An Interview With The Indie-Pop Trio MILKK On New Music and More!

Photo Credit – Nolan Knight

TODAY, the Nashville indie-pop trio MILKK released their brand new track called “all to myself.” Throughout this summer, they will be putting out more self-produced and always evolving tracks.

This first track sees key songwriter/vocalist Pat Kiloran heavily influenced by the urban environment in which he bought his first, modest home in Nashville. Starting with a phasey key loop and 808 work commonly found in today’s pop and rap staples, Pat’s distinct sound enters smoothly over the beat, that might otherwise have had Juice WRLD or Post Malone laying down bars, pining over his true love.

There’s no big marketing campaign, no major label and no secret industry connection, yet MILKK continues to draw underground music fans and Gen-Zs who painfully relate to lyrics like “I’m just another 90s baby / Seems like my friends, they don’t like me lately / Everything looks really nice on my skin / But everything’s a big mess looking in” (“90’s Baby” from the debut album HEADRUSH) and embrace the band’s willingness to speak candidly about mental health.

Starting with a few loyal followers that quickly escalated to hundreds and now thousands, people keep hearing about the genre-skewing group with the misspelled name. MILKK has released one album (#3 Alternative, #50 US Albums) and two EPs (with several tracks featured on Spotify editorial playlists).

Check out “All to Myself” Here:

Connect With MILKK Here:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/wearemilkk

Instagram: www.instagram.com/wearemilkk

Facebook: www.facebook.com/wearemilkk

Learn more about MILKK in the following All Access interview:

Thanks for your time today! Where does this interview find you? 

I am currently sitting in my music room where I do all my writing and producing in Nashville. Jack is probably up at his studio in St. Paul, MN, and John is probably … Honestly, he could be doing anything right now. I never know.

Now that we are half-way through the year, how has 2019 been treating you? What are some goals that you have for yourself this year? How close are you to reaching them?

2019 has been a rollercoaster, but overall, a good vibe. We put out our first album earlier this year, and it did a lot better than we expected. We were able to tour on it, and it was pretty incredible. Now we’re just planning on releasing new music the rest of the year. We wanna put out the best stuff possible and songs that make our fans rethink who MILKK is. With “All to Myself” and the songs that will follow, I think we are going to do that very successfully.

Where did the idea for your band name come from?

Our name is honestly a typo. When we started the band, we weren’t taking it seriously, so we just wanted some dumb, semi-trendy sounding name. We liked the idea of “MILK,” but it was so generic we figured it’d be hard to search and all that. So, while we were talking about ideas, I bumped the “k” key again and saw “MILKK” on the screen. We were fine with it.

Growing up, how important was music in your life? Can you recall the moment when you decided that you wanted to be a musician? Was it an easy or difficult choice to make?

It’s been a big part of all of our lives since being kids. I started taking piano lessons when I was around six years old. But I hated practicing and playing people’s music. I started writing my own songs around 13. I told my piano teacher I wanted to quit and just make my own music. She said she wouldn’t take me back as a student ever again if I quit. I did anyway.

Jack and I spent years being loud and trying stuff in his parents’ basement, where we had our first “studio.” John grew up in a small town in New Hampshire where his parents let him practice drums all the time. And apparently the whole town could hear. I personally remember laying in bed every night and listening to the top 10 countdown on the radio of the biggest songs of the week. Something about that inspired me and has made me work tirelessly to get to the point where some kid can do the same and hear one of my songs on that countdown someday.

Was there ever a time when you thought about doing something else? If you weren’t a musician today, what else could you see yourself doing? Would you be as fulfilled in life?

Photo Credit – Nolan Knight

I tried to go to nursing school at one point. But I didn’t get in. I also used to work out in Los Angeles doing audio for films and commercials and stuff. But I realized that I’m built for music. It’s just who I am, and I would hate myself if I stopped. Maybe someday that will change, but right now, it’s a compulsion, and I have to do it.

What has been the biggest surprise so far about making music your career? What has been an unexpected or welcome challenge to it all?

I didn’t realize all the people I could and would affect. For a long time, none of my projects or bands really had that much of an impact on anyone. No one cared. But MILKK was the first thing that really gained a following and genuinely entered people’s lives in a meaningful way. I get messages on a daily basis about how we or our music has changed people’s lives or kept them going in a very dark time. And that’s humbling and powerful.

Let’s talk about your brand new single, “All To Myself.” What was the inspiration for this track? How do you think it prepares listeners for more music from you?

I pretty much exclusively listen to rap. But I’ve never felt that I could honestly pursue that style in my own music (besides making beats for other people). But I wanted to incorporate my love for that type of music in our stuff super bad. So, I basically just sat down and made a trap beat and then figured out how I could use my voice with it. And it actually worked way better than I thought. So, we went with it.

I think this song paves the way for a new season of MILKK. Our previous releases feel pretty heavily in the indie/alt-pop world. The new stuff is a pretty stark turn from that. It’s much more polished, much more “song” oriented, much more unique. It’s also much more positive and relational and less introspective. We’re trying to redefine who MILKK is, and I think it’ll come across in a big, new way.

What are the other songs like that you plan to release throughout this summer? Will all of them be on one EP or album in the future?

Photo Credit – Nolan Knight

Without giving anything away, it’ll just be different. We’re trying to soundtrack your summer. Vibes all around. Hooks all around. I think it’ll wrap up in some sort of project, but we’re not sure exactly what that looks like yet. We’re just letting it flow naturally.

How do you think you have grown as a musician since you first started singing and writing songs? 

I feel like I can actually write a cohesive song. I’m also not afraid to be simple. It’s easy to overcomplicate and try to flex how flashy you can be. But simplicity connects with people more. Sometimes I miss being a kid and just writing with no barriers or “rules.” I’m trying to tap back into that in a more refined way.

What has it been like keeping up with your social media accounts and all of the different platforms? Is it hard to stay up to date on it all? What would you say is your favorite way to connect with your fans now? What has social media done for your career?

Social media has made our career. We would be where we are without it. From the start, somehow we made a connection with people on Twitter and Instagram and all that, and it really jumpstarted everything for us. I obviously prefer seeing people on tour and talking face to face, but I really do appreciate that social media allows me to create and have real relationships with our fans, because at the end of the day, everyone is the same, and being an “artist” doesn’t put you above genuinely communicating with people who support you.

Who are some of your favorite artists or rather, what musicians have continued to inspire you and your music? Who would you absolutely love to work with in the future?

I think my two biggest inspirations will always be Kanye West and Tyler, The Creator. Even if I’m not directly making music that sounds like that, I always go back to them when I need a creativity lift. I also really appreciate artists like Jon Bellion or twenty one pilots who just literally do their thing regardless of what anyone thinks. That’s the mindset to have.

If you had an unlimited budget and your schedule was free, what would your dream music video look like?

I really want to make a full anime episode or short film that acts as a visual album. But to do that well, I feel like it’d cost a ton. Or maybe shoot a video with Wes Anderson.

Where would you absolutely love to hear one of your songs? On a TV show, in a movie or elsewhere? 

At the GRAMMYs while I play it live.

At the end of the day, what do you hope people take away from your music?

I hope people feel inspired to be themselves. I hope people feel human. I hope people know it’s okay to be messed up. I hope people just have a good time listening.