Forget the dreamlike soundscapes and soaring vocals—Said The Sky’s latest release strips pop-punk down to its emotional core, confronting the notion that sometimes “forever” is just a borrowed word.
In a world where goodbyes can come too easily, “Till I Met You” serves as a stark reminder to cherish the present, hold our loved ones close and let them know how much they mean before the final curtain falls.
The new single, a collaboration with good problem out now via Seeking Blue, tackles the gut-wrenching reality of impermanence. Gone are Said The Sky’s airy melodies, replaced by distorted guitars and vocals pleading with a desperate urgency, a captivating cry for help that echoes the anxieties we all share.
Said The Sky and good problem rip open their collective heart to expose the raw ache of knowing even the deepest connections are just grains of sand slipping through an hourglass. Reminding us to embrace the ephemeral, their brooding lyricism explores the terrifying truth that life doesn’t offer guarantees and even the happiest moments are tinged with the knowledge that they’re temporary.
We caught up with Said The Sky, whose real name is Trevor Christensen, and Eli Ostheimer of good problem to discuss their new collaboration and the bleak implications of letting healthy relationships fall by the wayside.
EDM.com: You’ve always had an affinity for pop-punk, but you lean more into the sound here than ever. Can you walk us through the creative process?
Trevor Christensen: The creative process is fairly simple honestly, at least compared to writing or producing any other song. Honestly a lot of the melodies and harmonies that come to me naturally are inspired from that music already so introducing sounds from that pallet was really all it took to shift over.
More guitars, more acoustic drums… starting with those elements and then layering the electronic aspects over those to fill space, rather than the opposite which is how you’d wind up with a more electronic-leaning sound.
EDM.com: “Time’s a prism imprisoned” is a particularly weighty lyric. Can you expound on that concept a bit more?
Trevor Christensen: I love this lyric. To me that with the rest of the bridge it feels like when you go through life seeing how blindly some people can follow a path or doctrine without questioning things or looking deep enough to notice any of the contradictions.
People settle into their routine and fear any disruption to that. Life becomes too linear, you start living for a future that isn’t guaranteed instead of seeing all you can do and make of life right now. It feels good meeting somebody who can live in the moment and take life as it comes.
Eli Ostheimer: Trevor nailed it. To add to that, I think this line—as well as the rest of the bridge—is about finding a person that sees the complexities of life and the contradicting ways that people live it, but still somehow finds the beauty and humor in it, and chooses not to overcomplicate.
EDM.com: Who is the most impactful person in your life with regards to saving you from yourself? What did they do for you?
Trevor Christensen: There have been so many people throughout my life that have saved me from myself in ways I don’t think I’ll always be able to keep track of. Some of my close friends have been instrumental in showing me the real meaning of motivation and work ethic—how anything is possible if you truly want it, put in the time and effort, study and understand everything you can about what that is, and how simply sitting back and hoping something happens is never the answer.
My girlfriend Cheyenne has shown me without even trying just how beautiful approaching people and life with grace and optimism really is. It’s easy to forget. It’s easy to lose that spirit when you go through life meeting so many people that don’t live up to your idea of a good person. She makes it easy to see the good in everyone, and to not let go of that childlike spirit we all have in there somewhere.
EDM.com: Why do you think it’s so easy for people to let healthy relationships fall by the wayside? And what can they do to actively prevent that from happening?
Trevor Christensen: I’m far from being an expert on relationships of any kind, but from the ones I have and have had in the past, I think I’ve noticed there are a million answers to this question. Communication is big. Making sure that any concern you have is immediately brought up no matter the size or how important or unimportant you think it is.
Could be expectation—thinking that the person you’re meant to be with is going to be literally perfect in every way, and you are going to be absolutely perfect for them in every way now and forever. I don’t think that’s the case. I think the time you put into the relationship and any conflict you get through—so long as there is a clear mutual respect and listening on both sides—strengthens the bond you have. You build the perfect relationship, it won’t just fall into your lap.
Eli Ostheimer: Though I too am no expert on this, there’s one thing I feel confident that I’ve learned: to never convince yourself that you’re not deserving of a good thing. And when you find something that makes you feel good, don’t question it. Take one day at a time, appreciate them and try not to take it for granted. Your brain will naturally feed you “what ifs” but man if it feels good, it’s probably good!
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EDM.com: What is your advice to a music producer struggling with storytelling who wants to build a narrative around their music?
Trevor Christensen: Collaboration has been huge for me here! If you’re a producer and are having a hard time getting your message across in words, that’s what songwriters are for. Eli is a wizard with words, and letting him do his thing was the best thing for this song. I’ve worked with so many incredible vocalists and songwriters over the years, and it has always helped create art I wouldn’t have been able to create alone otherwise.
Eli Ostheimer: You can’t force yourself to create a narrative. For songwriters, I can’t stress enough how important it is to let yourself live life. You need to create a narrative in real life. Experience, and if you’re a songwriter, the songs will happen… and when the songs happen, the narrative will naturally have continuity.
EDM.com: What’s next for Said The Sky in 2024?
Trevor Christensen: This year I’m focusing on writing as much as I can—both for myself and for other people! I love getting in the studio with others and seeing what comes out of it. I also love working with people who have a vision of what they want, and helping them bring that vision to life. Other than that, I have some ideas for the next project so starting work on that. We’ll see how it takes shape and if it’s really even feasible.
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