Spencer Skyline is a brand new artist out of St. Petersburg, Florida with a pitch perfect voice and an uplifting composition style which combines pop rock, emo and dream pop. He calls this sound “dream rock”, and with the rock guitars and dreamy melodies and lyrics, it’s certainly fitting. His debut album Catalyst is due out mid-October with two teaser tracks to be released in June and August, respectively. Catalyst will be part of a larger album trilogy called Stardust.
Clearly influenced by the punk, indie and emo bands of the early 2000s like Linkin Park, 30 Seconds to Mars and Blink 182, Spencer, who started his adult life in chemical engineering, has a very personal reason for pursuing his dreams full-time.
The night before I lost my mom we were actually at a music festival. At her funeral, people were throwing things in her grave, and all I had on me was a guitar pick. So I threw that in. And I promised that I would do something cool with my life.
With that promise and no small measure of raw talent, Spencer set out to make his first dedicated music project. All three albums of the Stardust trilogy represent different phases in personal growth and transformation. Naturally, Catalyst is the spark and the beginning. Whilst Spencer’s own catalyst was his loss and promise to his mother, the story of any transformation is the same in his eyes. First comes the motivation for change, and “The Chase,” releasing June 28.
‘The Chase’ is all about that relentless drive we feel when we’re chasing our dreams, mixed with the inner turmoil that often comes with it. This song really dives into the raw emotions of ambition, self-doubt, and the fear of failure. It’s about fighting for self-worth and purpose even when the odds seem stacked against us. ‘The Chase’ is my way of sharing the intense struggle of striving to fulfill my aspirations, and I hope it resonates with anyone who’s ever felt that pressure to succeed.
With that drive and that chase, of course, comes self-doubt, introspection and at least one fall back to earth. This is where the album’s second single, “Reality,” releasing August 23, picks up the story.
‘Reality’ is a really introspective track for me, tackling the often harsh truths of adulthood. It’s about the sacrifices we make chasing success and the disillusionment that can come when our dreams don’t quite match up with reality. This song is a deep dive into the gap between our idealistic goals and the often tough experiences of real life. It speaks to anyone who’s had to grapple with the complexities of growing up and finding their place in the world.
The contemplative nature of all Spencer’s work really shines on Catalyst. It’s clear he’s though about all these steps in the transformative and creative processes and he has a real understanding of how his audience will relate to his journey. This introspection is constant through the other phases, with “Hold On”, “Die Waiting,” “Flowers,” “Sunset” and “Liftoff.” Spencer not only gives a piece of himself and his own journey to the audience, but he gives a preview of what’s to come: a musician’s journey to tell his story and the things he learns along the way. What can be more worthwhile than that?