The combined force of Drew Love and Dante Jones, THEY. are bringing something new to the table. With Drew on vocals and Dante manning production, the duo draw influences not just from R&B but from rock bands too following the pair’s love of Kurt Cobain and emo phases (we’ve all had one lads, no judgement). Creating a sound that has been described as “grunge R&B”, they dropped their debut album, Nü Religion: Hyena, earlier this year. The LP is a fantastic introduction to the band and as the tracks ooze sexiness whilst exhibiting edgy 90s guitar thrashing twists, it’s not hard to see why THEY. are gaining critical acclaim.

We caught up with vocalist Drew to find out more about how the “next generation of R&B” came into being…

Hey guys, how are you?

We’re great, thank you!

How did you first meet?

We met in LA. I started out as a songwriter and one of my first sessions was with Dante. We clicked instantly and began to make our own experimental style of music and never looked back. It wasn’t at first sight. It took a few sessions to really get a consistent style going but once we did it was easy.

You’ve been hailed as the next generation of R&B music. How would you personally describe your music?

Our roots are definitely deepest in R&B but we love rap, emo, punk and even funk. We won’t classify ourselves because I think we’re shape shifters. As the times change and we change so will our sound and the sounds we inject into our projects. We have a unique ability I think to do any genre of music effectively on an urban platform.

You recently dropped your Nü Religion: Hyena album. What were the inspirations behind the record?

Nü Religion is an embodiment of our true individuality and is meant to serve as influence for others to step out of the box and take chances, particularly in music. The album itself is flooded with influence from artists such as R Kelly and No Doubt, all the way to Rage Against the Machine and Jeremih.

What’s your favourite song to perform from it?

“Dante’s Creek”, “U RITE”, and “Motley Crue”.

Do you think being from LA has had an impact on your music?

LA and that whole lifestyle is very much in our music. It’s the topic of a handful of the songs on the album, such as “Motley Crue” and “Africa”.

How do us Brits compare to your US crowds?

I think the passion for genuine raw musical performances is greater in British culture whereas in the US, as long as you can jump up and down and hang off of something you’re seen as an amazing performer.

You’ve just finished a huge tour. What was your favourite moment?

My favourite personally was the show in Amsterdam. One of the best nights of my life.

What are your plans for after?

Time to start the next chapter.