With “B-Train” out now, we took some time to hear from Every Us. Read below to learn more about Every Us, the story behind “B-Train,” and what’s to come.
Hi! Let’s start with how did the group’s name come about?
As I was living abroad and got more into sampling, I fell in love with the vocal styles of different genres and traditions. For the majority of history, singing and playing music was an excuse to be together and share a feeling, whether that be singing in a shared prayer or stomping at a local festival. After I moved to NYC after COVID, I knew that I wanted to create a project focused on infusing that emotional response in the context of modern production. The name, Every Us, comes from wanting to capture the feelings that come with every version of “us.” Sneaking in our group vocal arrangements and sampling singing from non-traditional moments or everyday communities became a way to inject that soul back into the music.
What city are you all from, and where are you all based now?
We’re Brooklyn-based now, but we grew up all over. Myself in Seattle, Connor in Connecticut, Olivia in Sacramento, and Zack in LA. The project slowly came together when I was living in cities like London, Shanghai, Tel Aviv, Chiang Mai, and Pittsburgh, and saw music roles in different places.
How and when did this music collective form?
Every Us started a few years ago when, leaving behind my old moniker Ry Jones, I wanted to create something that gave me an excuse to work with other people and could explore more than just my own voice and story. Since then, the project has had many interactions and evolved to include different musicians, producers and visual artists.
How would you all describe your group’s sound to readers who may not be familiar with you all?
We call it indie soul with alternative and electronic elements. Think lush world-building production, sample-driven grit, and rich soulful vocals.
Who are some of your group’s main musical influences?
Growing up, for me, it was U2, Florence and the Machine, and Coldplay, along with Seattle locals Odesza and Ryan Lewis. That gave me a disposition to larger atmospheric production with a musicianship edge. In college, I got into Mura Masa, Jack Garrett, Tourist, Samm Henshaw, Chet Faker, and Bon Iver. Soul legends like Aretha Franklin and Donny Hathaway pulled me deeper into that world. More recently, as sampling and group vocals became central to our process, La Fine Equipe, Jungle, Mt Joy, Dijon, Dominic Fike, The Bleachers, and The Avalanches have all become bigger references.
What’s one of the proudest moments of your group’s music career so far?
I think every new song we create that we didn’t think we had in us or didn’t know we knew how to do. That’s when it feels best.
What would you all say are the greatest lessons that you’ve all learned so far?
- Actively trying to create a sound that’s different from what we’re used to is worth it for its own sake.
- Don’t waste time waiting for other people, whether producers, labels, managers, etc. In the time you wait, you could have just learned the thing yourself. If the music is good enough, it’ll come. Never sacrifice the focus on the craft.
- Use books about music, songwriting, and other creative practices to help you think differently and as inputs for inspiration.
Now onto “B-Train.” What inspired this song?
“B-Train” is basically a love letter to the friends you keep going back to—that “grab a bottle of cheap wine” kind of love. We wanted to poke fun at the idea that real love only belongs to romance and instead celebrate the people who show up when the night’s messy and the people are right. It came from those late-night subway rides, that relief of dragging each other home after a long night, and the soft chaos of your chosen family.
What is “B-Train” about?
The imagery we were going for was a girl coming back home from a bad date to her crew waiting up for her. We tried to catch that feeling of relief of being 110% comfortable in the situation, turning your brain off, and just saying stupid sh*t that you know will get your friend to laugh. From there, the chorus cuts into a montage of classic late nights around the city with no direction, entertainment or goal. What starts with putting on a show from a cardboard box downtown leads to waking up at Rockaway Beach and having no rush to get back.
What was the inspiration behind the cover artwork for “B-Train?”
We got 6 street photographers from 6 different cities around the world, including Lagos, Taipei, Kashmir, NYC, and LA to capture different moments of shared joy. This was the one we felt resonated with “B-Train.” Happy to share more of those photos!
What was the creative process like when making “B-Train?”
It was essentially an exercise in getting out of the way. I tend to approach everything as a producer first, so it was about blending Chynna’s vocals with sample-forward textures to make it feel “lived in.” We wanted it to sound like cheap wine tastes: warm, unpolished, and exactly what you need in the moment. This track is really all about Chynna’s voice—giving it space while sneaking in the Every Us crew quietly in the background with those lush harmonies and understated drums.
How long did it take to complete “B-Train?”
6 months and a short period of accidentally losing the stems.
What message or messages do you all hope fans take away from “B-Train” and your collective’s music in general?
We just want the music to saturate life around you; that’s the goal. We want people to get the feeling of shared joy through the music and to give a little love to the people to make everything feel like home.
What’s next for you all? Are you all working on any upcoming projects, or do you all have any upcoming shows that we should be on the lookout for?
Our full debut EP drops March 20th! Before that, we have another single called “Cavalry” coming out on February 6th. We’re also pinning down shows at Union Pool and Market Hotel for this spring, and we’re doing something really special—playing and recording three small shows in different NYC staples: a laundromat, barber, and Chinese restaurant around Brooklyn. We’ll also have a few videos of live recordings dropping. Keep up with our socials for all the dates and announcements!
Where can we follow you all on social media?
Thank you all for the great interview; wish you all much continued success!
