Phony Ppl is a Brooklyn-based quintet. Not too long ago, they announced their 2023 Euphonyus West Coast Tour. Kicking off in Santa Ana on April 24th, the trek will hit Los Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento, and Seattle, before wrapping up in Portland. For a full itinerary and tickets, please visit phony-ppl.com.
The exciting news arrives on the heels of Phony Ppl’s highly praised third studio album, entitled, “Euphonyus,” which underscores the new evolution of the band’s sonic journey. Since its release in late November 2022, acclaim for the album continues to achieve new highlights, receiving pivotal support from notable tastemakers and popular media outlets.
Phony Ppl – “Euphonyus” album
In the words of the band, “Euphonyus” encourages listeners to “don’t think, just feel.” The project is backed by feature collaborations with GRAMMY Award winner, Megan Thee Stallion, for their critically acclaimed single, “fkn around.” Additional features on the album include JoJo, Leon Thomas iii, and The Soul Rebels. Production highlights include contributions from Ivan Barias (Jill Scott, Jazmine Sullivan), KAYTRANADA (Anderson .Paak, The Internet), and Alissia Benveniste (Mark Ronson, Q-Tip).
‘Euphonyus’ is also an interpolation of the band’s name and the word, euphonious. The album’s namesake comes from the duality represented by their connection to the people (You – Phony – Us) and the most literal definition of the word “pleasing to the ear.”
The band’s sonic approach to the album is to connect the dots between the different feelings each song provides; housing tracks that are danceable, vibrant, and joyful under the same roof as songs that are laced with sadness, sorrow, and lust. The long journey to “Euphonyus” started in 2019 when the band embarked on their headlining tour with sold-out dates across the country.
Play Phony Ppl’s “Euphonyus” album via Apple Music
Things caught on fire in 2020 during their set on Megan Thee Stallion’s “NPR Tiny Desk,” where the artists previewed their collaboration, “Fkn Around,” which ultimately went viral. Shortly after marked the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which delayed the band’s album plans but saw the release of “On My Sh*t” featuring Joey Bada$$. During that time, the band learned how to make music as a unit without being physically together, a skill that birthed their song, “Nowhere But Up,” which was made on Zoom through screen sharing.
Phony Ppl – “Nowhere But Up” [Official Video]
‘Nowhere But Up’ is one of the many stand-out tracks from the album. The song garnered the achievement of No. 2 song on the Billboard Adult R&B Airplay chart as the official music video for the track soars in over half a million views via YouTube. Recently, the band lent their talents to the Recording Academy’s ReImagined series by flipping the Norah Jones classic “Don’t Know Why” into a jazzy, soul-stirring number.
Watch Phony Ppl Give Norah Jones’ “Don’t Know Why” An R&B Twist | ReImagined
In 2021, as the world started to open back up, the band went on tour again setting the stage for 2022. While the album release took longer than expected due to the pandemic, over the last three years the band was able to record songs across the country and worldwide ranging from their individual homes in NYC to Los Angeles, Philly, Japan, and Germany; building and reinventing each track over time.
Phony Ppl
An artist’s greatest superpower is freedom. Liberation is both the modus operandi and the main ingredient of the fearless five-man band, Phony Ppl. Comprised of the cream of Brooklyn’s young musician crop, each classically trained member is a product of musical parents who gifted their children exceptional DNA, exposure to the greats, and most importantly, wings for exploration and self-discovery. The result is a collective that’s as limitless as its music; one that has received praise from the likes of Tyler The Creator and Childish Gambino, performed with Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, and The Roots. Also, they played festivals, late-night television, and their own residency at New York City’s legendary Blue Note.
The warmth of lyrics is mainly credited to lead vocalist, Elbee Thrie, a former Manhattan School of Music student whose vocals possess a disarming charm and lyrics glow by advanced perspective and retrospection. Trained composer, Aja Grant, provides co-writing, the keys, and much of the band’s arrangements. Strings are manned by guitarist, Elijah Rawk, and Bari Bass, the band’s visual artist and bass player. The crew’s heartbeat is a percussionist and former Music Conservatory student, Matthew Byas (whose father is DJ Jazzy Jay of the legendary Zulu Nation).
Phony Ppl – “Euphonyus” West Coast tour 2023
After several jam sessions throughout high school, different iterations of the band, and honing in on their sonic cornucopia – the band has taken pride in their genre-less sound. Throughout the years, their music offerings have dabbled in experimental splashes of jazz, hip-hop, R&B, reggae, soul, rock, and many more sub-genres. Their first official full-length offering, “Yesterday’s Tomorrow” (2015), which houses the discography gem, “Why iii Love The Moon,” received critical acclaim from notable media outlets.
Their next album, titled, “mō’zā-ik (Mozaik),” was released in 2019 via 300 Entertainment. The album earned its name because each of its songs is a singular piece of art possessing shapes and colors separate from the others while adjoining to make symmetrical magic. Songs like “Way Too Far” and “Before You Get A Boyfriend” represent the dynamic nature of the album and solidify it as a body of work that transcends classification and time.
We recommend adding songs from Phony Ppl’s latest album, “Euphonyus,” to your favorite R&B/soul playlist. Also, let us know how you feel in the comment section below. Mel Blanc’s famous catchphrase, That’s All Folks! Thanks for reading another great article on Bong Mines Entertainment – the hot spot for new music and entertainment news. Always remember that (P) Positive, (E) Energy, (A) Always, (C) Creates, (E) Elevation (P.E.A.C.E). Contact us on social media via Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, or Facebook, and let us know what’s going on. Disclaimer: This post contains Apple Music affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking a link, we’ll collect a share of sales or other compensation.