After years of touring with a crazy assortment of impactful artists (including Chance the Rapper) and working with a diverse network of prominent producers (including Grammy Award winner Malay), it’s about time that Thirdstory—a soulful trio from NYC—take a quick breath before moving forward with their next big headlining gig.
The release of what’s sure to be one of Verve Forecast Records’ most cogent and refreshing debut albums of 2018.
“We've come of age as a band in an era where the music industry is rapidly changing,” explains singer-songwriter Ben Lusher. “It was really great finally getting the chance to actually dive in and figure out our sound without any restrictions, having full access to different musicians and connections outside of just our own community.”
“The first time working with Malay was almost a magical experience for us,” adds Richard Saunders. “It’s important to mold your own team and make use of the resources you have to the depth of your ability—always show them your worth.”
Cold Heart came as a result, Thirdstory’s first full-length album embracing a harmonious collection of original melodies and smoldering lyricism. Now it’s up to their loyal grassroots following, mostly just familiar with Thirdstory’s popular YouTube acoustic covers, to go along for the ride. And the guys are happy to oblige.
“When following a band on social media, I want it to feel like a personal experience,” says fellow singer-songwriter Elliot Skinner. “That’s something we focus on a lot—just making sure that when we're existing in the [online] world, it's us. What you're seeing is real.”
Lusher would agree, and carries that same mentality onstage:
“Figuring out different moments and dynamics of a show has to do with range, and that leaves a lot of room for experimenting. We always want to make our shows a great emotional experience. We love those moments of crowd participation—it's really moving and fun for us, which translates to the audience.”
Thirdstory will continue touring throughout the spring in promotion of Cold Heart, which was released back in March and includes the hit single “Still in Love.”
Date Signed: 2014
Label: Verve Forecast
Band Members: Ben Lusher; Richard Saunders; Elliot Skinner
Type of Music: Pop/R&B/Soul
Management: Marc Johnston
Booking: CAA
Legal: Ted Harris; Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks, P.C
Publicity: [email protected]
Web: wearethirdstory.com
A&R: Karen Kwak; Dahlia Ambach-Caplin
