[Kyd the Band](https://www.instagram.com/kydtheband/) has announced his _Season 2: Character Development_ EP with the release of his new single “Heartbreak Anthem,” an ever-relatable bop dedicated to the songs that remind us of the people who break our hearts. The singer — real name Devin Guisande — is joined by gnash for his catchy, pop-fusion tune.
Kyd the Band, a Nashville transplant by way of California, formerly existed as a two-piece band of brothers. After he and his brother Kyle parted ways in 2017, Devin upheld the band name, continuing to find inspiration in his religious upbringing, citing gospel as a major influence, and went on to tour with Lennon Stella earlier this year.
Speaking on the societal obsession with breakup songs, Guisande said, "I love sad music. I'm just fascinated with how people respond to it, and I'm even more intrigued with how strongly heartbreak unites people together in a live concert setting. There's something about being with thousands of other people singing a song together about your shared pain that's pretty cathartic."
Check out Flaunt’s Q&A with Kyd the Band below, and listen to “Heartbreak Anthem” below.
_Season 2: Character Development_ is due May 29 via Sony Music.
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_How did growing up in an environment with a heavy emphasis on religion shape who you are as a musician today?_
The way I grew up created the foundation for how I want a song to make me feel when I'm listening to it, and in turn how I want a listener to feel when hearing my music. My first ever introduction to music was black gospel music, which in my opinion is some of the most passionate and emotionally moving music you'll ever hear (and that's not without reason, just look at its history and origin). So yeah, that set a pretty high bar for me for what music can mean and how it can make you feel.
Being a part of the church community is what got me on drums at the age of 10. And later I took up piano and guitar.
_What encouraged you to leave behind the life you knew in California to pursue music in Nashville?_
I wanted to figure out who I was, what I thought about life and the world and God and everything in-between.
_Can you speak a bit about the process of having a band with your brother? How did combining work and family affect your relationship, and how has this project evolved since taking it on on your own?_
I loved making music with my brother. We're pretty different personality-wise, and music was really the common ground and glue for us. It was also really nice to have someone I knew I could - without a shadow of doubt - trust in an industry that doesn't exactly have a ton of that.
I actually never thought I would do music professionally without my brother. I didn't think I had anything special on my own or that the world needed another solo artist. My thinking has changed a bit on that though.
_You have worked incredibly hard to get to this point in your career. Is there a moment where you thought to yourself, “I made it”?_
Thanks. And no there hasn't been, but honestly I don't know if I'll ever think that. I was always taught to just keep working - appreciate milestones as they happen but put your head back down and keep on getting better.
_What was the process of writing “Heartbreak Anthem” like?_
One of my closest collaborators, Jimmy Robbins and I, started this idea that went like "Wish this song would get out of my head, get out of my head, it's always about you". I have this weird fascination with sad songs and how cathartically uniting they are for people to sing along to during shows, so it was pretty obvious where we should go with the rest of the song. Then my friend gnash got involved and that elevated the whole idea. If you're familiar with his past releases you'll know he knows a thing or two about sad songs. So this is a unique collaboration in my opinion because it truly does mesh both of our worlds together in a way that feels authentic to where we've both been, and also pushes some unexplored sonic territory too.
_Can you tell us about your EP out on May 29th?_
Yeah, so I think of my music in 'seasons' where the videos all tie together and are meant to be watched as one complete story. "Heartbreak Anthem" is a part of my upcoming EP ‘Season 2: Character Development’ and is the only release without a video at the moment.
I’m excited because this new EP is really the follow-up chapter of my life to the first songs that you ever heard from me like “American Dreamer” and “Francis St” and so on, which you’ll find on my first EP ‘Season 1: The Intro.’ Season 2 goes deeper in showing who I am as an artist and who I am as a person. I think people will realize I'm starting to get to a place where I feel comfortable enough to let them in. Stay tuned, and I'll have a lot more to add about this soon.
