New Friends is an alt-pop band composed of members Cole, Stefan, Conrad, and Ayden. The band met in college and starting workeing on demos in their dorm rooms. Soon after, the band scored themselves a hit single with their debut Purple Candy in 2019. New Friends released their debut album The Pilot in 2022, and are currently preparing for the release of their forthcoming EP “Camaro.” I caught up with the guys from New Friends to learn more about their early days, the success of Purple Candy, and what we can expect from their new music! Also make sure to stick around for the end to hear our gam ..read more

Highwind is the pop-rock passion project of New Jersey singer-songwriter, Chris Russo and drummer, Dan Smith. Highwind’s aim as a pop-rock act is to tell an honest, relatable story by means of catchy hooks, colorful guitar parts, and infectious rhythms. I talked with Chris about how he started Highwind, his latest singles, playing shows, and what we can expect to hear from them next ..read more

Jake Brewer is a singer/songwriter based in New York, whose latest album "objects in mirror are closer than they appear" launched the young creator into a new era of indie, bedroom pop. The Seattle-native is a recent TedX speaker, founder of FRNDLY Media, host of the Groundbreaking podcast, all while selling out shows across the US since 2018. I chatted with Jake about the inspiration behind his debut album and preparing for his music festival FRNDLY Fest ..read more

Sisters Bailee and Kenzie Eaglin make up the newest pop-rock duo Eaglin. Their Denton hometown inspired an ambitious collaboration of growing up and personal musical influences. The duo released their self-titled debut EP Eaglin in the summer of 2021, featuring a breakthrough collaboration of nostalgia and modern indie pop-rock, led by the infectious Brooklyn-inspired anthem, “Twenty-Three.” I got to chat with Eaglin in early 2022 to learn more about their debut EP ..read more

Saint Slumber consists of vocalist Josh Perna, guitarist Aaron Brown, and drummer Stephan Stanzione. I had Josh on the show back in October of 2018 to talk about their YOUTH// trilogy. Since then, Saint Slumber has garnered even more attention and success. During the pandemic, Saint Slumber premiered their darker and more complex sound with their fourth EP cycle, how to lose your self, opening the band up to millions of new fans with singles such as “peachy” and “Guillotine”. I caught up with Josh back in early 2021 to talk about the success of “how to lose yourself” and what we can expect in ..read more

Pollyanna is a four piece New Jersey band consisting of power-pop, loud rock, bubble grunge, and punk influences. Earlier this year, they released a deluxe edition of their EP Sugar Coat with a fresh perspective under their new label, I Surrender Records. We caught up to chat about how Jill and Dan met when they were in just first grade, to starting a band at 13, to their most recent success. Since this interview, they released their latest single “Slut” off their debut full length album called “Slime” out on June 17.  Follow Pollyanna: Instagram | Twitter | Spotify Follow PopRocks: Inst ..read more

L E A is an LA-based alternative pop artist who has intertwined the boldness of punk with the beachiness of pop. Inspired by artists such as Mayday Parade, Charlotte Sands, Secondhand Serenade, L E A considers her sound colorful, extroverted, aggressive, and blunt. I talked with L E A about her experience of growing up in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, moving to LA, and how that inspired her debut EP “Jersey Boy” Follow L E A: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Spotify ..read more

LiL MiK_e is a Phoenix-based pop-punk artist who brings a fresh new sound to the alternative scene. His debut album “Memories” was released in December of 2019, and led to collectively over 2 million streams on Spotify. Last month, LiL MiK_e released his sophomore album, Sellout. This album is about him leaving his old self behind and evolving into his new self and new sound. We caught up with LiL MiK_e to talk about both of these albums and the new music we’ll hear from him this year.  Follow LiL MiK_e: Instagram | Twitter | Spotify ..read more

Range Life is the passion project of seasoned New Jersey musician Mike Chiarappa. Mike released his debut full length album in October called “when it all gets old”. The album’s themes span from fun songs about drinking beer to songs about friends dealing with addiction. I first met Mike years ago with his band The Stolen, and I was happy I was able to catch up with him again before his show in Brooklyn. Follow Range Life Follow PopRocks ..read more

Courtney Govan is a queer independent pop singer from San Diego, California. Courtney is known for her first hit single “Serotonin” that went viral on tiktok and landed her on Spotify Editorial playlists like Fresh Finds and Fresh Finds: Pop. Courtney uses her own life experiences to connect with her listeners on a deeper level. She uses her music as a way to lift up the voices of those who feel unheard and unseen. Her humanistic and introspective approach to songwriting brings a refreshing twist to today’s pop music. Courtney’s ultimate goal in her career is to help everyone who comes across ..read more