Pop duo Kiss Bang make their presence known with debut single "Horrors of your Hometown"
Bursting forth from Los Angeles, Kaya Stewart and Max Mercier today make their first release as the edgy pop duo, Kiss Bang, with “Horrors Of Your Hometown.” They also announce that their debut EP of the same title will be available on March 15 via Bay Street Records, the label founded by Dave Stewart of Eurythmics. Taking the winding route to avoid the modern pop formulas and squeaky clean production often associated with their genre at all costs, Kiss Bang makes timeless earworms that could have been written in 1985 or 2050.
After meeting by chance, Stewart and Mercier were immediately drawn to create together. Stewart shares, “From the minute we met we knew that we were musically kindred spirits. I think we both have qualities in our own music that make us so individual and unique, and working together created a sound that neither of us had ever heard before, but felt so true to who we were.”
Mercier elaborates that, “Kiss Bang is the biggest blessing for me as it allows me to create outside of the strict mental confines I set for myself when making music. Kaya’s music taste spans all genres and eras just like mine and she has an incredible ability to extract different sounds out of me. It’s super inspiring.”
On the inception of today’s single, Mercier said that he started writing “Horrors Of Your Hometown” months before he had met Stewart. “It was inspired by a friend of mine who once told me about how awful her hometown was, yet out in LA she felt lonely without it. I wrote the chorus and the melody in my head while cooking chicken one night, but I never finished the song until I played the chorus for Kaya many months later, and she immediately filled in the missing pieces. I’ll never forget how it felt to hear this song come to life, and Kaya’s vocals took it to a whole new level.”
Self-directed, along with the help of Joel and Katherine Woods comes the official video for "Horrors Of Your Hometown." Turning the bathroom into a nightclub, Stewart and Mercier make quick cuts from performing to partying set in a colorful haze — Watch.
As Kiss Bang makes their entry into the world, the duo is unveiling live dates across the US. Tonight, they will play a single release show in Los Angeles at Hotel Cafe. And in a couple of weeks, Kiss Bang will make their SXSW debut before gigging around Nashville, New York and LA. Already having a live chemistry between them, Kiss Bang wants their performance antics to smack listeners in the face with no regrets. See all upcoming live dates below.
UPCOMING KISS BANG SHOWS
March 1 - Los Angeles, CA - Hotel Cafe
March 14 - Austin, TX - SXSW - The Rainey Street Revival Showcase
March 15 - Austin, TX - SXSW - Space Agency Showcase
March 19 - Nashville, TN - The Basement - New Faces Night
April 18 - Venice, CA - Winston House
April 28 - Los Angeles, CA - Gold Diggers
May 16 - Brooklyn, NY - Sultan Room
ABOUT KISS BANG
Kiss Bang is the ultimate modern pop duo.
Between the powerful, soulful voice of lead singer Kaya Stewart, and the aggressive yet ethereal playing and production from guitarist/producer Max Mercier, Kiss Bang brings an energy and rawness to the clean lines that have been drawn in pop music for the last 20 years. After meeting in passing at a bar in Los Angeles in early 2023, the duo began working together out of Max Mercier’s shoebox studio apartment before going to Nashville to record a collection of nine timeless and catchy songs dealing with themes of romance, sex, uncertainty, tragedy and substance use.
Two longtime musicians from California, both Stewart and Mercier began playing and performing as young as 9 years old in their respective hometowns of Los Angeles (Stewart) and San Francisco (Mercier). Live, the duo promises a spectacle of electricity and emotion. Stewart’s powerhouse voice and emotional yet dominant stage presence, complimented by Mercier’s intricate guitar playing and high energy demeanor make for an unforgettable experience.
Kiss Bang’s debut EP, Horrors Of Your Hometown, will be released on March 15, 2024.
For more information on Kiss Bang, please visit:
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