For nearly three decades, Conor Oberst has been the trembling heart of Bright Eyes — a band that’s evolved from lo-fi bedroom recordings to orchestral grandeur, from emo-folk intimacy to politically charged experimentation. Now, after a long pause and several renewals, Bright Eyes are entering a new chapter. Their latest EP, Kids Table, finds the trio — Oberst, Mike Mogis, and Nate Walcott — revisiting the creative sparks that defined their early work, while embracing a looser, freer energy. It’s nostalgic, forward-looking, and unmistakably human.
This November, Bright Eyes will perform in Singapore for the very first time, marking their long-awaited debut in Southeast Asia. For fans who’ve lived with these songs through heartbreaks, hope, and everything in between, it’s a long-awaited chance to finally hear them live. Speaking from his home, Oberst opens up about rediscovering joy in music, his enduring creative partnerships, and the strange, beautiful persistence of Bright Eyes.
First off, congrats on your latest EP Kids Table. I really loved it — it feels both nostalgic and forward-looking. It revisits some of the ideas from Five Dice, All Threes but sounds a little freer. What space were you and the band in creatively when these songs came together?
Well, about half of them are actually from the Five Dice, All Threes sessions. We recorded them at the same time as the record, but they just didn’t fit in the puzzle of the record — even though we liked the songs. Some of them were hard decisions, deciding which ones to leave off. About half of it’s like that, and then there are a few others we’d been working on. Some of them — the Shakespeare song and the Lucinda song — were recorded later.
One of the singles I wanted to talk about was '1st World Blues', which is really playful and politically sharp. I was wondering — in 2025, how do you balance humor, hope, and frustration in your songwriting these days?
Well, as I’ve gotten older, I think I’ve always had some humour in my songs, but I’ve been drawn more toward that now than when I was younger. For me, songwriting is about trying to understand the world. I walk around not really understanding a lot of things, and what helps me is to write. When I write, I’m trying to capture what it is to be human — the human condition. The world is so beautiful and so horrible at the same time. Life is full of everything — from someone getting murdered to falling in love. I try to make those observations and get them into my lyrics.
The EP also features two songs with Alynda Segarra from Hurray for the Riff Raff, and there’s a beautiful chemistry between how your voices intertwine. What drew you to work with Alynda?
I was a fan of Hurray for the Riff Raff first — probably going back at least ten years. The first time I saw them play was at a festival in Europe. They had a really early morning slot, like 11 in the morning. Usually, I’d be sleeping in on tour, but a friend of mine, James Felice from The Felice Brothers, told me, “My friends from New Orleans are playing — we’ve got to get up and go.” So I did, and I’m so glad I did. They were playing in this circular, almost circus-like tent, and it just blew my mind.
That cemented my fandom. Over the years, Alynda and I became closer friends — we’re very close now. I’ve worked with them both live and on recordings; I even sang on a Hurray song. We’ve done a lot together. I feel like we’re kindred spirits.
The EP closes with a Lucinda Williams cover — 'Sharp Cutting Wings (Song to a Poet)'. What made you choose to revisit that song, and how did you approach making it your own?
That song’s got a little backstory. Back in September, I had this big health scare — my esophagus and vocal cords were really messed up. I couldn’t sing for a bit, and we had to cancel a bunch of shows. When I came home and started seeing doctors, I was trying to get better, and I thought, “I’m going to have to sing again at some point.” I’ve loved that song for so long — I think I first covered it when I was about 20, maybe 25 years ago. I’ve played it off and on for friends or small shows.
I was lucky enough to become friends with Lucinda over the years. The state I was in — physically fragile, not sure if I’d be able to sing again — made me think of that song. I’ve always felt a kindred spirit with her; we’ve lived similar lives as songwriters. It was kind of a spur-of-the-moment decision — I went into the studio and just played it by myself on guitar. It became my gateway back into singing again.
Bright Eyes’ music has always been rooted in vulnerability, but it feels like there’s a new kind of ease in these more recent records. Would you say you’ve made peace with some of the heaviness from your earlier years?
I think so. If I haven’t made peace with it, I’ve learned to process things differently. When I started writing as a teenager, everything felt like the end of the world — you get your heart broken, it’s everything. I’m 45 now, and life is still pretty sad if you focus on it, but it’s also beautiful. I think my way of expressing myself has changed. I still feel the same, but it comes out differently now.
It’s been almost 30 years since A Collection of Songs. How do you look back on that version of yourself now?
It’s like looking at old photos of yourself — you recognize that it’s you, but you’re so different. The same goes for those old recordings. I know that’s me, and I still have some of those same hopes and fears, but when I hear it now, part of me cringes — at my voice, the words. But at the end of the day, I think it’s all part of the journey. Because of when I started — with the internet and all — you can trace my songwriting from when I was 13 to 45 if you want. I don’t recommend it, but it’s a wild ride.
And for a large portion of that time, you’ve been working with Mike Mogis and Nate Walcott — for more than two decades now. What’s something about that partnership that still surprises you?
I always joke that I’m the most normal guy in Bright Eyes. I’m in a band with two mad-scientist geniuses. Mike plays every instrument and has incredible production skills, and Nate handles all the string arrangements, brass, piano, organ — he’s the one writing and arranging that side of things. They’re both incredible, and I’m lucky to work with them.
Have you noticed there’s been a renewed interest in Fevers and Mirrors and I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning among Gen Z fans? How do you feel about those albums being rediscovered through TikTok and playlists?
It’s great! I take a lot of pride in the fact that if you go to a Bright Eyes concert, you’ll see teenagers up front and people in their 60s sitting in the seats. You get folks who grew up with us and new fans discovering us now — it’s a wide range, and that’s amazing.
It’s been a while since Bright Eyes toured this steadily. How does it feel to be back in the rhythm of playing night after night again? How are you taking care of yourself on the road?
This year’s been really great. Like I said, it started rough — I was in the hospital in New York the day before the record came out in September. There was a moment where it felt like everything was falling apart, but we picked ourselves up. We started playing in January and have been at it all year — the same six of us in the band. That’s the lineup we’re bringing to Asia, so Singapore will be like the ribbon on top of the year — the star on the tree.
View this post on Instagram
Of course, you’ve played all over the world, but this will be Bright Eyes’ first show in Singapore. What excites you about being able to play in this region?
As someone who’s traveled since I was a kid, it’s amazing to finally go somewhere new. Because of the way touring works, you end up going to the same places — the US, Canada, Mexico, Western Europe — over and over. We used to go to Japan almost every album cycle, but that stopped for a while. I’ve never been to Singapore, Hong Kong, or Jakarta. These are all firsts for me. I’m so excited to see new places.
That’s really exciting — and I know a lot of fans here have been waiting a long time to see Bright Eyes live.
We feel the same way. We’re so excited. We built in a couple of extra days off on this tour so we can actually see the places we’re visiting — because usually it’s just hotels and rock clubs. Hopefully, we get to try some local food and see some sights.
Absolutely. Well, thank you so much for your time, Conor. Really appreciate you taking the time to chat.
Thanks, brother. We appreciate you writing about us and helping get the word out. We’re really excited to go and meet the fans over there. Can’t wait for it!
Bright Eyes' concert in Singapore takes place on 27 November at *SCAPE The Ground Theatre. Purchase tickets here.
Like what you read? Show our writer some love!
1