INTERVIEW: New Years Day Bring Empowerment After Pain On Half Black Heart

After over a decade as one of the most inspiring bands out there, New Years Day have truly refined what makes them special on their triumphant fifth album, Half Black Heart! The record is a battle cry sent out to anyone who’s learning to love themselves and wanting to change their life for good, packed with encouragement to get you through it and just enough frustration to let you know you’re not alone if you’re angry about what you’ve experienced in your life.

While their past projects saw the band going from Victim To Villain or pledging to be Unbreakable after getting hurt, Half Black Heart sees them going from victim to victor, refusing to be put down while also refusing to let themselves stay in those situations and mindsets any longer. The same people who celebrated the “skeletons in [their lover’s] closet” just a few years ago are now confidently speaking out against how others use “a casket hiding all their demons” as an excuse to treat others horribly, choosing to break the cycle and believe in themselves instead. New Years Day are breaking any chains binding them and we’re living for every second of it!

We are a lot more focused than ever on the message we want to send to those who like our major. We are all on the same page as band members, which has been creatively a real blessing.

New Years Day

Another thing we love about Half Black Heart is how often the songs let NYD not only acknowledge their darker sides, but befriend them. For example, after lamenting “I created a monster inside of my head and it’s eating me alive” on ‘My Monsters’ in 2019, Ash sings “I love the demons that talk in my brain” on ‘Burn It All Down.’ It shows a whole new level of self-awareness that only comes from sitting with those demons and trying to understand why they’re there rather than trying to shove them away.

We at THP have adored New Years Day for years and we could sit here all day talking about how much their music has helped us since we first discovered them. They’ve become so much more than just a band to us – more like a second home that’s always there to welcome us at the end of a rough day or during times when we just need a little hope. So you can imagine how special it was to get to ask the band all about the Half Black Heart album and its already-released title track! Make sure to stream it right here and keep reading to check out our exclusive Q&A.

Hi New Years Day, congrats on your new song, ‘Half Black Heart!’ How does it feel to let the track into the world and see what fans think?
It always feels so good to get a response from the fans. We write for ourselves so when outsiders hear a song and love it, it’s always icing on the cake. 

What does ‘Half Black Heart’ mean to you?
To me, it means not always being one thing. Duality kind of thing, the album title just makes sense.

There are so many incredible lyrics on ‘Half Black Heart,’ with one of our favorites being “even gods rise and fall when they think they know it all.” Is there a certain lyric you’re especially proud of?
I’m a really harsh critic of myself, so honestly I’m proud of all the lyrics I managed to get on paper. But I think the “I hope you choke” in ‘Vampyre’ is my favorite of them all. It’s so real.

We can’t wait to hear the rest of your Half Black Heart album on March 1st! How has making this album stood out from making your past albums?
In the past, we always kind of had to rush through the album making because we were always on tour. This time, we were able to go slowly and really put a lot of thought into it, more than ever. 

Is there a certain song from Half Black Heart that you’re most excited for fans to hear? What makes it special to you?
I’m really excited for fans to hear ‘Bulletproof.’ I feel like the vocal performance on that song is unlike any other I’ve done before and I can’t wait to hear what everyone thinks of it.

You wrote the amazing ‘I Still Believe’ as the first song for Half Black Heart during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, which must have been such a scary time as a band. What was going through your head at the time, and what helped you push through to come back stronger than ever?
The way that first song came together really did lift my spirits. It reminded me why I do this and what my goals still were, and really gave me the push I needed to still believe in all of it.

One of the biggest themes in your music is strength and overcoming hard times, and it’s helped us throughout so many of our own hard times. What has it been like for you to turn experiences that ‘Hurt Like Hell’ into something that empowers listeners to stay strong?
It just makes me feel like at least anything I’ve gone through wasn’t in vain, it helped me become creative and then hopefully it helps someone else going through similar hardships.

Speaking of giving to fans, you often go live on Instagram to connect with them and Ash even sells jewelry, old music video props, and more on her Ash Costello’s Closet site (we’ve picked up a few items ourselves)! What does building such a special connection with your fans mean to you?
It means everything. They’re our family.

Another thing we love about you is your creative music videos, and we hope to see one for ‘Half Black Heart!’ When you’re planning a music video, how do you come up with the concept? Is there an older NYD song you wish you could’ve made a music video for?
It’s weird, the moment I am told we are doing a music video for a song, the concept just pops right into my head all at once. I wish I could have made a music video for ‘SCREAM.’

2023 notably marked the 10th anniversary of your Victim To Villain album, which is still one of our all-time favorite records! Looking back, is there a particular song that’s really stood the test of time for you? Is there anything you’d change about the album?
‘I’m No Good,’ it’s still a banger! And no, I wouldn’t change a thing!

Over the years, you’ve toured with so many amazing artists, including Halestorm and In This Moment, and you have some upcoming shows this spring! How do you pick the perfect setlist and prepare for a tour?
Picking a set list is usually very hard for me so I usually let the fans choose!

How do you feel you’ve grown as a band since releasing Unbreakable in 2019?
I feel like we are a lot more focused than ever on the message we want to send to those who like our major. We are all on the same page as band members, which has been creatively a real blessing.

Is there anything else you’d like to mention or say to your fans that the questions didn’t touch on?
Thank you so much for all your support!

Thank you so much to New Years Day for not only answering our questions but for putting so much of yourselves into every song you’ve released! You’ve touched so many lives and we’re so grateful to have your music to turn to whenever we need it.

Now we have some questions for you, honeybees! What’s your favorite track on Half Black Heart? Is it officially your favorite New Years Day album? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

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