As gigs are on pause, Home is the new Backstage. Get behind the scenes with Happy. this week.

Hot off the heels of the release of their new album Imposter Syndrome, we chat with Happy.‘s vocalist Tate Logan about the importance of artist-fan relationships and finding new ways of encouraging creativity during these challenging times. He also shares what advice he would give to his pre-lockdown self.

What advice would you give to your pre-lockdown self?

“Don’t be so hard on yourself dude!” I struggle with depression and anxiety so this whole thing has definitely amplified that. However, I’ve discovered all sorts of new things that I love to do. So part 2 to this answer would be “You’ll find you like Badminton, Mario Kart, Puzzles and Uno, so start practising now and maybe you’ll be able to beat your fiancée by the end of this.” haha

How, if at all, did lockdown impact your music-making and producing process?

We were very lucky that we finished recording this album before lockdown happened. However, filming music videos and promoting the album during lockdown has been a very interesting experience. Not being able to tour is a huge bummer, but we are super grateful to have fans that stay connected with us through social media. We’ve found all sorts of new ways to reach our fans and it’s been amazing! We’ve been writing lots of new music in our downtime, and preparing our live show to be the absolute best it can be!

What has been the most unexpected/challenging part of lockdown, whether pleasant or unpleasant?

Reminding ourselves that this is happening to everyone, not just us. It’s really easy to feel like we are falling behind not being able to play shows, but all other bands and artists are in the same boat. It’s been really inspiring to watch our music scene thrive through these trying times. Everyone has been supporting each other and cheering each other on. There has been a lot of creativity in finding new ways to put out art this year.

How would you sum up your 2020 in one sentence?

We miss playing live for our fans.

If you had a quarantine character, what was it like?

This is embarrassing but I’m going to admit it; I have had days where I miss live shows SO BAD that I’ve thrashed around my living room with my guitar to our new album pretending like I was playing for a crowd. Oh boy, I’m bored.

Name 5 things that got you through lockdown.

Iced coffee. Puzzles. Horror movies. My Favorite Murder Podcast. Our fans. Days start to run together, so I try to do a least one different or new thing every day. These 5 things are a constant though!

What’s the most interesting thing you discovered over lockdown (could be a revelation about yourself, a new TV show, a new hobby)?

I’m actually good at taking care of house plants!! I’ve never had any luck keeping literally any plant alive in the past, but being home so much has changed that! haha. I have like 10 plants in our house right now that are alive and have been since March! Like, What?! Also, I learned that I’m an awesome “stay at home dog dad”. I’ve also been watching some new shows like The Haunting of Bly Manor, Monsterland, The Vow, Room 104 and Schitts Creek!

What lockdown trend do you think we should take into the future, and which ones should we ditch?

A lot of the trends, such as curbside pickup, really helps with accessibility in our country. I think we should absolutely keep that. If we were able to accommodate things like that so easily for the lockdown, we should be able to keep doing it for the people in our country who need it even when the pandemic is over. As far as ditching any trends, that’s hard to say with everything still so up in the air. I just want everyone to be safe.

What are your hopes and dreams for 2021?

I hope we are able to tour safely again. That’s my biggest dream, to be able to see our fans again and thank them for their support in person. I also hope we make some big changes in our country towards equality.

What does music mean to you?

Everything. It is the soundtrack to everything. Good times, bad times, happy times, sad times. Music always finds a way to be relevant in every single aspect of my life. I don’t know who I would be without it.