INTERVIEW + PREMIERE: "summer" - Nightly discusses the origins of their name and the process of making their debut album
By Cassidy Brohl
If you’re into upbeat indie-pop music that makes you want to drive while the sun is setting with all of the windows down, then Nightly is the band for you. From the interview that Heart Eyes Magazine had with them earlier this year, they have released more singles. Their most recent release, “summer,” has led to the announcement of their debut album, night, love you, which is set to release on October 16. With all of the excitement surrounding new music, I got to discuss with Nightly themselves all about their recent single and the announcement of their album.
What made you guys decide to release the song “summer” with the album announcement this past Friday ?
Honestly, it’s just a song that we really like. We had a hard time picking a single, because we are really happy with all of the songs, but summer felt like the perfect ‘end of summer’ song.
What tracks should we look out for when the album releases? What was your favorite song to create & write?
We really love them all, but there is a song called older that is particularly special to me.
What topics does this album focus on? What inspired some of the songs on this album?
It’s really wide ranging. We talk about love, loss, growing up, the internet. really just all aspects of our lives over the last year or so.
What made you decide to make your debut album name self-titled? Where did the name “Nightly” originate?
The first song we ever wrote (it hasn’t been released) was called ‘the night’ so we were thinking of band names involving that word. that lead us to night, love you which felt so personal and casual at the same time, like there is a sense of intimacy attached that we loved. so we ended up calling the band nightly and the sort of secret back meaning was the ly standing for love you.
What’s the meaning behind the cover for your debut album? Why did you guys choose it and where did the idea for the artwork come from?
The <3 has been our symbol since we started, and with each ep we wanted to elevate it or change it. for the album we wanted to make a physical piece of art since all of the previous ones had been digital. so I actually made the <3 with epoxy and flowers and our photographer Zach Pigg laid it all out and made it look nice. I love it.
What’s the perfect setting or place to listen to the album in? What overall feeling/vibe should we get when we finish listening to the album?
Definitely the type of album to listen through the whole thing, it’s not just a bunch of singles. songs flow into one another so it’s definitely one to listen to all the way down. I picture it being listened to on a night drive.
How long did it take you guys to write this album? What were some of the struggles you faced when it came to writing the album?
Well we had 1 week of writing in march then the virus hit and we sort of stopped everything for a month just because we were all freaked out.
After that I’d say it was most of May and june that we wrote and recorded the album. I think the struggles were just dealing with the mental battle of what's going on in the world. we also were forced to just work in our homes instead of going to a studio, but ultimately I’m really glad our debut was made this way, because it feels way more personal because of that.
Here’s a fun question: What’s your favorite Disney movie and why?
I mean, that’s a tough question but if I have to pick one right this second I guess it’d be Lion King. Great songs, great story. Hard to beat.
What’s been your favorite album or artist to listen to over quarantine? Any new songs or bands you’ve been loving?
Been listening to Jeremy Zucker’s new record non-stop.
Do you plan on touring this album once concert venues start to open back up again? Who would you love to tour with?
100% we cannot wait to tour again. I think it’d be fun to do shows with The Aces or Valley. Maybe both!
Speaking of touring, what was your favorite show you’ve ever done? Any particular city the band loves to perform in?
It honestly is impossible to pick a favorite show. This entire last tour we did was our favorite. every single night was truly incredible and we got to bring some of our favorite bands/good friends to open.
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians or struggling smaller artists, especially during these times of uncertainty?
Just make stuff you love and that makes you happy! you can’t control if other people will like it, and honestly if you don’t like it you can’t expect anyone else to.
Lastly, anything you would like to tell your fans or our readers about this new album? What should we look forward to?
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to make an album. We have the best fans in the world and we put our heart and soul into this. this one’s for you
It sounds like they’ve really put their heart and soul into this new album they have spent this year working on! Be sure to listen to their newest single, “summer,” and catch their album, night, love you, out on October 16.