Tempo Talks: A Conversation with Davvn

THE RELEASE

Emerging from a shared passion, from the landscapes of AIM and MySpace Davvn is a duo consisting of vocalist McCall and guitarist/producer Mike. Hailing from Nashville their music takes listeners on a journey to the early 2000s with pop punk vibes infused with a contemporary alternative sound. Their rise to prominence was fueled by hits, including their revamped version of "1985" featuring Bowling for Soup. Davvn beautifully captures the bittersweet moments of the pink and blue morning hours symbolizing the transition from night to dawn. McCall and Mikes connection blossomed during their year in college in Boston, where they bonded over their shared love for pop punk and 2000s pop music. After relocating to Nashville they joined forces with producer Andrew Gomez (known for his collaborations with John Harvie and Lost Stars) solidifying their position, in the industry. As they prepare for a year in 2024 Davvn is poised to deliver a fresh wave of pop/rock anthems that resonate deeply with both nostalgic hearts and those seeking contemporary musical experiences.

"Care Less" stands out as an anthem, for those who're often people pleasers and have mastered the art of holding back their true thoughts around self centered friends. Combining the sounds of punk/rock artists like Avril Lavigne and Charlotte Sands with elements of hyperpop/electronic music, this song takes listeners on an exciting journey. With a heart-pounding rhythm section and guitar riffs that cut through the ground, "Care Less" serves as both a means to escape through sound and a rallying point for individuals navigating the challenging landscape of friendships those with long and complicated histories. This confrontational track not only offers a cathartic outlet but also fosters a sense of community among those who have felt the need to sever ties, with harmful companions.

THE INTERVIEW

If you had to create a Mount Rushmore of inspiration, what four individuals molded the artist you are today?

I love this question! We’re hugely inspired by early 2000s female artists like Avril Lavigne, Michelle Branch, and Hilary duff. For more modern artists, we love what Taylor Acorn and Charlotte Sands have been building and of course we’re huge Paramore stans still too.

Were there any specific experiences or events in your life that influenced the song's lyrics?

Too many haha. We’ve been through bad relationships, bad friendships, and plenty of people who’ve “walked over us” that inspired this song. The song is inspired by growing apart from friends from high school / college and realizing that maybe those friendships weren’t as healthy or meaningful as you once thought they were.

Can you share any interesting anecdotes about the song's development with your co-writers or producers?

We wrote this one with one of our good friends in Nashville, John Towsend. He came into the studio with us and wrote this awesome riff that became the base of the verse. We started coming up with lines and tried to be as witty as possible. We eventually came up with the idea of “could care less” as the chorus, talking about how we know we shouldn’t be so invested in this friendship, but we can’t help ourselves but be hurt. 

Once we finished writing the song, we took it to a few different producers - both Ben Becker and our usual Producer, Andrew Gomez. They both added some amazing elements that really brought the best out of the song.

What was the biggest takeaway or lesson you learned while creating this song?

We learned that pop punk is in fact *not* dead, and there’s tons of fans who want to hear new music in that genre. People definitely love to debate what’s “rock” or “pop” and what’s “heavy” enough. There’s plenty of controversy in that area especially when you’re a woman in a male dominated industry. But we’re still determined to keep putting out music and hoping to make more fans. ‏

How has your recent growth as an artist influenced the direction of your future work?

We’re still loving that pop punk is bringing in lots of new fans and that people are hungry for more of that genre! We have a bunch more songs we’ve been writing and recording and we’re gearing up for a big year in 2024. We were so happy to see that this song resonated with people online - it’s been our biggest song since “fvcked up lullaby”. Really excited about what’s coming up and to share more music with our fans!

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