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photos: Moe Horta

Youth Fountain is back with an album of retro emo bangers to have you sitting down and deep in the feels. Their third studio album, Together In Lonesome, is a heartfelt and introspective journey that beautifully captures the essence of emo and pop-punk. Frontman Tyler Zanon, the driving force behind the project, has poured his emotions and experiences into this record, resulting in a raw and poignant collection of songs that resonate deeply with listeners.

The album's title comes from lead single "Fallen Short," shared Zanon. "It's me wondering if I'm ever going to find someone who can be there for me through thick and thin, no matter what," he explained. "But even when you think you've found that person, there can be an emptiness, like you're together but still feel alone. That's where the title Together In Lonesome comes from: wondering why you're able to physically be with someone but still feel so alone."

It's this instinctual ability to verbalize life's hard truths that has endeared Youth Fountain to fans around the world on albums like 2019's Letters to Our Former Selves and 2021's Keepsakes & Reminders, tours with Four Year Strong and Knuckle Puck and slots on festivals like Slam Dunk and forthcoming tour with Story Of The Year. But it's never been as visceral as on TOGETHER IN LONESOME and ultimately stands as a tremendous personal feat for Zanon, the hard-charged sound of the songwriter fully embracing the totality of the creative process as he gathered the fearlessness to confront the past while embracing the future head-on – along the way, putting some ghosts to rest.

First of all, congrats on the release! How do you feel knowing that people are listening to Together In Lonesome?

TYLE ZANON: Thank you so much! It feels wonderful. It's great to finally have it out in the world.

What does the album's title mean to you and how do you feel its meaning shows itself throughout the record?

The album title basically means to feel alone while being with someone. Be it a significant other or a close friend - just going through the motions of feeling in a bad place together.

I'm a big fan of Youth Fountain's previous work, especially songs like "My Mental Health" and "Deadlocked." How do you feel Lonesome compares in terms of production and songwriting to your older work?

It feels just as good and maybe better in some ways. I feel like this record has a nostalgic feel to it and keeps the classic "Youth Fountain" feel to things that long-time fans love. It was recorded and produced with a new engineer I have never worked with before (Anton Delost), and it was a great experience! I got to work down in North Hollywood on this album and it was super surreal to do.

What was the most challenging part of actually making the record? Did you encounter writer's block at any point or feel stuck on how something should sound? If so, what do you do in those moments where you feel creatively stuck?

Yeah, absolutely. Whenever writing a record is challenging, there's a level of pressure there, and you wanna live up to people's expectations and hope people like it, and you have hope that it'll do well and be received on a positive note. That can affect writing for me. I only ever really feel creative to write when I'm not feeling mentally great, so it's sometimes hard to channel those feelings when things are going good. I went back to some really old ideas I had in the back burner and managed to shape them into something nice - so that was a fun experience on this record.

Cliche question but what is your favorite song on the record and why? My favorites are "Requiem" and "A Few Notes For Orpheus."

I really like "Roses In My Backpack," "A Few Notes For Orpheus," "Clarity." I think those are all an even tie for me personally! Those were some old songs I had from back in like 2010 when I was like 15 or 16. Something around there! I think they capture that old-school sound and can be fan favorites for a lot of YF fans.

If you could collaborate with anyone in the future, who would you want to work with?

nothing, nowhere. I love his work!

I was told that making the album forced you to confront the past and work towards closing old wounds while reopening others. Although I can imagine making this album was cathartic and brought a lot of healing, how did you deal with the more complicated aspects of being vulnerable and introspective?

I think it's good to be vulnerable and open with emotions when writing. That seems to be what people like about the project the most.

Do you have any advice for anyone listening to this record and confronting something similar and difficult in their life?

Just know you're not alone, and I hope you can find comfort in the music.

I know being in the music industry can be challenging. What is the most gratifying, and what is the hardest thing right now that you have to work through and come to terms with?

I would say just financially it's taxing. A lot to pay for, and you don't really get in the best spot for money when doing music. The best part is just making music that means something to people, and it helps them go through shitty times.

Do you have any words you'd like to share for fans or anyone who might stumble upon this interview?

Thank you for enjoying the music and supporting what I do!

What are you most hopeful for as an artist and as a person in the coming year?

I'm just hopeful that the new record will be received well and help take the band to another level!

Be sure to check out Youth Fountain's latest album, Together In Lonesome, today!