Behind the Music: An Exclusive Interview with the Bandmates of King of Cups

Amit Ahuja
3 days ago
26 min read

I had the opportunity to conduct a Q&A session with King of Cups, a Pop-Punk/Emo duo comprising Sugar Shaun Bryan Guy, alongside Kevin Prince and Tyler. Our conversation explored their backgrounds, the band's formation, their music, and other related topics.

Amit AhuJa: Tell us about where you both grow and what your hometown was like. Could you paint us a picture of the community—its culture, people, traditions, or even the everyday rhythms—that surrounded you as a child? In what ways did the atmosphere, whether it was supportive, challenging, inspiring, or perhaps even complicated, shape the person you were becoming during those early years? Looking back now, are there specific moments, lessons, or influences from that environment that stand out as particularly formative?

King of Cups:

Bryan: We grew up in this weird mix of upper-middle to lower-upper-class families blended with a lot of lower-middle-class kids like us. That’s where we landed, somewhere in the middle, working for every piece of gear we owned while a lot of our peers were handed guitars and amps that cost ten times more than ours. I know that sounds bitter, but I promise it’s not. If anything, it gave us a deeper appreciation for what we were doing. When you spend months saving for a single pedal, every sound means something.

There was also this competitive streak in the scene, especially among the kids who had everything. It was like they treated music the way some people treat sports, always trying to “win,” even when no one was keeping score. Bands would show up to shows and hold their noses up at each other, fighting for fans like there was only room for one band in the world. That mindset never made sense to us. Who listens to only one band?

I’ll never forget one show where the band before us got everyone in the venue to go outside with them after their set, leaving us with an empty room. Instead of starting to no one, we went outside and began pulling people back in. The other band looked annoyed, arms crossed the entire time we played. But every now and then, we’d meet bands who were more like us. Working hard, having fun, appreciating what they had. Those nights were a breath of fresh air.

Amit Ahuja: Looking back, that environment shaped us a lot. For one, we grew up around some real assholes. But it also taught us how to keep our heads down and focus on what mattered. It taught us how to treat people. While the competitive kids came off thirsty, we always tried to talk to fans with humility, the way you talk to equals, not trophies. That mindset stuck with us and honestly shaped the way we approach our band today.

How has your guy's upbringing continued to influence who you guys are today? Are there certain values, beliefs, or perspectives—whether passed down through family, taught in your community, or born from your own experiences—that still guide your decisions in life and in music? Do you ever find echoes of those early lessons appearing in the way you write songs, collaborate with others, or navigate challenges?

King of Cups:

Bryan: Our upbringing still shapes almost everything we do, both in life and in our music. We grew up with the golden rule drilled into us. Treat people the way you want to be treated. It sounds simple, but that value has kept us grounded, even when it wasn’t always reciprocated in the competitive scene we came from. Honestly, our humility was sometimes a disadvantage. Some people saw us as too accessible. If your favorite band messaged you back and asked to grab coffee, most people would think that’s incredible. But in our hometown, being approachable somehow made people take us less seriously. We never understood that.

We were also raised in a very “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” environment. The ironic part is that a lot of our peers were extremely privileged to the point where they didn’t appreciate any of it. But growing up around that mindset pushed us in the opposite direction. It shaped us into the DIY band we are now. We learned not to rely on anyone but ourselves. We’ve recorded in million-dollar studios, and yet the music we make on our own today feels more authentic and honestly sounds better, because it’s built from that work ethic we grew up with.

All of this has seeped into our songwriting as well. Early on, our lyrics had that angsty edge, directed at the arrogance we grew up around. But as we got older, the message evolved into something more reflective, more aware of the bigger picture. A good example is our song Watch the World Burn. On the surface, it has this bleak, pessimistic vibe, but underneath there’s a philosophical core. It asks the listener to actually think about what’s happening in the world today and to see past the labels and sides. We wanted to write something that resonates no matter what your beliefs are, something that speaks to the human experience rather than one perspective.

So yeah, our upbringing is still everywhere in who we are today. In how we carry ourselves, how we work, how we treat people, and definitely in the music we write.

Shaun: My dad was a self-taught musician, and he was amazing. So, I taught myself how to read music for the guitar, and I learned how to play power chords on my own. After that, I couldn’t stop. I went to college for a music degree and learned a lot there. My dad was an incredible self-taught singer. He sounded just like Elvis. I wanted to be able to sing too, but I needed lessons. So, I did what I had to do to make it happen. My mom played bass, and my grandpa played drums. So, it runs in the family.

My mom and dad always taught me to keep at everything I do. Even if I’m not good at it to begin with, keep learning and trying, and you’ll get to where you want to be. I’m so glad I followed that advice. My parents also taught me to be kind and helpful to other people. So, I like to help lift other musicians every chance I get.

I was lucky to have the parents, I did. What they taught me has followed me throughout my life, and the values do help shape how I write songs.

Amit Ahuja: Can you both share a pivotal moment that first ignited both your passions for music? Was it hearing a specific song, seeing a performance, discovering an artist you admired, or even going through a personal experience that made you realize music could be more than background noise—it could be a calling? How did that moment open the door for you to start seeing music as a path worth pursuing seriously?

Bryan: I don’t think there was a single lightning-bolt moment where music hit me, it was more like my entire upbringing quietly shaping me into the person I was going to become. My dad was a musician, always playing in bands. Sometimes it was a corporate band with his co-workers, other times it was a cover band he found through a newspaper ad. So from as early as I can remember, music wasn’t this mysterious, far-away thing. It was just part of our house. There were always instruments lying around. Some days I’d strum a toy guitar, other days I’d be singing into a mic through my dad’s PA system, as if I were playing a stadium.

But things really clicked when I was about ten. I finally wanted to retire the toy guitar and learn a “real” instrument. At first I thought I’d learn saxophone, but one day a friend came over and showed me how to play a Green Day song on my dad’s guitar, and that was it. I was hooked instantly. From there, I started learning everything I could: Nirvana, Metallica, Iron Maiden… anything that made me feel something.

After a couple of years, I became obsessed with recording. I wanted to hear myself the

way I heard my favorite bands. I started with a Talkboy (the same one Kevin McCallister had in Home Alone 2) then graduated to a 4-track tape machine, then an 8-track digital recorder, and eventually an Mbox with Pro Tools. Every step deeper made the dream feel a little more real.

The live side of music hit me just as hard. I used to buy concert DVDs and watch bands feed off a crowd. It always looked electric. The first time I experienced that myself was in junior high. My band played a Metallica cover at the school talent show. I wasn’t popular at all, but when I hit the guitar solo, the whole auditorium erupted. Suddenly everyone wanted to be my friend. Even the girl every guy had a crush on suddenly knew my name. That was the first real taste of what performing could be, and I can’t lie, it felt amazing.

But what really made music feel like a calling wasn’t the attention. It was the feeling of stepping onstage, hitting that first chord, and having nerves turn into adrenaline. It doesn’t matter if I’m playing for one person sitting at the bar with their back turned or a packed venue, being onstage feels like stepping into the concert DVDs I grew up watching. It’s the same rush, the same magic, and it’s the reason I’m still here doing this.

Shaun: I don’t have a single moment either. I just loved music all my life. My dad and grandpa played in a band. I learned how to read music at a young age. It all just happened. I guess you could say it was an innate calling that I answered. Music is worth pursuing because I don’t think I can exist any other way.

What initially drew you into the genre of music your band focuses on? From the perspective of sound—instrumentation, rhythm, composition, and energy—what felt magnetic or natural about it? And from an aesthetic standpoint—fashion, visuals, culture—what gave you the sense that this style authentically represented your artistic identity? Was it a gradual discovery, or a moment when it just “clicked?

Bryan: When you first start learning guitar, it’s almost a rite of passage to fall into the Metallica vortex. The riffs sound huge, they make you feel powerful, and they’re surprisingly accessible for beginners. I was no exception. Learning those riffs pulled me down the rabbit hole of heavy, melodic guitar-driven music pretty quickly.

By the time I got to high school, bands like Senses Fail, The Used, and Finch were blowing up. They had the same energy and great guitar parts, but now they were also tapping straight into everything I was feeling at the time. Teenage angst, heartbreak, not fitting in, wanting to push back against the world. It was the perfect storm: big riffs, emotional lyrics, and that raw, messy honesty that made you feel seen. What more could a teenager ask for?

The aesthetic of that whole scene didn’t feel like something I was trying on, it felt natural. The fashion, the visuals, the culture… it all matched the way I saw the world back then. It wasn’t polished or perfect. It was emotional, expressive, and a little bit chaotic. It clicked immediately.

And while I still love that style today, the same way those bands evolved, so did we. The themes change when you grow up. Instead of writing about a girl not calling you back, you’re writing about things a 30-something actually deals with. Loss, responsibility, the economy falling apart around you, the weight of adulthood. Take our track Missing You, for example. It’s about losing parents, grandparents, or a loved one, experiences you can’t fully grasp as a teenager.

So yeah, we’re still emo-rock or whatever label people want to put on us, but the music has matured with us. The heart of the genre (emotion, honesty, catharsis) is still there. It just speaks to where we are in life now, not where we were at 16.

Amit Ahuja: Are there particular songs or artists that have deeply resonated with you and inspired your musical journey? How did those influences shape your creative voice, whether in terms of your sound, your lyrics, or the way you approach performing? Do you ever find yourself consciously—or even unconsciously—channeling them when you’re writing or on stage?

King of Cups:

Bryan: My favorite band has always been Senses Fail. When they blew up in the early 2000s, I was the exact demographic their music was speaking to. Every lyric felt like it was written straight out of my own teenage brain, confusion, heartbreak, not fitting in, trying to figure out who I was. And what kept me connected to them wasn’t just the sound, but the way their songwriting evolved as they grew older. Their themes matured at the same pace that I did, so their music continued speaking to whatever stage of life I was in.

I don’t think I write like them stylistically, but what I’d like to believe we share is the intention behind the lyrics. They’ve always written about heavy, honest, deeply human topics in a way that feels relatable to the age you’re at when you’re listening. That’s something I really try to emulate. Not copying their style, but carrying that same honesty and emotional depth into our own music.

Sometimes those influences show up without me noticing, maybe in the way I phrase a line, or the way certain emotions come out when I’m performing. Other times it’s more conscious, more like, “How do I make this song feel as real to someone else as my favorite songs felt to me?”

At the end of the day, the bands that shaped me taught me that music hits hardest when it tells the truth. And that’s what I try to bring into everything I write.

Amit Ahuja: Can you talk about how that interest began for each of you individually, and what motivated you to actually start learning—whether it was picking up your first instrument, taking lessons, singing in front of others, or creating your own music for the first time?

King of Cups:

Shaun: Honestly, I don’t know the exact thing that made me want to sing or play guitar. I’ve always wanted to. Maybe, because my dad sang and played guitar, and I always thought bands were cool? I taught myself how to play guitar from the internet. There was a website called Misfits Central that featured all the Misfits songs. So, I learned all the notes on the guitar neck from that. Strange that I learned how to read music for the guitar from a punk website.

Amit Ahuja: Can you walk us through the origin story of Kings to Cups? How did the band first come together, and what initially sparked the idea of starting this journey—was it a shared dream between friends, a casual jam session that unexpectedly turned into something bigger, or a strong desire to create the kind of music you felt was missing in the scene around you?

King of Cups:

Shaun: This is a story that’s 20 years old now. Bryan and I were in a band called Scarlet’s Sonata, that turned to Black It Out, and then we were in a band called If Looks Could Kill for a bit, then back to Black It Out. We thought the band name Black It Out was too metal, so we changed it to King of Cups. It’s always been, besides If Looks Could Kills, the musical vision between Bryan and me.

Bryan and I always wanted to start a band when we met. I met him, he was in a band called These Dying Days. I let their bass player use my bass gear for one of their shows, and Bryan and I have been friends ever since. I was in These Dying Days for a bit before it broke up. It was all unexpected, but I’m glad it happened!

We make the music we want. We haven’t looked for a missing sound in the music scene. We’re mostly an internet band, and we do kind of have a sound that’s missing from the scene. People say we sound like Pop-Punk and Emo, and others think we sound like Pop-Rock. It all depends on how people feel.

Amit Ahuja: When you first guys first decided to form Kings to Cups, what was the original vision you had for the band—musically, creatively, and even personally? As you have continued to grow together, write more music, and experience life side by side, how has that vision evolved, expanded, or deepened? Are there ways in which the band has become something very different from what you first imagined, or has it simply become a fuller version of that original dream?

King of Cups:

Shaun: Before King of Cups, we were going for Post-hardcore and Metalcore. We got tired of it and wanted to write something a bit more mature. Not to say that Post-hardcore or Metalcore aren’t mature, but we wanted a genre that would allow us to write about positive things and make music for people who’ve grown out of being depressed all the time, but still like the Warped Tour sound.

Our sound constantly evolves. We have been described as genre-fluid. It’s always Rock-based, but we record whatever works for us and from our personal experiences.

Yeah, we have changed from what we originally imagined quite a bit from when Bryan and I started making music together, but we’ve been sticking to the plan with King of Cups.

Take us inside your songwriting process. Do your lyrics come primarily from personal experiences, from stories you have absorbed from others, or from bigger abstract themes and ideas you feel compelled to explore? How do you move from that first spark of inspiration to a finished song? Are there rituals, creative methods, or collaborative dynamics that guide that journey?

Bryan: For me, songwriting almost always starts with a small spark, some little idea that grabs my attention and refuses to let go. Sometimes it’s musical, sometimes it’s lyrical, and sometimes it’s just a feeling.

Take Missing You, for example. That entire song started with the tom beat in the pre-chorus. I loved the sense of build and momentum it created, and everything else grew from that one rhythmic idea. Other times it’s the lyrics that show up first. Watch the World Burn literally came from a casual conversation Shaun and I were having about politics. He joked that we should write a song about watching the world fall apart around us, and that joke turned into a full song, one that tackles our current social climate without leaning into any particular ideology. It’s a political anthem people across the spectrum can relate to because everyone feels the weight of the world right now.

Our latest song came together in a completely different way. I told Shaun I wanted to experiment, just for fun, and asked him to send me some old lyrics from his archives so I could try writing music around them. I wasn’t expecting anything serious to come out of it; it was supposed to be a creative exercise. Instead of digging up something old, Shaun wrote brand-new lyrics based on how he was feeling in the moment. That spontaneous spark ended up becoming the foundation of one of our favorite songs we’ve ever written. Stay tuned, it’ll be out in early 2026.

So the process changes every time. Sometimes it starts with a drum groove, sometimes

with a conversation, sometimes with a lyric that came out of nowhere. But the constant in our process is staying open and following whatever feels alive in the moment and letting it lead us wherever it wants to go.

Amit Ahuja: Could you please discuss the following songs — Lighthouse, Waited, Watching the World, Missing You — in more detail? I would like to hear your thoughts on the themes, lyrics, and overall message behind each track. It would also be great if you could talk about the musical style, the emotions they convey, and any interesting background stories or inspirations that might have influenced their creation. I’m looking for a deeper exploration of what makes these songs stand out and how they contribute to the overall tone or message of the album or project they belong to.

King of Cups:

Shaun: Sure, “Lighthouse” is about my wife. She helped me get back on track with my beliefs when I had stopped believing. She was very patient. A lot of what I’ve learned from her has changed my life for the better! This song represents Earth in the upcoming Elemental album.

“Waited” originally was an If Looks Could Kill song that had lyrics written by Fred, the singer. Then it became a Black It Out song, and I rewrote many of the lyrics. Finally, it’s now a King of Cups song. I retained the meaning of ILCK’s lyrics. It’s about a relationship that didn’t work out, essentially. It’s about a person waiting for someone who never shows up. “Waited” represents Aether in the Elemental album.

Watch the World Burn” was a spur-of-the-moment song. Bryan and I completed this one in the wake of the 2024 US election, and we noticed how divided people are. So, we said, screw it, I hope it all burns down. The division is ridiculous. We truly hope it gets better. This track represents fire in the Elemental album.

“Missing You” was written around the time Bryan lost a family member he really cared about. I wrote it about my dad, but it’s really for anyone who has lost someone close to them. The song lets those who have passed know that we’re still thinking of them. “Missing You” represents air in the upcoming Elemental album.

“Back To You” is about when I met my wife; I had to move to a different city twelve days after meeting her. It was so weird. I felt strange not being around her, even though I just met her. So, I had to get back to her, and I did!

Amit Ahuja: Are there any lyrics you have written that you feel like you did not completely understand at the time—but make more sense to you now, with distance and life experience?

King of Cups:

Shaun: No. However, different meanings do emerge from time to time that build upon the original meanings. I guess it’s actually a yes since I’m still discovering new meaning in songs. Perhaps that means I don’t fully understand our songs when they’re written? To me, great songs grow with you, and I think that’s what our songs do. Our upcoming track, “Keepers of the Flame,” is going to be about a magic mushroom trip I went on and Manly P. Hall’s book The Initiates of the Flame. So, that’s got a lot behind it, so the meanings will definitely morph and grow as time goes on!

Amit Ahuja: Is there a ‘hidden lore’ or inside story behind your band identity (visuals, logo, colors, symbols) that fans do not know about yet?

King Of Cups:

Shaun: This is more of a Bryan question since he does most of our artwork. He’s incredible at it. I want to talk a bit about the name. We were once called Scarlet’s Sonata, which evolved to Black It Out, and finally, we’re King of Cups. I was pitching new band names to Bryan since we agreed to change our band name to reflect our new sound. We decided to go less heavy. So, I thought, what reflects music the best? Being the king of emotion, of course! King of Hearts is a great name, but that’s definitely taken. So, with a bit of research, the tarot was the precursor to the modern playing card, with cups turning to hearts. We’re the kings of emotion now! With a little more research, the King of Cups tarot card often signifies emotionally mature men. That’s exactly what we were going for! We’re emotionally mature men, and we want our music to sound more emotionally mature! It was perfect! And Bryan liked it! Our Elemental album uses the alchemical symbols for each element. Bryan did a fantastic job with the trees on the first five singles, and the album art is amazing!

Bryan: Our current visual identity is built around alchemy and the classical elements, and there’s actually a lot of hidden meaning woven into the artwork that most people probably haven’t picked up on yet. Our last five singles have all been leading toward our upcoming album Elemental, and each song’s cover art subtly shifts to reflect the element it represents.

The artwork for Back to You, the first single, was centered around water. It shows a lone tree in a field reflecting into a pond, and the symbol worked into the design is an upside-down opaque triangle, the alchemical symbol for water.

Watch the World Burn represents fire, so the artwork moved into a reddish-orange palette, and the tree itself is burning. The symbol in this one is the upright opaque triangle, which represents fire.

As the singles continue, each one introduces its own elemental symbol. And once you stack all four classical element symbols together (water, fire, air, and earth) you get a hexagram. That hexagram is the alchemical symbol for “spirit,” and it’s featured on the cover of Waited.

So the entire visual world of the album is intentionally connected. It’s a progression, a puzzle, and a bit of hidden lore for anyone who loves digging into the meaning behind the music.

Amit Ahuja: How has making music together changed the way you both look at art, love, friendship, or faith (if applicable) in your everyday life?

King of Cups:

Shaun: Making music has definitely deepened my friendship with Bryan, Tyler, and Kevin. Bryan has been a longtime music partner and one of my best friends. So, we’ve definitely grown together over the years. Tyler is a fantastic bassist and is my brother-in-law. We originally had him play bass on our song to get a bassist’s perspective, but now, we won’t release a song without him! I’ve spent a lot of time with him and have gone on two magic mushroom trips with him. We’ve shared a lot of good times!

Kevin is an incredible drummer, and I’ve been friends with this guy since 2003. We stopped talking for several years, but we’ve recently reconnected in 2024. Friendship takes effort, and I now realize I need to stay in touch with people. I am so thankful that Kevin came over the two Thanksgivings in a row and invited me out the next day in 2024. Ever since then, we’ve been best friends again! We love his drumming style and his solid performance. We wouldn’t want to put out a song without him!

Amit Ahuja: If you both had the chance to headline your own tour, which four bands or artists would you choose to bring on the road with you—and why?

King of Cups:

Bryan: That’s a tough one, because honestly any band I’d pick would be way more established than us, and I’d be fighting some serious imposter syndrome the whole time. But if we got the chance to headline our own tour, I’d want a lineup that felt diverse while still living inside our overall “bubble” of sound.

First, I’d bring Underoath. They’re one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen, pure explosive energy from start to finish. They’d set the tone for the entire night.

Then I’d want Blink-182, because they bring that happy-go-lucky, comedic edge that keeps a show fun and unpredictable. Their vibe balances out the intensity and reminds everyone not to take themselves too seriously.

To bridge those two worlds, I’d add A Day to Remember. They’ve got the heaviness, but they also keep their music bouncy and melodic in a way that aligns with both Underoath and Blink. They’re the perfect middle ground.

And for the fourth spot, I’d love to feature a local band from whatever city we’re playing in. Give an underdog a chance to perform in front of a big crowd, get real exposure, and hang backstage with bands they grew up listening to. That’s the kind of opportunity I always wished I had coming up, so it only feels right to pay it forward.

And if you were invited on a two-month tour to support another act, who would you most want that to be?Bryan: I’d love for us to be the opening act for the Foo Fighters. Dave Grohl has played with just about every significant musician of the last few decades, and he carries this incredible mix of wisdom, humility, and pure rock energy. Getting to hang backstage with him for two months and pick his brain about music, creativity, and the history he’s lived through, that would be a dream. Plus, their crowds are passionate, loyal, and open-minded, which would make for an amazing experience as an opener.

Amit Ahuja: What is it about those artists—their sound, their message, their live energy, or the way they connect with audiences—that makes them feel like the perfect fit to share a stage and a journey with you?

King of Cups:

Bryan: What I love about the Foo Fighters is how wide their sonic range is. One song can lean into pop-rock and the next can hit with this almost metal-level heaviness, yet it all still feels authentic to who they are. We get told all the time that we’re “too pop-punk” for one playlist and “too post-hardcore” for another. The truth is, we don’t really fit neatly into one box either. Like the Foo Fighters, we cover a wide net. Some songs are lighter and melodic, others hit hard, and we don’t apologize for any of it.

That’s why they feel like the perfect fit to share a stage with. At the end of the day, we’re both just rock ’n’ roll bands making the music that feels right in the moment. And that kind of versatility connects with people in a really real way.

Amit Ahuja: What does “music” mean to you beyond entertainment?

King of Cups:

Tyler: Beyond entertainment music means many things to me. Music has been a vessel for expression and growth. Looking back it’s nice to feel like the work you put into learning allows you to create something that entertains or even evokes emotions. With music also comes communities. Music has been a means for me to meet people and be a part of a community. I’ve made a lot of good friends through music and gotten to have some shared experiences with them that mean a lot to me.

Amit Ahuja: How do you balance your personal life with the demands of touring and recording?

King of Cups:

Tyler: I often find it difficult to balance my personal life with the demands of music. Learning songs, practicing, and sitting down to record can all be time-consuming. It varies from project to project, but with KoC, Shaun and Bryan are great at getting me chord charts and demos and being responsive when I have questions. They really streamline the process for me.

Amit Ahuja: What advice would you give to musicians facing rejection or setbacks? From your own experiences, how can artists transform moments of disappointment into opportunities for resilience, creativity, and eventual success? What is a story from your own path that illustrates that transformation?

King of Cups:

Shaun: Rejection happens in music. It’s never fun, but you have to remember that music isn’t objective; it’s subjective to people’s tastes. You could write the most amazing song, but someone, somewhere won’t like it. It’s just something that happens. When applying to playlists or submitting to taste-makers’ services, it's essential to understand that they reject most submissions. You’re not special. Your music is excellent, but some people won’t like it. It’s just part of life.

Anyone can turn disappointment into an opportunity for resilience, creativity, and success. It’s all about the mindset. You can write a song about the experience. Or you can even improve on your style and see people start to enjoy your music later down the line.We’ve seen many of our contemporaries get accepted to things that we believe we deserve. We could be upset or even jealous, but that’s not the way to be. Be glad for their success and learn from these experiences, and realize that maybe the places we submitted to weren’t our scene. Maybe our sound is something else, and we’re finding that some Pop-Punk and Emo will reject us, but most Rock will accept us. It is what it is. We’ll continue to shop around the Pop-Punk scene, but we’ll be focusing more on Rock.

Kevin: Oh man… I love this one!

What I always tell my students (Drummer101.com) when they face rejection is: instead of being disappointed, get excited! I used to get told all the time I wasn’t good enough, and that is ultimately what gave me the drive to make sure I was getting better every single day. It’s that “I’ll show you” mentality where I know I’m going to always come back stronger. The musicians who once told me, I wasn’t good enough now are wanting me in their bands. And with that in mind, think those people never hold it against them or have an arrogant attitude towards them. Just get excited about falling in love with your own growth.

Amit Ahuja: Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future? Is it new projects, tours, collaborations, or even personal growth?

King of Cups:

Shaun: I’m excited about recording the following three tracks for the Elemental album. I’m eager to share it with the world! It’s going to be amazing! We also have songs for a whole other EP that we hope to start next year!

I look forward to continuing to work with Bryan, Tyler, and Kevin. They are excellent musicians and great guys!

Kevin: I always get excited when I get to get behind my kit and experiment with new songs I have never heard before. Every musician is unique and differs from the next, so in a way, for me, the musicians I am collaborating with really inspire and push me to get outside of my comfort zone and write the best parts for the song. And it’s even better when the musicians you are working with have been good friends for 20+ years.

Amit Ahuja: On a deeper level, when you create music, does it feel more like release, self-discovery, confrontation with something inside you—or a mix of all three? What message do you hope listeners carry with them after engaging with your music?

King of Cups:

Shaun: Honestly, I’ve been doing it so long it’s just part of me now. At our age, we'd better known ourselves, and a lot of the profound things I’ve learned about myself have been through guided magic mushroom trips. Of course, that makes making music all the better and has been a significant source of inspiration.

We write about what matters to us, so I guess it’s a form of release? Like I said, I’ve been doing it so long, it’s just part of me. If I didn’t do it, I’d probably notice. Thinking back, when I wasn’t making music for a period of time, it felt awful. So, it seems like something I need.I hope people enjoy our music. What they take from it is up to them. Like I said before, music is subjective, and people will find different meanings in our songs, and that’s okay. We do have meanings behind the songs we intend, but people will draw their own conclusions. It would be great if our music impacts people and changes their lives, and I’m sure it has. We’re happy when people enjoy our music, find meaning in it, and get our melodies stuck in their heads.

Kevin: For me, creating music has a lot to do with who you are making music with. It’s definitely more fun when you genuinely enjoy the music and the people you are playing with. It’s sort of like painting with other artists. Each artist brings their own strength and skill sets, and when you get a vibe of each other‘s skills, it makes creating more enjoyable and lots of times even magical. Having an unhealthy love for the drums (lol), I just hope other drummers hear the drum parts and are able to inspire them to play differently.

Amit Ahuja: Who are three individuals who have had a profound impact on your both guys life—whether personally, professionally, or artistically—and in what ways have they shaped your journey?

King of Cups:

Tyler: Three individuals who have had profound impacts on my life personally, professionally, and artistically are my Mother, Father, and an old friend named Josh.

My parents have always been supportive of my interest in music and everything I’ve done in life thus far. They’ve let my bands (and even other people’s bands) practice in their garages and living rooms and they’ve driven across state lines to see me play. They’ve both been there for me the whole time.

My friend Josh taught me how to play bass when we were seventeen. He played in Jazz Band with my cousin in high school and when I met him at a church playing Magic the gathering, I asked him if he could give me bass lessons. Josh gave me professional quality lessons unlike any I’ve received since and I’d be a decent player if I had actually listened to him. All jokes aside, Josh was beyond generous with his time and knowledge and I can’t thank him enough for sharing that with me.

Amit Ahuja: Outside of music, what kinds of TV shows, movies, books, or podcasts resonate with you both the most? Is it the storytelling, the character development, the themes, or the craft itself that really captures your imagination and influences how you think about creativity?

King of Cups:

Tyler: Outside of music I really enjoy TV shows with character development and clever storytelling (Firefly, Arrested Development). There’s something about that helpless feeling you get in movies like Alien or Get Out before the hero emerges triumphant that really resonates with me.

The Glass Cannon Network is my favorite podcast; they’re having fun playing roleplaying games with their buddies. Roleplaying games are another passion of mine, a great source of fun and creative outlets. When I can’t play, I like to listen to others play.

The carefully crafted story of a TV show and the improvisational nature of roleplaying games are both in line with major elements of music and I think that’s why I gravitate towards those things. I think it’s why a lot of people do, we love to get to the end of a series and look back and think, “wow, someone thought of that and took the time to create it, or created it in the moment, and it was awesome.”

Amit Ahuja: Can you share your guy's personal experiences with mental health challenges? What coping strategies, tools, or support systems have helped you most along the way? What advice would you give to others navigating similar struggles, particularly in creative or high-pressure fields?

King of Cups:

Shaun: As a mental health professional, I’m well-versed in the pitfalls. However, that doesn’t mean I’m immune. I get depressed sometimes when our music doesn’t perform like I think it should, but then I remember that’s okay. Music is subjective, no matter how good it is. It just is what it is. Plus, we’re on the internet. It’s easy for someone to type harmful words and give their opinion about something. You have to remember, not everyone thinks like you, and they may have wildly different tastes.Coping? Just remember that everyone is different, and you did the best you could. Not everyone is going to like your music, and that’s okay. Most people definitely will.If you’re talking about mental health in general, it’s best to remember to think positively. I’m not talking about just thinking positively; that’s toxic. You focus on the positive things in life and be thankful for them. That act will absolutely change your life. Also, choose to be happy. Choose to be grateful, and if you’re married or in a committed relationship, choose your partner over and over again. If you need extra help, get it. There’s a lot of help online or just a phone call away. You have to reach for it, though.

Amit Ahuja: As we wrap up, do you both any parting thoughts, reflections, or words of wisdom you would both like to leave us with? Is there a message you guys feel especially compelled to share with your fans—or with anyone chasing a dream of their own?

King of Cups:

Shaun: This interview was extremely extensive, so there have been nuggets of wisdom in many of our previous answers. I want to remind people to keep at their music and be thankful for what they have. And stay positive. That’s super important.I am thankful that Amit let us do this interview. We genuinely appreciate it. We’re sorry we both weren’t able to answer as he intended. We’re very short on time due to this year’s Christmas song we’re working on. We’re hoping to get it out this year! Hawk-It Media rocks, and so does Amit! Thank you all so much! You guys are amazing!

Amit Ahuja: Thank You So Much to bandmates of King of Cups for sharing your story with us!!