Pop-punk phenoms Makeout, who took the music world by storm on the heels of their debut album, The Good Life, have ended the search for their new lead singer. Kyle Dee, formerly a Season 11 American Idol contestant, and lead singer of Chicago mainstays, The Frantic, will take charge of lead vocals and rhythm guitar. Also joining the band is bassist AJ Khah, who was previously a member of fellow pop-punk favorites, Sleep On It. Both members bring a wealth of experience to the band alongside Tyler Young (Lead Guitar) and Scott Eckel (Drums).
Earlier this year, former lead singer Sam Boxold shocked fans when he abruptly announced his plans to leave the band and focus on other endeavors. Immediately after, the band began an extensive worldwide search for a new frontman. Makeout utilized their social media channels and engaged with fans and potential candidates alike, to help find a replacement for the vacant position. The band received more than 500 submissions for the job. Over 30,000 fans voted, and Kyle was one of three finalists that received the most votes. After several interviews and rehearsals, the band unanimously agreed that Kyle was the perfect fit for the next chapter in the band’s career.
Kyle says, “I’ve been a huge fan of Makeout since the beginning, so for me, to get to step in and continue building on such a solid foundation is an amazing opportunity. I realize that I have some big shoes to fill but I’m up for the challenge and feel so grateful to be a part of the next chapter in Makeout’s story.”
“We are so pumped to officially have Kyle on board. We knew that when Sam left, the bar had been set pretty high. Kyle’s talent as a vocalist, writer, and guitar player has added so many new and improved dynamics to the band,” says Young. “From the moment we stepped into rehearsals with Kyle and AJ, it all just clicked and felt like we had been playing together for years.”
After building a local buzz, in 2014 the band ended up performing on the Massachusetts date of the Warped Tour and becoming a finalist in a Ernie Ball Battle of The Bands judged by none other than iconic GRAMMY® Award-nominated producer John Feldmann [blink-182, Good Charlotte, Sleeping With Sirens], who eventually signed them to a production deal. Makeout recorded their debut effort at Feldmann’s home studio in 2016 between dates supporting longtime heroes blink-182. Throughout this whirlwind, they collaborated with the likes of 5 Seconds of Summer’s Ashton Irwin and Calum Hood as well as legendary skinsman Travis Barker on what would become their 2017 Rise Records debut LP, The Good Life.
Accolades followed with more than 10 million streams to date, and Rock Sound labeling them “one of pop-punk’s hottest new properties,” and New Noise calling the album, “…a perfect blend of powerhouse power chord choruses and delicately picked, suspension building bridges.”
Makeout has already begun working on new material and plan to release a new single before the end of the year. They’ll also be playing a few select headline shows (see dates below) before they begin work on their sophomore full length follow up in 2020.
Additionally, the members of Makeout have decided to retire their song “Secrets”. Guitarist Tyler Young comments, “None of the current members of the band had anything to do with the writing or the decision to release the song, and we feel that it no longer represents who we are or what we stand for.”
New frontman, Kyle Dee, explained, “When we all initially got together, we looked back at the band’s past and asked ourselves, ‘who do we want to be moving forward?’”
The answer was simple. The foursome agreed that moving forward, they wanted to be a band that is transparent and conscious of issues that affect others.
“Our love for our fans and this scene as a whole has only grown through this transition period. We sincerely want to make a difference and we feel the best way to show that is by starting fresh and eliminating any past material that has hurt others or been a source of conflict,” says AJ. “We are just thrilled to get back to what made this band, and that’s undeniable music that can be enjoyed by everyone.”
Upcoming shows:
12/12 – Reggie’s Chicago, IL
12/14 – Alchemy Providence, RI
Tickets on sale Friday
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