The Paradox on Breaking Barriers in Pop-Punk & Their Meteoric Rise with NSFW
"Somebody had to f***ing do it" - The Paradox on being representation pioneers in the emo/pop-punk sceneAt Riot Fest 2025, we sat down with The Paradox, the rising pop-punk band that's redefining what representation looks like in alternative music. From their formation in July 2024 to landing a major tour with All Time Low, Mayday Parade, Four Year Strong, and The Cab, their journey has been nothing short of meteoric. The band gets real about being Black artists in a predominantly white genre, discussing how they're creating the representation they needed in high school. We explore their debut album NSFW, their influences ranging from Taking Back Sunday to Neck Deep, and why being "crybabies" who tell each other "I love you" is actually their greatest strength. This conversation bridges the classic emo era with today's scene, showing how The Paradox is both honoring the past and pushing the genre forward.Key Topics & Timestamps:[00:00] Introduction and the most emo songs they're listening to[01:06] What makes The Paradox so emo - embracing emotions as men[01:53] Discussion of their new album NSFW[02:38] Their first show at Concord and covering Taking Back Sunday[02:55] The band's meteoric rise since forming in 2024[03:15] Upcoming tour with All Time Low, Mayday Parade, and more[03:56] Small bands to watch: Custodians, Zealand, Super Sometimes, Barry Hendricks, Kawaii AF[04:40] Being Black artists in pop-punk and creating necessary representation[05:51] Where to find The Paradox and tour informationEpisode Highlights:"We're very emotional men... One thing I love about us is we're very in touch with our emotions. We tell each other we love each other, give each other hugs... little kiss goodnight.""With that, I think being able to have representation or give representation for people is awesome. Like one of my favorite comments is when people are like, 'Yo, I needed you guys in high school.'""There's not many of us, you know, and all we want to do is just create more of that."
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