“I used to be a little punk,” laughs Kyle Reynolds, his Zoom background a blissfully grinning French Bulldog named Darla.
I went to a sober boarding school when I was 17. I got drug tested once a week. Even when I was bad, I wasn’t good at being bad. I got caught for everything…it’s probably a blessing in disguise. I’d get in fistfights and lose every one.
We’ve all (hopefully) reached that point where the chaos becomes pointless, and like many before him, Kyle responded by turning to music.
I remember wondering, ‘What is something that makes me feel good, but doesn’t ruin my life?’ It was music. I remember the first song I ever wrote. I was like wow…I can take things I’ve seen – in other people and in myself – and put it on paper.
Kyle is, at heart, the classic definition of a singer-songwriter.
The first song I ever put out was called “Summer Song,” which has almost become a meme in my friend group because it’s a folk song.
If you listen to his most recent release, “Boogieman,” this revelation may come as a surprise. His pop-driven lyrics and electronic, bop-worthy production is about as far from folk as you can get.
His lyrical ingenuity and melodic affinity is extremely evident in the track. Though simple, his words hit hard. This strength, he states, stems from “the singer/songwriter perspective.”
My favorite part of song-writing is the ‘aha’ moment, where you feel like you were able to catch magic. When everyone gets so excited…you feel like you’re a genius.
For Kyle, as for many of us, music is “therapeutic.” It serves as a safe space for emotional processing.
“Boogieman” is “a journey through the millennial dating process.”
When we were young it was the boogieman that used to scare us
Now it’s just commitment
Ending up like our parents
We love in the dark and hide in the light
As soon as it starts we say our goodbyes
At the end of the day, this song addresses universal topics, exploring the consequences of casual sex.
I’ve been on both sides of the ‘boogieman’ mentality – being fearful of potential risks in relationships. I’ve hurt people, and I’ve been hurt.
Though the song is ~quite~ catchy, “it’s not necessarily a no-brainer pop hit…it’s a little left of center.” It accesses joy while still maintaining a level of realism.
What keeps me going is the high of possibilities. I almost enjoy the potential of things and the excitement that comes when things start actually happening.
A skilled topliner with experience in many genres, Kyle maintains a level of authenticity and desire to return to simplicity.
I love people more than money. I love relationships more than things. I respect someone so much more who works during the day, goes home and loves their wife well and is a father to their kids, rather than someone who is super prideful and not taking care of themselves. I admire people who have balance but also get shit done and make great art.
For Kyle, fame is not the endgame, he intends to instead avoid the pitfalls of celebrity by staying true to himself.
‘Take away whatever you are known for, and whatever’s left is who you are.’ It’s terrifying but also comforting. It strips you of perception and identity related to external things.
At the end of the day, his single will speak for itself. If you, like us, have been haunted by the eternal–“so…what are we?”–this is the song for you.
