The secret’s out, besties! Indie-pop artist Ryan Kaiser, also known as Yot Club, has recently announced his second studio album, Rufus. Not only that, but he also gifted us two pre-release tracks from the album: ‘Pixel’ in January and, more recently, ‘Nostalgia!’
Rufus follows Ryan’s off the grid album from 2022, and we’re more than hyped for its release! Whether you’ve been a longtime fan of Yot Club or not, his music can take you through time and space. (It happened to us!)
Though we can’t spoil everything about the Rufus album, we can show you our exclusive interview with Ryan! Let’s get into Yot Club’s music process, upcoming album, and his new song, ‘Nostalgia!’
Welcome to The Honey POP! We’re so excited to talk with you today. To get us started, what are three things you want new listeners to know about you?
Hello! I am a pretty simple person. I just chill, make songs, cook food, and hang out with friends and my dog, Dovie. [I’m] going on tour in April, so I’m very pumped for that.
‘Nostalgia’ And ‘Pixel’
Congratulations on the release of your new single, ‘Nostalgia!’ What was your favorite part about working on this track?
It just came together naturally. Some songs you kind of have to wrestle with and try a bunch of different things to make them work. But with ‘Nostalgia,’ it just sounded the way it did in my head on the first go. I recorded everything at home and then worked on it some more with Patrick Wimberly at his studio. Getting to work with him and use his gear was pretty sick.
As an artist, what are some things you’ve had to learn the hard way?
I’ve definitely had negative experiences with labels. Back when I was in school, this label offered me two thousand dollars to license my song ‘Japan’ for two years. I was like, “Damn, that’s almost 6 months of rent.” (Mississippi was cheap.) Long story short, the song got like 40 million streams in those two years, and it all went to that company. I think it’s good that I got screwed early on, though, because it’s helped me avoid way bigger mistakes.
‘Pixel’ was the first track from Rufus that you released in January. How was your experience filming the retro-style music video?
It was a great experience. I was a little worried about doing a video in NYC with the crowds and lack of predictability, but Ben Turok, the director, did a good job of scouting locations and creating cool concepts for each shot. We shot a lot of it on the beach boardwalk in Rockaway late at night in the dead of winter, which was a surreal vibe.
Rufus
‘Nostalgia’ is the second single you’ve revealed from your second studio album, Rufus. Congratulations on that upcoming release as well! Can you give us any more hints about the album?
No interludes, no instrumentals, no intermissions, etc. It’s like a cartoon that resets at the beginning of each episode. I put a lot of focus into the individual songs as opposed to creating a linear storyline across the project.
Your music is so easy to listen to, no matter what time it is or what we’re doing (driving, studying, working, or writing). If you could set the scene for everyone’s first time listening to the album, what would it look like?
Thank you. From the beginning, I’ve always wanted it to be a non-challenging listen. Like, don’t get me wrong, I listen to some weird mathy stuff that takes a while for your brain to adjust. But that’s not what I’m trying to do with this project. I want it to be homey and comfortable. I used to make these songs after a long day of work and school, so the last thing I wanted to do was make some confusing 9/4 math rock song.
What is the significance behind the name Rufus?
There is a non-linear feel to the album like I mentioned. I felt like it needed something to tie everything together, like a mascot of some sort. I think it is more honest and vulnerable than stuff I’ve made in the past, so Rufus is a character I can project that onto.
How did you decide on the overall message/concept of the album? Were there any songs you had to leave off of this record?
The overall concept for Rufus was pretty broad at the beginning and slowly got more dialed in over time. In the beginning, all I knew was I wanted it to be timeless and not seem hacky in 15 years. I started listening to a lot of older stuff and just kind of making mental notes of what about it maybe helped it stand the test of time. How do some songs age so well and others so poorly? I didn’t really want it to have one grand overarching message as much as little messages throughout. Yes, there are a good few songs that didn’t make the record for different reasons. I’m sure they will eventually see the light of day, maybe on SoundCloud or something.
The Production
You’re uncovering more sides of yourself with this new album. Which of your upcoming songs has been (relatively) the easiest and most difficult to write, and why?
‘Nostalgia,’ ‘Pixel,’ and ‘Human Nature’ all came together in a single day and were super fun to make. I spent quite a while on ‘New Day.’ First off, because it simply just has more words than most of my songs. But it took a bit of trial and error getting the live drums down (I suck at drums), and I probably wrote lyrics 3 separate times before I had ones I liked.
How has the production journey been for Rufus compared to off the grid?
I got some new stuff for my studio. I’d been using the same Focusrite interface since 2015, the one you see in memes about SoundCloud rappers. I figured I’d invest and buy the slightly more expensive version as well as some new monitors. Sounds silly, but it did make a big difference. I recorded it all at home and mixed it the best I could, but then I brought everything to Patrick Wimberly for him to actually mix. I’ve never had anything professionally mixed, and I’ve always been a little opposed to it, but I was comfortable letting Patrick do it since I could tell he understood the vision and the goal for the sound.
How has your overall sound evolved since your debut album? How has it stayed the same?
I mean, the more songs I make, the more practice I get making songs. So, there are things I learned and picked up over the years. But I’m not like a versatile producer that can just work with any style. I just get better at making my own songs. But one thing that has changed is I make the songs to be played live now. When I first started releasing, I never thought it would get big enough for me to do shows. Now I know I’m going to be playing these songs live, so I keep that in mind when making them.
What’s Next
You’re about to go on tour in a few months! Which cities are you most excited to visit? Are there any cities that are still on your bucket list?
I’m always excited for Cali–they go crazy. Going back up to Canada again will be cool; they’re always super nice to me. I guess the only bucket list would be to play in my hometown, but most people from Jackson don’t know I exist, so I’ll give that some more time.
We also hear that you’ve surpassed one billion streams across platforms, which is just incredible! How are you feeling, knowing your music has been listened to so many times by so many people?
I can’t even celebrate it because it doesn’t even sound real, and my brain is too small to understand a number that big. I keep thinking it’s like a Truman Show-style prank that everyone is pulling on me.
Introspection is a recurring theme in your music. If your younger self could see you today, what do you think he’d say? And what, if anything, would you say to him?
I don’t know. I think it’s good I didn’t know the future when I was younger. Like, I just made music just for fun; I didn’t ever expect anyone to listen to it or to get money from it. It was the one part of my life I had control over, as opposed to work and school. I feel like if I was doing it for money or notoriety, the songs wouldn’t be as candid or honest. I’m glad things worked out the way they did because now I feel like the method of “just having fun with it” is valid and works.
No interludes, no instrumentals, no intermissions, etc. It’s like a cartoon that resets at the beginning of each episode. I put a lot of focus into the individual songs as opposed to creating a linear storyline across the project.
Ryan Kaiser (Yot Club) on upcoming album Rufus
You can listen to Yot Club’s ‘Nostalgia’ and pre-save Rufus here!
We loved chatting with Yot Club about his newest single, upcoming album, and music production! If you’re a new fan, what do you think of ‘Nostalgia?’ Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
Want more exclusive interviews? We got you!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOT CLUB:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE
