Life on The Highway Tour with Kid Bloom

Interview & Photos by Ethan Andrews

Transcribed by Allyson Clayton

Even with over a million monthly listeners, three EPs, two albums––including Highway under his belt, Kid Bloom still feels like just a kid who’s grateful that this is what he gets to do for a living. His parents immigrated to the U.S. in hopes of pursuing creative careers and having done well for themselves, they wanted the same thing for their children. Growing up with such supportive parents who encouraged him to go after his dreams is what Kid Bloom attributes to his success.

PLEASER photographer Ethan Andrews had the chance to sit down with Kid Bloom before his Columbus, OH show a couple of months ago where they talked about everything from the album making process to who first inspired Kid Bloom to start making music. 

PLEASER: Talk about this latest album, Highway, right? It’s been, what, four years since the last album release? Five?

Kid Bloom: Honestly, you know what’s funny? Selfishly, I consider Highway my first real album. I always kind of categorized the other ones as EPs. And, this one, for me, I took so much time on it, that for me, this one felt like an album. The most. So this one, Highway, is my first album. 

Do you feel that way because of the process of it, the finality of it?

KB: Yeah, I think a little bit of everything. The like photosynthesis period of where I was like getting my head around everything and deciding what I wanted to take as inspiration. And then from that to the writing process and then the recording process…to me, I wanted to put myself through the grueling process of doing all of it all myself. That was the first time that I really have [done that]. From producing, to the instruments and all that shit. So, for me, this one was really like coming in to myself, musically. 

How did you develop your sound over the last 5 years?

KB: This is such a great quote. John Mayer says that, he was like my first guitar God. No, Angus Young then John Mayer. He says that when you try to sound like your idol, and the minute you sound exactly opposite of what you’re trying to sound like, that’s when you’ve found your sound. I was expecting something different then it came to be. And I was like “Oh. This is kind of interesting, it lives in it’s own space.” It was a lot of just trial and error. 

Did you have to pursue it or was it more of a natural..?

KB: I think pursuing things sucks. Whenever you pursue something, it sucks. I’ve pursued a lot of music that I’ve put out..It’s difficult enough for me to listen to stuff that I put out, but it’s less difficult for me to listen to this record because I didn’t pursue it that much. I kind of sat there and let it happen, instead of overthinking them for half a month. 

Do you feel it was more instinctual, almost?

KB: Totally. Literally just “what do i wanna make? What would make me happy?”

That’s awesome, that’s good stuff. 

KB: And the way I knew how to release a song or the way I knew it would be on the record, is like, if I was just dancing to it. 

So you mentioned John Mayer, were there any other artists that really influenced you coming into yourself while making music?

KB: Totally. Tame Impala is my hero. I love him with all my heart. He is one of my favorite artists to ever live. There’s so much space in music, there’s so much inspiring [music], but for me, Tame Impala, he fucking kicked me into the abyss. I heard his shit and I was like “Okay. This is the coolest shit I’ve ever heard.” 

How old were you when you heard Tame Impala for the first time?

KB: Like seventeen or eighteen. 

How soon after did you start making music?

KB: Like, the day after. 

Kid Bloom, who’s given name is Lennon, quickly, and endearingly, interrupts the interview to ask his friends to wait for him to go to the market. They don’t wait and he laments that they always do this to him before hopping right back in to the interview.

KB: Here’s your answer: I was playing in jazz bands, I was making rock ‘n roll music, and all that, just trying to kind of find my footing and I heard Tame Impala and it was this instant ‘I wanna do THAT. I wanna do what this guys’ doing!’ I have no shame about it, he’s amazing. 

When you have days off on the road, what albums or podcasts keep you occupied?

KB: I am the polar opposite of what you’d think. I’m listening to my favorite artist right now, it’s Don Tolliver. I love him so much. He’s such a special artist. If I could be a perfect sound, my ideal situation, I would be a mix between Tame Impala and Don Toliver. 

That’d be sweet. 

KB: I think I’m gonna figure it out one day.

This is your first headline tour, right?

KB: I mean, yeah, it is my first real headline tour.

You’re 15 shows deep, you’re just over that halfway hump…

KB: It’s as scary to be halfway…as it is to know that it’s about to be over. It is really a dream, what we’re doing. Something just feels like it’s going so right. It’s beyond….I really for the first time feel like I have this clan behind me. And I think that’s so nuts to think about.

Do you have any pre-show rituals?

KB: Vocal warmups, tea, pushups. That sounds so douchey. 

I find that that’s a pretty common answer. 

KB: I have a hard time zoning out. I zone out when I’m up there. That’s when I have my full moment of letting go, that’s when I’m not focusing. I try my hardest not to focus while playing. 

Do you think that was your initial calling to live music and performing? Has it always been like that?

KB: Live music for me over time has become a whole other animal. Production is a whole other animal. They're all different. 

What’s something you hope fans and listeners take from your music?

KB: That’s the funniest question ever and it’s so easy for me to answer because I don’t know. Every night it’s something different. They come up and say “it got through this” and “this got me through this”. I never dreamed in my wildest dreams that my music would do that. 

Did you grow up in LA?

KB: I grew up in LA. My parents are European so they immigrated and then had me and my sister. She’s a producer, she’s fuckin sick, I’m gonna plug my little sister Luka Kloser, she’s awesome. Out of that, that’s where the journey started for me. I think at the root of their decision, was they wanted to raise us in the United States. ‘Land of opportunity’, ‘land of dreams’. My parents are so badass. In the sense of, I’m like 27 now. And they never ever, ever pressured me to do anything else. My parents are just so dope. I had the fortune of parents who could understand the work that I was putting in.

As Ethan wraps up the interview, he asked Kid Bloom if there was any last thing he wanted readers to know about him. 

KB: I am so fortunate for any single person that even reads this. For any person that is that interested or that curious. I think it’s worth knowing this is really surreal for me. I’m just a kid who wanted to do this. I, from the bottom of my heart, thank you, your publication and everyone listening. They know. They know! We’re all just people. That’s a big thing for me. 

If you haven’t had the chance to listen to Kid Bloom’s latest album, Highway, now is the perfect time. The Highway Tour concluded in Lennon’s hometown of Los Angeles a few weeks ago and we can’t wait to see him on the next one!

View Ethan’s live gallery here.