Miami based, two member collective, Disguise Blue are not just well known for their witty word play. This dynamic duo made up of Liam O’Brien and John Nichols are taking the mainstream music industry by storm. The two met in Bruce Hornsby Songwriters Program at the University of Miami and have stayed connected ever since. Fusing John’s alternative writing style with Liam’s more pop vibe elements they decided to establish Disguise Blue, a genre-bending creation that melds both members into one common and explosive sound.
Disguise Blue plans to release their first three tracks throughout the Summer of 2019. Their debut release and a hot summer pop anthem is titled “So Good” and staying true to its name it does not disappoint. Layers of catchy piano riffs, bass, and melodious lyricism blast through the speakers. Liam and John possess an evident chemistry through their creation of music. On top of being an addicting track, “So Good” boasts a certain developed confidence that cannot be faked. Disguise Blue’s feel good and lighthearted track “So Good” makes the listener want to get up and dance and escape into the refreshing music. The new wave sound and increasingly alluring duo of Disguise Blue has made their ambitious debut and we hope they’re here to stay. Liam O’Brien and John Nichols are a powerhouse duo with much more to come!
Check out “So Good” here and read more below in our exclusive interview!
Hi guys! How did you come up with the name Disguise Blue?
We knew we wanted the name to make absolutely no sense, yet also make a ton of sense. The goal was to be ambiguous. We wanted people to ask questions about our name. Then John got this new notebook that was a really cool shade of blue and we kind of just started putting words together and Disguise Blue came out and we both said "this could mean so many things...it's perfect." It even sounds like other things: "The Sky's Blue, This Guy's Blue". It also sounds like a spy movie! This added a fun and goofy side to the brand, which we already knew we wanted to have, but to have it in the name was even better.
What musical influences did you each have growing up? How do you they inspire you?
John: Red Hot Chili Peppers, specifically John Frusciante, is probably my primary guitar influence. Muse taught me to always have a theatrical performance and to not be afraid to be grandiose. Coheed and Cambria inspired me to strive to create an immersive world with my projects, and that people will connect to more than just the music.
Liam: My first big musical influences growing up were anything and everything classic rock, inspired by my brother and dad's favorite artists. As a piano player, Billy Joel, Elton John, and Queen molded into my three favorites. I also had a musical theater background which kind of went with my love for their music. When I started writing, people would say they could hear the Billy and the show tune vibes. As I started exploring more music, I discovered Eric Hutchinson, Andy Grammer, Justin Timberlake, Ed Sheeran, and more. All artists who I admired for their talent, their writing, and their good vibes. The music I wrote evolved, but is still supported by the back bone of my childhood favorites.
Can you describe the advantages and disadvantages of having diverse musical tastes within your duo?
Oh man. Advantages: we create things we would've never expected to create. Sometimes things we haven't even heard from any other artists before. We'll ask in the studio: "Whose production should we try to get inspiration from? Well, I don't even know who's written anything like this...um...so, we just do whatever we want?" It works quite well. Disadvantages: we're both perfectionists and strong minded, so our initial reaction with everything is to write it exactly as we hear it and argue our side. So, obviously there's friction, but it's a good friction. We're both adults and know how to swallow our pride, accept our differences, and sit back and remember: "Right, this is why we're doing this. Let's make a hybrid out of our ideas and make something we haven't heard before." Did I just flip that into an advantage? Yes, I did.
We love your debut track “So Good”! How do you want listeners to react to this song?
When we started this project, we wanted people to feel a lot of things listening to our music, but there was one standout: positivity. We want people to feel uplifted and inspired from the songs we write. There's something about Disguise Blue that's so mysterious and positive to us, and our music should reflect that same message. With this song in particular, we wanted people to remember that even when the negative things in life build up and are closing in on you, there must be a positive somewhere that keeps you going, keeps you feeling good.
Any release dates for your next tracks you want to mention?
As we finish up some of the content to go along with the next tracks, we'll be adding dates to the calendar. So, stay tuned, but more music will be coming shortly!
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