How has the past year been for The Summer State?

Ryan: The past year has been pretty eventful for us. We spent most of our time playing shows and writing new materials. We played quite a number of memorable shows, one of which was with Yellowcard(US), and that was an amazing experience. Other than playing shows and writing, we spent a huge chunk of the later part of the year in the studios recording our EP. 

We've always thought that the "summer state of mind" is a great attitude towards making music. How important is this sense of optimism and positivity in your music-making? 

R: We've always believed in making music that reached out to our listeners and gave them a sense of hope and optimism when faced with adversities. So we always try to write songs that bring across that message. 

As a relatively new act, do you see your style/sound evolving in the future? 

Edwin: For sure, there's still much to learn and this EP is only the start.

Shaykh: We are constantly exploring new possibilities in our songwriting. I'm definitely excited to see ourselves stumbling upon new sounds in the future.

What a great music video for "I Do, I Don't"! Tell us more about the making of the video.

R: Yeah, making the music video was something we were all pretty excited about from the get-go. 

E: I was quite impressed with SNAP Production's short film 'Choices' and I knew they'll be able to bring our idea to life. We initially planned to film the MV outdoors but it rained the entire weekend. We had to make do with an indoor shoot since we already rented the equipment and organised the 30+ extras to come. One of the SNAP crew even got his foot run over by a taxi on one of the shooting days! Credits must go to SNAP Productions for pulling it off though despite all that. 

"I Do, I Don't" takes on a more softer sound than the other tracks on your EP. Why did you choose it as your first single?

E: Well, the first line of the song says, "this isn't what you're expecting to hear" and it certainly isn't what anyone would expect from a band from Singapore. We wanted to stand out from other bands and we felt the song and music video will help us do that. Besides the song is very relatable.

What's next for The Summer State? 

Veek: We're gonna start writing for a full-length and play a lot more shows in Singapore and around the region.

Top 5 Influential Albums

Close The Distance | Go Radio

R: Go Radio has always been a band that influenced me with Jason Lancaster's heartfelt lyrics, and it especially came through in the Close The Distance album released in 2012. The emotion he translates in his lyrics and singing style never fails to inspire.

Southern Air | Yellowcard

V: Sonically it's got a great sound, and after watching them play the songs live, it made me think more about writing guitar parts that really complement the rest of the band.

Brand New Eyes | Paramore

S: The guitar work on that record was very influential to me as a guitarist and I definitely drew a lot of inspiration in the thought and writing process of the album.

War Paint | The Dangerous Summer

E: It's an experience just listening to this album. It definitely opened up a whole new world in terms of approaching songwriting. It shows that if you write from the heart, it will shine through.

Do Overs and Second Chances EP | Go Radio