Florida based band We The Kings are back and better than ever with their new EP release SAGA. it’s the band’s first release in a few years and they have been gearing up for this moment. The fans have been amped up ever since for new We The Kings music and now it is here and better than ever. We recently had the pleasure to get to talk to the lead singer of We The Kings Travis Clark about the new EP SAGA, life in quarantine, and so. much more, so be sure to check out our talk below!
Hey! Appreciate you taking the time to chat. For those who may not know who 8iyou are give us a little background on yourself.
I am a songwriter and lead singer of the band We The Kings. I live in Florida with my wife and 3 daughters and soon to be 4th baby 🙂
We’re in some unprecedented times, how has quarantine been treating you? What are some things that have been keeping you sane?
My silver-lining of quarantine has been the ability to spend time with my family. We The Kings is used to touring just about all year round, so the ability to have been home for a year straight has been priceless. I also have a studio in my home which has allowed me to continue writing and releasing music.
Has the process making music in quarantine been any different? If so how?
Honestly, the process hasn’t been that much different. I usually write the song then bounce it off of others and have the band tinker around with it until it feels right. Then I track everything at my house and send it off to be mixed and mastered. I think the biggest change would be not being on tour to practice the song together as a band and see how it feels from a live perspective.
You guys recently released your new EP SAGA. What was the process like working on that? What is the story behind the name?
SAGA was a really fun project to work on because the whole theme highlights our 6 previous albums. Each of the 6 songs on SAGA is meant to reflect our 6 albums and going deeper, the songs themselves correspond with each album we’ve released in chronological order. We’ve never done a concept album before much less this type of “concept,” but we wanted to try something new that we hadn’t seen done before. The name SAGA is part of the concept as well and it represents the journey we’ve been on as a band up until now. One of my favorite parts about writing this album is that I actually went back (mentally) and tried to listen to what I was listening to when I was writing each album, as well as where I was in my own life. I tried to relive some of the inspirations that I wrote about before in order to write a song that was truly genuine to that album period. The process ended up being kind of emotional if I’m being honest.
The EP has a lot of variety in it with its instrumentation and themes, is that something you planned on doing or did it just sort of happen when you were writing it?
I feel like each album we’ve put out has always come with changes and growth, so since this EP is reflective of our journey over our first 6 albums, the songs naturally varied with instrumentation based on what we were into prior.
What song on the EP was your favorite to write?
I think my favorite song to write was ‘These Nights.’ It was the first song that I came up with during quarantine and I just missed the hell out of so many things. I missed my friends, the tour bus, traveling, normalcy, and everything else that was stripped away from us when the pandemic hit. Every lyric that came out during the beginning of the pandemic was something along the lines of “this sucks” or “i miss literally everything” haha. It felt good to get that one off of my chest and I’m happy that it ended up being one of my favorite songs to write.
How would you describe SAGA in three words?
One epic journey.
Which song or project of yours are you most proud of?
At my core, the thing I am most proud of is being a father, although I’m sure you were referencing musically…which would easily be the band itself. A lot of people don’t know about the start of the band, but we were just a group of kids playing in our parent’s garages without any money to record or kickstart the band. We definitely had the drive and determination to make it, but really lacked what others are more fortunate to have. I really feel like that was one of the things that helped us become who we are, was the fact that no one expected us to make it and all day long we heard that we wouldn’t, but no matter how far the dream felt, we kept believing.
Is there a moment or memory in your life as a band that you always want to hold onto? Or a moment that has taught you a lot?
There are plenty of moments within our band that we will hold onto forever, and there have been plenty of teachable moments, but at the moment, all I can think about is the moment we first heard our song on the radio. I don’t think there is a person anywhere in the world that didn’t hear me screaming when we first heard Check Yes Juliet on the air haha. The best part about hearing your song on the radio, is that the feeling doesn’t go away even after you hear it for the 2nd, 103rd, or 504th time. It’s such an amazing feeling that keeps us wanting to experience it more.
What music have you been jamming to lately? Favorite artists?
Oh man…haha…are you ready for this?!?! I’ve been listening to a TON of Christian Hip Hop and Rap. I found a new love for running during the pandemic and my playlist has a lot of variety, but I wanted to listen to something that was uplifting and encouraging and there are a few artists that I got into a long time ago that have continued to put out incredible music that not only help me feel like I can go further and faster, but also help me reconnect spiritually.
Lastly, once this whole quarantine is over, what is one thing you can’t wait to go out and do again? (Thanks again for your time!)
I absolutely LOVE my family, and being with them has been absolutely PRICELESS, but when this quarantine is over i am booking a free concert anywhere that will have us and as soon as the crowd is packed inside the venue, I’m going crowd surfing.
Keep up with We The Kings!
