Wiktor Fejkiel: How did you manage to combine the edition of the debut and all issues around you with preparing for the final exams?
Sad Smiles: – The final exams went very well for us, so that we are satisfied. The combination of all this, however, was not easy. We had to let go of all concerts from January and ensure good planning every day. It was quite tiring and simply difficult. But we wanted the album to come out at this particular date, due to its content, and we succeeded. But as we say, it wasn’t easy.
“Rebellion” is one of those debuts you wanted to sum up all your career so far?
– This whole album shows teenage life, thoughts and a teenage rebellion, which we also tried to include in his concept. This album is a summary of our whole life – we would not limit it to “career”. All songs, from the first to the last, create a tale of maturation. By doing research on the subject, we met almost a hundred young people for coffee to give these emotions well.
The songs that have been on the album are the result of the last years of your studio work?
– We wanted to spend this album much earlier. However, we had to survive this maturation first to make this material as authentic as possible.
So you can say that these songs had to see with you …
– You know, we started to do some songs from the first grade of high school. Before they came out, fastened in longplay, we played them many times at our previous concerts. They matured with us on the stage, and now the moment has come to show them on streaming.
The thread of quite a long cumin over the album name appeared on your social stories. What made you bet on “rebellion”?
– There were several names. Originally, the album was to be called a “strange film”, like one of our singles. But we decided that “rebellion” resonated better. You can receive it in two ways – rebellion as our band on the Polish music scene and a teenage rebellion that we describe in the lyrics. That’s why we focused on this title.
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What are the biggest challenges made before you?
– There were a few of them. First of all, dealing with these numerous conversations with many people about maturing, so that it would simply be authentic and make sense. In addition, combining a school with work in the studio. During the day we finished the math test and then immediately went to Warsaw to record more tracks, so that it was not easy. In addition, we were accompanied by a lot of concerts – only last year we played 40 of them …
Finally, however, would you call him your “dream debut”?
– Definitely yes. He perfectly reflects our energy and total stylish variety. You just hear us, and this is the most important thing. In addition, the whole art around, especially the cover, looks almost insolent and it is perfect. We enter the kick into the Polish music industry (laughs).
Well, this stylish diversity, where it is enough to combine “be with me” and “therapist”. This is what the SAD Smiles showcase is to be – no restrictions?
– When you are a teenager, you listen to new music every day, you change from day to day. This album is also like that – we did not want to close to nothing. The “therapist” was supposed to be one with a strong message. “Be with me” calmer again, more sexy. We wanted to best reflect what is happening in our heads – hence so many species.
Where did the idea actually appear that the topic of the album would be a topic at the same time so close to you, but also not obvious as “youth”?
– On one of the attempts we realized that we can not make a disc about us, because it is literally everyone. We found that there is no such album in Poland that would be all maturation on one disc. In addition, the number of young people who approached us after the concert changed our looking at this whole creative process. It was a clear signal for us that what we do makes sense – they feel these songs.
Do you think Rock in Poland is doing well? Although you are quite young, you have been playing on this stage for a few years …
– Rock relatively slowly returns to favor and even fashion. After the 1980s and 90s, he became a bit of the quintessence of boomer and that is why it left Rock towards rap and pop so much. But it seems to us that on such a wave of nostalgia these more aggressive sounds attract more and more recipients – on the Polish scene it is enough to mention even Walusia (Waluśkraksakrysy) or the last album of Krzysiek Zalewski. This sound is coming back and it can be seen quite clearly.
With your debut you set off on a concert tour around Poland – are you preparing any surprises?
– We already count the concerts in dozens, and several festivals, so there will be a lot of them. Of course, we can’t say what, but we plan a few surprises – maybe we will finally manage to download a guest to sing something with us?
In the face of such a busy calendar, do you need a moment to rest? Is this your moment to collect these fruits of several years of hard work?
– We can rather ensure that the conditions are not favorable. We are young enough that we do not need three weeks of vacation, so this year there will be no major trip. But we are ready for it, because the whole high school we waited for this moment to finally live music.