Biography
Dehd are a Chicago indie rock trio made up of Emily Kempf (bass, vocals), Jason Balla (guitar, vocals) and Eric McGrady (drums).[2] Kempf and Balla, who had played in other Chicago bands, formed the group out of their romantic relationship and later added McGrady.[3]
Their 2019 album Water was shaped by Kempf and Balla's breakup, and its follow-up, Flower of Devotion (2020, Fire Talk), explores reconciliation, friendship and individual experiences of grief, with a fuller sound built on synthesizers and a drum machine.[2][3] McGrady sings lead on one album track for the first time, and Kempf also runs a tattoo shop, a craft she picked up while touring.[1][2]
References
- The Current: Album of the Week, Dehd, Flower of Devotion — Kempf on writing Loner to get better at being alone, and on the week-long studio session.
- Paste: Dehd, The Best of What's Next — Reads Loner as being about closeness; band history, Water, and the album's recording.
- Atwood Magazine: Dehd Smile Through Their Pain on Flower of Devotion — What Loner is not about, the heaven-versus-hell video concept, synths and influences, the relationship backstory.