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Written By: Camila Molina | Interview By: Camila Molina | Photos By: Annie Schutz
After a decade of success with alt-rock and electro-pop hits like “Sail,” accumulating over 800 million streams on Spotify, Aaron Bruno, the recording artist behind AWOLNATION, aims to continue his legacy of comforting others through his art with his upcoming album, “The Phantom Five.” In this HAZZE Magazine interview, Bruno delves into the story behind what he says might be AWOLNATION’s final album release.
While “Sail” remains the band’s top song, “Panoramic View” — the first single from “The Phantom Five” album — is rising to be among the list of Bruno’s most popular songs. However, Bruno is not concerned with its growing popularity or the number of streams. “I don't know why exactly it became and still is as large as it is,” said Bruno. “I think I just struck a nerve with the rest of the planet on how people were feeling at the time.”
“I guess it's a good example of, as my mom says, turning lemons into lemonade with my career in some way,” added Bruno.
The music video for "Panoramic View" showcases his newfound creative vision. It combines surreal imagery with thought-provoking themes, offering a multisensory experience for his audience. Fans deeply resonated with the internal battles described in the song, filling the YouTube comment section with quotes from the track that spoke to them, as well as sharing the impact of AWOLNATION’s music on their journey to healing. “It serves a deeper purpose when the song pulls at the heartstrings and the soul a little bit more,” said Bruno. “And so far with ‘Panoramic View,’ I've stumbled across quite a few comments in that.”
The song explores Bruno’s complex relationship with uncertainty during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, when it felt like the whole world was “bludgeoned with fear,” while simultaneously leaning into escapism through music. “I was picturing, you know, our little family that we ended up creating and trying to keep it calm [and] trying to remind us all to have hope and faith in the face of fear,” said Bruno.
Despite the challenges of the pandemic, Bruno continued to expand his writing process in many new ways, including adding new contributors to the project, such as Del the Funky Homosapien, an Oakland-based rapper who worked on the first Gorillaz album. “I feel like I'm on top of the world as far as his involvement.” “The Phantom Five” also features Emily Armstrong, the lead singer of the alternative rock band Dead Sara. “I thought, man, if I could just harness her energy and talent and wide range and put it into a song, it would be cool to say the least.”
Bruno has navigated significant life changes outside of his musical career and the universal struggles of the pandemic, including the birth of his first children and a departure from his previous record label, which allowed him to make music that is truly in line with his personal style. His latest album, marked by introspective lyrics and experimental sounds, reflects this personal evolution throughout these challenges. “My wife and I were trying to start a family. That took longer than I had ever anticipated, and I started writing about that,” said Bruno. “I started writing about some of that disappointment, and there came the start of ‘The Phantom Five.’”
While Bruno has truly loved his work in countless ways at AWOLNATION, “The Phantom Five” may be the last of his work on this project. “I wanted to go into this record with an attitude of perhaps it being the last album. I love the idea of putting it all on the line and trying to make a record that would feel appropriate to walk off with.” Due to both creative reasons and lifestyle changes alike, Bruno continues to embrace the uncertainty. “I don't know how much more I want to grind on the road and be away from my family,” said Bruno. You can stream the potential farewell to AWOLNATION, “The Phantom Five,” on all major streaming platforms starting August 30, 2024.
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