Imbued with sentimentality and inspired by the people, places and things in their lives, EXES - fronted by Allie McDonald and producer Mike Derenzo - invite listeners into the whimsically romantic world of their design. In late summer and fall of 2019, EXES played a handful of shows supporting Yoke Lore and SYML, respectively. In November 2019, EXES played and sold out their first headline show (at LA’s The Echo). Since then, they’ve released an emotional duet with Petey titled “Bloodoath”, a delicate alternative pop EP titled Nothing Ever Ends, and a collaborative cover of Dashboard Confessional's single "Don't Wait" (featuring 2020 vocals from frontman Chris Carrabba). In late 2020, they also saw Kelly Clarkson cover their song "Cain" on The Kelly Clarkson Show, and saw a ‘Behind The Song’ TikTok segment shoot up to 250k views in a matter of a few days (the segment shares the backstory of “Cain”). EXES - known for their sweet indie-pop sensibilities heard on “Cain” (15.5M Spotify streams) and “Taxi” (12.8M) - are now turning the page on their previous chapter, and returning to the indie rock and alternative sound they grew up on. The duo’s early 2022 LP Don’t Give Up On Me Now will be released via Independent (KYLE, Yuna, Between Friends).

An audience usually prioritizes ethnicity before considering music. That’s the rub for an artist
like Jane.: how to express multicultural identity, while letting the music speak for itself? During
lockdown, he was forced to confront his interiority thru exploration of his spiritual center. For
Jane., manifesting his spiritual rebirth while in isolation demanded a meditation on the ocean.
Jane.’s journey moves upon waves, both within & without.
The first wave started as it should: guitar at the beach. This is exactly what he meditated on: his
intuitive & sincere beginnings. The doubleness of this contemplation, the persona oriented nature
of socials, a game that Jane. will not master, because mastery lies in manipulation, opposed to
the ethos of the Jane. opus: genuine expression of the Self thru music. A return to the code of art,
the very thing that hooked us all as kids.
Growing up 1/2 Indian, 1/4 black & 1/4 white in both America & India, how does one relate to
their environment when it’s unsure of them? This is Jane.’s task, the personal expression of
identity both within & without cultural context. It’s in this conflict that Jane. plays out the theater
of his music; to belong, or to be the Other? No wonder the ocean is Raj’s muse.
Jane.’s music reaches the listener with disregard for optics. As long as the music finds you, as
long as the ocean exists, there is always the potential to be moved, to be taken out to the sea of
imagination upon a wave.