Interview with Pop-Rock Duo HONEY REVENGE
by Melanie Bryan
Pop-rock duo Honey Revenge have played alongside bands like State Champs and Rain City Drive, and have just finished a tour with The Home Team and Broadside. Later this year, they're heading out on a World Tour with Loveless and Taylor Acorn as well. This hard-working band has actually yet to release their debut album, but you can expect it this June! Their latest release is the bouncy self-deprecating single, "Airhead", with a fun animated video that you can check out below. I got to chat with the band recently and this is what they had to say.
MSM: First of all, would you mind introducing yourself, and sharing your role in the band?
HONEY REVENGE: Hi, this is Devin, and I sing in Honey Revenge!
MSM: If anyone reading this interview hasn't listened to Honey Revenge before, why should they check you out? What sets your music apart?
HR: I think people should listen to our music because it’s brutally honest. I talk a lot so I’ve learned how to articulate how I’m feeling in a lot of detail. We try to make music that people can dance and cry to!
MSM: You are currently starting a tour with The Home Team and Broadside. Did you know either band personally before this? What are you most excited about on this tour?
HR: The tour was amazing! We knew The Home Team a little bit before the tour but we got much closer throughout the six weeks. I personally only knew Broadside online but they became great friends by the end of it. It was amazing watching them every night. We look up to both bands so much and we’re still shocked we got the opportunity to tour with them.
MSM: You'll also be touring later this year with Loveless, with a number of dates being sold-out already. What do you enjoy most about touring?
HR: We are getting close to the Loveless run! My favorite part of touring is getting to meet up with my friends that live in other places. I grew up online so I have tons of internet friends all over the country. So many of them have been kind enough to let us stay with them in between shows.
MSM: Do you have any particularly favorite venues or cities to play?
HR: The Summit in Denver was awesome! I’m excited to return to the Regent in LA and play the Roxy later this Summer with Arrows in Action. We get to play a handful of new places on that tour as well, so I’m looking forward to those cities.
MSM: What is your favorite song to perform live?
HR: Our new song “Worst Apology” is my personal favorite to play live. It’s groovy but also rocks and is vocally really fun for me. We played it on tour before it was officially out so I’m excited to play it on the road now that people know it!
MSM: Your latest single, "Airhead", was just released, with a beautifully animated music video as well! Do you have a favorite music video that you've done so far?
HR: The ‘Airhead’ video is so cute! I think we all had the most fun on set of the video for ‘Rerun’. My good friend Patrick Gilchrist directed it and he had the plan for it for months. On top of the preparation that went into it, all of our friends got to be apart of it which made it even more special. I loved the concept of the different shows coming together. It reminded me of the episode of Fairly Odd Parents where the characters are channel surfing.
MSM: Your debut album, Retrovision, will be released in June. If you had to pick out your favorite song or lyrics from the album, what would they be?
HR: I love this question! My favorite lyrics are probably “I’m so driven but I can’t drive I’m done stuck sitting in the passenger side”. Mostly because it’s very real and partially because it’s a funny joke. I’m 24 and I don’t have my driver’s license but the meaning behind the lyrics has more to it for sure. I’ve waited a long time for my opportunity to make music and play it for the world. I’ve watched a lot of my talented and awesome friends get to do it while I sat on the sidelines hoping for my chance. I wrote those lyrics and now the music I’ve made is allowing me to make my dreams a reality.
MSM: How will the album compare to your previous releases?
HR: The album is a culmination of all of our songs so far. The record itself has been years in the making, before Honey Revenge was even a band. On top of the singles, there’s plenty of new songs to enjoy that glue the different concepts together. We’re stoked to hear what everyone thinks.
MSM: Have you faced any challenges with being a female-fronted band in the scene and, if so, how have you tackled them?
HR: The hardest part of being a “female fronted band” is being a “female fronted band”. We aren’t any different than other groups besides the fact that I’m a girl. I’d say my least favorite part is being pitted against other amazing femme artists. The music industry is definitely competitive but I don’t see nearly as many male artists being told they are just “trying to be” another band. We sound different than each other but people only see us for our gender.
MSM: What’s your motto or some good advice that you live by?
HR: I’m still learning to maneuver the world. My best advice is that confidence is a state of mind. I have lots of people tell me that they wish they could dye their hair and wear the clothes I do with the confidence that I do it with. If you feel good, you look good. Our band is all bout self expression and comfort. I want our fans to be the best versions of themselves. I feel my best when I look my best.
MSM: You seem to have a pretty impressive and loyal fanbase. How do you engage with your fans, both on and off stage?
HR: I want to treat our fans the way my favorite bands treated me. They never made me feel like an outsider. I loved the bands I did because I felt like they listened to me and respected me. I was more keen to artists that interacted with me, it made me feel special. I want to be that for our fans so I try to respond to as many people online as possible and meet as many people after we play as I can.
MSM: Lastly, do you have any closing messages for your fans?
HR: Stay connected with us. We are on Tiktok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Discord! We are constantly going live, and sharing behind the scenes content of recording, rehearsals, tours, and more. Our record ‘Retrovision’ drops June 23rd! We’ve created a great community with our Swarm of fans! Don’t be shy! Come to a show and say “hi!”!
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PHOTO SOURCE: FACEBOOK