New Year’s Day from California recently released a single and closed their 2022 tours. However, the band isn’t slowing down. With new music on the horizon — as well as the tenth anniversary of their 2013 breakout album, Victim to Villain — the band is spending the holidays with family and friends before gearing up for the next big chapter. PopCulture.com spoke briefly with Ash Costello (the band’s charismatic vocalist) to learn more about their plans. Ash also shared her thoughts on how she feels. Christmas NightmareThis Thanksgiving film.
However, first, we wanted to ask about the new single by the band. “Hurts Like Hell,” This marks the beginning of a new era in New Years Day. Costello states that it was not intentional. “We didn’t mean for it to be that way at all. I had been kind of lackadaisically writing music on and off throughout the pandemic with our songwriting team. And we’ve been experimenting with all kinds of stuff, experimenting with ballads, experimenting with songs that sound more like “Shut up” where it’s not as heavy, it’s almost rhythmic and R&B influenced. I’m heavily influenced by Kehlani. And it just came to be very quickly and we didn’t really put much thought into it. We weren’t trying to write that song. That was our first step back out.”
She said, “We would turn in songs and you’d get the email chain back from the team. You got A&R goes, ‘Great song.’ And the manager goes, ‘Good job.’ But with this song, everyone chimed in, they’re like, ‘Oh my God, we need to roll. We need to roll now.'” She laughed, “I was like, ‘What… I’ve got the pandemic 25. My roots are grown out like this… I’m not ready to roll.” After getting our stomachs in order, we closed our eyes, took a deep breathe, then leapt from the ledge. It was all I had hoped for and more.”
When asked if her R&B influences could signal a new sound for New Years Day, Costello confessed, “We’re still halfway through the record, so it’s not yet clear. Next week I’ll pick up my tape again. It’s all in my head, so I already have ideas of how it should sound. While I like it to be eclectic and have many influences, I also want it to reflect my own tastes.”
She added, “Also, it will likely end up very heavy. And on the other side, very melodic and R&B and Kehlani-influenced. It would be nice to be able to cross the border right at the middle. That’s what I don’t know yet. It sounds good in my head, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will sound great on paper. We’ll just have to wait and see.
Costello said later, “It is a very odd job that I have. The thought never left my mind. It is something I am constantly thinking about. My job is to get whatever I have in my head onto paper. Then, it becomes a song. And hopefully other people will think it’s cool. It’s actually my job. When you take it all down, it becomes a lot less scary when you really think about it.”
Next year, 2023, will mark one decade since the band released their sophomore record, Victim to Villain, and Costello told us that she certainly wants to find a way to “Remember” the occasion. “A song we released on is one of our biggest achievements. Villain to Victim Call it “Angel Eyes.” This will be 10th anniversary next year. That would be a great way to remember it.”
She continued, “The number of views is probably around 12 million, or some crazy figure. It also has 15 million YouTube hits. That era really changed the lives of many people. It is something I want to remember in some way next. It’s something that I am still not certain of, but it was a great song. It’s something we will, hopefully, make special.”
While taking stock of New Years Day’s past is important to Costello, she also is quick to clarify that the band’s future is not predicated on that reflection. “Because it is ever-shifting, its horizons are always open. It doesn’t stop. It never stops. We have all changed as a group, and what we are trying to achieve has also changed.”
Elle continued, saying that “We are very fortunate to have some of our OG members back.” Our OG line-up is back, except for our drummer who’s new. While he has been in the band for 2 years, he’s still relatively young compared to others. It is always changing. You can’t help but change. The goals are bound to change as the year progresses.”
Finally, shifting gears, we asked Costello — an avid horror fan — if she has any holiday horror movies she likes to rewatch this time of year, and she did not disappoint on her selections. “Horror Christmas films are something we all enjoy. Black Christmas. Then there was another one. I believe that it was the “New One”. Be on the lookout… Although I do not want it to be given away, this is a wonderful Christmas movie.”
She also noted both Gremlins and Jack Frost are great holiday horror movies, and then added, “However, I believe Nightmare Before Christmas This Thanksgiving film.” When asked what sparked this opinion, Costello explained, “Because it falls between Christmas and Halloween… And because we don’t have much to celebrate Thanksgiving. It’s a good idea. Attack on Killer Turkeys We don’t have to be concerned about that.