White Lighters

By Sean Maldjian, Contributor

Photo by, Nick Bassett

Meet White Lighters

Potent and delivered with a shattering clarity the music of White Lighters hits pretty hard. The lyrics of Brandon Setta will stick in your mind, the tracks are arranged in a way that feels full and all-encompassing. It is safe to say that I really like this musician. While there is an abundance of melancholy moods there is also a comforting grounding feeling that comes from their music. In our latest interview, we chat with Brandon about truth, lies, and reality TV.

Two truths and a lie

Answers at bottom of the article.

I watched ufo documentaries for 13 hours on Sunday

I spent my stimulus check on a Peloton

I have a slipknot tattoo

Would you rater

be able to jump a hundred feet in the air, or make things move with your mind? What would you do?

I would love to move a ton of money to my bank account with my mind so I never have to work or deal with humanity ever again.

Some questions with White Lighters

Are you superstitious? Why or why not?

I make a wish every time I see that it’s 11:11. I get super scared at 3 am (witching hour). I have a cast-off/protection candle currently burning right now. I flip a lucky cigarette. The list goes on. A lot of it is habitual, some of it is due to my extreme OCD and the rest is in hope of something really sick happening to me. It’s all stupid and weird but it’s part of my life.

If you had to be on one reality TV show which one would it be? What would you do?

My 600-pound life. It would be sick to eat a ton of food every day. I’m on a diet and pissed about it. I wouldn’t want to be on some show where you win money because then everyone would be bothering me all the time. I can only become rich by telekinesis.

How did you come to your unique style of vocal delivery?

I just try to sing and not sound annoying and that’s how it comes out. People sometimes compare me to Elliott smith which is a massive compliment however I do not think I sound like him. I probably just totally rip him off though.

What narratives do you gravitate towards in your songwriting?

Usually, anything that bums me out, past or present. I spend a lot of time pretending to be way more content with life than I actually am. I do this so nobody thinks I’m an unbearable cynical asshole and I can maintain social relationships at least to an extent. I would assume this is the story for a lot of people. It is healthy for me to express bad feelings through music. This creates a balance that makes it possible for me to maintain the illusion of being happy or normal or whatever when I have to step out into the world.

How has it been throughout the quarantine? Has it impacted your creative process?

I don’t think it has affected me creatively. I’ve been working the entire time and for that I am grateful. I’d much rather be in my apartment than anywhere else when I’m not at work. I’d be doing that anyway even if everything was normal. I do miss certain people but isolation is key to my survival.

With White Lighters being a solo project, how important is collaboration to you?

This is my personal outlet. There is freedom in writing whatever you want, exactly the way you want it. It’s not better or worse than collaborating, in my opinion. It’s just different. I can drink a bunch of wine and write some words to a few chords one night, and that’s just where the story ends because I say so. When people love what you write and find meaning in your vision, the connection is more intimate. When people hate what you’re doing, it’s all on you. If people don’t like your band you can all laugh at them and talk shit and say fuck it and move on. When people hate your solo endeavor it can mess with your head.

Where is this project in comparison to your 2014 release ‘as far as you can as fast as you can’?

I recorded that in my grandmother’s house when I was a mess and had to move back home for a month or so to try and get my life together. I wanted to record something that was my own. I think that’s an ok recording still, or at least not embarrassing enough to delete it yet. That will change soon I’m sure. I’d like to think my current shit is better.

Any final comments? (This is your electronic soapbox for one last answer.)

Thank you to anyone who cares.

Two truths and a lie answer key:

Truth: I watched ufo documentaries for 13 hours on Sunday

Lie: I spent my stimulus check on a Peloton

Truth: I have a slipknot tattoo