TV Girl is an American indie pop band that was formed in San Diego, California, in 2010. The band's founding members were Brad Petering and Trung Ngo. Currently, the band consists of Brad Petering (lead vocals), Jason Wyman (drums), and Wyatt Harmon (keyboards). The group is now based in Los Angeles.
Musical Style
TV Girl's music is often described as indie pop with influences from 1960s pop and hip-hop. A defining characteristic of their sound is the extensive use of samples from songs and media of the 1960s. For example, their popular song "Lovers Rock" samples the intro to the Shirelles' single "The Dance Is Over". The band themselves have described their music as "hypnotic pop" due to their use of sampling, keyboards, and reverb. Lyrically, their songs often explore themes of love, nostalgia, and heartbreak with a melancholic yet humorous tone.
Career
TV Girl first gained attention in 2010 with their self-titled debut EP, particularly the song "If You Want It," which sampled Todd Rundgren's "Hello It's Me". This led to a takedown notice from Rhino Entertainment due to the unauthorized sample. The band followed up with several EPs and a mixtape titled "The Wild, The Innocent, The TV Shuffle" in 2012.
French Exit (2014)
In 2014, TV Girl released their debut studio album, "French Exit". The album is described as a collection of songs about "lost lust, too much love and not enough." It features popular tracks such as "Lovers Rock," "Birds Don't Sing," and "Louise". By the time of their second album, "Who Really Cares" (2016), Trung Ngo had left the group, and Petering began collaborating with Jason Wyman and Wyatt Harmon.
Subsequent Releases and Rise in Popularity
The band went on to release more albums, including "Death of a Party Girl" in 2018 and "Grapes Upon the Vine" in 2023. Starting in 2022, the band experienced a significant surge in popularity through the social media platform TikTok. Songs like "Lovers Rock," "Not Allowed," and "Cigarettes out the Window" went viral, leading to them charting in multiple countries years after their initial release.