The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2023 - Issue 34

bitemusicceleb artists. That same year, he became one of the first inde- pendent artists to monetise streaming on SoundCloud. In 2016, he wrote Digital Druglord, his first album on a major label, Interscope, while in hospital with chronic pancreatitis after years of heavy drinking and drug use took a toll. Blackbear’s pop-punk album In Loving Memory was a goodbye tribute to his estranged father, who died from drug addiction in 2021. “I kind of hate him for his drug use,” the artist said. “But I also have my drug use issues, and I think I got those genetics from him, so I’m angry at him. But I kind of love him because he put me on this earth. It's a struggle; it's like a push and pull.” Here, he expressed unsaid words. “I made this album thinking this is what he will hear beyond the grave.” It allowed the artist to return to his emo roots by team- ing up with his Blink-182 drummer hero, Travis Barker, whom he first met when they worked on Machine Gun Kelly’s single ‘My Ex’s Best Friend’. “Travis took the ide- as I had on acoustic guitar and put structure to them,” he explained. “He’s a genius. He’ll make moments in your songs when they didn’t exist.” The collaboration led Blackbear to work with All Time Low, Linkin Park and Avril Lavigne later. He also recruited the likes of New Found Glory, The Used and Bayside, who lent their talents to tracks ‘Tox- ic Energy’, ‘Nothing Matters’ and ‘Poltergeist’. “When I feature someone on a Blackbear song, it’s usually be- cause I was thinking of them while writing the song,” he revealed, admitting he includes guest parts specif- ically for the artists he wants to work with. “I feel like I know these artists more than they know themselves because I was such a fan growing up.” Blackbear’s seventh EP, Misery Lake , rendered the song ‘@ my worst’ with confessional lyrics, well-produced beats and conflicting emotions at a costume party in the video. The song is about the person feeling inade- quate and unsure in their relationship. They recognise they may hurt their partner despite loving them and acknowledge their flaws but question whether their partner can still love them at their worst. Despite these misgivings, the subject still hopes for their partner's love and acceptance. The EP features Sasha Alex Sloan on ‘Ghost Town’ and co-producer Charlie Puth on the electronic-heavy ‘Bad Day’ after Blackbear guest-sang on his ‘Hard On Your- self ’. The lyrically gloomy ‘IMU’ saw the singer working with Travis Barker again, and the lead single ‘U Love U’ is graced with Tate McRae’s vocals. Blackbear's latest projects include ‘GFY’ with Machine Gun Kelly, ‘The Idea’ from the In Loving Memory album, and Electronic DJ duo Slander's ‘Wish I Could Forget’ with rock band Bring Me The Horizon. https://beartrap.la