By: Kyle Brown
Edited by: Morgan Kohler
Chelsea Lee, Spencer Ernst, and Max Ernst of SHAED are back at it once again, releasing their newest album, Spinning Out, this Friday, June 7th. The 11 track album will be the band’s third after High Dive (2021) and Melt (2018). Spinning Out is sure to replicate the success of their first album. Melt featured the band’s most well known track, “Trampoline.”“Trampoline” made it to number one on the alternative billboard charts in 2018 and sits at number 11 on Billboard’s greatest alternative songs of all time. The song was also featured in an Apple MacBook air commercial ad.
In a statement released to the public, SHAED went on to say, “Spinning Out comprises eleven songs exploring themes of family, love, and growth. Over years of writing, recording, and producing, Spinning Out cohered as a collection of snapshots and vignettes, reflecting on love and belonging from all different angles.” When looking back on the avalanche of change that yielded these new songs, the band notes that “it feels like spinning out can be a positive…It’s spinning out into the next step.”
Some of those changes include Chelsea and Spencer welcoming their daughter June in 2022. Chelsea is now pregnant with baby number two! The members of SHAED all share a house together, and with an ever-growing family, navigating life in general as well as a band has no doubt shaped the album into what it is. The band also left their label since the last album.
We caught up with SHAED to chat about the upcoming album, family life and what’s next for the band.
PMM: For any readers that may not know who you are, can you give a quick introduction to SHAED, and who you are as members of the band?
S: We are a family band from the DMV area. SHAED is made up of me (Chelsea Lee) and twin brothers Max and Spencer Ernst. I’ve known these guys for over half my life. Max is my best friend and I am married to Spencer. We’re just your average family band.
PMM: Your last album High Dive came out in 2021, which had probably one of your best-known songs, “Trampoline” (released in 2018) on it—a song that made it to #1 on the alternative charts. Looking back, how has that song impacted the band and did it add any pressure for songs after that to live up to that standard?
S: “Trampoline” changed everything during a time when we were all living together in a small rental house in Silver Spring, Maryland. Previously we had been touring on and off for years, writing and releasing music just hoping something would pop off and it finally did. Initially I think we did want to try to chase another “Trampoline” but then quickly realized that we couldn’t force that.
PMM: You have welcomed one new family member and one yet to be born (congrats!) over the past few years. How has that experience impacted the song writing process and what you write for your music?
S: Thank you. I think that becoming a mother has changed my perspective on life in general. Now I feel more comfortable in my own skin, and in a strange way more like myself than I ever have. Obviously our daughter has been a huge source of inspiration for the songs on the album—specifically for our song “Rocket in the Sky,” which is about how when June was born, we were hit with a love that was so strong we couldn’t even do the simplest tasks like tying our shoelaces or putting toothpaste on our toothbrush.
PMM: From a statement we received from your PR team, it reads “Spinning Out comprises eleven songs exploring themes of family, love, and growth. Over years of writing, recording, and producing, Spinning Out cohered as a collection of snapshots and vignettes, reflecting on love and belonging from all different angles.” Going with that, what was the creative process like for the new album regarding those themes, and where did the inspiration for the title come from?
S: When we started writing for this album we were in a bit of a rough patch—with the absence of an upcoming tour and our recent departure from our management and label team, we felt like we were spinning out. “Spinning Out” was one of the first songs we wrote for the album. We recorded it live at Max’s house, with us all set up in separate rooms. It felt like we were 17 again writing and recording songs in a more raw form. It was really special.
PMM: Recently on socials, you put out a video talking about the difference in sound from 2018 to now. In your opinions, how important is it as musical artists to change and keep things fresh, even if it may not resonate with some fans?
S: I think change and musical evolution are inevitable. Even artists that stay consistent with their sound still seem to go through some sort of development, whether that’s exploring within the bounds of their music or simply becoming better at their craft. As an artist it’s important to do what feels right and makes you happy—if you’re creating music that you love and that’s genuine to you, then it will resonate with people.
PMM: As social media becomes more important with staying relevant, how have you as a group adjusted to keep up with the times and keep the fan base active with you?
S: We’re having fun with social media. Honestly it’s more that were just trying to show fans a glimpse into our lives and who we are rather than making social media the centerpiece of us.
PMM: As you prepare for the album release tour, what can fans expect to see and hear? Any familiar older songs, or will it be mainly from this upcoming album.
S: Guess you’ll have to come out to see 😉
PMM: Is this tour you’re about to embark on it when comes to the tour for the album? Will there be a full-scale tour in the near future? (If you have the ability to say anything yet!)
S: We’re doing this east coast tour in June and July before the baby’s arrival but then plan to launch full speed ahead after our little break.
PMM: I saw you live at Bunbury Music Festival in Cincinnati, Ohio where you announced to the crowd the success of “Trampoline” and received a huge ovation. The one song that I absolutely loved and remember years later was your performance of “Too Much.” I can remember the dance portion near the end where you all just seemed to have a blast on stage. You shared one of my photos I took of that moment back then (still pretty stoked about that so thank you!). Do you enjoy the festival-type atmosphere or would you rather play in theaters and music halls? And secondly, do you have any fond memories from touring, like you gave me from the Bunbury set.
S: Being on stage with my best friends and doing what we love, for people we love, is always a blast. It’s always so hard to pick favorite moments or atmospheres because they all feel really special. Each show and venue is an opportunity for us to connect with people and share our music. We’re so incredibly lucky to be able to have such contrasting vibes and energies in each environment.
PMM: What is next for SHAED? With the new album releasing, what are some things you may be able to share that may be exciting for fans to know about?
S: We really want to spend time sharing this album, especially before the baby arrives. We’re currently getting ready for all these upcoming shows so we can give fans an intimate live experience of all the songs off our album. We’re also getting ourselves ready for the newest addition to our family.
Thank you to both SHAED and their PR team for making this happen. If you are interested in seeing the band live to help promote the new album, SHAED is going on a small album release tour. The cities and dates are listed below.
June 6th – Sonic Lunch – Ann Arbor, MI
June 15 – The Atlantis – Washington D.C.
June 22 – The Atlantis – Washington D.C.
July 10 – Mercury Lounge – New York, NY
July 12 – Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia, PA
Be sure to check out the band and what they’ve been up to at the following social channels!