While most of us spent all our college days partying and enjoying the newfound freedom blessed upon us, Quinn Barnett and Jake Weinberg unknowingly birthed alt-pop group known as CRITTER. Rooted in the pursuit of making music for fun, the duo spewed out their debut single “PFC” and immediately found themselves gliding between left-pop sensibilities and tongue-in-cheek lyricism. Making an unexpected entrance with the duo – comprised of an ex-rap producer and DIY folk singer – the two blend their two histories and create a slick ear-ringing pop song that will have you bopping along in no time.

Inspired by a “a big meanie” and “a month of listing to alot of pop music”, the duo’s debut single introduces us to their sound and we’re curious to hear more. With their debut EP “Have Safe Be Fun” on the way, we caught up with the eccentric duo talking their early beginnings, finding their sound and how their EP is set to leave us bamboozled and hooked.

Check out the interview below…

Hey guys! How’s lockdown been? Do you think it has affected your creativity in anyway?
Hi! Lockdown has been ok— it’s really what you make of it. It’s a give and take, simultaneously leaving us feeling insane and sometimes uninspired, but also has provided ample time to make more things.

Being in a duo, have you found it difficult to make music during this time? How did you overcome these challenges?
Yeah, at the beginning of COVID we were locked down at home with our families in New Jersey so it was definitely pretty hard to get work done at that time. Since moving out to LA though, we are actually roommates, so living with each other has definitely made it easier to create. However, for whatever reason we’ve spent the past six months moving around from house to house, not really settling in any one place for a long time, leaving us without a real studio space to call our own.

How did you guys meet and what sparked your love of music?
We met about a month before college in New Jersey, where we both grew up. But it turns out we were going to the same music program at the same school and our dorms happened to be a floor apart from each other in the same wing of the same building haha. So from there forward we became fast friends and started making music together basically on the second day of school.

Why the name Critter?
We’re two creepy crawling critters of the world.

Congratulations on your debut single “PFC” what was the creative inspiration behind the song?
A big meanie, and a month of listening to a lot of pop music.

The video is just as fun as the song! What was it like filming and racing down the streets?
“Very fun” for Jake and “a little scary” for Quinn— we didn’t have a specific plan for the video, just the general ideas. Feeling it out day-of is always the most fun.

You guys both come from different musical backgrounds, how did you find blending both of your inspirations?
We have varying reference points but our tastes are super similar, and as individuals, we had never been fully exposed to the side of music the other really was in love with. Really anything is compatible now. Us getting along in the studio works so well because we get along so well as friends first, the music is easy, it always just sort of happens.

Who would you guys love to work with in the future?
Sean Kingston.

You guys have your debut EP on the way which is very exciting, what has the production process been like and what can we expect?
The production process has been nothing but fun. The EP is filled with collaborations with our friends, it feels like a family project and is the product of a lot of time spent just hanging out with each-other. The music ahead tributes gummy vitamins and there is a spaghetti western tune about car sex, to give a few clues.

Aside from the EP, what are you guys most looking forward to?
The album.