Interview: Rubber

What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today? 

We have both been audiophiles since we were kids, John's only ever wanted to do music, Andrew would probably be a college professor or some boring office worker.

What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

Go out, spend time with friends, be in nature - our songs are always about experiences so the more experiences we have the more there is to write about.

How long has music been your career?

We have been pursuing this professionally for about 3 years. 

Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?

Philadelphia! Which has an incredible legacy of soul music and also Hip-Hop/R&B and that has definitely influenced our tastes.

Tell me about the best and worst shows you have played.

The best show was probably our last local headliner in Philly at Underground Arts, it had been a goal of ours to play there and the crowd was a dream. The worst was definitely one dive bar out in the suburbs that allowed smoking indoors and didn't pay us for our two 45 minute sets.

Tell me about your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?

Underground Arts in Philly was amazing, great green room, great sound, great everything. And we will literally play anywhere, BRING IT ON!

If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?

Frank Ocean, Jessie J and us (but that will never happen haha)

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into music?

Be on the scene! People give opportunities to people that are in front of mind.

Also take TikTok seriously.

If you could go back in time and give yourself advice, what would it be?

Be patient, nothing will happen the way you plan for it.

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why? 

Fries & Wings since it's our newest and definitely our best production to date!

Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

Vitamin E is a fan favorite, as well as Tangerine and Control. We like to play what the people like to hear!

What is the creative process for you, and what inspires you to write your music?

It's all rooted in experiences and relationships for us. It all starts with a feeling, and we build the rest from there.

What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?

Feel your feelings because there's nothing else productive to do with them.

Do you ever have disagreements when collaborating and how do you get past them?

We practice radical honesty with each other, and because of that, typically nothing that we disagree on gets passed the idea phase.

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?

We're moving to LA (exciting and scary!) so go support our new song 'Fries & Wings' so we can afford the gas to get across the country!

Rubber is a Philly-based, writing-producing duo made up of singer-lyricist, Andrew Loper, and producer/multi-instrumentalist, John Della Franco formed during their time studying at Temple University in 2018. Their live show is a unique combination of bass-driven grooves and vocal acrobatics. Rubber’s breakout debut single “Control” was instrumental in catching the attention of publications and radio outlets across the globe such as Buzz Music LA, Dutch tastemaker: Lefuturewave, and NPR’s 88.5FM. This led to performances at Wawa Welcome America Festival, an NPR Live Session, the Philadelphia Edition of the Vans: Spirit of DIY Series, and sent them on their first East Coast tour with the support of Sofar Sounds. 

In October 2019 and February 2020 respectively, Rubber released their debut EPs ‘Rubber Baby’ and ‘Buggy Bumpers’ serving as an introduction to the duo’s colorful and wild minds, spanning the emotional spectrum. The two-part project is a genre-bending exploration of post-adolescent life in Modern-America. Their 2 sold out release parties at classic local mainstay, The Barbary, sent a message to the city of Philadelphia and beyond: Rubber is next up.

After having to cancel their tour to SXSW 2020, the duo decided to release a live acoustic EP called ‘Left Out’ in January of 2021 for the fans that wouldn’t get to see them on tour that year. After that release they saw their first major editorial success on Spotify. To keep momentum up they followed the EP up with 3 more singles in the first half of the year. ‘Vitamin E’, the first of these, took TikTok by storm launching the band into the spotlight. The release campaign for Vitamin E and accompanying music video saw 1.2 million impressions in the first month on IG with an average engagement rate of 9%, 34k reels views, and 100k TikTok views. Soon after came ‘Root Rot’ which was celebrated with a Climate Focused Livestream Benefit event supported by Vice Music and Munchies. And finally, ‘Reason That You Came Here’ with Brooklyn-based powerhouse Nic Hanson which garnered tons of press from outlets like Notion, Clout Magazine, Music Crowns, Vents Magazine, and Acid Stag. Since then, the Rubber boys have been sponsored by Urban Outfitters as a part of a Philadelphia Musicians initiative, sold out their first hometown show at Sunflower Philly (250cap) since the pandemic, performed for Love+Grit in partnership with LiveNation Urban and have begun work on their debut album for 2023.On their fast growing Instagram page, their posts routinely see an engagement rate of 7% or higher due to the trust they've built with their audience. Rubber’s followers are creatives and live music lovers - young people with a love for fashion and wearing their attitude and outlook on their sleeve. Their following is concentrated in diverse cultural hubs such as New York, Los Angeles, London, and Washington, D.C. and is expanding globally by the day.

Social Media:

All links accessible here: https://rubber.biglink.to/dMeD