On February 5, Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Dylan Dunlap will release Soldier On. The EP pairs difficult themes with uplifting melodies, showcasing Dylan’s innate ability to craft deeply personal narratives into power pop eloquence.
Following the release of the first single “Seriously,” Dylan returns with “What We Had,” an intimate, specific, and transparent story about his childhood.
“With it, I’m choosing to open up the conversation about toxic masculinity, alcoholism, depression/anxiety, the diagnosis of my mental health condition, and coping through it all while still allowing room to grieve. My dad took off 6 years ago this summer and since then, there has been nothing but the craziest updates that could write a soap opera. I feel like this song can finally be my opportunity to share my perseverance into adulthood and my refusal to worry about turning into him any longer. “I try so hard to think I’m not my father, I forget about what makes me who I am” sums up that message in the pre. I think it’s way more effective to sing from a vulnerable place than try to sound/look like somebody else.”
Directed by Tim Toda (Oh Wonder, Dan Kroll, Misterwives), the official music video gives fans an intimate peek into the 24-year old’s early childhood and teen years with a collage of photos and personal home videos. Included in the mix are performance clips, like the day he supported OneRepublic at a sold-out stadium in Utah.
“I couldn’t think of a better way to showcase my perseverance through music than to just show the footage of me doing it. My childhood best friend, Tim Toda, has been so kind enough to document almost half my life, and I absolutely loved the idea that he and his girlfriend, Kristen Hahn, brought to the table of combining all of that footage with projector shots. I put abslutely everything into this song and am so grateful that the video came out as beautiful as it did. I hope that both this song and video help normalize practicing vulnerability with the people closest to us as well as with complete strangers.”