After more than a year of single releases promoting their debut record, Diva Bleach has finally unleashed their 10-track collection, Can You Keep A Secret?, via InVogue Records. Guided by a series of deeply personal and intimate tracks that the group began releasing with the launch of “Out Of My Head” in August 2023, the duo—vocalist/bassist Sydney Roten and guitarist Brie Ritter—brims with vulnerability surrounding relationships and self-discovery.
With the full release now available and the push-and-pull tension of their electrifying focus single, “Obsessed,” we had the chance to chat with Diva Bleach about their creative process, navigating the uptick of nostalgia as an up-and-coming artist with festivals like Warped Tour and When We Were Young sprouting up, and more.
Read our full interview with Diva Bleach below.
Marking your debut full-length album, what was the most challenging part of making Can You Keep A Secret?
Honestly, making the album wasn’t challenging at all, we had a lot of fun writing these songs. The ideas flowed naturally, and we never felt stuck.
The album is described as a “collection of diary entries.” What is the most personal topic you shared across the release, and what helped make you feel comfortable sharing it? Were there any topics, stories, or experiences in your lives that were off-limits while writing and recording?
The main theme of this album is being honest with yourself and allowing yourself to feel your feelings and reflect on life events. Because we are close friends, honest songwriting comes easily when we’re creating together. There wasn’t really anything that was off-limits.
If you had to select one track for new listeners to hear that would give them a sense of who Diva Bleach is, what song would you recommend to them from the album?
“Hate Me.”
You draw inspiration from an array of iconic scene artists such as Hey Monday, The Veronicas, Tonight Alive, and more. What about those artists pulls you into their music, and how have you injected that into your own musings?
We like how their lyrics are heartfelt and genuine. The songs from those artists feel personal while still being upbeat and fun. We like to have a similar approach when making our own songs.
Were there any best-kept secrets that you couldn’t share with fans while you were writing and recording Can You Keep A Secret?
“We Don’t Talk About It” *wink wink*
As you’re preparing to perform at 8123 Fest this week, are there any other major festivals like Warped Tour or When We Were Young that you hope to perform at in the future?
We’d love to play at Warped or When We Were Young, also Shiprocked, or Parahoy if it were to come back. We’d be ecstatic to play at any major festival.
Speaking of Warped Tour, there’s a resurgence of scene nostalgia present in our alternative music community. How do you navigate that terrain as a new, up-and-comer?
Growing up in the early 2000s shaped our interests, music tastes, style, etc. and that allows us to keep it fresh but still pull inspiration from nostalgia. While we do love nostalgia, we also listen to lots of contemporary music that inspires us.
Is there anything you want the fans to know about the album or a message to them?
We hope you can relate to the songs and have fun listening to them. Thanks for supporting us and allowing us to create!
