Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: I grew up in San Benito – a small town in the Rio Grande Valley, near the border in deep South Texas. It’s the same town Freddy Fender and Charlie Crockett are from. As a result, my environment was equal parts culture clash and creative fuel.
My childhood was replete with music: a consistent backdrop of Tejano, Norteño, and more traditional music surrounded me and blended with the genres I was brought up with (thanks to my parents, older cousins, and MTV): pop, folk, new wave, classic rock, punk, alternative, and hip-hop. I remember feeling like the music I was most drawn to spoke the truth to power–– no matter the style or language.
That sense of raw honesty stuck with me, and writing songs became a way to make sense of the internal and external chaos we all live with.
Q: How are you planning on growing your fan base and sharing your music with the world? What message do you have for anyone who is about to discover “Rival Waves”?
A: We’re doing it the only way that feels authentic to us: one song, one show, one connection at a time.
Whether it’s through releasing music, playing live, engaging on social media, creating playlists, interviews like this, or being active in our community, we want people to feel like they discovered something that connects with them on a personal level. So if you’re just now finding us, welcome. We’re here to make music that means something a little more in the grand scheme, and gets you fired up to feel something.
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A: Lately, I’ve been drawn to artists who create with a sense of urgency—bands like Propaghandi, IDLES, Turnstile, Superheaven, St. Vincent, and Run the Jewels. I’m most drawn to things that are pushing a specific sound, a message, something that causes me to think or expand my horizons as a human, or something that just moves me viscerally.
Inspiration doesn’t always come from music, though. Sometimes it’s a news headline, a moment of stillness, or a conversation. The world’s a noisy place—writing songs is how this band tunes in, not out. Ultimately, we’re all just looking to make sense and derive signal from the noise.
Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the song, “New Fear.”?
A: “New Fear” is about that feeling of living in constant digital overload—the doomscrolling, the numbness, and anxiety all dressed up as a normal existence. The song serves as a call to action, or maybe just a wake-up call.
We wanted it to feel big, daunting, and unrelenting but also strangely hopeful, like rediscovering the part of you that still believes that a change is possible despite all…(waves hands wildly) this.
Q: How would you describe your sound in one word for potential listeners?
A: Volcanic.
Q: Did you face any challenges while writing or recording “New Fear”?
A: Definitely. “New Fear” came from a really raw place. The music originated with our guitarist, Marc Schulz, at the height of the pandemic. Being in lockdown, the best we could do was share demos online and build on them. It was how we were able to communicate as a band.
The uneasiness and frustration of that time revealed itself in the music Marc created. Being the singer and lyricist, I wanted to convey a melody and lyrics that matched the unease, intensity, and purpose of what he created. Something that went beyond the immediate chaos of the pandemic. Something that felt more institutionally “wrong” just brewing under the surface.
The biggest challenge was channeling all of that into something cohesive without sanding down the edges too much. There were moments, once we got together and got into the studio to record, where we had to pause and recalibrate—not to fix or change things, but to ensure we were keeping the emotion intact. We weren’t chasing perfection; we were chasing truth.
Q: What is the message of your music? And what are your goals as an artist?
A: The message? Wake up. React and respond to the world around you. Feel something. Do something.
Our music reflects the chaos we live in, but it also carries the belief that we can push through it and get beyond it. As a band, our charge is to make music as well as we can collectively. As artists, our goal is to be a mirror and a megaphone—to hold up the truth and make it too damn loud to ignore.
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with? (dead or alive)
A: Paul McCartney. No hesitation. I mean, c’mon, right? Getting to write a song with the master would be amazing, wouldn’t it? I would liken it to sharing a creative headspace with Mozart. The biggest challenge I feel would be trying to keep up with that efficiency.
Collaborating with Chris Cornell would also be something out of a dream. His voice, his writing, his ability to channel both fury and vulnerability—all of that was next level. No one sings like him anymore…literally.
Yeah, I’d give anything to write a bridge with either of those guys.
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A: Make the music you need to hear. Don’t chase trends. Make something that lasts – something that matters. Surround yourself with people who believe in the work.
And understand this: it’s a long game. If you’re in it for instant fame, you’re in the wrong room. But if you’re in it to connect, to move people, welcome home.
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A: Don’t wait for permission. Get outside. Go further. Trust your gut, take the leap, and don’t let fear dress up as practicality.
Time offers no excuses.
Oh—and drink more water.
