out with in Toronto during that day. There’s no way I ever would have felt confident enough to create Kinda Cool without the help and support of Vic. At the same time as I was looking for a partner, I learned that Vic specialized in graphic design while I was confident in most other areas required to manage a magazine. And so it began.

This being said, I was very excited when I was offered the opportunity to interview New Politics. I immediately accepted and made room for it as a cover feature. Not only did the band inspire the creation of Kinda Cool, but they have already embarked on a special, intimate tour and released their first single since 2017 this year, and they still have a new album and fall tour coming up before 2019 finishes. Throughout our conversation, David gave me loads of insight about dipping their feet into a new era of the band, starting by closing off the first decade together. The Denmark native reflects upon his experience travelling across the United States on tour and creating a captivating live show, as well as looking forward to see what the next decade of New Politics will entail.

2019 has been a really busy year for New Politics, especially because you’re celebrating 10 years as a band! How does that feel?

It feels pretty wild! I mean, we didn’t realize it had been 10 years until our managers said “Yo, you guys are celebrating 10 years!” Then we were kind of like, “Oh my god, has it really been 10 years?” We tracked it, and it was really 10 years! It’s really, really wild.

That’s a long time!Yeah. It’s crazy. I’m kind of still blown away by it.

You just finished up your six-stop anniversary tour where you revisited super tiny, jam-packed rooms. How did that go?

That was so amazing! It was really great doing that. We were talking about what we should do, and we were like, “Should we go really big and celebrate?” We realized that we could still go big and do some things that made sense for the 10 years and our journey so far. We kind of went back to venues like the first venues we started at. We hadn’t played a lot of them before. It was kind of like a journey — we started in Brooklyn, New York, which is where we moved to, and then we went to some of our favorite cities. Not entirely true, we couldn’t do all of them, but we picked out six and made our way across the United States and ended in Los Angeles, where we funnily enough finished all of our records. So it was kind of full-circle. Celebrating the reason we do it, like going back to the core as a reminder. Also maybe putting a full stop on this chapter in the sense of saying goodbye without losing anything, if that makes sense?

Yeah, I get that.

And then paying homage to the fans that are the core and reason of everything, and I think we really felt it on this tour. It was just wild to hear everyone sing every song from the beginning to the end.

And in tiny rooms like that, you get so much more energy than normal shows!

Oh, totally! There were a couple of shows — about three shows in particular — where I literally couldn’t believe what I was hearing and seeing. I don’t remember ever sweating that much; it was just so confined. They were 3, 400 cap rooms, and it was just completely packed. It was just wild. It was really nuts.

Your live shows have always been really energetic, regardless of the room size. Where does that energy stem from? What pushes you to put your all on stage every night?

I think it came very naturally. When Søren and I started off in Copenhagen, it was the first time I ever sang live on stage and held a microphone. I had worked in studios a lot writing, and Søren was originally a pianist, so it was the first time he ever stood up with a guitar. He’d only really done it sitting down in the studio and stuff like that. I think in all honesty, this is just me guessing, looking back. First of all, we’re very energetic regardless. We are definitely kids at heart, but my background is also theatre and entertainment. I used to make a living doing street shows, dancing on the street and things like that. A lot of it was sort of based on entertainment and raw gimmicks. I think the energy was already there because you have to get people to pay attention just walking down the street, so you have to go over the top. I think they go hand-in-hand with our personalities, but I also think it was also just that I was singing and I wasn’t really a singer and Søren wasn’t really a guitar player, so you’re trying to find distractions. In the beginning, it was just a sense of “Don’t think, just go. Light yourself on fire and let that do the talking!” It doesn’t matter if you’re not in the right key, or you’re hitting a wrong chord or whatever. I think it was just a distraction. Things kind of just naturally happened, like throwing the guitar in the air, jumping off of the drum risers, the crowd surfing, all the dancing. Looking back at it now, I feel that it became a New Politics statement to do that, so we just perfected that in our own way without lights or gimmicks or equipment. We just do it in a very raw way without any extra sugar coating.

I think realizing now that we’ve been doing this for 10 years has made all of us reflect a lot, since we’re in such different places. About 3 years ago, we all moved separately; we used to live together. We’re all writing together in different ways now because we can’t really write together as much as we used to. But I think all of us have very strong personalities, so we push each other in certain ways. Music and performing live is not only our bread-and-butter, but it’s also our joy. It’s what we love doing. The fact that we’re still all friends says a lot about the band. In the last 3 years, we’ve been trying to readjust how we’re going to move forward. The universe kind of plays itself in such a natural and amazing way. We’re no longer on our record label, we’re no longer with our publishing, we switched management, we switched entire teams. Now we’ve reached 10 years, and we’ve all been writing separately and together, and I had a baby. There’s so many adjustments and changes that it’s pushing us in a natural way to just change things up. And again, realizing that we’ve been a band for 10 years is making us reflect a lot. I don’t think we’ve done a lot of reflecting because we’ve been so constantly busy. I feel like reflecting a lot also made us see and learn a lot about how we can grow and do things and renew ourselves in ways that we’ve always wanted to and probably didn’t have the chance to before.

I think this next record and moving forward is gonna be really exciting — and challenging. I’m really looking forward to it. I can’t remember being this scared and excited and fearful and just everything in one. I have to find courage, because there’s also so many steers and changes and whatnot, but that’s really pushing the creativity in sides that we’ve never shown because we haven’t had a break or the opportunity. It’s really exciting.

You actually did just release your newest single and the first taste at new music, “Comeback Kid,” right after tour! What is the symbolism behind that being the first single of a new era for the band?

I think that’s part of the stage that we’re in now with these last 3 years. It’s really been shaky and none of us have known what’s happening. Things have gotten to a point where we’ve spoken like, “Maybe this is what we were meant to do. Maybe this is a sign that this is the end of the road.” We had a ton of conversations about what the next move was, and I was like, “I don’t think we can control that. It might seem like it’s the end of the road, but maybe it’s the end of the road for something that we’ve done for 10 years. Maybe this 10 years is actually a sign that there’s new opportunity without losing anything.” We’re never going to lose anything. We always take everything that we have with us on the road and on the records. Now we’re completely free to create and do what we want. At the same time, I was looking at it like, “It might be really hard and blurry sometimes, and it might seem like it’s a little confusing, but really when you look at it, it’s the first time we’re back to the basics.” When we first starting writing our first record, that was without a label and without anyone judging us or saying “I think you should sound like this band.” I’m not criticizing that as a bad thing; it’s always good to have people on your team to give you all types of angles, but I was looking at it like, “Man, if anything, this is an opportunity!” This is life. Every day is a new opportunity. This song just came naturally. I was in LA and it was just one of those days and it just came so naturally. It only made sense once the song was done and our manager heard it. He was like, “This is a really good song! It might not be the most original statement, it’s kind of something that’s been done before, but it’s a true statement and it’s a statement that we all need in life.” You always need that reminder! As obvious as it is, that reminder is important because everybody has ups and downs and challenges in life. I think it’s comforting to know that. You know, like every once in a while, your friend will let you know that they appreciate you, even though they don’t have to because you’re with them every day. It means a lot. I feel like this record and this

song in particular really resembles that, and it’s really a reminder that you always have to bounce back. Every day is a new day and it doesn’t matter what people think or say. I think it was the perfect breath of fresh air for us for what’s to come. It’s just a reminder of these past 3 years that have been sort of rough for us.

That’s kind of what I interpreted it as! Kind of just a comeback and new beginning from a little while away.

Absolutely! That’s what it really is. At least for us!

Will it be a stand-alone track, or is this the first single off the upcoming album?

I’m still not 100% sure. I’m literally finishing up the record now, and I’m hoping that by August, we’ll have an official date or at least a new song. Something to keep it going! Then we’re working on a tour in the fall that we’re really excited about.

Yeah, I saw you teasing the tour announce and studio time online!

Yeah, we’ve been recording live aspects and just going over some of the demos. I’m finishing some of them up here in Atlanta as well. Then I’ll probably fly to LA and round it all up and get it executed and done.

Are any songs totally complete yet?

Oh yeah! There’s a lot. Most of the record is pretty much done.

Another thing that I’ve noticed within your albums is that each one is a little bit different than the last, like Lost in Translation from 2017 was a lot more pop-driven than what you’ve done in the past. Do you plan to continue the theme of evolving your style over time with this new record?

I think that happens naturally. It’s hard to say. When you create it, certain songs just touch you and they make sense. Just the vibration or this unexplainable thing. You can’t really control that stuff! That’s a really tough question. It’ll definitely be a different record, but I think we’ll balance it a little bit. This record came really, really naturally. I mean, this is the fastest, without-thinking record we’ve ever done. I don’t know what happened, I was just so inspired. It was just pouring out of me. Some of the songs we didn’t even change from my original freestyle verses. On a lot of the songs, it’s just my actual take. We were just doing the songs, and I was like, “Record me! Record me!” I just went in and sang entire verses. We didn’t even change anything! I don’t get as much time in the studio as I used to, so I’m always inspired when I come in and see a different light. I don’t overthink it; whatever comes, comes. It’s like capturing the magic when it happens! I feel we really did that with this record.

Now I understand why you’re really looking forward to this one.

Oh man, yeah! I can’t remember being this excited to release songs.

So are you planning to have at least a few more singles out by that fall tour you were talking about, or will it be in support of the full album?

In a perfect world, the record would be out! There’s only so much you can control because it has to be right, of course. But in a perfect world of rainbows and unicorns, I would love to be able to release the new record at the end of August or early September. If anything, another single.

Will this tour be longer than the one you just finished and back to bigger venues?

Yeah, this will go back to bigger rooms, and it’ll be a full month or month and a half. Or a month and ten days, I’m not exactly sure. It’ll be a full tour across the States!

As you’d mentioned earlier, the band is native to Denmark and moved to the USA later. What kind of role does traveling and being able to visit all these foreign cities play in your life?

I think it’s really inspiring. It’s huge! I think this entire journey so far has inspired me so much, including when it comes to writing. I miss Copenhagen a lot, in particular this year because I haven’t been there for three years; since Christian got pregnant, we haven’t gone back. We used to go twice a year, but it’s been hard after [my daughter] was born. It’s been a lot, especially as a first-time dad. But I think it’s definitely played a big role in who I am and a lot of my writing and a lot that I’m grateful for. I wouldn’t have met my wife, I wouldn’t have a baby. I travel the world and I love food and restaurants and all of that cool stuff, so when I go on tours, it’s really fun. Now, I’m just in this period where, as opposed to just touring, I have something that’s just meaningful for me and the family. All of a sudden, all those things become a priority. When I was single and I was just on the road for seven years touring nonstop, we were like, “Let’s keep track of the Food Network and all of these food apps and let’s go to the best dining place in every city! Let’s go see some of the monuments and then go shopping!” I mean… the food part is still important, but those things aren’t as important anymore. Now I’ve just gotta find a way to make it all worth it in a different light. You know, I’ve gotta bring my daughter along on tour and a lot of other adjustments. Make it meaningful.

Yeah, it’s definitely a struggle to balance the family and the music lives.

Totally! That’s really what it is. The most important thing is your happiness. That will show in the music as well. I’m not saying you can’t write depressed or happy; I’m just saying it needs to make sense and you need to enjoy it. Even if it’s sad, you need to enjoy it.

At this point, do you have any more 10-year anniversary celebrations planned, or are you just looking forward now?

I think that part of the gift of 10 years is gonna be the new record and then the fall tour with an incredible lineup. Hopefully the record of our lifetime, which we try to do every time. Moving forward, it’s gonna be a whole different game. Now that we kind of have the ‘power’ back as artists, I think it’ll be very interesting. We just have so many songs and so much to say! There’s so much to release that a record isn’t enough. Hopefully moving forward, we’ll be able to release songs when we have songs we want to release and we don’t have to wait two years. And if we want to wait, we can! The ball is in our hand, so we’re learning and we’re going with this new chapter.

Are there any goals that you’re still wishing to accomplish within the next 10 years, either related to the future of New Politics or your family life?

Of course I have a perfect-painted picture in my head which is completely unrealistic, because I’m a very unrealistic person. I think that was one of the other things that really inspired me on this record. When I started reflecting on the past 10 years, I’m like, “Oh my god, we’ve really only been scraping the tip of the iceberg of potential for this band. And it’s been 10 years!” In that sense, it’s been really inspiring because there’s still so much I feel we can do! It makes you want to give more, it makes you want to work harder. You set your goals high because you’re like, “Look at our friends in this band and these bands that we’ve seen and come up with, they’re in arenas and they’re doing this! They managed to cross over their music and do this!” There’s still a ton of untouched territory that we’ve never explored. Even with our live show, we’ve never really used lights on a high level or done gimmicks like hanging on a rope. There’s things that I can do from the theatre world! I’m just spitting out to you a bunch of ideas, I’m not saying any of this is going to happen, but I’m just saying that the opportunity is there. We’re definitely not in a place where we’re jaded in a way because we’ve done it all. We’re far from that. It’s really exciting because we could really look into these things. There’s a lot of small ideas that we’ve been wanting to execute for a really long time but never really worked out with our old labels and teams. We didn’t always see eye-to-eye. Moving forward, it’s going to be very exciting to explore what we can do and how we can use what we have and take it to another level or show a different angle.

What once began as a small band started by a couple friends has turned into a name that will forever be engraved on the hearts of fans, but it’s clear that the band’s success thus far hasn’t stopped them from dreaming big. After 10 years, there is still much unexplored territory to experiment with, and David intends to try it all. It seems as if the upcoming album might just be the beginning, and it might just mark its place as the most “New Politics” album yet. While looking forward to a killer fifth album and fall tour, stream the band’s latest single, “Comeback Kid,” which reflects on all these struggles the band experienced while beginning this new era. I’d like to thank David for taking the time to go so in-depth about everything the band has been working on lately. With so much raw passion and optimistic hope, New Politics is a name that will go down in history.

Hosted by: Meg Clemmensen Photographed by: Ravyn Cavanaugh Last page photos courtesy of: @newpoliticsmusic on Instagram