MAKEOUT Announces New Members
Pop-punk phenoms Makeout, who took the music world by storm on the heels of their debut album, The Good Life, have ended the search for their new lead singer. Kyle Dee, formerly a Season 11 American Idol contestant, and lead singer of Chicago mainstays, The Frantic, will take charge of lead vocals and rhythm guitar. Also joining the band is bassist AJ Khah, who was previously a member of fellow pop-punk favorites, Sleep On It. Both members bring a wealth of experience to the band alongside Tyler Young (Lead Guitar) and Scott Eckel (Drums).
Earlier this year, former lead singer Sam Boxold shocked fans when he abruptly announced his plans to leave the band and focus on other endeavors. Immediately after, the band began an extensive worldwide search for a new frontman. Makeout utilized their social media channels and engaged with fans and potential candidates alike, to help find a replacement for the vacant position. The band received more than 500 submissions for the job. Over 30,000 fans voted, and Kyle was one of three finalists that received the most votes. After several interviews and rehearsals, the band unanimously agreed that Kyle was the perfect fit for the next chapter in the band's career.
Kyle says, "I’ve been a huge fan of Makeout since the beginning, so for me, to get to step in and continue building on such a solid foundation is an amazing opportunity. I realize that I have some big shoes to fill but I'm up for the challenge and feel so grateful to be a part of the next chapter in Makeout's story."
“We are so pumped to officially have Kyle on board. We knew that when Sam left, the bar had been set pretty high. Kyle's talent as a vocalist, writer, and guitar player has added so many new and improved dynamics to the band,” says Young. “From the moment we stepped into rehearsals with Kyle and AJ, it all just clicked and felt like we had been playing together for years."
Additionally, the members of Makeout have decided to retire their song “Secrets”. Guitarist Tyler Young comments, “None of the current members of the band had anything to do with the writing or the decision to release the song, and we feel that it no longer represents who we are or what we stand for.”
New frontman, Kyle Dee, explained, “When we all initially got together, we looked back at the band's past and asked ourselves, 'who do we want to be moving forward?' The foursome agreed that moving forward, they wanted to be a band that is transparent and conscious of issues that affect others.
“Our love for our fans and this scene as a whole has only grown through this transition period. We sincerely want to make a difference and we feel the best way to show that is by starting fresh and eliminating any past material that has hurt others or been a source of conflict,” says AJ. “We are just thrilled to get back to what made this band, and that's undeniable music that can be enjoyed by everyone.”
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