Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Cheyenne Dan

It’s hard to believe that it’s been two years since Jonah Malvey (vocals/guitar), Dylan Lembo (vocals/bass), Colin Lawn (drums), and Nick Theis (guitar) came together to form Cheyenne Dan. The surf-influenced power-pop group have quickly taken over the New Jersey music scene with their energetic live shows and comedic online presence. Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to chat with all four members of Cheyenne Dan about forming the band and their new single, “Butterflies.”

PC: How did you each discover your passion for music?
Jonah: I’ve always had trouble focusing in school. Music is one of the few things I can get lost in for a couple hours without getting distracted.

Colin: My dad would blast Springsteen twenty-four seven when I was growing up. My whole family and friend group really likes music, so it was just natural.

Dylan: My dad was in a punk band in the ’80s and raised me on The Ramones and Yellow Submarine.

Nick: I used to shuffle through my dad’s old iTunes library. He had some friends that would come over and give me some CDs of their old favorite stuff.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your careers?
Jonah: All of us being students at the College of New Jersey had a huge impact when we first started. Being so close to the college community gave us a solid base of support in our immediate area. Our shows were always packed and fun before we established ourselves around the rest of NJ.

Colin: Our friends from TCNJ definitely made all of this happen. Our earliest shows had awesome turnouts just from our friends supporting us, and that turned into the high-energy show environments we try to maintain.

PC: You’re a band that loves to perform live. What has life on the road taught you? How have you adjusted given the current pandemic?
Jonah: I’m always pretty stressed out. I learned to try to keep calm and let everything work itself out.

Colin: I miss meeting like thirty new people every time we’d play a show. There are so many cool people out there, especially in the music scene.

Nick: There’s been a lot of emailing and texting between us just trying to get upcoming stuff situated. I can’t wait to play together again.

Dylan: One thing I learned while performing live, especially if you are the one organizing the show, is that you always have a responsibility to make sure that the show goes smoothly and everyone there feels safe. People go to your shows to see you. It’s like an agreement, and I think performers should respect that if they want to perform live.

PC: You guys formed in 2018. When you look back at the past two years, has anything surprised you?
Colin: As far as surprises go, a global pandemic ending all live music for an entire year is definitely in my top ten!

Dylan: I’m genuinely surprised at how packed a single basement show can get when the lineup is stacked and all the stars align.

PC: Tell us about your new single, “Butterflies.” What was the inspiration behind the song?
Jonah: It came from the feeling of sadness and disappointment I felt when I didn’t express my feelings to someone. There was no acceptance or rejection, just a big “what if?” that sat in my head for a couple days. It’s also the first song where I sing about my pet fish, which is something I’m very passionate about. You need to constantly monitor and maintain my fish’s water for them to thrive and survive, the same way you need to nurture and put effort into relationships for them to be successful.

PC: It’s a new single off of your upcoming EP, what can fans expect from that release? What do you hope to say with that body of work?
Jonah: Some of it will be familiar to people who like our music. I’m not sure if it’s a step forward, but it’s definitely a step in a different direction. This was the first project where I did almost all of the production myself, and I’m super proud of how everything sounds. I’ve been learning how to write, record, and mix for about seven years. This is the first time I’ll have a complete project to showcase the sound I’ve been working on.

PC: What’s one fun fact about each of you that fans would be surprised to learn?
Jonah: I make EDM for my other project, Jonah24. Currently working on a dance cover of “Something In The Way” by Nirvana and a country/cloud rap crossover.

Colin: I met Dylan in a GroupMe chat for incoming freshmen before even starting college.

Nick: Dylan and I are Eagle Scouts.

Dylan: Nick and Colin both took mine. [laughs]

PC: If you had to pick one song off of the EP that best encompasses who you are as artists? What would it be and why?
Jonah: We have a song called “Ride” that I think really defines where I’m at as a person. It may or may not be on the EP because I’m trying to lock in some features.

Colin: “Ride” is definitely my favorite new one coming out.

PC: Following the release of your EP, what does the rest of 2020 hold for you?
Jonah: I’m working on getting a second EP mastered, and I’m currently recording a third. Shutdowns have given me time to work on my production chops and make as much content as I can for Cheyenne Dan. I’ve also been working with some other artists to help produce their music. I’m hoping that our next few releases can open some doors for me to collaborate with more artists. I’m working as hard as I can to build up our online presence so when shows start happening again we can have an awesome tour. It sucks that we haven’t been able to play shows, but artistically, it has been good for me to be locked in my room for a couple months to get better at the technical aspects of making music.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Jonah: I’ve been getting into Bubba Sparxxx lately.

Colin: Hank Williams.

Nick: Roy Buchanan.

Dylan: John Coltrane.

PC: First album you bought?
Jonah: Catch 22’s Keasbey Nights.

Colin: The Who’s Greatest Hits CD from a Cumberland Farms.

Dylan: Bleach by Nirvana.

PC: First concert you attended?
Jonah: I saw Reel Big Fish and Streetlight Manifesto in eighth grade.

Colin: Cage The Elephant.

Nick: Rolling Stones during freshman year of high school.

Dylan: Paul McCartney at Yankee Stadium. Goddamn, that was a show.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
Jonah: At this point in time, it would be a dream to play at literally any venue. Webster Hall would be cool. I was really excited to play at the Croc Marten in Philly, but our show got cancelled because of COVID.

Dylan: Red Rocks.

PC: A must-have on the road?
Jonah: Coffee.

Nick: Coffee.

Colin: Gatorade Frost Glacier Freeze.

Dylan: Coffee.

To keep up with Cheyenne Dan, follow them on Twitter, Instagram, and Spotify.