Podcast Summary: The Beaches New Album Drops Tomorrow

Podcast: All Of It
Host: Alison Stewart (A)
Guests: The Beaches – Jordan Miller (C, vocals/bass), Kylie Miller (E, guitar), Leandra Earle (F, keys/guitar), Eliza Emma McDaniel (D, drums)
Date: August 28, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of All Of It centers on the Canadian rock band The Beaches, whose third album, No Hard Feelings, drops August 29th. Host Alison Stewart interviews all four band members, exploring the viral success of their hit "Blame Brett," the band’s artistic evolution, their approach to songwriting and sound, issues of identity and representation in rock, and their shift from a major label to an independent one. The session is peppered with laughs, live acoustic performances, and candid insights into their journey and community.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Viral Success of "Blame Brett"

• [02:28] Exclusive live performance of "Blame Brett."
• Discussion:
  • The band recalls the TikTok post that went viral, changing the trajectory of their career.
    • Kylie Miller: "We just saw the numbers start jumping and jumping... the next day, it had like 1.1, 1.5 million...[it] completely transformed our lives." ([06:01])
    • Leandra Earle: “The vocal booth has become sort of famous within the Canadian music industry. It’s like, that’s where the Beaches had their TikTok.” ([06:25])
  • The viral moment helped expand their audience internationally, especially given the challenges faced by Canadian bands:
    • Eliza Emma McDaniel: “It really set us on a new trajectory to... come to the States more and build our fan base in Europe and just introduce a lot more people to our music.” ([06:41])
  • On why the song hit so hard:
    • Jordan Miller: “I got broken up with before a lot of the COVID breakups...I think I was going through something that was about to hit everybody.” ([07:20])
    • Kylie Miller: “Everybody has a Brett in their life...Breakups are a universal experience.” ([07:41])

2. Origins & Evolution of The Beaches' Sound

• [08:33] The Miller sisters have played together since early childhood, originally forming a band called Done With Dolls.
  • Jordan Miller: "We've never not been...Just individual solo artists. We've always, you know, performed together." ([08:47])
• Early songwriting:
  • Kylie Miller: "We learned three chords and we had a dream." ([09:16])
  • Song topics ranged from sibling relationships to petty fights (“Go Away,” “Those Lies”).
• Eliza joined as drummer after being recruited at age 12, underscoring the band’s self-taught, collaborative roots:
  • “We learned our instruments as we grew up.” ([09:54])
• Leandra came on board just as their sound shifted from “Done With Dolls” pop to alternative covers (Black Keys) and eventually to their blend of happy-sad, moody rock referencing The Strokes, Joy Division, and The Cure.
  • Jordan Miller: “We really landed on our sound with...Blame My Ex, which [includes] Blame Brett, and it’s...happy-sad.” ([10:54])

3. Navigating Gender & Identity in Rock

• Early in their career, the band rejected the “girl band” label and sought to sound “as hardcore as possible to get male fans.”
  • Jordan Miller: “Not at all [anymore]. Now I write music for, you know, people like me. Like young, queer women, you know.” ([11:50])
• Songwriting now explicitly centers on their identities, aiming to represent their diverse fanbase.
• Leandra Earle: “In Covid, I came out as a lesbian...we should start writing from other members perspectives because there’s so many more identities in this band.” ([22:27])
• Eliza Emma McDaniel: "The majority of the album [No Hard Feelings] is about queer relationships. We just want to make sure...everyone feels seen and acknowledged and part of this big Beaches family.” ([23:10])
• Jordan Miller, on representation: “It’s important to share...that’s how you make real change...that people hear their stories shared in all forms of art.” ([22:54])

4. Songwriting Approach on “No Hard Feelings”

• Kylie Miller: "[This album is] so special...it kind of shares individual experiences that we've all gone through...It was just a really collaborative experience." ([12:41])
• The vision: more collective songwriting, with influence from Sex and the City as a model of shared female conversations:
  • Jordan Miller: “I wanted it to feel like...the girls always go to this brunch spot and debrief about relationships. I wanted this record to feel like a conversation amongst all of us.” ([13:36])
• Eliza Emma McDaniel: "That's kind of what this record is. It's like letting everyone into a glimpse of our lives individually." ([13:59])

5. The Acoustic Sessions & Authenticity

• [14:39] In-studio acoustic performances include "Last Girls at the Party" and the first radio play of "Did I Say Too Much."
• On playing acoustic:
  • Jordan Miller: “When you play the songs acoustically, it’s about dynamics...be creative, make it work with what you got.” ([17:48])
  • Leandra Earle: “Probably breathier vocals.”
  • Eliza Emma McDaniel: “It’s a nice break for me to have this single egg in my hand as opposed to an entire drum kit.”
• The acoustic format highlights the vulnerability in their lyrics:
  • Eliza: “They’re sad.”
  • Jordan: “Blaine, Brett, particularly. Sounds like a funeral march for some reason, acoustically.” ([18:27])

6. Independence from Major Labels

• The band describes escaping major-label constraints in favor of creative freedom:
  • Kylie Miller: "We were assigned to major labels...since we were 15...we really wanted to see if we could do this ourselves." ([19:08])
  • Jordan Miller: “They believe in you, and you're not signed for five records...I think that's the way the industry should be moving forward.” ([19:38])
• Control over their work:
  • Jordan Miller: “We basically get to pick the songs that become singles. Usually...you don’t always have a say but now we can premiere new music on TikTok and let the fans have a bit of a say.” ([20:03])
  • Eliza Emma McDaniel: “The moment you have the freedom to kind of do what you want, that's when it hits, that's when it resonates.” ([21:38])

7. Upcoming Album, Queer Storytelling, Community

• The upcoming album No Hard Feelings is “a big party...get ready to dance while crying.” ([24:08])
• Fanbase and visibility:
  • Jordan Miller, referencing a past interview: “The people we’re making music for are girls, gays, and theys.” ([21:59])
  • Emphasis on ensuring fans see their real experiences reflected in the songs.
• Anticipation for new music, including their fresh single “Did I Say Too Much” premiered on air ([24:44]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the impact of going viral:

  • Kylie Miller: “It eventually got up to, like 3 [million], but it just ended up, yeah, completely transforming our lives. And it’s so wild that that’s happened over like a year and a half.” ([06:14])

• On writing for themselves now:

  • Jordan Miller: “I write music for, you know, people like me. Like young, queer women, you know.” ([12:19])

• On independence:

  • Jordan Miller: “You’re not signed for like, five records. You’re signed for one record. So if you’re not happy...you’re not stuck.” ([19:38])

• On their fanbase:

  • Jordan Miller: “We write music for the girls, gays, and theys.” ([21:59])

• On the new album’s collaborative approach:

  • Kylie Miller: "No Hard Feelings is kind of more about each of us. And it basically was like having therapy with your best friends." ([12:41])
  • Jordan Miller: “I wanted this record to feel like a conversation amongst all of us.” ([13:36])

• On what to expect at their live shows:

  • Jordan Miller: “A big party for sure. Like get ready to dance. Get ready to cry. Get ready to dance while crying.” ([24:08])

Important Timestamps

• 02:28 – Live performance: "Blame Brett"
• 05:42–08:01 – Discussing the viral blow-up & emotional resonance
• 08:33–11:29 – Band origins, evolution, and early songwriting
• 11:50–13:59 – Gender, identity, intentionality in audience & genre
• 14:39 – Live performance: "Last Girls at the Party"
• 17:48–18:58 – Acoustic arrangements and the vulnerability of stripping back their sound
• 19:02–21:38 – Move to independent label; creative freedom
• 21:59–23:45 – On representation and writing for "girls, gays and theys"
• 24:44 – First radio performance of "Did I Say Too Much"

Overall Tone & Takeaways

This episode is warm, candid, and energetic—very much a reflection of both Alison Stewart’s personable interviewing style and The Beaches’ camaraderie, humor, and sincerity. The conversation flows naturally between laughs and deep, personal insights, underscoring themes of artistic autonomy, representation, and community for marginalized voices in rock.

Newcomers gain a strong sense of The Beaches’ journey from scrappy sibling band to globally recognized indie rock act with a clear, inclusive mission—and a taste for both late-night parties and late-night therapy sessions.

For listeners and fans:
Expect cathartic, anthemic, and openly queer rock from The Beaches on ‘No Hard Feelings’—music made for everyone who’s ever cried at a party, found family in friends, or needed to sing (and dance) it all out.