Meet Chicago’s Dreamy Indie Trio… Dehd

If you’re looking for a dynamic indie band that delivers honest and emotive music, look no further Dehd is for you. Emily Kempf, Jason Balla, and Eric McGrady first met each other at the music venue Animal Kingdom, a hub for Chicago’s various bands and touring acts. After clicking with one another at the establishment, the group decided to make music together – which resulted in the formation of Dehd. In 2016, the trio released their first self-titled project, ‘Dehd’. With its glorious retro sound and immersive lyrics, the group gave listeners a taste of their expansive musical prowess. In 2020, the group achieved further notoriety with their album ‘Flower of Devotion’. Released at the height of the pandemic, the band unapologetically explored the balance between real hope and an uncertain future.

A year after the release of the heartfelt record, the group began their journey on their fourth album ‘Blue Skies‘. With access to more resources this time around, Dehd tripled their stay in the studio to create some of their most compelling and thought-provoking songs to date. With their latest single, ‘Empty in My Mind’ making the rounds and the release of ‘Blue Skies’ not too far behind, Dehd is preparing to take over the indie music sphere. We were able to chat with the trio about their creative process, their fourth album, touring, and so much more.

Heya Dehd! Thanks for sitting down with Spindle. How’s April treating you three so far?

April has been a beaut. Lots of rain over here, so looking forward to all the flowers about to be popping up. We got tour kicking off in a week, so we’ve been practicing a little and playing a few local record shops here in Chicago. Shaking off the rust till we hit the road. 

Let’s take it back to the beginning. How did you three end up crossing paths to create Dehd?

Back in the day, there was a house venue called Animal Kingdom that was the central hub for a ton of Chicago bands and touring acts too. We met at the same show and started making music together shortly after. 

How would you describe your sound? What type of musical elements or artists inspired you when you initially started making music? 

We all have pretty disparate influences musically, but I think a common thread between the three of us is the goal to make music that feels intuitive and uninhibited. In the beginning, simplicity was a big thing too. Eric only plays a floor tom and a snare, I play a lot of single notes. We’ve carried that through most of our albums, but lately, we’re not afraid to get a little more complex with the arrangements. We never go so far, though, that when we play live, the songs can’t stand on their own without every bell or whistle.

We need to chat about your latest release, ‘Stars’. The track exudes such a curious and carefree vibe (we’re obsessed). What was the creative process like for this record?

Ah, I love stars too! We write about 95% of our songs together in the practice space. Stars falls into that 95%. This one started with a drum machine I programmed, and then the music just tumbled out on top of that. For us, songwriting usually starts with one element (like the drum machine), and then the vocals, the guitar, the bass, the drums, and everything else happens in conversation with that first thing. We start playing, listening to each other and then there’s a song.

Alongside your fantastic track, you are prepping to release your next album, ‘Blue Skies’ – which is a follow up to your 2020 album ‘Flower of Devotion’. What themes or meanings did you want to explore with this record?

This record is about cutting through darkness. No matter what’s going on, it’s about remembering to look up and see that there’s something else coming around the bend, there’s a little blue sky off in the distance.

It’s been two years since your last record, ‘Flower of Devotion’. How long has ‘Blue Skies’ been in the works? 

We took about a year off from playing music during the pandemic and then started practicing again at the beginning of 2021. By the end of summer, the record was a wrap! I think having a little time off really made the act of music feel so fresh and carefree. It’s such a great way to express yourself. 

We were able to take a listen to the album and it’s absolutely fantastic! If you’re allowed to spill, which unreleased song on the record are you most excited for fans to listen to? 

I’m gonna have to go with ‘Control’. It’s a lot different from anything else we’ve ever put on a record, and I think stands for the sort of exploration that we undertook on this album. We asked ourselves what exactly makes a song a Dehd song and, in the process, made a new definition.

How have you three evolved since your 2017 release Fire of Love? 

We’ve been making music pretty much non-stop since we started, and I think we’ve been changing with every step. There’s a lot to explore in the realm of music, even if sometimes it feels like it’s all been done before. We’ve also recorded our records ourselves with the exception of our first cassette, so I think listening through our albums is also listening to us learning about the recording process as well.

We hear that you’re currently on tour. How’s it treating you so far? 

We’re actually on a little break right now before we hop out again, but we just got back from the UK playing our first shows of the year. It feels so good to get out on stage and play for people again. Very excited for the tours to come! 

You have quite a few stops in May. Which venue are you excited to perform at the most? 

It’s kinda hard to choose a favourite because there’s so many great venues and cities along the way. I think I’m actually really excited to play at Trees in Dallas. My best bud grew up there and has been gassing me up about it since he heard we’re playing there.

How would you describe a Dehd show in five words or less? 

Not to be missed.

Aside from your new album and tour, what else can music listeners expect from you guys in the coming months?

That really sums it up. There’s only so many hours in the day. I think I’m just excited to play these new songs live. Usually, when our records have come out, we’ve played a lot of the songs live before. But with this record, it’s the opposite and I can’t wait to see how this record feels out on the stage.

Make sure to listen to Dehd’s latest EP ‘Empty in My Mind’ here or below.