LOVE, LIFE AND (FRIDAY NIGHT) LIGHTS WITH HEY, NOTHING
Not all teenagers stay up late to write songs, or skip math classes to record music, but Tyler Mabry and Harlow Phillips of Hey, Nothing weren’t big school people anyway. While releasing the first wave of music for their rising band, their final years of high school involved a lot of sweet talking (they’re from Georgia anyway), keeping their heads down, and eventually going “full music mode”.
Getting their start in high school wasn’t a life of luxury in or out of school, however. They had to balance credibility of their soulful lyrics, being the youngest in the room, and math homework after shows.
“I remember being in middle school and one of the counselors in a career prep class made us take this survey. I put musician as my A plan, and then the counselor was like, ‘you should probably have a B plan,’” Mabry recalled. “So basically, my motives these days, the only reason I do it is just Mr. Zorn.”
Photos provided by hey, nothing
Their current goal? Keep their music as pure as it was when they first started for as long as possible. Through the quirks of every song the duo’s natural connection, and willingness to let life come at them shines through, cementing their one of a kind humor and bond in tracks that will live for ever.
Tyler and Harlow are creatives, best friends, and above all soap drama fans. They’re not afraid to dedicate a night, Tuesday (ifykyk), to television binges, pizzas with friends, and yelling at pre-recorded television screenings. While planning Tyler’s wedding with Olivia Rodrigo they’re also producing a group of songs that they feel embody all hey, nothing has come to be, and simply deserve to be in the world.
Going back to their roots of small studio sessions and the duets that make them happiest, they feel the most love surrounding music since recording hit song “i haunt ur dreams”. With this stripped journey they’re working on not compromising their stories for statistics.
“It started with us putting up a TikTok that we were in [Tyler’s] backyard. That song that we wrote when we were like 14, and that one went insanely viral and we were just like, ’It’s a cool song. It's whatever,’” said Phillips.
“We write naturally, and what we have to say, or want to say, is usually what does well,” added Mabry.
Photos provided by hey, nothing
See, feel and hear the immense love and joy that radiates from hey, nothing in Brooklyn on May 2 or Philadelphia on May 3. Maybe have yourself a weekend. See them while the venues are still small, sweaty, smelly, and full of the wonder and magic of the basement shows they grew up with. Cry, scream, and jump around. Hey, nothing means anything anyway.