Social Anxiety Gets an Arena-Size Breakbeat Workout on Bonnie X Clyde’s Newest Single “Torn” With Purge on Insomniac Records

Insomniac favorites Bonnie X Clyde have teamed up with Purge for “Torn,” a stadium-size breakbeat jam packed with spinbacks, arcade game effects, and brooding vocals about feeling overwhelmed, something everyone in our social media age can relate to, especially given our political situation. The track perfectly captures a sound the L.A. duo has been fine-tuning since catching people’s attention in 2015: big and bold production with melodic elements and intimate lyrics. On “Torn,” their sound gets added heft via “dark bass” act Purge, who’ve dropped tracks on OSWLA and gotten props from vets including Krewella.

With viral favorites including “The Ride” and “Rise Above,” and scene-stealing performances at some of the biggest festivals—including Life in Color, EDC, Sun City, Middlelands, and Groove Cruise—Bonnie X Clyde have wowed fans internationally. We connected with Bonnie recently to discuss how creativity and social anxiety play off of each other, how that influences their sound, and what’s next for the fast-rising duo.

How did you wind up teaming with Purge? What felt right about adding them to the mix?
We have a ton of mutual friends and started hanging out. We became good friends AND loved their music, so it was easy to work on something together.

How do you feel this collaboration has influenced you creatively and technically? What can you imagine carrying forward in your lyrical or vocal style?
This song was something that showed a darker, more emotional side of us. It was a piece of art we felt we wanted to share with everyone. I think it’s also giving an entryway into the rest of our music. We will be having a lot more vocals, and they will be more of a focal point in our tracks moving forward. We want to use our lyrics to really make people feel something. Creatively, I think it has opened a door for us to release more raw material, and technically, we learned a ton more on the production side/vocally. We love to change the vocals up. Some songs, we want to hear the soft side of Bonnie, and others we want to have her belt. We also want some songs to make you feel powerful, and others to make you really think.

How do you go about translating the lyrical intensity into the production and sound of the song? What techniques, tools, or ideas did you explore for this song?
This song came together quite differently than most. The production was almost completed before the writing began. So, the production is what gave us a vibe that led to Bonnie singing that kind of vocal. I think the fact the production was so dark and strong made her feel those emotions and perform it in that way.

Do you have any special arrangements planned for this song when you perform it live?
Yes, we do have some exciting things planned. 🙂

What do you think people misunderstand about social anxiety? What is it, and what is it not?
Even people that are outgoing and seem to have it all together are going through anxiety. And it doesn’t affect people 24/7. It comes at weird times, and you never know when, but there are ways of helping it and making it better to overcome it.

What’s it like dealing with social anxiety and having to tour and perform? Is working in the relative isolation of a studio or home space easier?
Touring can be tough—being away from home all the time and under a lot of pressure—but as soon as I step onstage and my adrenaline kicks in, it all goes away. The people singing along, and the beautiful reaction/meeting fans afterward, it makes it all worth it. In those moments, I don’t have any anxiety, and they make me the happiest.

I love both—any studio setup works for me. Sometimes I love just being locked in my room, but I also love going to nice studios and having the whole setup.

Things are feeling pretty hopeless in the world right now. What would you say to people who don’t have a creative outlet for their anxiety?
Create one. Yeah, it may not get crazy views, but that shouldn’t stop your art and having a platform for it. Before anyone blows up, they have a growth period where they build and build and build. Sometimes they never blow up, but you just have to do it. I feel like to be sane sometimes, you just do things for yourself to make yourself happy. Obviously, you hope and push that people will catch on to whatever it is. But also, people don’t always feel a creative outlet is the best way to release anxiety. I think whatever works best for you—whether it’s creating music or going on a run, whatever—just find what that thing is and realize it is what you need to help yourself.

How do you see your music providing an outlet for people in troubled times?
All the time, we get comments about what our music has done for people. Those comments motivate us the most. I think music in general is an escape for many, and we always want people to dance and have fun. But if we have a platform people are looking at, I want it to move people positively, as well. Our lyrics mean a lot to us. It may not always be daisies and butterflies, but we want it to make someone feel something and potentially change their life in some way.

What are some songs, books, or films that have helped you deal with your issues?
So many—mainly music, though. When I am down, I blast older rock songs that make me feel great. I love Led Zeppelin and Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.

What’s up next for BXC?
We have some really great songs in the works, and we really just want our music to make people feel something. Tell a story. Make them want to throw it on and dance and have a good time. In the past, we have made music for ourselves, but we are growing a platform where we want to really change people’s lives, so it isn’t just about us anymore. And we are okay with that. We do all of this, really, for the fans now. It will always come from our hearts and be genuine, though. We want to show them—through our music/performances—experiences we have gone through, so we can connect even more. We want all of our fans and listeners to know more about us through our music and to grow even more of a connection with us.

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