Indie pop duo BAD are back with their new single “Bubblebath.” Known for their incredible ability to craft fun-loving, quirky songs that make you want to get up and hit the dancefloor, the infectious new track brings the same enthusiasm and more.
BAD blend funk, soul, and throwback pop to create the ultimate contemporary jams. “Bubblebath” infuses 80s synths, funk and dance themes for their own original twist on the importance of self-care and the duo share: “It’s about taking time for yourself, washing all the negativity off your skin, and letting it circle down the drain and out of your life. We give so much to our jobs, our families, our friends, our romantic relationships, and this song is a reminder to give to yourself.” PopWrapped caught up with BAD to learn how the pair came together, how they’d describe their sound and what their favorite bathtub ritual looks like.
Where’d the name BAD come from? Is there a particular meaning or story behind it?
We went through a lot of iterations of the band name, and we thought BAD was a cool word to include – Bad Magic, Bad this, bad that, etc. Eventually we decided to just go with BAD so that at shows, Julia could say on stage “Hi, we’re bad.” It’s a dream come true! Many of our friends refer to us as “Bad the Band,” which we use for Instagram. But other than that, there really isn’t any deep meaning! We thought it sounded cool and fit the fun vibe.
When did you both meet and decide to start making music together?
We met in high school, in music theory class, of course. We started making music shortly after that time. We started a pop-punk project (using the “punk” part of that loosely, it was far more pop than punk), and our idols were Paramore and Green Day. Through the years, we started getting more and more into artists like Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Prince, and other classic funk/soul/r&b artists. We made an EP of that sort of music as a trial run early in our college days, and later on, BAD was born to combine our love for the music mentioned above with acts like Britney Spears, N*SYNC, and the reign of Max Martin in the early 2000s. We love to combine those two worlds, figure out a way to make it 2021, and run with it.
Tell me a little about your new single “Bubblebath.” Where’d the idea for it come from?
We had the title for a bit, and sat down to work on it with our dear friends and collaborators Dan Hemerlein and Ryder Stuart, on a song-writing trip in 2019. Originally, we had no intent for it to be for BAD, it was just going to be a pop song to pitch to other artists. We made a short demo of the chorus with an entirely different verse and pre-chorus on that trip. Then the song sat for legitimately two years…we didn’t know how to finish it or what the purpose of it was. Then we realized it would make a great BAD song. The lyrical content is the exact playful fun thing that we love to channel. So, we reworked the production to be funky and dance-y, wrote new verses, pre-choruses, and a bridge, and completely re-purposed it for BAD.
Your music feels bright, fun, and laced with titbits of wisdom. How would you describe the music you create?
Thank you! We like to keep it light and fun. Julia is the lyrical expert of the band, and her writing style is very much as you described. Wrapping up real-world scenarios and relationship moments into something as silly and fun as “Sweat” or “Dirty Laundry” or now, “Bubblebath.” We like to keep things simple and danceable at all times.
Tell me more about your writing and recording process together when creating music.
A lot of times, Julia will have a title or a single lyric in her notes app, and Jackson will have some kind of loop or instrumental vibe, and we try to see what lyric fits with what musical idea. When the perfect marriage happens, we know it. Other times, there will be one or the other and we will see what that thing feels like or sounds like, and then write into it. Almost always, we are producing the song as we are writing it, which allows for us to really hone in on a sound that matches a lyric – like the water droplets in the chorus of “Bubblebath.” By the time we are done writing it, the basis of the production is there, and from that point it’s all about finding pockets in the music for ear candy and other fun elements that enhance the danceability and funkiness of the song.
Lyrically and artistically, who or what are you most inspired by, and how do those influences filter through into the music you make?
We are inspired by anything that Prince does. His vision for his music, his look, his show, everything about his artistry – was truly incredible and ground-breaking. He is also an artist that really embraced lyrics that were cheeky and fun and just inspired people to get up and have a great time. And of course, he was a master at sprinkling in the serious songs and serious moments in songs that just tear your heart apart. It’s inspiring that one person can have all of that in their head and be able to execute it the way that he did. We also love Ariana Grande and everything she is doing artistically – she’s another artist that really has evolved and developed a real unique “thing” that has just transcended modern music. And lyrically, she is so good at writing simply and rhythmically in a way that is so unique and instantly identifiable as her.
As artists, how do you feel about the power of social media?
It’s definitely empowering that we can control our own artistic vision and kind of create this “mood board” that changes as we change as an artist. And as we’ve seen during the last year, something can explode on social media (TikTok) and really break a new artist in ways that we haven’t seen before, and that is exciting. You never know when your moment will be, and it’s cool that we are living in this reality now as opposed to 40 years ago when artists were really just at the mercy of the major label.
If you had to cover one song while performing at a sold-out arena, which one would it be?
“The Climb” by Miley Cyrus. Seriously one of the greatest songs of all time.
Lastly, given the title of your new single, I have to ask – what songs, and items, do you bring in your bubblebaths?
We have battery-powered bubble machines that are featured in the artwork and other photos for “Bubblebath” the song, and those are very important to get the full bubblebath experience. And you can’t go wrong with Britney Spears’ Oops I Did It Again album in most areas of life, so it’s definitely a great one for your next bubblebath.
Give “Bubblebath” a listen below and for more information on BAD, give their page a like on Facebook or follow them on Twitter and Instagram.
