"Somebody had to f***ing do it" - The Paradox on being representation pioneers in the emo/pop-punk scene

At 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 information

Episode 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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It was never just a phase. We connect the Myspace era to today's waves.

At Riot Fest 2025, we caught up with Honey Revenge vocalist Devin Papadol for an electrifying conversation about the band's unique position in the modern emo landscape. From their pop-rock fusion that's transcending genre boundaries to becoming Kevin Lyman's favorite new band for Warped Tour 2025, Devin breaks down how Honey Revenge is creating music that makes you want to "cry but also shake ass." We explore the band's influences spanning from early 2000s pop icons like Kesha and Britney to metalcore roots, discuss their support for emerging artists like Love Rarely and Sweet Pill, and get exclusive details about their upcoming tour with Spiritbox. This conversation perfectly captures how the new wave of emo bands are destroying genre boundaries while staying true to the emotional core that defines the scene.

Key Topics & Timestamps:

• [00:00] Introduction and catching up at Riot Fest 2025
• [00:22] Current emo listening habits: Love Rarely and Sweet Pill
• [01:13] What makes Honey Revenge's sound so emo
• [01:37] The untherapized brain vomit that became their debut
• [02:59] How their live show converts skeptics into believers
• [04:03] The death of genre boundaries in modern music
• [04:40] Kevin Lyman's obsession with Honey Revenge
• [05:48] Warped Tour 2025 and feeling like the teacher's pet
• [06:10] Upcoming Spiritbox tour announcement
• [06:20] Building community through Discord and Patreon

Episode Highlights:

• "We make music that is a remnant of many things... reminiscent of the pop music we grew up on and the metalcore we grew up on."
• "Everyone stuck up their f***ing nose to genre. And now we're back... genres aren't real. And that's been my whole thing from the beginning."
• "Warped Tour changed the trajectory of my life... and Kevin Lyman just f***s with us."

JOIN THE CLUB!

Youtube: https://emosocial.club/youtube

Instagram: https://emosocial.club/instagram

TikTok: https://emosocial.club/tiktok

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Facebook: https://emosocial.club/facebook

Twitter: https://emosocial.club/twitter

Support the Show:

• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts/Spotify
• Share this episode with a friend who needs to hear it
• Support us and watch exclusive episodes: https://emosocialclub.tv

It was never just a phase. We connect the Myspace era to today's waves.

Footballhead finally plays Riot Fest after attending since 2014 - and the truth about butt rock comes out.

Join Emo Social Club as Footballhead reveals why Breaking Benjamin equals The Beatles and shares wild Three Days Grace bar fight stories from their decade-long journey to Riot Fest's stage.