"Although I didn't write this song, it spoke to me in a way that made me feel as if it was my own story,” Brandon said. “I found myself playing it over and over again in my bedroom, remembering situations that I've been through.”
Check out the video for yourself below.
You recently dropped your new album, Is Everything Okay in Your World? How has your world been since then?
It's been amazing. We've just been doing our thing, going around playing, and it's been incredible. It's so good to get it out after working on it for so long.
People have described your new album as the "voice for teens." Would you agree with that?
Yeah, I would agree because I try to focus on issues teenagers struggle with like paranoia, anxiety, depression, and being over-emotional. Those sorts of things. And probably because I am a teenager still, it would make sense.
A lot of people say that you seem old for your age.
I couldn't comment on that.
You don’t agree?
I just do my thing [laughs].
Would you say that you're old now?
Yeah probably, all of this stuff has made me grow up a lot quicker than I needed to.
What's the longest you've ever slept?
Sundays after a dangerous weekend. I couldn't say how long, but it was after too much of a drug-infused state to remember what went on.
What do you believe in?
I believe in the human mind and the power of thinking. Imagination.
Who are your biggest inspirations?
Ray Charles, Mac Demarco, Tame Impala. In terms of when I was growing up they helped me figure out what I wanted to do. With Tame Impala and Mac Demarco, it's minimalistic, full layers. For me, their music is incredible.
Those are very different genres—jazz, synth and folk. If those three genres were warriors and they were to battle gladiator style, who would win?
Ray Charles would always win, just because his genre, jazz/blues would always win. It would manifest itself into a very strong successful warrior.
You collaborated with Rejiie on your new album. How did that feel?
That was crazy. I've been a fan of his since I was like 15. It was mental. He's an incredible guy with a lot of talent, so it was just mad.
Do you have a go-to karaoke song?
I'm not really a karaoke guy. It's hard for me to enjoy it. I know I take the fun out of it, but I'm not really mad about that.
How has it been in the states?
This is the second time I've been to America. Crazy city. On this trip, we played in LA and New York. It has been a very overwhelming experience.
Is Everything Okay in Your World? is available to stream here.
So where does the title come from?
The title is the Spanish word for sunflower, girasoul, but it spelled g-i-r-a-s-o-l but I added the ‘u’ because it’s very soulful music. But, it came from, one, the inspiration started in this marigold color, that I now rock a lot.
I was going to ask. Seems like your thing.
Yeah, definitely. It’s a part of me, not just the band. But I thought it identified with the music that I was making at the time. You kinda like, you know, dress for success— dress for the job you want, dress to make the type of music that you want. That’s why I literally cleaned out my closet.
So one day are you going to go full yellow?
One day I’ll make the transition complete. Like I’ll finally go Super Saiyan but like right now I’m still teetering on the fence. I like wearing all black but I’ll finally get there.
In terms of the project I feel like it started with that and I wanted to further that and make a parallel with how sunflowers get their energy from the sun and look up to the sun. I like it when I’m confident and I think I look up. You know what I mean? My head is held high, not down. And I feel like this is meant to be an album about the light and the end of the tunnel. Everybody has their own adversities that are going on for them. At the end of the day you have to keep your head high because at the end that struggle there’s always light.
Do you have any tattoos?
I have one.
Is it a sunflower?
No, it’s not.
You should get a sunflower tattoo.
You think? I feel like it’s cliche at this point.
Actually, it is cliche. Don’t do it. Seriously, don't. Get a different flower.
A magnolia would really be the I’d get if I got a flower. There’s a lot of meaning behind flowers.
What was the first thing that made you really take on the whole color concept?
I came up with it from one of my friends, who was kinda shopping for me, and asking what I thought of certain palettes. I remember this yellow one really stuck out to me and I was like yeah I’m gonna wear this. I’m gonna keep it as a uniform. I wore one fit that had marigold, for probably two weeks, until I realized that I needed new clothes. I can’t be wearing this shit everyday cause like people would be like, "Pell hella dingy wearing the same shit." I switched it up a little bit, and started incorporating different colors to it and I kinda wanted to go with this earthy type of vibe.
How do you bring that into your music?
I feel like it's chill. I feel like it’s fall-time-music. I think it’s perfect that it’s coming out right now cause it reminds me of when everything is transitioning. When you see those red and yellow leaves on the ground. It feels like that to me.
What’s the process for writing that kind of music?
My music process is the lack of one. I feel like it’s always reinventing itself. I’ve never really focused on wanting to do something the same every day. I feel like it always about a progression but as it ties into colors and everything, I think that it’s definitely, I tried to capture the same feelings.
Like if you were to eat something— have you ever ate something and it made you smile? I want to make sure that I have those type of reactions to my music. Just how I do when I see colors or when I do things in my daily life.
What do you eat that makes you smile? I’m curious.
Soup dumplings.
Okay.
Actually, I’m gonna be smiling this afternoon cause I think we’re getting some.
Where are you going?
Joe Shanghai?
Urban legend. Don't go there. Go to Dumpling Man, on St. Marks. Anyways, how are you celebrating the album being released?
I’m going bar hopping in New Orleans. There’s actually a bar called Bud Rips that has in their Jukebox, my first project. I'm really going home.
