Q&A: Definitely Maybe Captures Relentless Exploration in "Are We Having Fun Yet?"
DELVING INTO THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF CHASING DREAMS — Chicago pop-punk trio Definitely Maybe offers an unfiltered look at the exhaustion and self-discovery that comes with an artistic journey with their latest single “Are We Having Fun Yet?” The single captures a relentless exploration of the toll ambition takes on the soul.
Definitely Maybe made a significant impact on Chicago’s music scene with their breakout single “One More Night” last year. Written by singer-songwriter Courtney Clinkert, carries a powerful message inspired by a personal tragedy. Following the loss of her sister, Clinkert crafted a poignant anthem that touches on the unpredictable nature of life and the importance of facing the uncertainties of life with resilience.
The trio recently released their highly anticipated follow-up, “Are We Having Fun Yet?” This dynamic track delves into the harsh realities of pursuing one's dreams and the challenges that come with that journey. In the words of Definitely Maybe, the song offers an unfiltered look at the highs and lows inherent in chasing dreams, providing listeners with a raw and authentic portrayal of the weariness and personal evolution that accompanies such pursuits.
“Are We Having Fun Yet?” showcases the band's ability to deliver not only catchy melodies, but also thought-provoking lyrics that invite listeners to reflect on their own aspirations and the sacrifices involved in the pursuit of success. Definitely Maybe continues to carve a unique space in the pop-punk genre, blending emotional storytelling with infectious energy.
As the trio continues to navigate the music landscape, their authenticity and commitment to addressing meaningful themes in their music set them apart. Definitely Maybe's journey from the heartfelt “One More Night” to the introspective “Are We Having Fun Yet?” marks a progression that reflects the band's evolving artistry and their dedication to connecting with audiences on a deeper level.
LUNA: Thank you for talking to Luna . Our readers would love to get to know you and your music more. For any readers who aren’t familiar with you, what inspires your creative persona and style?
DEFINITELY MAYBE: A lot of mid-2000s emo music for sure, but we all come from very different musical backgrounds and tastes. So speaking for myself, the mid-2000s inspires me a lot, and Ian loves John Mayer and Sawyer loves pop music like Justin Beiber.
LUNA: Say if someone hasn’t heard of your music yet, which song would you introduce to them that best encapsulates your sound and artistic maturity?
DEFINITELY MAYBE: I think before the last couple of releases, I would have said “One Thing,” which is the title track from our debut EP. It's darker than a lot of our stuff, but that’s the direction we’re headed in. I think I would almost change my answer now to the song we just released “Are We Having Fun Yet?” It has a nice mix of that nostalgic mid-2000s vibe, but then it's very us in the chorus and very unique and different with the mix of the song which is something we don't hear a lot of out there at the moment.
LUNA: You just released your latest single “Are We Having Fun Yet?” and I absolutely love the high energy and it gives listeners a really intimate look into self-discovery. What is the inspiration behind the single?
DEFINITELY MAYBE: The inspiration was being really fucking exhausted. We started writing it on a Friday at one in the morning, which was the day we were supposed to leave for LA to do a session where we were going to make two songs. We were going to make “One More Night,” and then we were going to let the producer pick the next one. We were finishing some demos and we were super tired and questioning the whole trip to LA and what we were doing. We talked as a band and said, we have this session in LA and if these songs don’t do well then let's maybe pump the brakes for 2024 and hang it up and not do it anymore. It was with that mentality that I started writing. We tracked the intro of the song that you hear which is the first time I actually sang it out loud and that's how we put the song together the very first night that we wrote it and sent it off to the producer the same day and he ended up picking it to do in LA. It was a very raw and vulnerable song that came out of a very real place and it came together super quickly which is always fun when that happens.
LUNA: This marks your first release of the year and one of the newest releases since your Better Off Undone EP. Have you taken any creative risks – whether that’s lyrically or sonically – with the new releases since the EP and how would you describe that maturity?
DEFINITELY MAYBE: This is tough because these two works sonically were just so different. Specifically in the way we recorded it, like we use real amps and real drums. We hadn't done that before. I think you can tell that it's very raw and a very powerful sound. I think sonically that these last two singles are very different from the EP. One of the risks I would say that we took with these that we aren't used to taking is because of the process of using real amps. We're used to trusting the producer to guide us at the time that we're laying down our takes, rather than being able to change the sounds later. We had to trust our producer upfront and he told us he had a vision for the songs and he wanted to pull them in a new direction – especially with “Are We Having Fun Yet?” There’s a rawness and an unevenness in a perfect way, like in a way that really brings the emotion of the lyrics forward, so we had to trust him from day one that he was going to be able to put all the pieces together in the way that he imagined.
LUNA: What can listeners expect from this new era of music?
DEFINITELY MAYBE: No two songs are going to be the same. They're all very different. We found some of our favorite collaborators to work with and we feel like we are very close to finally landing on our sound, which is exciting and something we had struggled with for a bit at the beginning. I think they can expect more rawness, more vulnerability, more tough questions, and I think they can expect a little more darkness. “Are We Having Fun Yet?” and “One More Night” both have this levity to them even though they had their heavy subject matters. I think we really allowed ourselves to go deeper and darker into a more of a spooky place with some of these ones coming up.
LUNA: How does it feel to put such vulnerable songs out into the world when it comes from very intimate places?
DEFINITELY MAYBE: I know it can be scary for some people. It is sometimes scary for me, but it's just something that comes easily to me, especially after losing my sister to suicide in 2020. I learned the harm that comes when you keep secrets and when you don't tell people how you feel or you don't ask someone how they feel and the consequences of keeping those things under lock and key. I've rarely regretted opening up and it usually brings deeper connections and more people into your life and that's where the magic happens with music and where people can truly relate.
LUNA: What do you love the most about “Are We Having Fun Yet?” Is there a certain lyric or message that stands out to you the most?
DEFINITELY MAYBE: We had a lot of fun yelling ‘that's bullshit’ in the studio, but even more fun when we tracked the clean radio edit. We had to yell ‘that’s bogus’ instead of that bullshit over and over and it was really funny. I think my favorite part of “Are We Having Fun Yet?” was making it. It was the first time we had our drummer out to a session, and it was a really nice time to be together as a group, being creative and getting to work in an incredible studio with some incredible people.
LUNA: What is something you absolutely need in your space when you’re feeling a creative spark hitting you?
DEFINITELY MAYBE: That's something that's remained fairly fluid for us. I think the hardest part upfront when we were toying with the idea of writing music together was figuring out how to all come together on something, and one of the best things for us when we are in the middle of our process is keeping that momentum going. But there's a lot of stuff that we can do to mentally prepare. Normally when we write, it centers around an idea – like a lyric or a melody or a guitar riff – and we’ve recently started writing from scratch with producers and ourselves. Recently, I’ve been riding my peloton and I’ve been taking a lot of inspiration from the things that instructors say which are always spiritual and trying to motivate you. In one of our unreleased songs that's coming out in March called “I Don't Sleep At Night,” that concept came out of something Ally Love said on peloton during one of her 30 minute rides. It was about how people are very uncomfortable sitting in silence and even sleeping in silence, and it's because we're so scared of what's inside of us. That inspired that entire song, and that's probably my favorite song that we've ever made.
LUNA: You guys are part of Chicago’s DIY music scene, and for any readers who aren’t familiar with Chicago’s music scene, how has the scene and its community inspired or impacted your sound?
DEFINITELY MAYBE: Our scene is wild, it’s so big but also so small. We've had a lot of our friends alongside us. The scene in Chicago is very welcoming – and the whole Midwest – and we've got some close band friends in Milwaukee and Denver, and then we've got a bunch of bands in Chicago that we're close with, which is awesome. They've embraced us and taken us in and they're just very encouraging. I think the general vibe of the Chicago music scene is collaboration over competition, so there's a lot of people don't talk shit, unless it's necessary. They're very open to newcomers. We've always been treated like we were somebody, because when you're a little band and you have 100 monthly listeners and the only people at your shows are your parents, it's nice when people have respect for your art and what you do. That translates to the venues and how we’ve been treated by show runners, front of the house people and venue staff.
LUNA: How are you feeling in this current era of your career and what does the rest of the year look like for you that you would like to share with Luna ?
DEFINITELY MAYBE: We're feeling pretty pumped. We have three more unreleased songs that we made in Nashville in December that are almost ready to go, so we'll put one out around early March and then we're thinking of having the other two bundled into an EP that will come out in mid-to-late April. We're starting to play out of state more, and I think our biggest goal for this year would be to get on a tour to play some support shows for an artist. We’re definitely onto something this year. When these feelings inspired “Are We Having Fun Yet?” and started hitting us, it feels like a turning point. We’ve hit a wave of positivity and people are really connecting with us, so hopefully that continues through the rest of this year. Every comment and share is meaningful and impactful. We’ve been doing our best to engage with everybody that engages with us.
