Filipino artist Idris Ennolandy Vicuña had been releasing music as Eyedress for years before TikTok turned his 2019 single “Jealous” into a darkwave anthem. Four years, eight albums, and one Los Angeles relocation later, the prolific post-punker has made fans of My Bloody Valentine mastermind Kevin Shields, who remixed the 2022 track “HOUSE OF CARDS,” and contemporaries like Cuco, Wild Nothing, and Rico Nasty, who all appear on his new LP, Vampire in Beverly Hills. The artist plays both Saturdays at ACL’s American Express stage at 2:20pm.
Austin Chronicle: You had been making music for years before this, but your 2019 single “Jealous” blew up on TikTok, which skyrocketed you to a whole new level of fame. What was that like?
Eyedress: It was surreal, but it also made sense. With all the things happening in my life, I felt like I was making a wave years before everyone caught on, so the timing was perfect.
AC: How do you feel about the way TikTok has impacted the music industry? Some artists say people prioritize 15-second chunks of catchy music over cohesive albums. Has that impacted your songwriting at all, or your experience in the industry, in general?
Eyedress: I don’t wanna say it’s bad since I’m someone who’s benefited from it, but I also wasn’t actively on TikTok when my music blew up. I definitely miss when people listened to whole projects versus 15-second loops. I think people get too hung up on trying to go viral on there, and their whole aim is to make a song where they’ll only use the best 15 seconds from it. Definitely makes people’s attention spans shorter also. The way we consume music now feels like fast food, but shout-out to everyone making quality music regardless of how the times have changed. I still think if a song is really good, it’s gonna reach a lot of people, so that’s all that really matters. I also try not to let it faze me, and if anything, I just triple the amount of songs I put out versus having to rely on just one. I’d rather be generous and feed my fans consistently.
AC: Your new album, Vampire in Beverly Hills, has a ton of high-profile features. What do you like about collaborating with other artists – like Cuco, Wild Nothing, John Maus, Rico Nasty, to name a few – on this project?
Eyedress: It’s always a different experience, and I just like being on my toes. It excites me. Versus working with myself, which is always the same thing, aka a battle with oneself, lol. It’s nice to have others’ energy to bounce off of, and you end up making this totally new, unexpected thing.
AC: What are you looking forward to about ACL?
Eyedress: (channeling Dazed and Confused) “I only came to do two things: kick some ass and drink some beers. … Looks like we’re out of beers …”
Saturday 5 & 12, 2:20pm, American Express Stage
This article appears in October 4 • 2024.
