ENERGY WHORES
Q: What inspired you to write “Hey Hey Hate!” and when did the idea for the song first come to you?
It came from doomscrolling, honestly. Watching the news one night, I was struck by how much hate was being normalized and how anger and cruelty were suddenly mainstream. The phrase “Hey Hey Hate!” just popped into my head as a good hook and I knew it had to become a song.
Q: The lyrics mention horror on the evening news, how much of the song was shaped by what you were seeing in the media?
A lot. The media reflects back a distorted version of reality, often exaggerated, sometimes sanitized. But the constant stream of violence, division, and propaganda definitely shaped the urgency of the song. It’s like the soundtrack of collapse.
Q: How do you personally define “hate” in the context of the song?
Hate is fear weaponized. It’s when people are manipulated into turning their insecurity and ignorance into cruelty.
Q: What do you think makes hate so easy to spread in today’s world?
Because it’s profitable. Social media algorithms, political campaigns, even news networks all know outrage keeps people hooked. Hate spreads faster than compassion because it hits that primitive part of our cave man brains.
Q: Do you believe people truly want truth, or is it easier for them to accept lies sometimes?
Lies are easier. They’re tidy, they soothe fears, they let you avoid complexity. Truth is messy and uncomfortable. But without truth, you can’t grow and you definitely can’t build and maintain a real democracy.
Q: The idea of love as “tiny drops” is a beautiful image, what inspired that metaphor?
I wanted to capture how fragile love can feel against the tidal wave of hate. But tiny drops add up and ripple spread and even flood. It’s a reminder that even small acts of kindness matter in the face of something overwhelming.
Q: How do you personally practice spreading those “tiny drops” of love in your own life?
By making music that has a message. By loving my family and having empathy for everyone by being present and listening. I try to help and have faith in people. Unfortunately this can backfire terribly sometimes though. But I keep trying.
Q: Do you believe that music still has the power to influence social change the way it once did?
Yes. Maybe not in the same way as the ’60s, but music still cuts through the noise. A three-minute song can pierce apathy faster than an adorable cat video on TikTok
Q: How do you hope people feel after listening to the lyrics of “Hey Hey Hate!”?
Angry, but not defeated. Awake, but not hopeless. I want people to feel like they’re not alone in seeing how toxic things have gotten and that they can still push back.
Q: When you wrote the song, were you thinking of a specific event or was it more about the general atmosphere in the world?
It was the atmosphere, like living under a permanent storm cloud. But the event that really effected me was The Charlottesville car attack where a white supremacist James Alex Fields Jr. deliberately drove his car into a crowd of people peacefully protesting in Charlottesville, Virginia. Unfortunately hate crimes have only escalated since then.
Q: Do you see the song as more of a warning, a protest, or a message of hope?
All three. Warning of where unchecked hate leads, protest against the systems that fuel it, and hope that love, even in tiny drops can still drown it out.
Q: Do you think people today are more open to messages about love, or has cynicism taken over?
Cynicism is loud, but love rises to the top like tiny bubbles. I believe people are still desperate for connection and meaning, even if they pretend not to be.
Q: How does “Hey Hey Hate!” fit in with the rest of your work as ENERGY WHORES?
It’s right at the core of what I do like holding up a mirror to the world and asking, “Is this who we want to be?” My songs are protest and catharsis at the same time, and this one hits both.
Q: Is there a particular lyric in the song that means the most to you personally?
“with propaganda in our heads its easy to be mislead.” Because hate speech has always fueled the most despicable behavior throughout history.
Q: If you could have one wish come true from people listening to the song, what would it be?
That they choose compassion over cruelty in the small, everyday decisions. That’s where the world shifts, one tiny drop of love at a time.
Q: Do you feel hopeful about the future, given all the issues you touch on in the song?
Hopeful, but realistic. I don’t think change comes easily or quickly. But I do believe people are capable of more love than hate. That’s what keeps me going. Hope is always last to die.
