Exclusive Interview with Missyou
New York based alt pop/rock band Missyou is an up-and-coming band you’ll want to make yourselves aware of. Comprised of four members – Blaise Beyhan, Omer Wald, Vincent Quinones, and Pete Valentini, the band’s vision is to create music they can stand behind, with an emphasis on storytelling, moving listeners through time. I got the chance to talk with the band’s lead vocalist, Blaise Beyhan, about the band’s name, what they want to convey with their music, their latest singles and so much more. Keep reading to see what he had to say!
For those who might not have heard of Y’all, can you give us a brief history of the band and how it culminated into what it is now?
I moved from Alaska to NYC when I was 16, played in different projects until we slowly found each other. Things, I think, are still evolving.
Missyou is a unique band name. How did it come about?
Music is such a powerful thing. It takes you places. Moments that you long for come flooding back with a piece of music. I think we realized that missing something or someone is a well we draw on.
Follow up question: Is there a particular reason for the name being all one word vs. two separate words?
I think it’s a play on all of us being connected and that you yearn for human connection and to create less space between us and the audience. It’s about coming together and having your own perspective on what that looks like.
I’m always genuinely curious about what artists want to convey with their music. So, how would you describe your sound without using genre names?
Justice, empathy, love, wisdom, truth, storytelling.
What kind of music do you produce?
Whatever feels natural to us.
You’re releasing your debut EP, YourBody, this fall. Is it finalized enough to where you know how many songs are going to be on it and what fans can expect from it when it comes out?
Yes, there will be 5 songs. They will all tell their own stories and hopefully, it captures what is to come.
So far, you’ve released two singles from the EP, “Child 44” & “Know It All.” What are the stories behind these songs?
“Child 44” is about the shame of realizing people who claimed to love you have taken advantage of you. Being used is a tough pill to swallow, but you have to accept that you let this happen and take responsibility.
“Know It All” is about ego. Ego can make you deaf, unable to understand the world around you. It is the downfall of human evolution. If you can’t listen, then you no longer learn.
Was there any particular reason you decided on these two songs as the singles?
It seemed like the right two feet to put forward.
What was your writing process like for these songs and also for the EP in general? Are you guys a band that likes to keep it in-house or do you like to collaborate with others?
We write primarily on our own. I will seed a song on most occasions. Then, me and Omer will bring it into focus together and the band will iron it out. This is how it works typically, but not always. For some of these songs we had the pleasure of working with producers Jared Scharff and Andrew Williams – they are both amazing producers and had a big hand in shaping some of these tracks, and are both brilliant in their own right.
Since we just talked about being inspired to write songs, who are some of your musical influences when it comes to songwriting?
The Neighbourhood, The 1975, Conor Oberst, Cat Stevens, Post Malone.
Last question — we’re called Talk Nerdy With Us because we all have an inner-nerd. What is something, besides music, that you nerd out about?
Food, podcasts and videos games.
For more information, you can visit the band’s website or follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.