“And you know I welcome death again
I embrace it with both arms
And you know I wanted love again
But you know I will cause harm”
INTERVIEW CONDUCTED BY JAE F (@_THEGHOULNEXTDOOR)INTRODUCTION BY RTM (@RYANTHOMASMITCHELL) Male Tears submitted a song to Darkness Calling’s Spotify playlist like any other artist. But upon hearing “Embrace Death,” we instantly knew there was something special about it. As the days went on, more and more goth outlets picked up the song and were running with it. Clearly, this was a track that resonated with people.
The somber vocals, irresistible synths, and tight drum programming make “Embrace Death” an instant indie classic. Needless to say, we were intrigued and wanted to know more about this SoCal artist.
Darkness Calling contributor Jae F. reached out to Male Tears. Here’s what we learned:
DARKNESS CALLING: Welcome, Male Tears! How did you get started in music?
MALE TEARS: Thanks for having me! I grew up around dance music from the 1980's, so I suppose you could say I was trained to do this. Always a fan, but never a participant in the artform until around 2010 when I started writing songs at age seventeen. It took a long incubation period, countless setbacks, and many incarnations to get to the current Male Tears formula.
DARKNESS CALLING: Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
MALE TEARS: Definitely the likes of new-wave heavy hitters like New Order, The Human League, and Depeche Mode. The real kicker is that I can't really say there's any one particular band I take more influence from than the other. The way I see it, the 1980's is no longer an era. It's now a genre of its own with micro-genres sprouting from its trunk, and I'm only one of many descendants.
“...the 1980’s is no longer an era. It’s now a genre of its own...”
DARKNESS CALLING: The new single “Embrace Death” is a fantastic homage to the synth/new-wave bands of the 80’s. What was your inspiration behind the goth-pop hit of the summer?
MALE TEARS: The song was inspired by a film I saw earlier in the year called Valerie and Her Week of Wonders. It's a Czech arthouse film from the old times. There was just something so dark and unsettling about the protagonist's story, but the film's presentation was beautiful and hypnagogic. I was inspired to write a love song from the perspective of the titular character, Valerie.
DARKNESS CALLING: What has been your favorite song so far to write/perform?
MALE TEARS: My favorite project is typically the most recent one. I haven't had the chance to perform it yet, but I will soon. So far, the most well-received song in a live setting is “Future X.” I can understand why; it's the danciest one I've got!
DARKNESS CALLING: Are there any plans for a Male Tears tour on the horizon?
MALE TEARS: I just want to build relations and cement myself gigging in Southern California for the time being. I'll eventually venture out.
DARKNESS CALLING: What’s next for Male Tears?
MALE TEARS: Creating new songs and performing is my prerogative.
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