PRETTY AWKWARD

PRETTY AWKWARD BIOGRAPHY The world keeps getting weirder. Our devices connect and disconnect us more than ever. Our emotions turn into ones and zeroes on-screen. Our lives remain chronicled by cameras everywhere. We take one step forward and one step backward as a society daily in terms of technological, social, and interpersonal advancement. All of that in mind, PRETTY AWKWARD doesn’t just serve as the moniker for the Seattle, WA alternative quartet formed by Austin Robert [lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano], Nicholas Wiggins [bass, piano], Jake Jones [lead guitar], and Damien Ward [drums]; it could also be a two-word global “State of the Union” address. Thankfully, as weird as the world seems, the group’s magnetic melodies, lush instrumentation, and hypnotic hooks never go out of style. “We thought it would be funny as fuck to go out on stage every night and say, ‘We’re PRETTY AWKWARD’,” laughs Austin. “The name represents us perfectly. It’s a bong-rip idea, but it does speak to how we view the human experience in this day and age. It’s pretty fucking weird, man. Cars have only been around for a hundred or so years—cell phones thirty or so years, maybe. Yet, these things have changed literally everything. It’s an interesting time to be alive. Human DNA has altered. You could say it’s a commentary on how everything has evolved.” The band members also underwent a series of their own evolutions. Austin, Nicholas, Jake, and Damien initially logged countless shows and a handful of releases in other projects before joining forces for PRETTY AWKWARD during 2015. Rallying around a shared vision, they holed up in a room in the SODO district of downtown Seattle at The Old Rainer Brewery and laid down the foundation for what would become their next band. “This building was crazy,” Austin recalls. “It was pretty cool and all multi-colored, but our room was like a concrete box inside of another concrete box. There were no windows. There was barely any cell service. We buried ourselves there for quite some time. We stayed on the low and just focused on what we wanted to say and what we wanted to do.” Joined by Jake and later Damien, they quietly wrote music for nearly a year before performing two sold out shows under the name G O L D N W O L F. Blown away by their presence on stage and inventive songcraft, RED signed the group during 2018. Reborn as PRETTY AWKWARD, the four-piece put the finishing touches on their 2019 debut EP. A mosaic of cinematic keys, delicate guitars, and clever and catchy lyrics, the music proves as unpredictable as it does undeniable. “We just sort of make what naturally comes out of us,” says Nicholas. “We never try to sound a certain way or do a certain thing.” “We go all over the spectrum,” agrees Austin. “It’s alternative, but there’s an electronic influence. You might find some hip-hop in there. I’m never too shy to even call it ‘pop’ at points.” “Higher” illustrates that delicate balance. With its lush instrumentation and unshakable hooks, the track culminates on an undeniable chant singing about elevating one to be their best version and celebrating conscious awareness. Elsewhere, handclaps and nimble cadences converge on the nostalgic “Hangout” as the frontman croons, “Can we hangout?” “It’s just a song about hanging out,” he continues. “You’re chilling with your friends, smoking weed, making music, and all of that great stuff.” In the end, PRETTY AWKWARD makes a pretty real connection by simply being themselves. “I just hope you can relate when you listen to us,” Austin leaves off. “If somebody takes away anything, it’s this level of relatability. You can interpret these songs in so many different ways. That’s a beautiful thing. The message is breathe, relax, and chill. It might sound like a pipe dream, but what else really matters? Life should be fun. We’re here to enjoy ourselves and play music.” Nicholas adds, “We all feel a little awkward sometimes in our lives. There is beauty and growth in those moments. That’s why we are all PRETTY AWKWARD.”