Getting to Know… Arrlo | Interview 🎤

For our captivating 172^nd interview, we get insight on the intriguing, rising Riverside, CA alternative-indie pop/rock band, Arrlo.

“The main factor of our uniqueness lies in our lead singer being a transgender male.” That’s an honest and totally reasonable answer from 🎙 Arrlo, who is the latest band to grace our Getting to Know… Q&A series.  To provide some context, the question posed was the first of the interview, the standard ‘what makes you standout’ etc.  The band’s response continues as follows: “We think it adds a whole different perspective for the listener, which in a world of copy and paste, we think might be refreshing for many people.” I certainly agree and furthermore, feel honored to hear the story of the rising Riverside, California alternative-indie pop/rock band.  More spoilers could be highlighted here, on this obligatory introductory paragraph, but they’re totally not necessarily. Let the Q&A – rather the band’s compelling answers to the Q&A – speak for itself! Without further ado, The Musical Hype is hella proud to present 🎤 Getting to Know… Arrlo: Interview No. 172.

Welcome Arrlo! It is an honor to get you to answer some burning questions from The Musical Hype.  We can only hope you’re ready for this action! First things first.  For someone who is completely unfamiliar with Arrlo, what makes your band stand out? How are you distinct or unique?

🎤 I think everyone loves to say that their music is unique, and we like to think so as well, but the main factor of our uniqueness lies in our lead singer being a transgender male. We think it adds a whole different perspective for the listener, which in a world of copy and paste, we think might be refreshing for many people.

Okay, taking things a step further, how does Arrlo rock the audience’s socks off?

🎤 We all believe that energy is a huge factor in performing, and we always try to play every show like it’s our last. A little Pilates and yoga before a show never hurts either.

What were the musical beginnings of Arrlo? How did the band form and what were some of the goals or visions you had early on?

🎤 Coming out of the Inland Empire region of California, Singer 🎙 Sunni Suede and guitarist 🎙 Jimmi Stepanik used to play in a band when they were younger. After that project had ended, Sunni went on to pair up with a duo that are best friends, 🎙 Alex Vera (bassist) and 🎙 Jimmy Brooks (drummer). The three played in a group from 2017 until late 2020 when Sunni Suede rekindled with ex-bandmate Jimmi Stepanik. The four now assembled Arrlo, with our first two singles being released February 2021.

As far as goals go for the group, we really want to be a beacon of hope and an outlet for those who struggle with their identity. To break into the music industry as an LGBTQ 🏳️‍🌈 act, become an example for the generations in behind us, as well as continue to educate the ones ahead of us. In short, leave the world better than we found it.

Following up on the previous question, have your goals or your perspectives changed since first starting out? What do your aspirations look like now?

🎤 Since this project is at its start, we are constantly thinking of new ways to promote ourselves online and build a bigger audience. Anything that we are able to do DIY, and save a bit of cash, we try to do it. For example, our video for 🎵 “WFTWTE” was shot and directed by us, renting a 4K camera and barely knowing how to use it. Then we just paid our friend Blake to edit, and then POOF. 

Influences, influences, influences! Who would you consider some of your biggest musical influences and how are they influential? This can be collective or individual – take it and run with it! 

🎤 Alrighty… collectively our band takes inspiration from the styles of Twenty-One Pilots and The 1975, but individually it spans much more broad than that.  For example, our drummer takes influence from Periphery, Rush, Dream Theater, Aerosmith, Lamb of God, Megadeth, and Avenged Sevenfold.  Alex, our bassist, is influenced by The Beatles, Alice In Chains, Audioslave, Stone Temple Pilots, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Royal Blood, Slash, Tool, Tyler, The Creator, Polyphia, and Cane Hill.  Our guitarist Jimmi is inspired by Green Day, A$AP Rocky, The Delfonics, Rage Against The Machine, Big Sean, Mac Miller, The White Stripes, and Oasis.  And Sunni derives from the styles of Linkin Park, Staind, Dave Matthews, Halsey, The Neighbourhood, Miley Cyrus, Bad Suns, and Dominic Fike. Despite the variety of artists we pull from, our chemistry brings a cohesive blend of precise songwriting and overall vibes.  We take pride in the differences that make us up.

Up until this point in your career, what would you describe as your favorite song you’ve recorded? What makes that particular song special? 

🎤 Since we are a fairly new band it’s gotta be a song that is unreleased. I don’t wanna name drop or anything but… The song is called 🎵 “Play.” We are currently in the middle of re-recording and mixing it. It’s honestly just a banger top to bottom. It’s one of those songs that we already know that once venues fully open back up again, it’s gonna be an opener or closer. The song just carries a lot of energy, oozes sex appeal, and has a nice spinoff of a video game-esque, double entendre to it. We cannot wait to release this one to say the least!

Okay, let’s get deep here – are you ready? Sunni, as a transgender frontman, to what degree would you say your life experience influences your music? Furthermore, what message would you like to share with the LGBTQIA+ 🏳️‍🌈 community as well as the world as a whole? 

🎤 Sunni: I would say my trans experience has influenced a couple songs, but I do write about other people’s experience as well. My writing alter ego is basically Bruno Mars so I try to add a lot of sex appeal to the songs, without always being on-the-nose about it, regardless of my identity. My message to the LGBTQIA+ community is to not take yourself too seriously. Your identity is just a part of you, not all of you. Try to love yourself, laugh at your pitfalls, and make them into armor. Always check our privileges and don’t paint yourself with a broad stroke. Be patient with people and be patient with yourself.

Right on 💪! Moving beyond heavier things, is there anything else awesome, cool, or left of center the world should know about Arrlo, individually or collectively? Secret talents or surprising tidbits?

🎤 Some off-the-wall never would have guessed facts about Arrlo would be that guitarist Jimmi Stepanik is a former foster care youth. Coming from an unstable upbringing, he led on to be the first in his family to graduate college with a four-year degree and falls within the alarmingly less than 2% rate of formerly foster youths who go on to graduate college. Bassist Alex Vera is quite the comic and impressionist. He on command, will give spot on performances of Patrick Star, Stewie Griffin, The Arby’s, “We have the meats,” guy, Carl Wheezer, and many others. 

Closing things out, what is Arrlo currently working on, promoting that you can share with us or want us to know about? We love secrets, but there’s no pressure.  

🎤 Right now, we are currently working on recording a handful songs that will be released over the year. Some are demos at the moment and others are almost ready to go. We hope to get into a groove in which we are dropping a single every 4-6 weeks for our fans. It’s almost an addition to us really, – the love of working on music.

Thanks so much for sharing taking the time to answer these burning questions.  Keep us posted about any future endeavors! 

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Getting to Know… Arrlo: Interview No. 172 [📷: Arrlo, Brent Faulkner, The Musical Hype]