Tomorrow (April 21), rising rock ‘n’ roller Billy Tibbals will release his debut EP Stay Teenage via Silver Arrow Records. Produced by Chris Robinson, the project shines with bounding hooks, jangly guitars, and timeless charm that captures Tibbals’ coming of age. The album is the literal culmination of his life so far, making the transition from being a teenager to taking the next steps into life as a young adult.

As a final preview ahead of the EP’s release, Billy Tibbals shared “Foreverland.” A melancholic tribute to wishing one could stay young forever, the track’s bittersweet sound is lightened by the addition of a dreamy string section, lifting listeners into the land that Tibbals yearns for. “Foreverland” perfectly melds the jangle of rockers Tibbals grew up admiring, adding flourish with his own unique edge that captures the heartbreak of growing up. “It’s about imagining a place where you can go and stay a kid forever, without worrying about any of the pressures and expectations that come with adult life,” Tibbals says. The ode to youthful abandon perfectly encapsulates the main themes seen across Stay Teenage. “You want to keep your childlike perspective on the world, as well as that sense of fun—and that’s what I want people to feel. A sense of youthfulness and a love of being alive.”

Billy Tibbals was born and raised in London until his family moved to Los Angeles in 2014. After finding a passion for crate digging in old-school record shops, he quickly developed an interest in home-recording and composition using Garageband, eventually multi-tracking entire arrangements by himself in his garage. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tibbals committed himself to songwriting more than ever before, which resulted in the six bursts of energy contained across the EP. 
 
The tracks on Stay Teenage represent the pinnacle of the music Tibbals has loved his entire life to this point – the Beatles’ psychedelic pop sweep, the spangled attitude of glam, brawny hooks and melodies – all filtered through his unique, youthful perspective. Working simultaneously on the album while finishing high school, the result are lyrics that reflect how it feels to come of age; looking at the world around you and discovering fresh pressures amidst new freedoms. The project is eccentric in all the right ways, to the point where you’re bound to replay the whole thing after the needle’s taken off the grooves.