All summer, grunge alt-pop sensation, Royal & the Serpent, has been creating heat waves on Fall Out Boy’s So Much For (Tour) Dust run. In an interview earlier this year with idobi’s Nick Major, the mastermind behind the project, Ryan Santiago, reveals, “I’m gonna start dropping two-ish songs at a time, put them on little—we’re gonna call them rat traps… We’re gonna do two songs a month and then eventually they’ll all form one big project.” And she has delivered.
From the sensational RAT TRAP 1: the blueprint double-single “ASTROTURF” and “ONE NATION UNDERDOGS” package, that unknowingly transformed into a LGBTQIA+ anthem during June, to the second installment of releases in the form of RAT TRAP 2: the burn featuring “JUNKIE” and “SLUG,” Royal has been shelling out some of this summer’s greatest hits and introducing them to massive live audiences across the US and Canada as they hit streaming platforms. Royal & the Serpent’s latest releases have certainly become the soundtrack to our summer.
Watch more: Royal & the Serpent Performs “JUNKIE” Live At idobi Studios
Royal & the Serpent stopped by the idobi Studio in North Hollywood to perform an exclusive stripped-down rendition of “SLUG.” Royal and her band come alive amidst the soft hues of the studio, their captivating performance filling every corner of the room. Her haunting vocal delivery effortlessly captures your attention, while the clever, tongue-in-cheek innuendos woven into the lyrics spill from her mouth, leaving you entranced and captivated. Sung through gritted teeth and usually with a devilish grin on her face, Royal ignites the room with lines such as, “Well if you’re so high and mighty/Why’d you love me like a bitch?” and “You think my heart’s an invitation/Well, you’re brutally mistaken/Pretty boy, you’re such a slug.” However, amidst the fiery delivery, she also infuses vulnerability into the chorus, “You’re dragging/My heart/On a rope/Through mud/You’re so cool, you’re so cool,” creating a powerful and emotive performance.
Check out Royal & the Serpent’s performances of “SLUG” and “JUNKIE” and let her set your world on fire.
