Interviews: Lost In Hollywood

On this new occasion, we had the opportunity to interview the Metalcore band Lost In Hollywood from Germany. Check out the interview and follow this band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Lost in Hollywood formed in early 2023 and has already built serious momentum — did the rapid rise feel intentional, or did it catch you by surprise?

It’s kind of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, we’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved so far, and we’re really happy to see certain things resonate the way they do. At this point, we also feel like we understand better why certain songs or moves worked and why some things connected so strongly with people.

On the other hand, all of this attention is still very new to us. We’re genuinely grateful for every single opportunity, every person who supports us, and every next step we get to take. We definitely didn’t expect things to move this fast in the beginning — especially when it comes to playing so many live shows and working with bands and artists we really respect.

That was always something we dreamed about, but not necessarily something that felt realistic right away. So yeah, it’s a mix of excitement and humility. We’re proud of the work we put in, and at the same time, it feels really rewarding to finally see the results of what we’ve been building.

2. Coming out of Hamburg, how did the local metal and alternative scene influence your sound, and where did you consciously try to push beyond it?

The local metal scene in Hamburg is definitely very diverse. There are a lot of great bands doing their own thing on a local level, pulling in influences not just from Germany, but also from across Europe and the U.S.

That said, we’re more focused on what’s working internationally. We’re always curious about where the sound is heading — whether that’s coming out of France, the UK, the U.S., or Germany as well. So we don’t consciously look to the local scene for inspiration all the time.

Still, since all of us grew up here, have been making music for years, and played in different bands around the area, those influences are naturally part of us. It’s probably hard for us to pinpoint exactly how that shows up in our sound, because we’re so close to it — but it’s definitely in there.

3. Your debut album, The Beauty of Death, has surpassed 1.3 million streams [actually 2.4 million :) ] — what do you think listeners are connecting with most in your music?

We’re really close to our listeners, especially at shows. We’re lucky to have incredibly kind and dedicated fans — some of them even travel from show to show — so there’s a lot of direct exchange about what the songs actually mean to them.

I feel like many people really see themselves in the themes of The Beauty of Death. A song like “Twenty Nine”, for example, is extremely personal. It deals with breaking free from a toxic relationship with a father figure, and that song in particular created a huge emotional response.

You can really feel it in the room — it’s intense, emotional, but also very loving. I think people appreciate that we don’t hold back lyrically, that we’re genuinely speaking from the heart. It makes listeners feel seen and understood, and maybe also reminds them that they’re not alone — that these are struggles many of us share, and that we can get through them together.

4. Your upcoming release is a self-titled album — why did this feel like the right moment to define Lost in Hollywood with a record bearing your name?

Choosing to make this album self-titled felt like a natural step for us. After everything we’ve learned, experienced, and developed since starting the band, this record really represents who we are right now — both musically and emotionally.

It feels like a clear statement of identity. We’ve found our voice, our balance between heaviness and melody, and our way of telling stories honestly. Putting our name on the album felt like saying: this is Lost in Hollywood, without filters or compromises.

5 . How does this new album differ emotionally and sonically from The Beauty of Death?

The upcoming album is very different in the sense that it’s extremely current and personal. A lot of what’s on this record reflects what I was going through over the past year. I went through a breakup that hit me pretty hard, and without consciously planning it, all of that just needed to come out.

There are definitely more breakup songs on this album than we’ve ever had before. At the same time, there are also themes around family, confronting past experiences, and dealing with the consequences of what you’ve lived through — questions like whether you’re understood at all, or how you move forward from certain wounds.

Compared to The Beauty of Death, which had a broader range of topics, this album goes much deeper emotionally. Sonically, we really focused on aligning the sound with the emotional weight of the lyrics. We had a very clear vision there — in some moments the music is heavier than before, and in others we fully lean into pop-oriented and emotional elements to really carry that feeling.

6. Was there a central theme or narrative guiding the album, or did the songs evolve more organically over time?

The album came together very organically. We didn’t sit down and say, “Okay, this record has to be about these exact themes.” Instead, we made a conscious decision to stay honest and express whatever was going on internally.

As a vocalist, that’s especially my responsibility, and naturally, the topics that surfaced were the ones that affected me the most over the last year — and still do. A lot of it revolves around self-worth, loss, and that feeling of being unanchored when a relationship ends or when someone important is suddenly gone.

That’s the emotional core of the album, even though it wasn’t something we forced from the start. It simply became what it needed to be.

7. Your sound thrives on contrast, blending emotional vocals, modern pop elements, and heavy breakdowns — how do you strike that balance without compromising intensity?

Finding that balance isn’t always easy. One important thing for us is that we still enjoy listening to a song after hearing it a hundred times. If a heavy part feels right emotionally, we don’t hold back — and if we’re still excited about it weeks later in the studio, then it belongs there.

It’s very much a gut feeling, but also a matter of taste. Some people want nonstop heaviness and screaming, others prefer a softer approach. You can’t please everyone, and that’s okay.

If something feels like it’s missing, we go back in and keep reworking the song. We spent a lot of time rearranging parts, swapping sections, and fine-tuning details until the balance between heaviness and melody felt right to us.

8.“Like A River” leans heavily into synths while still delivering weight — was that track meant to represent the album’s overall direction?

“Like A River” was a really special track for us. We had a demo that we liked, but it felt kind of empty — no lyrics, no clear direction yet. Then we sat down with our friend and songwriter Julian Bräuker and just started brainstorming freely.

Once the synths came in, it suddenly felt like the song captured the overall vibe of the album. From that moment on, we went all in. Personally, it’s one of my favorite tracks we’ve ever done.

It also became a reference point for the rest of the record — we wanted the other songs to feel connected to that atmosphere and exist in the same sonic world.

9. How did the collaboration with Of Virtue come together, and what did they bring to the song that elevated it?

The collaboration with Of Virtue came together in a really natural way. We’re good friends with the guys from Half Me, who are also in the same management as us. Their vocalist, Chris, was touring the U.S. and met the Of Virtue guys over there.

After hearing “Like A River”, he messaged us and said, “Would you be down to have Tyler from Of Virtue feature on this? I think he’d fit the song perfectly.” He showed it to him, contacts were exchanged, and luckily, they were immediately into it.

When Tyler sent over his parts, we were blown away — especially how he comes in on the second verse, and then those screams in the breakdown are just on point. He really elevated the song to another level, and the communication with him and the band has been super genuine and positive. We’re incredibly grateful for that.

10.“I Should Have Known Better” feels particularly raw and introspective — what inspired that track, and why was it important to release it ahead of the album?

“I Should Have Known Better” has a very cynical title — it’s almost like blaming yourself, realizing the warning signs were there all along, and still ending up betrayed.

We really allowed ourselves to let everything out on that track. Emotionally, it touches on anger, grief, and frustration — that moment when you realize you were lied to, and that realization just hits all at once.

It’s also the song where I personally feel most satisfied with my screams, which is a big deal for me since I’m extremely self-critical. For us, it’s one of the strongest tracks on the record, and it felt important to release it ahead of the album — to make a clear statement and show people exactly what to expect.

11. What were the biggest creative risks you took on this album compared to your previous work?

The biggest creative risk we took was becoming more uncompromising. We actually started out pretty soft — our first releases didn’t even have screams. On The Beauty of Death, things got heavier, and with this album, we basically said: if we feel like screaming, then we scream.

That’s also been the feedback we’ve received. The fans who’ve been with us from the beginning have followed that evolution and seem to appreciate us really letting go and expressing ourselves fully. We didn’t want to hold back or think, “Maybe this is too heavy for our audience.”

That mindset is exactly why a song like “The Art of Being Torn Out” ended up as heavy as it is. It just felt right — it matched the lyrics, the emotion, and the overall vibe of the song. We consciously chose honesty over compromise because once you start worrying about pleasing everyone, you usually end up pleasing no one.

12. Each member brings a different background and influence — how do you divide creative roles within the band?

We don’t have super strict roles, but over time, it’s become clear who naturally excels where and what everyone feels most comfortable doing. Timo, our guitarist, is definitely the technical mastermind. He’s deeply involved in everything from guitar tones to the entire live setup, constantly tweaking our sound, our in-ear system — basically working on it day and night.

Daniel joined the band in December and handles all the drum tech duties. He’ll also be more involved in songwriting going forward. On top of that, he’s incredibly well-connected and brings a lot of experience, whether it’s helping us expand our team or connecting us with the right people.

Jules and I have mainly focused on songwriting so far, often collaborating with external writers, and now increasingly with Daniel as well. We also split a lot of the internal management work. I personally take care of most of the financial side, but overall, we’re very transparent and flexible. It’s very much a team effort.

13. With Arising Empire backing this release, how has that partnership impacted your creative freedom and long-term vision?

We’re incredibly lucky to work with Arising Empire, because they genuinely respect the artistic side of what we do. They’ve never told us which direction we should go in or what we shouldn’t do creatively.

That kind of freedom shows a lot of trust — trust that we have our own artistic identity and know how to develop it. They’ve been fully supportive, helped us connect with other bands, and supported our long-term vision without ever limiting us creatively.

14. As a German band gaining international attention, especially in the U.S., how do you view your place in the global metalcore scene right now?

We’ve definitely noticed the international attention, especially from the U.S. A huge goal for us is to tour the States at some point — to play shows there, connect with U.S. bands, and really become part of that scene.

Of course, getting over there is expensive and logistically challenging, but it’s still a major ambition. We often get told that our music has an American touch or feels very U.S.-influenced, which is honestly a huge compliment. It makes the idea of being active over there feel very natural to us.

15. For listeners discovering Lost in Hollywood for the first time through this album, what do you hope they take away from it?

Speaking for myself, I want listeners to feel instantly pulled in from the very first song. I want them to think, “Wow — this hits,” and feel the urge to sing along, replay the record, and really dive into it.

I hope the themes resonate emotionally, even if someone hasn’t experienced the exact same things. If people can still relate, feel something, and find their own meaning in it, that’s incredibly important to me.

If the album makes you want to mosh alone in your living room and sing along to the hooks like your old emo self, then we’ve done our job. And ideally, we’ll see each other at a show and experience all of that together.

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