Multitalented singer-songwriter and instrumentalist kylekelly is back with his sophomore EP, the inevitable sequel to a melancholic romcom. Keeping with his movie-inspired theme, the EP is a richly woven landscape of sound and heartfelt lyrics- a worthy second endeavor from the rising star. Atlas spoke with him via email about putting together this EP, what’s changed since his first release and what’s up next.
Atlas Artist Group: This one feels undeniably cinematic from start to finish. What inspirations were informing the creative process on these songs? If you could choose a movie to add in one of these songs, which one would you pick and which song?
Kylekelly: Aw thank you!! Yeah, I definitely felt like this second EP felt much more visceral and moving for this cinematic era, so I sort of kept the best for last. A couple of the songs are quite a bit older than the others on the EP, but we actually produced these songs at the time as a melancholic romcom, so the inspirations were pretty similar and cohesive. I really wanted this whole era to have that modern yet nostalgic feel to it and all of the movies and tv shows that I was watching played a huge part in that- particularly 10 Things I Hate About You of course. Once I’d kind of seen that these songs were much more vulnerable, it just felt right to split it and this be the second EP.
The only outlier is “is there something (i don’t know)” which was written and recorded before/during the Second Wind Tour last year, and just so happened to fit really well with the sound and feeling of the rest of this EP. To have one of these in any movie would be a joy in and of itself hahaha, but if I had to choose… I could maybe see lately in a dramatic, modern romance movie like The Materialists, or – this may be a bit of a copout since I bring up these movies so often – but I could definitely see “is there something (i don’t know)” fitting into the bet-trope romcoms, 10 Things I Hate About You, How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days or She’s All That.
Atlas: What’s changed for you since your last release? Any memorable moments that have really stuck with you as you go into this next chapter?
Kylekelly: Oh, so much has changed. Especially since my previous EP came out right as the Second Wind Tour was getting postponed indefinitely I had much more time to grow across the year while touring and come into the sort of person I want to be publicly, both on and off stage. There was actually one specific moment for me that changed everything for me back in October.
Whether this comes as a surprise to anyone (which I doubt it will), I grew up an absolute DAY ONE of Shawn Mendes, and back in October my creative director and I got to go see his final show at the Hollywood Bowl. Something about that show just flipped a switch in me. There were no gimmicks, no skits, no clippable moments- it was just an incredible display of musicality and his generational run of banger after banger after banger. Everything about it changed the way I wanted to present myself and I just completely realigned within myself. I just wanted to be a kind (yet still politically outspoken) person that played an incredible show. So I hired a musical director to help design a completely new show for our last Second Wind Tour leg and these upcoming headline shows, and cut any sort of comedic fluff out. I just want to make great music, and play a great show. And that lesson definitely stuck with me as I began writing and producing the upcoming music after this EP.
Atlas: What do you hope listeners will take away from this new EP? Which song really resonates with you personally?
Kylekelly: I think for me personally ending the EP with the ballads weaves this sort of thing where the more upbeat ones really exemplify my confusion within the stories, and the ballads are me coming to conclusions from my more confused states. I hope listeners really resonate with the humanity I tried to display with these songs and how lonely but fulfilling it can be to take accountability. It’s why I resonate so much with “crossfire” still. I think I still hold a lot of fear and guilt carrying the fact that I have bipolar disorder, and “crossfire” for me is taking accountability as much as it is a warning. Still to this day, I think it may be the most vulnerable thing I’ve written, but I wanted it to be written. It needed to be written, and it makes me a better friend and person to my loved ones because of it.
Atlas: You’re headed out on tour this spring- super exciting! What songs are you most excited to perform live and what can fans expect from your live show on this run?
Kylekelly: Yes!!! I’m so so excited to just keep going, and I truly never want to stop touring. These headlines shows we’re doing these next couple weeks of February in New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta are really special because for these one-night-onlys we get to play EVERY song from my two EPs, and I as well as my musical director have worked tireless hours to make this such a great show, musically and artistically. It truly feels like the ultimate conclusion to this era. That being said, these headlines are essentially the closers to the “romcom era” so when we set out to Europe again we will be playing plenty of new music. So much so that I’m having trouble fitting in everything I’d like to do.
Atlas: What else is coming up for you going into the rest of 2026?
Kylekelly: More music!!! I LOVE what we’ve been making for upcoming releases and it feels like the best evolution of myself. It feels very me, but it also feels much more mature and I’m diving into sides of myself I never thought I would be talking about. It’s also such a beautiful sound we’re creating- much more indie and experimental for myself. And of course, much more touring. I genuinely would tour every day of the year if I could, and hope to do so.
Atlas: Is there anything else you’d like to share with your fans?
Kylekelly: I think I’d just like to say thank you for everything you’ve done for me. Truly, I’ll never be able to express the love I’ve felt for such a huge first year of my career. That, and I hope you all love these headlines shows (sooo missing out if you don’t come see it) and music to come. I’ve never felt more in tune with myself as an artist, and more importantly as a person, than I do right now, and that would not be possible without everything I’ve been afforded this past year.
Stream the inevitable sequel, out now!
