Multi-platinum singer-songwriter Bryce Vine is no stranger to viral hits, including fan-favorite songs “Drew Barrymore,””La La Land” and “Sour Patch Kids,” and with his latest endeavor, Bryce is eager to let loose and show off a completely different side of his artistry.
His new album, titled LET’S DO SOMETHING STUPID!, dropped last month, and it’s all about breaking the rules, defying the expectations and just having fun with it. The 11-track project was produced by Goldfinger frontman and legendary producer John Feldmann, who was the perfect fit as Bryce explores explosive pop-punk sounds and leans into skate-pop Y2K nostalgia while still fully embodying his own energy and ethos. The album is also packed with stellar collabs with everyone from Bailey Spinn and State Champs to The Home Team, 44Blonde, OUT IN FRONT, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Goldfinger and even Tony Hawk.
Ahead of upcoming performances at Gasparilla Music Festival in Tampa and Vans Warped Tour in Washington, D.C. and Orlando, we got the chance to catch up with Bryce to learn all about the new album and why it’s so meaningful to him. Check out the full interview below.
Sweety High: What does the album name LET’S DO SOMETHING STUPID! mean to you? Why did that title feel like the perfect way to sum up this collection of songs?
Bryce Vine: It’s something Feldy [John Feldmann] said in the studio when we first started working on this project. It helped me realize I could make a fun record and not take it too seriously—it’s something I wanted to do for my younger self. 13 year old Bryce would have lost his mind with excitement to finally drop a punk album and tour around the country.
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SH: What do you feel are the overarching themes of the album? What kind of feel do you hope fans have taken away from it?
BV: There’s a “happy rage” to all the songs on this album. Songs about the pains of growing up, falling in and out of love, nostalgia and high octane “teen” angst. Punk rock did a lot for my mental health as a kid and I figure there are weirdos out there like me who still need that rock relief. Like “life sucks but singing about it sucks less.” I always want to give fans a feeling of hope.
(Photo credit: Micala Austin)
SH: How would you describe the album’s sound? Production-wise, how did you go about bringing these tracks to life?
BV: I basically tried to write a collection of songs for my younger self that just didn’t exist in that era. I’d ask myself “Would teenage punk band Bryce head bang to this?” If the answer was yes, I kept writing.
SH: What was it like working with John Feldmann and the various collaborators on the track? What inspired you to lean into that nostalgic ’00s skate sound for the album?
BV: My first band was a punk rock group in high school called Goodsell. So much of the time with them sculpted me as an artist. The songwriting process, performing on stage, etc. We just never had money for decent recordings. Working with Feldmann was finally getting the chance to bring that to life. He never let me overthink or stall while writing a song, and made me scream for notes I didn’t think I could hit. I was so pumped getting The Home Team on the album. They are great guys and one of my favorite recent rock bands. Getting Dicky from The Mighty Mighty Bosstones was icing on the cake. Oh yeah and Tony Hawk and Goldfinger like, what?
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SH: How do you feel that these songs represent where you are in life right now?
BV: Someone once told me that it’s really important, as you get older, to imagine a childhood version of yourself beside you. I think I needed this album for that kid. But it also reawakened some of the songwriting that inspired me in the first place. The next album will have elements of this sound.
(Photo credit: Micala Austin)
SH: What’s your favorite song on the album? Why?
BV: “Still Want You” is a high-speed, raw earworm that feels as authentic as anything I listened to as a kid. Fight me on it. “Spotlight” might be my favorite on a personal, nostalgic level.
SH: How do you feel you’ve grown as an artist since Motel California?
BV: I feel a lot lighter and excited about writing music again. The rock album forced me to get the cobwebs off my vocal cords and find new ways to make songs. The next album is going to be f***ing awesome.
(Photo credit: Micala Austin)
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SH: What’s one thing you’re proudest of right now?
BV: I spent 6 months learning Ableton at a music school in Hollywood called IO. I needed that challenge so I could create more freely and it was the best thing I’ve done for my craft in a long time.
SH: Is there anything else you wanted to add about yourself or the album?
BV: Excited for Warped Tour and X Games. Let’s do something stupid again sometime.
(Photo credit: Micala Austin)
Can’t get enough of Bryce Vine? Click HERE to discover everything we learned about him as our Man Crush Monday back in 2022.
