An Interview with The Aces
Since releasing their debut album, When My Heart Felt Volcanic, in 2018, The Aces have long since been making a name for themselves. From supporting X Ambassadors and 5 Seconds of Summer on tour, their long-awaited sophomore album, Under My Influence, released last summer has further solidified the band’s passion for telling truthful song stories from the perspective of growing up, falling in love, and self-discovery through a tight-knit, forever friendship can show.
Having just released a collection of B-sides, thanks to the encouragement and anticipation from their die-hard fans, The Aces featured two songs, “Sleepy Eyes” and “Aren’t You” to give listeners an inside look into the foundation that made up the rest of the songwriting heard on Under My Influence.
“These two songs were some of the first we wrote in pursuit of our second record and truly helped shape what Under My Influence became,” the band explains. “They’re the roots of this sonic chapter of The Aces. With that being said, you’re probably confused why they weren’t part of the initial album; and to that we say, we always save the best for last.”
The Aces spoke to Amplify Her Voice to give us insight into their musical journey from where they started to where they are today, the artists that inspire them, and what they hope their fans can take away from their music.
The Aces by Jason Lee
Growing up as lovers of music, who were some women artists you looked up to?
As a band, we have always looked up to Hayley Williams of Paramore and have idolized her musicianship and stage presence. Some other women artists that have inspired us are Whitney Houston, Taylor Swift, and The Runaways.
Describe the moment when you first realized you were going to pursue music as your career?
We have been in the band all together since we were 10 and 12 years old and played together all throughout Jr. High and High School but once we were getting closer to graduating, it came to a point where we had to decide if we were going to keep pursuing music or not. We decided that what we had together was too special and from that point on we started pursuing music as our careers.
Why is it important for you to be able to play your own instruments as well as write your own music?
I think it is important for us to be able to play our own instruments and write our own music because it is what makes us happy and is what we love to do. It is how we express ourselves and performing is how we connect with our fans.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Hire a lawyer before anyone else!
What is the biggest thing you want fans to take away when they listen to your music?
We want our fans to be able to feel like they have a safe space to be themselves when they listen to our music and come to our shows. We want to inspire our listeners to pursue their dreams and help them feel like anything is possible.
The Aces by Jason Lee
Under My Influence was released around the same time the first lockdowns were happening in the US last year. Has quarantine been a creative time for you?
Quarantine has had its ups and downs creatively but we have reached a point where we are feeling super inspired and are making our favorite music we have ever made.
As a band that loves to play live and connect with your audience, the past year must have been difficult when you couldn’t tour. Is there anything you learned or were enlightened to when you realized you couldn’t perform for your fans in the same way you used to?
It has been super tough to not perform at all this past year. Live shows and touring is by far the best part about being in a band and we really miss that connection with our fans. This time has taught us to always be grateful for those memories and to not take those experiences for granted when we do get to tour again.
What has been your most memorable moment with a fan?
We have so many memorable moments with our fans but there is nothing more special to us than when a fan tells us that our shows are the only place where they are out and feel safe or where they have met their closest friends. Our fan base is really special and tight-knit and we love seeing them create their own little communities and friend groups through our music.
What can fans expect from The Aces in 2021, and what are some of your goals for this year?
We are always writing new music and coming up with concepts for visuals and merch so there will be lots more of all of that this year. The second that it is safe for us to tour we will be on the road and coming to a city near you.