A Chat With 19 Miles Per Hour

Following their latest indie-pop anthem, ‘Contradictions’, a conversation with 19 Miles Per Hour proved the band has not stopped since the single’s release last month. When chatting with founders Danny (Lead vocals, rhythm guitar) and Mikey (Lead vocals, drums) Iacopucci, it is evident that the outfit have had a well received reception of the music put out to audiences thus far – with over an album’s worth of unreleased originals in reserve. Acting as a “sneak peak” to future works, the band are set to hit new heights in 2023.

Starting at the beginning, ‘Contradictions’ reached audiences in September, and has since seen over 1K streams on its re-release that came with the album debut ‘Inner Thoughts’ (October 1st). Exploring themes of mental health and the frustrations of people, the body of work is a personal commentary on struggles that the world faces and how this many impact one’s mental wellbeing. Speaking to the band, it was clear they have empathy when discussing the “easy solution” to simply “be nice” – but people make it so complicated. Offering an insightful look into Mikey’s own experiences with Depression and Anxiety, ‘Inner Thoughts’ and ‘Contradictions’ are accurate depictions of the “filter” such rhetoric can bring on the world.

Eventually, we got chatting about things post-release with the second planned album, ‘Where The World Can’t Hurt Me’. Describing the new works as “raw” and “authentic”, it’s inspired by musical interests lyrically and contextually meaning. Describing 19 Miles Per Hour’s latest direction as “sad that you can dance to”, the band explained the roller coaster over recent years. Namely, how experiences have impacted their artistic output today: an example being the 2021 Utah award and their first battle of bands.,

The band definitely expressed their advocacy surrounding the stigmatization of conversations about mental health: “Talk about it” Mikey stated. He goes on to explain the healing process that talking may bring, especially when the one listening may find reassurance from not being alone with their struggles. For 19 Miles Per Hour, music acts as the outlet and facilitation of such ‘taboo’ discourse. Mickey summarizes, describing how expressing yourself through music can aid musicians and audiences in a way you don’t expect, with his own fans testifying that music “saved their life” and helped them “get through it all”. Getting deep, it was decided the ideal sad song for the lads would be Mayday Parade’s ‘If You Wanted A Song Written About You, All You Had To Do Was Ask’ as Mikey and Danny prefer less somber and more angsty.

19 Miles Per Hour’s sound has evolved with their new musical endeavours. With the hopes of gigging more intimate concerts in the new year, 19 Miles Per Hour have increased the noise with a heavier indie-rock sound. Sonically shifting to an alt-pop vibe, they spoke about how their new music has seen huge influences from artists such as HippoCampus and Backseat Lovers. Such shifts in sound might prove for some exciting changes in live performances, showcasing a festival sound from a more sculpted band, who have clearly grown with their music.