You Can Do Better, the latest album from Blacklite District, aka Kyle Pfeiffer, fuses gaming culture with elements of hard rock, hip-hop, alt-rock, trap, and electro-pop.
When Kyle Pfeiffer formed Blacklite District a decade ago, it was with the intent to create music that touched upon all of his influences and the music that raised him, simultaneously becoming his source of inspiration and therapy. His music turned from a life enhancer to a lifesaver.
Blacklite District began building a buzz, touring, and even making waves on the Billboard charts with a Top 35 hit “With Me Now” in 2014. It was fast and it was furious, though it ignited a downward spiral in Kyle.
According to Kyle, “I drank a lot and was dabbling with drugs.” He continued along this destructive path until 2015 when he was hospitalized for acute pancreatitis.
“I was told if I had another drink, I would die,” he explains. Eventually, he got his shit together. Two of his songs, “The Struggle” and “Living in a Nightmare,” hit Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Chart.
In 2018, his song “Cold As Ice” went viral, with over 100 million streams, reaching Number 35 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Chart. At the same time, Kyle learned how to tap into the video game world, by creating visuals through Minecraft. The combination was genius and only further propelled Blacklite District into full-blown stardom.
Tattoo.com caught up with Kyle Pfeiffer to discuss the inspiration for You Can Do Better and how his contagious sound evolved.
What three things can’t you live without?
Mountain Dew, Vape, and phone. That’s what gets me through the “workday.” Lol. I know those aren’t the best answers right now, but that’s what it is!
What inspired your new album, ‘You Can Do Better?’
Many things. Growth, evolution, relationships, overcoming and triumph. It’s a classic underdog story in my opinion, with a bit of experience thrown on top.
How did you first get into music?
My uncle Dean played me Ozzy Osbourne’s ‘No More Tears (the song), and I asked him for a second play. Upon completing the second listen, I knew from that very moment that I wanted to be involved in rock and roll in some way.
Where are you from?
Originally from suburban Chicago. I’ve lived in the Black Hills of South Dakota since I was about 9 years old.
Did your hometown impact your sound?
We didn’t have much of a music scene in Spearfish, let alone a rock scene. You kind of had to forge your own path to where you wanted to go. I never had many local artists I could look up to for advice and basically had to figure my shit out on my own, which was the biggest blessing in disguise.
Did your sound evolve naturally, or did you push it deliberately in a certain direction?
At one point about 5 years ago, I changed the style of the music possibly in my drug-addicted mind, having a mid-20s life crisis and all this crazy shit. It always reminds me of a quote that says, ‘You often find your path to destiny on the road you take to avoid it.’
Which artists/musicians had the most impact on your sound?
Ozzy, Black Sabbath, Motley Crue, Guns N Roses, Metallica, all the way up to Linkin Park, XXXTENTACION, Juice WRLD, Imagine Dragons, and much more. Post Malone, and many different styles and genres these days.
Which artists in your opinion are killing it right now?
Adelitas Way is a personal favorite of mine. Another independent act who got their start the ‘traditional’ way and then blew all those old music executives out of the water.
Who or what inspires you?
My fanbase. These kids will drive 5-10 hours to attend my shows, and some will come to every show within a 5-hour radius. I spent so many years on the other side of that scenario, playing for the club staff or two-paid tickets type of thing. My goal is to super-serve my fanbase!
What can your fans expect over the next six months? New material? Live gigs?
We just released our new album titled ‘You Can Do Better.’ and the response has been incredible. We also just finished the first leg of our ‘Red Carpet Tour,’ which is our first all-ages immersive rock show experience that we’re taking around the USA through 2025!
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