Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Running Lights

Brothers Mike and Nick Squillante have spent the last five years working behind the scenes and supporting various acts like Melanie Martinez and gnash. But throughout that time, they never lost the desire to forge ahead with their own artistic endeavors. So they decided to team up with Warped Tour veteran drummer Steve Ranellone to form Running Lights.

Since that moment, they’ve created a lasting impression on the industry with singles like “Next Year,” “Not In Love,” “Into U,” and “Speechless,” racking up half a million streams on Spotify. This August, they continue to build their legacy with the release of “One in a Million.”

Pop Culturalist caught up with the guys to learn more about their latest single!

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
Mike: Speaking for my brother and me, we come from a musical family. Our dad had literally every genre playing in the house. But for all three of us, I can safely say it was from watching other bands do their thing, from The Beatles to blink-182, that got us really hungry for this life.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Mike: For me, it’s multifaceted artists like Butch Walker or Ryan Tedder. These guys seem to be able to walk the narrow line between what distinguishes an artist from a producer or songwriter. They exist firmly in both worlds, which is difficult to do in this day and age.

PC: What’s been the key to the band’s success?
Mike: Hard work. We’ve never had anything handed to us, so we’ve arrived at the belief that if this band continues to grow, it won’t come easy.

PC: You’ve all done projects outside of Running Lights. What have you learned from those experiences that you’ve been able to apply to the group?
Mike: Personally, I’ve learned that an audience owes nothing to a performer. I’ve been lucky enough to stand on some brightly lit stages and it’s taught me humility and the ability to manage expectations. Not everyone will love you all the time. I see it as a positive reminder that every performance must be a shared experience for the performer and audience alike.

PC: What’s one fact that fans would be surprised to learn about each of you?
Mike: I know everything there is to know about the Apollo missions to the moon.

Nick: I have a third nipple.

Steve: I studied ballet as a kid and danced professionally for the American Ballet Theatre.

PC: Tell us about your new single, “One in a Million.” What inspired the song?
Mike: The song came from a nostalgic place that I think everyone who’s been in love can relate to, whether it’s new love or old. It’s meant to sound like a first kiss feels. In a world clogged with fear, information overload, and straight-up bad vibes, “One in a Million” is a reminder that there is still magic out there. As long as you have someone to love, you can make it through anything.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Mike: Stephen Sondheim

Nick: Bring Me The Horizon

Steve: In Flames

PC: First album you bought?

Mike: The Beatles’ Abbey Road

Nick: Blink-182’s self-titled.

Steve: Papa Roach’s Infest

PC: First concert you attended?

Mike: Story Of The Year at the Chance in Poughkeepsie, New York.

Nick: Blink-182 at Jones Beach Theater after they had just gotten back together.

Steve: Avenged Sevenfold on their Taste of Chaos tour at Nassau Coliseum in New York.

PC: An album that changed your life and why?

Mike: Green Day’s American Idiot. It was the first time I heard aggressively toned music with pop sensibilities. It really had something to say.

Nick: Jon Bellion’s The Human Condition. I mean, damn, this album is incredible. I was actually lucky enough to see him open for Twenty One Pilots, and he turned me into a fan instantly. I would even go out on a limb and say his set was even better than Twenty One Pilots’!

Steve: Fear Factory’s Digimortal. It was the first time I heard double bass in a song and my head exploded.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?

Mike: Red Rocks. I was lucky to play there on tour with another artist, but going back with Running Lights would be a dream.

Nick: I’ve never actually gone to a concert at Madison Square Garden, so I hope we can play there before I do. That way I can say my first time there was because we were performing.

Steve: MetLife Stadium. I’ve been to games there and would love to look up at fans instead of the other way around.

PC: A must-have on the road?
Mike: Joe Rogan

Nick: A corona vaccine and Group Chat podcast.

Steve: Weed

To keep up with Running Lights, follow them on Twitter, Instagram, and Spotify. Pick up or stream “One in a Million” today.