Hailing from Frederick, Maryland, the four-piece Indie Pop band Blue Heaven creates music that allows listeners to drift off into a daydream where their imagination has free reign. Their recently released singles “Growing” and “Shade” offer a sneak preview of what’s to come on their upcoming full-length album. Listeners can expect dreamy vibes, pop elements and honest lyrics about the ups and downs that occur in a relationship.
The Pop Break had the chance to interview Blue Heaven to learn more about the inspiration behind their band name, their musical influences and details about their upcoming album, Volume One, which is out on June 15 on No Sleep Records.
Who is Blue Heaven? (Names of your band members & the instruments you play): Blue Heaven is Levi Miller on vocals/guitar, Ryan Sprenkle on guitar, Connor Bowen on bass and Matt Full on drums.
I see that you guys are based out of Frederick, Maryland. What is the music scene like there? Where are some of your favorite places to play in that area? The music scene is diverse! It is hard to say that there is a dominant genre. One of our favorite places to play is Cafe Nola. Great vibes and people.
I’m curious to know, what inspired you to choose the name Blue Heaven and how does it represent who you are as a band? It was name that we all felt would represent the band well. This is the first time any of us have been a part of an indie pop release and much of our vision was formed as we were in the writing process. The name, music, and vibe became a cohesive piece when we finished the record.
What genres or bands and artists do you draw the most influence from? Although we call ourselves an indie pop band, that’s not the only genre that has helped us shape our sound. We have gained influence from bands like Bombay Bicycle Club, The Killers, Death Cab For Cutie, The Clash, and Michael Jackson.
In your music, what sound elements stand out the most to listeners? We wanted to achieve a dreamy sound in every element from percussion to vocals. We think the ambient guitar tones and with pop influenced leads definitely helps tie all the songs together for the listener.
I see that your single “Shade” just came out on May 10. What is this song about and what message do you want to convey to listeners when they hear it? To put it simply, “Shade” is about falling for those who are as blue as you.
From your previously released singles “Shade” and “Growing” to your upcoming album Volume One, how has your sound evolved? Also, will these singles be a part of the album? Both singles are going to be on Volume One. When we first started the writing process for Blue Heaven we wanted to hone in on a Dreampop/Rock vibe. Songs on Volume One have some of these elements, but overall, we evolved into writing songs that better suit the title genre of Indie Pop.
What can you tell fans about your album, Volume One? More specifically, how many tracks are on it, and what sounds should listeners expect to hear? Volume One is a 12 track album. We view the album as a cohesive piece as each song covers different moods and situations that happen throughout a relationship. Listeners can expect dreamy vibes with pop elements.
How would you describe the style of your lyrics? Are there any themes that you tend to come back to in your music? I would call our lyric style honest. All songs are based on personal experience and the lyrics don’t hide that.
What is music all about? What drives you to create and perform music? It’s a creative process that we all fell in love with. We have all been making music since we were fifteen or so, and it’s what we want to do. When you find something that makes you happy, do it!
What’s next for Blue Heaven? What do you have planned for the rest of 2018? Volume One comes out on June 15th via No Sleep Records. Until then, and after the release, we plan to be on the road as much as we can.
If listeners have never heard your music before, what song should they listen to in order to discover what Blue Heaven is all about? A listener could always start with our two singles “Growing” and “Shade,” since the album hasn’t been released yet. Or they can always pre-order the record through No Sleep Records and dive right in.
