It’s been a minute since we first caught up with World’s First Cinema, back in 2023, right after the release of their debut EP, Palm Reader. At the time, they were just getting started. Now, the band is back and stronger than ever, with new music, upcoming shows, and maybe even complete… world domination on the horizon. We got to chat with them all about it!
You can stream their latest track ‘Paranoid’ here!
Meet World’s First Cinema
Hello, and welcome back to The Honey Pop! We’re so excited to have you here again—thanks for taking the time to chat with us. Can you fill us in on what you both have been up to since the release of Palm Reader?
We’ve been really busy actually, we finished producing our debut album and started rolling out the first few singles. Shot another music video and announced some new touring. Happy days.
You’ve had quite an interesting musical journey with your backgrounds—John, with your orchestral experience, and Fil, your pop-punk roots. How did these different musical worlds come together to form your own unique sound?
It was a lot more organic and easy than I think either of us thought it could be. The two styles merge really well together sonically and our two skill sets really support each other. It’s a lot of fun adding rock elements to orchestral music and vice versa
You’ve described your music as having a cinematic feel. What does “cinematic” mean to you when it comes to your music, and how does your love for cinema shape the way you approach songwriting and production?
I think one of the key things is just wanting all of our songs to create a strong visual, even if it’s only mentally. We love the idea that all of our songs feel like their own unique world and tell a story. I think there is a lot of that type of imagination missing in music these days.
‘Paranoid’ and a New Era
Congrats on the release of ‘Paranoid!’ The track has such a captivating, hypnotic vibe. Can you walk us through the creative process behind this song? How did it all come together for you both?
Paranoid came together in a very typical format for us. John had been working on an early demo version of the song with a nice open space for multiple directions on production and then I heard the idea and wanted it to follow a cool electronic but rocky riff style.
In 2023, you released Palm Reader, and you followed it up with the Silver Screen Edition. Can you talk about how those projects influenced this new phase of your sound? What did you learn from previous experiences that shaped the direction of ‘Paranoid’?
I think by the time we reached Palm Reader we already had a really solid grounding of how our sound worked and just continued to do what we enjoy the most and try to find ways to expand it.
‘Paranoid’ follows a series of strong releases like ‘The Underneath’ and ‘Freak Show.’ How does this new track fit into the bigger picture of your upcoming music, and how does it reflect the evolution of World’s First Cinema as you move into this next chapter?
Well they are both singles from our upcoming album which is an eclectic mix of production and styles. We’ve always had a wide net of tones and emotions in our music and our album doesn’t shy away from that either. No 2 songs sound the same for us.
Bringing it to Life
How do you decide on the level of visual detail or complexity to match the intensity of a song like ‘Paranoid’?
The key thing is just making sure the visuals feel like they represent the emotion we want to get across with the song. The visuals should make you feel the same way the song does even if you watched them on mute.
Is there a specific feeling you’re hoping fans take away after experiencing both the track and visualizers?
Just that they want to check out our album.
Joining the Warped Tour Revival
We just learned that you guys are going to be playing on Warped Tour this summer! How does it feel to be part of the comeback shows? What does Warped Tour mean to you personally?
It’s amazing. I did the full Warped Tour 3 times with a previous band so it’s always got a special place in my heart. The legacy of Warped is undeniable so it’s really great that World’s First Cinema will get to have its name related even in a small way.
With so many bands on the bill, what’s one band you’re particularly excited to share the stage with?
It’ll be fun to share the stage with our friends State Champs. We go way back but haven’t had a chance to play together yet.
What’s Next for World’s First Cinema
Can you give our audience a sneak peek into what’s next for World’s First Cinema after the release of ‘Paranoid?’ Any teasers about what we can expect in terms of new music, tour, or other future projects?
Touring, Album, World Domination
Finally, we’ve seen you push boundaries with your music and visuals—do you have any big dreams or goals for where you want to take the band in the future?
We hope to eventually be in a position to use the World’s First Cinema name to score original music for film and television. That’s a big dream of ours.
World’s First Cinema is gearing up for such an incredible year, and we’re buzzing with excitement! Let us know if you have any more questions for the band and what you’re most excited to see from them by commenting down below or by tweeting us @TheHoneyPOP! We are also on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!
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