Trueblood is a powerhouse punk and alternative rock band from Southern California made up of four brothers: Mason (vocals/guitar), Dylan (lead guitar), Ethan (bass), and Cameron (drums) with ages ranging from 13 to 19. The group has been performing all around California, whether it’s a music festival, a local gig, or a paid show at a known venue, they have managed to keep giving their audience a performance that they have yet to forget with one fan saying their live show was well worth bringing their mom along for, and that they were eagerly anticipating attending the band's tour stops in cities like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh at the time.
Despite building a massive following through singles and mashups, the group had never dropped a formal project until now. Since launching in November 2024, the band has exploded online, racking up over 1 billion views in less than a year. Their singles “Morning Shade” and “Careless Whisper” (which happens to be a George Michael cover) has over 8 million streams combined.
On September 18th the quarter officially released their debut EP, “First Impressions”, under Mercury Records (Universal Music Group). The five-track EP opens with "Paint A Picture," a track so cinematic it feels tailor-made for a television soundtrack. The song grabs your attention immediately, reaching its peak during a powerful chorus and heavy breakdown. Driven by vulnerable lyrics like "So maybe falling in love, is just a game I lose," the intro sets the emotional stage for the rest of the project as we can all relate. Throughout the EP, Trueblood dives deep into raw, universal experiences that listeners can easily connect with. The tracks navigate a heavy emotional landscape, focusing on several core themes:
Heartbreak and Betrayal: Processing the pain of fractured relationships and broken trust.
Stress and Reflection: Dealing with the pressure of modern life while looking back at past memories.
Universal Relatability: Capturing the bittersweet feeling of looking back at what used to be—something everyone experiences, whether they admit it or not.
With its sharp production and emotional weight, “First Impressions” is a definitive must-listen that proves Trueblood is well worth the international hype. A few weeks ago I was given a chance to attend a Q&A with the quartet, and they got to touch on their upbringing, their new music, and what life has been like for them lately as teenagers who have newfound fame. When asked about their audience and core fan base, they said, “We’re still working to build our audience. Most people discovered us through our cover or on TikTok, and we’ve gradually been directing fans toward our original music. It’s been a long process, so releasing this project has been a meaningful way to establish our identity. We’ve been doing this for a while, and we’re grateful to have found an audience.”
I asked how the four of them decide together on the direction of their music and image. They explained, “Since we grew up together, we tend to agree on a lot, and disagreements about songwriting or creative ideas are rare. As Dylan says, because we all live in the same house, we can work through any differences that come up. If we all like a potential single, we’ll usually choose it. There have been times when three of us liked a song but one person didn’t, so we decided not to release it. We know that once something is shared on social media, it’s there to stay, so we make sure we’re all on the same page before moving forward.”
