Attaboy on How Their their New Album "WILD" Speaks to the Issues Facing the Gen Z Crowd

Leading school assemblies followed by evening, full-production concerts coast-to-coastandperforming at camps during the summer months, Indiana-based pop/rock band Attaboy releases its sixth full-length and first Radiate Musicalbum, WILD, Sept. 13.

Written by the Attaboy collective, consisting of Ryan Payne(vocals/guitar/piano), Jeff Edgel(guitar/piano), Melanie Morris(bass/background vocals) and Christian Morris(drums), and produced, engineered and mixed by Doug Weier(Anberlin, We Are Leo), WILDfeatures the Parade.com-premiered anti-apathy track "Waking Up"and courage-inspiringsingle,"Fearless."

The album also features songs of surrender ("Let It Go"), determination "Dirty Lie (feat. Beacon Light)," commitment ("Never Going Back"),forgiveness ("Giving Up the Fight"), loneliness ("Disappearing")and more songsthat resonate with the band's Generation Z / Post-Millennialaudience. 

Q:  Thanks for doing this interview with us.  Let's start with yourselves.  Who is Attaboy?  And what's the significance of your name?

Attaboy is a four-piece, Indie-pop band from Fort Wayne, IN, made up of Ryan Payne (lead vocals, guitar and synth), Jeff Edgel (guitar, synth and BGVs), Melanie Morris (bass, synth and BGVs) and Christian Morris (drums and samples). The word "Attaboy" is a familiar term that is fun and lighthearted but also encouraging-all qualities we want to exemplify as a band through our music and concerts.

Q:  Congratulations on your new album "Wild". What are some of the issues addressed via the songs on your new album?

We wanted to create a record that would speak to a wide spectrum of human experiences. Some songs celebrate the joy, beauty and wonder of life. Others wrestle with loneliness and breaking away from the negativity and lies that can cripple our lives. Still others evoke determination and a call to trust God in everything, especially the things that are beyond our control.

Q:  Why did you entitle this album "Wild"?

God has called us to an abundant life and one that is not for the faint of heart. It's full of highs and lows, joys and sorrows, love and loss. Life isn't meant to be lived in the confines of a risk-free existence striving for the absence of difficulty. To borrow a thought from C.S. Lewis, God is not safe, but he is good. Likewise, the abundant life is not tame, but it's also good.

Q:  Talk to us about your new single "Fearless."  Why are you excited about this song?

Imagine a world in which insecurities, doubt, weakness, and fear had no hold on us. Imagine what could be accomplished, what life experiences wouldn't be missed and what joy there would be if we all had the courage to take healthy risks, embrace challenges and step out in faith. We're super excited about not only how fun this song is, but that it could  encouraging people to be fearless! 

Q: In today's ever-increasing world of social media, are you seeing an increase in loneliness, online bullying and other issues, especially among young people?

We constantly hear from students after our shows who are struggling with anxiety, depression, and bullying. Recent studies have been showing that social media use is a contributing factor to all of these things. Loneliness has been described as an epidemic in our culture-not just for young people but for all ages. Social media can give us the illusion of real connection, but too often, it ceases to be a tool for furthering relationships and becomes our primary mode of community. This seems to be crippling our ability to engage in relationships when we're actually with people in real life.    

Q: As a band that speaks to the Gen Z crowd coast to coast in America, what kinds of advice are you able to offer?

There are things in life that we simply can't control. On the other hand, there are so many points in our lives that come down to the choices we make. And choices have consequences. Don't be afraid to make decisions that are good and right regardless of what anyone else thinks or says. At the same time, we're all going to screw up sometimes. When that happens, know that poor decisions in the past don't have to dictate your decisions in the future. God is a God of second chances! Be courageous enough to take them when you get them. 

 

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