Psychology
After returning from a successful two-year engagement in London, England, the British alt-pop band formerly known as Empire Kings, has returned to Utah with a new brand, a new sound, and a brand-new song called “Pretending,” the lead single from their debut album, which shines a light on important issues like mental illness, anxiety, and depression.
The music video was released on the group’s YouTube channel on 2 March 2018. In a recent press release, lead singer Colin Rivera commented, “We’ve all had times that make us feel as though we’ve had to power through and pretend everything is okay. What I hope people take from the song is a message of solidarity, and hopefully comfort, in the normalization of imperfection. Realize it’s okay not to be okay.”
The band, now known as Psychology, is the genius of British singer/songwriter Colin Rivera. While developing Psychology’s electrifying live show, Rivera has shared the stage with artists such as Mark Ronson, Sam Smith, Chvrches, Kasabian, The Kooks, Tom Jones, Ellie Goulding, Clean Bandit, George Ezra, Hozier, The Script, James Bay, Calvin Harris, Lindsey Sterling, HelloGoodbye, Hollywood Ending, Paradise Fears, The Rocket Summer, Hoobastank, He Is We, and The Ataris. His live show has filled venues across the United States and the United Kingdom, including the iconic Hard Rock Café (San Diego), Barfly (London), Dublin Castle (London), and V Festival (Hylands Park, England).
Combining sophisticated indie rock with raw lyrical emotion and soaring pop melodies, the band has developed a sound that is exceptional. According to the band’s official website, “Psychology resonates with fans of The 1975, HAIM, and Sigur Rós, whilst delivering a rare sense of uniqueness.”
In the press release, Rivera also explained that he felt it necessary to change the band’s name after spending the past two years based in London and touring the United Kingdom. He said, “Playing music in a city like London forces everyone to sink or swim, and it really changed the vision I had for my music. So, coming back to Utah after two years, I felt it was important to start fresh with a new name while still respecting my past as Empire Kings.” Rivera further explained that the new name for the band was inspired from his own experiences with the topics addressed in the new single “Pretending.” He said, “Last year, I reached a point where I couldn’t stand the thought of letting my anxiety be such a force for negativity any longer. I decided to name the new band Psychology to take back that part of my life. Rather than living in fear of my own psychology, I’m channeling it into something really positive that I care about.”
“Pretending” is now available on all major streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, and SoundCloud.
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