Ahead of the release of their debut album Love Me Forever Pinkshift have shared the last single “Breathe in,” the track follows previous singles “nothing (in my head)” and ‘i’m not crying, you’re crying,” “GET OUT” and “in a breath.” On October 20 the band will head off on a North American tour in support of the album. They play in Los Angeles on November 5 and Brooklyn on November 17.

Forming in 2018 while they were students at Johns Hopkins University, Pinkshift have experienced significant landmarks in their career to date – the video for Saccharine’s “i’m gonna tell my therapist on you” went viral, they’ve supported PUP and Mannequin Pussy on tour, have been featured in The Love Me Forever was a concentrated effort, mostly written during the pandemic.

“We were concerned this wouldn’t feel like an actual album,” admits Kumar, “but because we all worked on it together throughout this period of time, it feels really cohesive. It defines an era of our lives.” Adds Houngbedji, “with everything that’s going on – both in the world and in our own lives – it feels like it was a very transitional period that influenced what we were writing about. They all have similar themes.” It’s not just a no-holds-barred reflection of the state of the world today, however. It’s one delivered from a unique point of view within a music scene that’s predominantly white. It makes Love Me Forever all the more important.

“I feel like the biggest thing of us existing in this scene,” says Houngbedji, “is just for more people of color being able to see us – and if they had doubts about going into music or like occupying this kind of space because of what the scene is like, they’ll be like, ‘Oh, wait…’ We’ve had people of color come up to us after we played saying ‘You make me want to start my own band’ or ‘You made me feel more comfortable being there without being scrutinized.’ And I think that counts for something.”

Adds Kumar, “It’s cool seeing people at our shows who are like ‘I’m going to start wearing my traditional jewelry because fuck it!’ and I’m like ‘You should! It’s stylish, it’s cool, it makes you unique – be proud of it!’”

Pinkshift
Love Me Forever
Track Listing
Hopeless Records

1. i’m not crying you’re crying
2. nothing (in my head)
3. GET OUT
4. cherry (we’re all gonna die)
5. the kids aren’t alright
6. Trust Fall
7. in a breath
8. Cinderella
9. BURN THE WITCH
10. Love Me Forever
11. let me drown
12. Dreamer

Pinkshift 2022 Tour Dates

10/20 – Baltimore, MD – Ottobar
10/21 – Washington, DC – Songbyrd
10/22 – Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Roboto Project
10/23 – Cleveland, OH – Mahall’s
10/25 – Detroit, MI – El Club
10/26 – Chicago, IL – Cobra Lounge
10/27 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th Street Entry
10/29 – Denver, CO – Lost Lake
10/30 – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court
11/01 – Seattle, WA – Barboza
11/02 – Portland, OR – Mission Theater
11/04 – San Francisco, CA – Bottom of the Hill
11/05 – Los Angeles, CA – The Echo
11/06 – Phoenix, AZ – Valley Bar
11/08 – Dallas, TX – Ruins
11/09 – Austin, TX – Empire Control Room
11/11 – Orlando, FL – Will’s Pub
11/13 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
11/14 – Nashville, TN – Drkmttr Collective
11/15 – Charlotte, NC – The Milestone Club
11/17 – Brooklyn, NY – Elsewhere (Zone One)
11/18 – Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall
11/19 – Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church

Pre-order Love Me Forever by Pinkshift HERE