Before Cold War Kids dropped their album, I chatted to Nathan Willet last month about the album, recording with Florence Welch and his dream collaboration.
Emily: Firstly, congratulations on the release of your second single from the upcoming new album 'Can We Hang On?”. How does it feel to have it out?
Nathan: It feels awesome! Hopefully, by the time the album comes out, we will have more songs out. I just get excited about it more than I have about any other album. Each song is very Cold War Kids, but very singular and different from each other. I’m just really excited about it!
And the music video for this has also been released. It features this guy walking near the beach busting out some pretty sweet dance moves, where did the inspiration for this come from?
For a song with such a big broad message, having that landscape and just showing that inner turmoil, and to be able to do that with just one person is hard to pull off and to make engaging. But I think that we did a pretty good job with showing that struggle!
It was really good! Your new album L.A. Divine is due out in April. Did you have any new influences when writing this album?
Yeah, I think there was a lot of new influences for this one, probably more modern stuff than usual. I mean I listened to Frank Ocean for a time, Kayne for a time, lots of different albums this time round.
You were hanging out with Florence and the Machine recently. Was that in the studio? Is there going to be a collaboration going on there?
Yeah! She was working and gave me a call, and I was so excited to go in there and work with her. I have so much respect for her, you know she is just one of the greater singers out! So there was a song for her record that I did. Not sure what will come of it, but the song was really, really beautiful and I hope we get to hear it sometime.
Who would be your dream collaboration?
I think my dream would be Frank Ocean, Fiona Apple, is always really up there for me as one of the greatest singers and songwriters, Chance the Rapper too!
That would sound great! Just getting back to the new album L.A. Divine, do you have a favourite song that you are dying to play live?
They are all still so very new and exciting. There is a song called ‘No Reason to Run’ it’s probably my favourite. It’s the most uplifting, joyful song that we have ever written and there is just something so fresh about that song, and I can’t wait to play it!
Do you guys have many shows coming up, where you will get that chance to play it?
Yeah we're on tour now, where we're getting to play a few new ones.
Nice. And are we going to be seeing you back in Australia anytime soon?
I hope so! We always really love going there. In 12 years of touring, we have gone there, I’m sure like 8 times. Almost like its every year and a half or so. I’m sure there will maybe be some festivals or some shows there, hopefully, something in the works.
Written by Emily O'Brien
