KIND VILLAIN THE NEXT GEN POP-ROCK ARTIST SHARES HIS AMBITIONS OF BREAKING INTO THE MAINSTREAM WITH HIS NEW SINGLE 'BEDROOM GENIUS'

Next gen pop-rock is the speciality of Kind Villain, a 26 year-old who is taking his burgeoning hometown reputation in Tampa to new audiences across the world. Having recently explored issues of neurodiversity with 'I'm A Little Off', Kind Villain now powers forward with the follow-up single 'Bedroom Genius'.

While the rapid appeal of pop and the unrestrained energy of rock are Kind Villain's core elements, 'Bedroom Genius' shows how he mixes more elements into his forward-thinking sound. Effervescent pop-punk guitar melody, post-hardcore screams and alt-pop synth flourishes all push his sonic attack into a fresh, visceral direction.

Lyrically it captures the anticipation of knowing you have something special and waiting for that breakthrough moment. And as all manner of iconic artists have experienced, it only takes that one outstanding song to rise from the underground and into the global consciousness.

Kind Villain - real name Ev Frederick - says, "For me, 'Bedroom Genius' is a song that captures the highs and lows of chasing a dream in modern society. You're always comparing yourself to an influencer and not to yourself and where you were yesterday, and that causes destructive thinking. There are moments where you feel like you can take on the world and moments where you feel the world has defeated you, hence the transition in tone and emotion throughout the song.

This song continues the theme of the human condition that 'I'm A Little Off' had by tackling the emotions of trying to build a life in this social media era. It's a mental health warzone, and you have to gear up for the firefight to make it through."

The track was co-written by Kind Villain with his collaborator, the multi-platinum producer Paul Trust. He was able to use Kind Villan's incredible dynamics and emotive range to express the feeling of an unknown artist, frantic to show the world what he's capable of.  The idea of the song came from a late-night conversation about the modern-day music scene and the struggle of young artists. As he adds, "It feels like instead of a clear path, it's like a maze that you have to navigate, and some never make it through." 

Ev Frederick had only just hit his teens when he started sneaking into a rock bar in Tampa, and the local cover bands immediately recognised his talents and would invite him on stage to sing. And he was still a teenager when he founded Kind Villain, his next gen pop-rock anthems inspired by artists as diverse as Linkin Park, Green Day, Panic! At The Disco, Yungblud, Joan Jett, Prince and Taylor Swift.

While it's still early in his rise, Kind Villain have been recognised with a host of acclaim at Creative Loafing's Best of the Bay awards, winning Best Vocalist and Best Song, as well as three Best Concert nominations. He's dreaming big as he levels up his growing reputation, citing Paramore and All Time Low as bands he would like to tour with, and choosing headlining Glastonbury and Coachellaas his ultimate ambition.