The Show's latest installment of the Tiny Desert Concert series features Diva Bleach.
The pop-punk rock band Diva Bleach has come a long way since they started playing shows in 2021. They’ve performed at festivals, opened for bands like the Maine and just recently released their first full-length album: “Can You Keep A Secret?”
Guitarist Brie Ritter and vocalist Syd Roten joined The Show in the courtyard of the idea Museum in Mesa to talk about how it all started.
Full conversation
BRIE RITTER: Yeah, we met at an after school music program when I think I was like, freshly 16. I mean, you were like 14 or 15. And we met like this place, and we were playing like Led Zeppelin songs together after school, just like learning how to practice with other people and how to play music in a group setting.
And then eventually we started working there once we aged out of the program, and then we just took what we had learned. And I was like, “Syd, let’s do this.”
LAUREN GILGER: Did you know how to play at the time? Were you both singers? How did you learn how to do this?
RITTER: Yeah, that’s kind of the funny thing. We were both singers, and I didn’t start playing guitar until I was like, “Let’s do the band.” Like, I kind of did. And Syd was learning bass at the time, too, so that’s kind of when we were like, “OK, so we’ve both been singing. Let’s take these new instruments we’re learning and just kind of push that.”
GILGER: So let’s talk about the music itself. I mean punk, pop kind of influences. What kind of music were you listening to at the time? How did you decide this is the kind of band we’re going to be?
SYD ROTEN: I mean, I think it just came kind of naturally. I don’t know. I’ve always been really influenced by early 2000s emo and post-hardcore, but also singer-songwriter stuff like Michelle Branch. That’s like my roots, you know, and then Brie —
RITTER: Yeah, absolutely. Kind of like very much the same thing. We listened to a lot of heavy music and punk. I was in a metalcore band when I decided, like, “Let’s start this, like I want to do something completely different.” So it was just fun. It’s the music that we like to listen to, and it’s kind of like our common ground between where our genres, what we listen to collides.
ROTEN: Yeah. I don’t think we decided, like, this is what we want to sound like. We kind of wrote stuff that we liked. And then this is what happened.
RITTER: And that’s what it is.
GILGER: I’m sure people ask you this now because you’re playing out, but like, what are your influences?
ROTEN: I’m really influenced by like, I guess like girls from this scene, like Hey Monday, Paramore is an obvious one, but also some of the Disney girls from back in the day, like Miley Cyrus.
RITTER: Oh my gosh, Demi Lovato. Her first album is incredible. That is like pop punk at its peak.
ROTEN: It is. Yeah. But also, you know, like I mentioned, Michelle Branch or Aly and AJ — just like, yeah. But also like the new ones, too, like Olivia Rodrigo and even Chappell Roan, the pop girls are really influential.
RITTER: Taking like those pop sensibilities and like the fun colors and vibes and just putting that over like some kind of old-school punk guitars I think is really fun. Because yes, we grew up with Hannah Montana, but I also at the same time was like, I loved the Clash and the Ramones as a kid. So I am obsessed with just simple, four-chord, “Let’s go!” kind of beats. And taking that and then twisting it with pop stuff is so fun.
GILGER: All right. So let’s hear one of your songs. What are you going to play for us?
RITTER: We’re going to play “Decay.”
[DIVA BLEACH PLAYS 'DECAY']
GILGER: It’s really, It’s deeply personal, though. Like, these are songs about relationships. Often not good relationships, sometimes that don’t end so well. Does that get messy? Do you feel a little self-conscious about talking about those things?
ROTEN: Yeah, of course.
RITTER: We think about it all the time.
ROTEN: I mean, I just feel like, I don’t know when you’re in a band, it’s kind of — and that’s just what happens. You’re going to write songs about stuff, so you just kind of have to accept that.
RITTER: And I think there are ways to go about it. Like, yes, some of our songs are about more sensitive subjects, but we’re not trying to be mean in any way. We’re not trying to bring anyone down. It’s a point of view, really. It’s just like, it’s from our perspective, this is how things are and how we see it.
ROTEN: Yeah. And I think songwriting, not everything has to be literal, like, “this is what is happening.” But like for me, it’s kind of an opportunity to indulge in your most toxic feelings, or stuff that you don’t want to feel. And this is like therapy. And then you go through real life and actually …
RITTER: You let your intrusive thoughts run, so you don’t have to actually apply that to your everyday life.
GILGER: It sounds cathartic. Why do you think that striking a chord right now? Is it girls your age who are coming to your shows and singing along? Or is it broader than you expected?
RITTER: As I would say, it’s broader than I expected. I mean, we just write like a little song and we’re like, “Hey, this is how I feel.” And then everyone’s like, “Oh my God, I went through a breakup, I have this.” We get so many comments and people being like, “This is what’s happening to me. Thank you for your song.” It’s so cool to hear that.
ROTEN: It’s cool that anybody relates to it. I think that’s like the whole point of sharing it.
GILGER: How does that feel as the artist? You’re putting yourself out there in this way that most people will literally never do or would never dream of. And then you do it, and you get all of this feedback from people who say thank you. That’s got to feel pretty cool, right?
ROTEN: Oh yeah. It’s like the whole, I mean it’s one of the main reasons we put stuff out.
RITTER: It’s incredible. Because when you write a song, like a lot of times for me, it helps me feel my emotions and process things and feel less alone, like I understand something. And just growing up listening to music like Paramore, hearing words out of someone else’s mouth that are so comforting. To hear that you are that for someone else is insane.
GILGER: I wonder when you start to feel like the grown-up in the room. Like, you’re the one who was the kid listening to Paramore, and now you’re the one who kids are talking to you about this experience.
RITTER: It is insane. Sometimes I forget that we’re actual adults until a little teenager comes up to us at the booth, and I’m like, “Oh my God, you’re a baby.” They’re so sweet.
ROTEN: “Oh my God, you’re a child.” It’s really cool. It’s the most rewarding thing when a 13-year-old girl comes up and they’re like, “Oh, I started a band because I listened to you guys.” It’s irreplaceable, you know?
GILGER: OK, so let me ask you about the career process here. Like kind of the business side of this, which is always kind of interesting to get a peek into. You started this kind of for fun, it sounds like, just to do it. And this has grown pretty quickly. It’s not been all that many years, couple of albums. You are playing some big festivals. You’ve got representation in L.A., you’re recording in studios. What does this feel like?
RITTER: Crazy, honestly.
ROTEN: Yeah, I definitely have imposter syndrome all the time.
RITTER: Oh yeah. Every day I’m like, “How did we do that?” But we try, I won’t cut us short. We work, we do.
ROTEN: Yeah, we definitely work hard for it. But, it’s really cool.
RITTER: It’s almost like having those kids who say “Hey, I started a band because of you,” to have these people be like, “Hey, we’re doing this because we like your music,” it’s crazy. I am lost for words for it, literally.
ROTEN: And we’re really grateful. I feel like we’ve been really lucky with the people we’ve met in the industry, and we’ve had a lot of great experiences. So we’re really grateful for the team that we do have.
GILGER: Thank you both for talking to us. Thanks for doing The Show. … So let’s have you take us out on one of your songs. What’s up next?
ROTEN: This is “Cross My Heart.”
[DIVA BLEACH PLAYS 'CROSS MY HEART']
