BERKELEY'S NEWS • NOVEMBER 15, 2022
Legals
Echosmith talks ‘Cool Kids (our version),’ familial harmony
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Vivian Stacy
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7 HOURS AGO
In 2014, it was impossible to go anywhere without hearing Echosmith’s “Cool Kids.” At the grocery store, the gym or on the car radio, one was likely to encounter the song’s catchy, upbeat tune, engaging lyrics and bright-pop guitar riff making their home in listeners’ heads. Nearly 10 years later, Echosmith returned with a brand new version of the song. Still as shimmering as ever, “Cool Kids (our version)” bursts with dreamy production changes and a brand new bridge, illuminating the band’s 10-year maturation both musically and emotionally.
“This song has always been a result of feeling like ‘I want to be like somebody else,’ or ‘I wish I could fit in like everybody else,’ ” said lead singer Sydney Sierota in an interview with The Daily Californian. “In the past 10 years while doing music, we’ve really grown up with our songs. This song is one that we’ve seen a lot of people relate to over the years. Honestly, I’m still relating to it today, maybe for different reasons than I did 10 years ago.”
Last summer, “Cool Kids” resurged on TikTok as part of a trend where users compare themselves to their younger selves, flaunting their glow ups and celebrating hard-earned self-love. TikTok’s Lazarus-esque ability to revive old music follows a familiar pattern. After seeing more than 1.3 million people relating to “Cool Kids” all over again, Echosmith was struck by the need to take a step back and ask themselves if the song was really finished.
“There was always this instrumental moment in the song where, in a live setting, I would address the crowd and tell them a little bit of my story and why I relate to the song,” Sydney said. “It’s cool because our version is exactly that. It’s bringing everyone into where I’m at now, 10 years later.”
This instrumental moment is replaced in the song’s new version by an earnest, empowered bridge that reflects on the self-growth they experienced while growing up.
“I’ve had some progress in being more comfortable in my own skin, but I am still a work in progress,” Sydney reflected. “I think we all are. And I think this new version really captures that.”
For Echosmith, their song’s success is most powerful because of its lasting impact. At pre-show meet-and-greets and on social media, the band is continuously affected by what the song means to their young fans who latch onto its honesty and relatability.
“There are honestly so many ways that we hear about our songs and our storytelling coinciding with other people’s lives,” Noah Sierota, Echosmith’s bassist said. “It really is such an honor. It’s cool to see how music creates that unity, like we’re all just experiencing this human experience together.”
Despite aligning themselves with the underdog, it’s now Echosmith themselves who are the “cool kids.” The band embarked on their headline “Hang Around” tour in October, following the release of their sugary-sweet pop singles, “Hang Around” and “Gelato.”
Once a quartet, Echosmith is now made up of a trio of siblings — Sydney, Noah and Graham — after the eldest, Jamie, took a step back a few years ago. Over the years, the Sierotas have cultivated an emotional intimacy necessitated by their candid songwriting and by their early rise to fame: When “Cool Kids” peaked in popularity, they were just teenagers. It’s clear from their endless support of one another that it’s family that has kept Echosmith grounded all these years.
“A very core tenet of our life growing up with our family that our parents set for us was, ‘You guys gotta love each other, you guys gotta take care of each other because this world can be really gnarly,’ ” Noah said. “We do have a really strong relationship. We are able to really connect in fun ways, but also in deep emotional ways as well, which helps, because the music industry is a dangerous place.”
Growing up, the Sierota siblings were encouraged to experiment with instruments and explore their artistry. In such a musical family, with supportive parents and a proclivity toward performing thanks to their time in the church, it was no shock to anyone that they ended up forming a band.
“Music has been a huge core in this family, and always will be, so it’s really fun that we actually get to do it for our jobs now and of course, do it as a family too. That makes it really special,” Sydney said. “Music is a really fun thing anyways, but getting to do it with people that you actually love in a deep way is even better.”
Echosmith has long viewed music as a source of community, something that flourishes with collaboration.
“I remember when I first discovered what a harmony was,” Sydney said. “We were sitting at the piano in our house in Chino, California and we were all just singing together. All of a sudden, something just came out where I wasn’t singing the melody, but it sounded good. … I’ll never forget that feeling of what it felt like to sing with someone and sing intentionally and have something that can only exist if you do it with somebody else.”
Aptly named, Echosmith continues to forge emotion from raw sound the way a blacksmith molds metal into searing shapes. The Sierotas’ harmonic togetherness endures, especially as they enter a new creative chapter where they experiment with music production and a new, polished energy.
“We’ve never done it like this before,” Sydney said. “So many songs are written just by us, the band. It’s a whole new chapter and it feels more special than it ever has. We’re excited to keep sharing that.”
Contact Vivian Stacy at [email protected]
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