Midnight Kids’ Debut EP Aims To ‘Make People Realize How Truly Special They Are’
In a time when doubt and despair are at an all-time high, Midnight Kids – aka Dylan Jagger Lee and Kyle Girard – are here with their new EP, ‘The Lost Youth,’ a project they hope dispels all the ‘negativity’ of the current moment.
“The EP name is something that exemplifies what Midnight Kids is all about,” the band tells HollywoodLife in an EXCLUSIVE interview. After building a buzz online by remixing other songs and sharing their first original composition in 2018, the band – made up of Kyle Girard and Dylan Jagger Lee — have just released their debut EP, The Lost Youth, on RCA Recordings. The 8-track project is not just a collection of uplifting dance bangers (“Everything You Are”) or soaring pop anthems (“Monsters”). The Lost Youth is the band’s mission statement. “It’s meant to show that everyone has something that they’re going or dealing with, it’s something we all share in common and can come together to make each other stronger.”
“The Lost Youth is meant to be a way for people to get away from those problems and make people realize how truly special they are as people, and that the negativity in their life is not what defines them,” the band tells HollywoodLife. Much like Walt Whitman’s oft-quoted line from “Leaves Of Grass,” Midnight Kids are large when it comes to their influences and interests. They contain multitudes, and to capture all facets for the project, they enlisted some help from artists like 90’s Kids, Lisa Goe, Opposite the Other, and Annika Wells. “All of the artists and songwriters we worked with for this EP are some of the most talented and incredible people we have ever had the pleasure of knowing,” says Midnight Kids.
“It was so amazing working with people who are just like us, we all just love having a good time writing music and sharing that passion for music with each other. We couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to work with, and we think that energy was so well reflected in the songs on the EP!” That excitement and enthusiasm over sharing this new music also weighed in on the decision to release The Lost Youth today.
With many artists — from Lady Gaga, Sam Smith, Lamb Of God, Dixie Chicks to Luke Bryan — postponing new music due to COVID-19 upsetting everything, Midnight Kids had to consider if they were also going to hold off on dropping The Lost Youth. “Ultimately, we felt that people needed music more-so now than any other time,” the band tells us. “Being in quarantine or self-isolation means that people are looking for an escape, and with going in public not being an option, the best way to find distraction is in creative media.
“We really hope that the release of this EP means that people will feel a little bit better in these stressful times.” The eight tracks on The Lost Youth will alleviate some stress, even if it’s just for about an hour. But, sometimes, a short dance party is all one needs when they’re trying to shake off the COVID-19 quarantine coronavirus blues. Though, fans should make sure to give the project a repeat spin. A lot has changed – outside of the global pandemic – since Midnight Kids released their debut single, “Find Our Way,” in 2018. “Evolving the Midnight Kids sound has always been, and always will be, a goal of ours,” they say.
“We’re always looking for ways to incorporate new styles of music into our songs while still maintaining that signature Midnight Kids sound. With the intro of the EP, entitled ‘Innocence’, we explored elements of Orchestral music. Utilizing orchestral percussion, strings, and mallet instruments with 80’s inspired synth sounds made for an incredibly nostalgic atmosphere that we hope will invoke that coming-of-age feeling that makes us all feel young. We also love taking inspiration from bands like The Band Camino and The 1975.”
That inspiration and experimentation can be experienced for yourself. Midnight Kids’ The Lost Youth is out now.