Kyle Hollis of Picturesque talks new EP, ‘IYKYK’ and what track he never wants to connect with again

Hailing from Lexington, Kentucky, Picturesque is an American post-hardcore band featuring a unique blend of alternative rock, pop-punk, and post-hardcore influences. Comprising of Kyle Hollis, lead vocals, Zach Williamson, guitar, Dylan Forrester, guitar, and
Jordan Greenway, bass, the band has garnered them more than 260,000 monthly Spotify listeners and toured alongside alongside bands such as Dayseeker, Our Last Night, The Plot In You, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, and more.

Their most recent release, IYKYK, followed their sophomore album Do You Fee O.K? which was released in 2019 and cemented their status as one of the most promising acts in the rock scene. Other than writing the EP during Covid, IYKYK drew inspiration from personal experiences, relationships, and the ups and downs of life, which can be heard in each of the six tracks.

We were able to ask Kyle Hollis some questions about IYKYK, which track is his favorite, and what we can expect in the future.

This is the first release since your 2020 album Do You Feel O.K?, how did the pandemic impact the release of this album and do you think it’s stronger because of it?
We decided to write these songs because we were trapped in the house while the world was shut down. We called some close friends who are up and coming music professionals and decided to do the record from Kentucky. No budget. No outside producers. Just us, and our friends. I don’t think IYKYK was stronger because of the pandemic.

Is there a story behind the title of the EP, IYKYK? How did you come up with it?
I prefer leaving this a little vague or the title loses its meaning. Could be the journey to write or release. It could be referring to what’s to come. OR it could mean nothing at all. IYKYK.

Do you still personally connect with the tracks the way you did when you wrote them? How has your relationship to them changed over the years?
Some I still connect with and some I don’t. A lot has changed since we wrote and recorded this EP since it was written and recorded in 2020. “Hopeless” and “Strange Habits” are the songs I still connect with the most and I hope I never connect to “Break It All” ever again.

As a band, how would you say you’ve grown/evolved since your previous releases? Are there any specific ways in which your musical style or approach has changed since the beginning?
As far as growing and evolving, I’m not 100% on what the growth or evolution might be. We’re a story time band and everything has always been related to whatever I’m going through. IYKYK feels like a solid collection of songs where our old fanbase and new listeners can all find something to enjoy. For the approach, this was the first time we came into the studio without anything written. We wanted a fresh outlook and something that felt like all of us. The only way to truly do that is to all be in the same room.

IYKYK weaves several genres into great cohesive tracks outside of the normal Picturesque sound. What was the motivation or inspiration behind the different sounds and experimentation behind those songs?
We all listen to different genres of music. This feels like an honest blend of what everyone enjoys within the band. Dylan listens to primarily heavy music and Lany. Zach listens to a mixture of everything. I (Kyle) mostly listen to pop, hip-hop, and R&B.

With the experimenting on this EP, the personal lyrics, and the mixing of elements of different genres, what are you most proud of?
I am most proud of the fact that it still feels cohesive. It doesn’t just feel like a jumbled up mess of ADHD and represents the writers in the band.

Which track on the EP is your favorite? Which do you hope fans will connect with the most?
“Borrowing Problems” is my favorite track. It felt really organic as it came together. We kept the demo vocals in because it captured the vibe we wanted. Want fans to connect with? Oof. I hope our fans don’t connect with most of our music because it’s hella depressing most of the time. So, I guess the right answer for everyone’s well being is “Watterson West”. It’s the only song without negative connotations.

You’re playing Capulet Fest in July and Summit Fest in September, can fans expect any unique or exciting elements in your live shows? (If they’re new fans who have never seen you perform live, or OG fans who have seen you a time or two)
Absolutely! Picturesque will be playing songs off of IYKYK as well as some from Do You Feel O.K?. Our live show is packed with energy and crowd involvement. After every set, Jordan and myself come out to the merch table to hang out. So come sing along and say hi!

Each member of the band has a normal “day job”, is the goal to do music full time in the future?
I think this is every band’s goal. We’re about to go in pretty hard this year and have studio time already booked to do another batch of songs.

What can fans look forward to from Picturesque in the next year? More new music? Going on tour?
More music and we will see where that takes us!

Stream the EP below, on Spotify, or Apple Music.

Keep up with Picturesque below:
Website // Instagram // Twitter