By Emerging onto the Silver Lake music scene, Los Angeles-based Sleep State are Song Of The Week with this new upbeat indie pop gem.
‘Awkward’ is a single that evokes the sense of social anxiety as lead singer and guitarist Troy Ritchie’s had a rough experience in high school – exposing a vulnerable side of himself that fans may not have known existed.
Primarily about a girl whom Ritchie doesn’t know very well, the lyrics are relatable to anyone who recalls adolescence as a time of petty drama or isolation. While derived from real-life experiences, the girl in ‘Awkward’ symbolizes a phase in Ritchie’s development as a person, rather than representing any one person or relationship.
Ritchie said about the track: “I hope listeners take the song as an invitation to liberate themselves from the shackles of self-consciousness and the unhealthy focus our society puts on the individual to be popular or likeable.”
Sleep State spawned from the potent Southern California Rock scene in 2013 when Orange County locals and longtime friends, Troy Ritchie (guitar, lead vocals) and Michael Haua (keyboard, vocals), began performing at local restaurants, bars, and small venues. After a gig the following year, the two were approached by Parker Jackson (drums) who expressed interest in collaborating. It didn’t take long before Sleep State grew into a trio.
– featured image by Mallory Turner
