Intertwining that classic pop-punk feel with a modern outlook and perspective, Brooklane are back and fiercer than ever with “Stay Toxic,” an anthemic collab with 408 all about knowing your worth and stepping away from unhealthy circumstances to focus on your well-being. It’s equally fun to listen to as it is empowering, reminding listeners that they’re not alone in what they’re going through while encouraging them to make changes in their lives to protect their peace.
“The phrase ‘stay toxic’ really alludes to taking care of yourself and putting yourself first by leaving toxic or abusive situations,” Brooklane tell TREMG. “We hope this [song] in particular can empower people to start their self-care journey, even if it means letting people ‘stay toxic’ so you can move on towards a better path. It’s not our job to change people, and sometimes we can unfortunately only save ourselves.”
“Stay Toxic” already feels like the quintessential Brooklane song – the band has a gift for making fans feel less alone once they press play on a track, and that’s amplified this era. It sets a promising tone for their upcoming Stay Toxic EP, which the band says they aimed to “pour [their] souls into” to help others. It’s strikingly clear that this will be a project that heals people and truly captures the motivating energy that Brooklane put out into the world.
“We sometimes find it difficult to properly translate things we’ve gone through in a digestible way for other people to identify their own experiences with,” Brooklane admit. “But I think we’ve achieved that pretty well with this song. We hope this song helps fans move through some trauma from toxic relationships, since that’s what writing the song helped us do.”
You can find “Stay Toxic” on your favorite streaming services now, and stay tuned for EP updates by connecting with Brooklane on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and their website! Keep reading for more from our conversation with this awe-inspiring band.
Hi Brooklane, congrats on your new single, “Stay Toxic!” How does it feel to finally share the song with the world?
It feels awesome! We wrote this song with Andrew Wade in Orlando and was able to get our good friend Mark from 408 on it. As the title track of our EP, this song is definitely special to us.
What does “Stay Toxic” mean to you, and what made you choose to make it the title track of your upcoming EP?
Writing this EP was our therapy. We really wanted to pour our souls into these songs and be vulnerable with what we have gone through in our lives, because we know that we aren’t alone. The phrase “stay toxic” really alludes to taking care of yourself and putting yourself first by leaving toxic or abusive situations. We hope this title track in particular can empower people to start their self-care journey, even if it means letting people “stay toxic” so you can move on towards a better path. It’s not our job to change people, and sometimes we can unfortunately only save ourselves.
“Stay Toxic” is your first time working with 408, and the results are incredible! How did the collaboration come about, and what was it like making the song together?
We recorded this EP with Andrew Wade at his studio in Orlando. When we were out there, we met a ton of local bands that we love, including 408. Mark just happened to be at the studio when we were in with Wade, which is how we brought him in to do some vocals on the track! We love being able to collaborate with friends.
There are so many moving lyrics on “Stay Toxic,” with one our favorites being “your venom poisoned my brain.” Is there a certain lyric you’re particularly proud of?
That is definitely one of our favorite lyrics! We sometimes find it difficult to properly translate things we’ve gone through in a digestible way for other people to identify their own experiences with, but I think we’ve achieved that pretty well with this song. We hope this song helps fans move through some trauma from toxic relationships, since that’s what writing the song helped us do.
You’ll be releasing your Stay Toxic EP later this year, and we can’t wait to check it out! Which song(s) are you most excited for fans to hear and why?
That’s a hard question, because we all have different favorite songs from the EP, and they are always ever-changing. I think we are really just excited for fans to listen to the EP as a whole, and gravitate towards the songs that they relate to the most.
You’ve been touring with The Summer Set, Grayscale, and Taylor Acorn, which is incredible! What’s been your favorite part of playing these shows?
We were able to hop on their Pontiac, MI show and had a blast! We really look up to the entire line-up, so it felt like a dream to share a stage with them.
We at TREMG love getting to know new artists who haven’t gotten the success or attention they deserve. Who are some of your favorite underrated artists at the moment?
This is our favorite question! We love FRND CRCL, Fran Roz, and Good Terms, just to name a few.
What can your fans look forward to in the rest of 2023?
New music, exciting collaborations, and hopefully many more shows!
Is there anything else you’d like to mention or say to your fans that the questions didn’t touch on?
Please connect with us on social media and join our Discord community for updates!
By Madison Murray
Featured Image: Courtesy of Cold Coffee Entertainment
