Catch Your Breath has been blowing up in the past couple of years. Their hit singles, "Shame On Me" and "Dial Tone," have really helped them reach a wider audience, as well as consistent touring, and they've been rapidly on the rise. The rock quartet, formed in 2017, is comprised of Josh Mowery (vocals), Teddy Herrera (guitar), Cianan Madigan (bass), and Onell Hernandez (drums).
They have just released their latest track, "Ghost Inside the Shell." On the single, vocalist Josh Mowery shares, “Ghost Inside The Shell is a song about life’s struggles catching up to you. You aren’t sure where things went wrong or why they never seem to work out, but you are at the end of your rope and need an escape.”
I recently had the opportunity to chat with the band about the creative process behind "Ghost Inside the Shell," what success looks like to them, their upcoming tour with Dayseeker, and more! Read on for our exclusive interview with Catch Your Breath!
Your music masterfully blends elements of different genres and styles. How do you approach genre and style when writing and recording music?
That really depends on what kind of song and mood we want to do and how we feel at the time, mentally and emotionally. But overall in general, we come into it like 'What if Lewis Capaldi, Benny Blanco, and Ed Sheeran wrote a song together? And what would that sound like if it turned Rock?' So we try to have that mindset, especially vocally, in our music. I think someone said it once best that we just write Lewis Capaldi songs but made Rock!
“Dial Tone” is well over 65 *million* streams. Did you have a moment that felt like you’ve “made it”? What does success look like to you?
Right, and that's just on Spotify alone! It is the craziest feeling in the world that it has so many streams. We definitely don't feel like we've 'made it' yet lol but one moment we'll never forget is when we were on tour with Falling In Reverse and Ice Nine Kills, sold out arena, and so many people put out their lights for us when we played "Dial Tone." We got everyone singing along at the end. There's different levels of success and each person has a different view of when they see themselves as successful. I guess success looks like to me when you can help and provide for family, live comfortably, and do all the things you want to do without thinking about it.
You recently collaborated with rapper Ryan Oakes on “Perfect World.” What do you enjoy most about collaborating, and how do you approach working with other artists in the studio?
We love Ryan so much! He's a great dude and super fun to hang with. The best thing about collaborating is you get to think of stuff you never would have thought of yourself because everyone is spitballing ideas and it's all built off each other. We approach it as if they are part of the band and treated equally in our co-writing sessions with everyone else. It gives the best results we've seen.
What do you think sets your music apart in such a crowded industry?
Our mindset and the way we approach songwriting and production in this space. Creating music that will touch people in their hearts and souls. The relatability. The catchiest of unforgettable melodies we can possibly think of.
Can you share a little bit about the creative process for “Ghost Inside the Shell”?
Yeah! Super transparent, how the very birth of that song came to be. We all went out to get pizza and one of our producers stayed behind. When we came back they showed us a quick beat they put together, and that beat is what you hear in the intro of the song today! Then we all sat down and made it into a full CYB rock song.
Any interesting stories or challenges you faced?
Not much I can think of right now. But the biggest challenges we face are surviving on the road and surviving when we're not. It feels like every week prices of groceries and everything else keeps going up and up and it's hard to keep up. Huge shoutout to all the fans and supporters that are helping us stay afloat by buying our merch at shows! People really truly don't understand nor begin to comprehend how much buying a shirt really helps and the impact they make. Bottom of our hearts, thank you!
What are you most looking forward to with your Fall tour with Dayseeker?
Hanging out and making friends with the entire tour package! And playing new songs we have never done before. Most excited for one song we're doing that we think will be our next "Dial Tone," if not bigger.
How do you connect with your audience during live performances, especially considering the emotional nature of your music?
When we perform, we don't just play, we play our hearts out! Put all the emotions into our playing. We try to speak on what each song is about in a sentence or two so we take everyone on the same journey.
Can you share any personal experiences that have significantly influenced your music or lyrics?
The death of our family members and heartbreaks from our serious loves. Really, that can influence anyone, especially when it happens back to back.
What do you do outside of music to find inspiration?
Find people to break our hearts! Just kidding. We love listening to music outside of our space, like whatever the most stream songs are in the country for the week and stuff like that. A great songwriter once told us 'if you listen to great music, you'll write great music.'
Lastly, do you have anything else that you’d like to share with your fans?
Please, please, please, come to our shows near you and share our new songs anywhere and everywhere! Don't forget to Pre-Save our Deluxe album coming out soon! Can't wait to headbang, and sing along with y'all on tour!
