Meet your new favorite band: Los Angeles indie rock/pop outfit Rooted has officially dropped their debut single with the release of “Waiting.” A vintage summer swooner that aches bittersweetly with lush synthesizers and electric textures over an unattainable crush. Over the jaunty swing of exciting drums and wailing guitars Rooted find an irresistible vein of retro pop to reinvent in their image.
Comprised of singer-songwriters Shalom Lim and Genevieve Thai, bassist Valen Shieh, guitarist Karissa Lee, and Selina Ye on keyboard and synth, the band is a vision of a new guard of music makers. With every synth shimmer, driving riff, and angsty but alluring wail “Waiting” reveals its multilayered hooks. But the song also reveals an emotional depth to their songwriting, navigating emotional introspections with a maturity never expected but constantly supplied by younger generations.
They might only have one single out but it’s clear these five middle-schoolers are born rockers — the five-piece got their start covering the likes of Guns N’ Roses, Journey, and indie pop band Echosmith. Those influences abound on “Waiting” but it’s clear also that Rooted has no trouble melding all their wayward tones and melodies of inspiration together until they emerge with something uncannily familiar but also irresistibly original. Like The Linda Lindas, Rooted represents the kind of fresh, young, and vibrant sound Los Angeles has to offer.
“The idea behind ‘Waiting’ is about wanting something or someone in life, but being so afraid of not getting it that you don’t even dare to try,” explains Lim. “Sometimes the expectations and goals that people have of themselves can overwhelm them to the point of a mental and emotional shutdown.”
Visit Rooted’s website, Facebook, and Instagram to stay updated on new releases and tour announcements.
Words by Steven Ward
Listen to Rooted’s new single “Waiting” below!
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