Finding Joy in Uncertainty: Pretoria Explores Early Adulthood in “If We’re Pretending”
The band speaks on their transition from Grand Rapids, MI to Chicago, IL and how they found inspiration through that move. They also break down the album’s creative process and offer a glimpse into its world to excite listeners.
Over the years, it has been collectively decided that your 20s are the best era of life. The phrase “the world is your oyster” is the mantra of the decade, pushing young adults to chase dreams that’ll ultimately define who they are. It’s the decade adolescents look forward to and adults look back on with admiration and envy. However, those in their 20s amidst this pivotal period see something much deeper: that there can be just as much uncertainty in chasing these dreams as there is certainty that they will come true. A band that beautifully captures the roller coaster feelings of early adulthood is Chicago-based four piece Pretoria, especially within their newest EP, If We’re Pretending.
PHOTO BY BRADY OLSON
Pretoria’s indie rock, Grand Rapids-founded group consists of Rob Gullett (vocalist/bassist/guitarist), Matt Burdick (guitarist/bassist), Trevor Sharnas (guitarist) and Ben DeWitt (primary lyricist/drummer), who all met early in life and shared in their love for music. From growing up as backyard-connected neighbors to playing together in 5th grade band, they had a connection that was seamless. There was some time before they finally came together to make music in 2018, when each were part of different bands, finding what fit.
“I always knew I wanted to pursue music in some fashion, whether that was just like singer, songwriter stuff, or like being part of a bigger project like this,” DeWitt says. “The other founding member of the band who's not in it anymore, him and I have been in a bunch of bands before this together. So I feel like we've all just been doing music throughout our early teenage years, and that kind of led us to where we are now.”
Pretoria’s newest EP, If We’re Pretending, released on June 13, explores the joys and challenges that come with early adulthood, utilizing a sound that combines Midwest emo and flirtatious pop with existential lyrics, truly a well-rounded mix of the 20s experience. The EP’s themes were heavily inspired by the band's own life-changing transition — taking the leap of moving from the funky art scene of Grand Rapids over Lake Michigan into the bustling city of Chicago.
“When we first moved here it was kind of daunting. We lost two members in the move, and didn't have a ton of connects here yet, so we were a little frustrated and scared, and felt like it might take a long time to get our momentum going again,” DeWitt says. “But then these last few months have been awesome. And we've seen a ton of growth, and probably some of that has to do with us moving here. Obviously there are a lot of other things at play, too, but we ended up getting our footing here pretty quickly, happily. The EP is definitely inspired by when we first moved here. That's when a lot of the songs on the EP were written, and so it's definitely inspired by that uncertainty.”
Their released single to tease the album, “Emerson, Everywhere,” along with “the creature on the cover” of the album, as Burdick jokes, are based on work by the abstract expressionist Emerson Woelffer.
“Pretoria needed a more distinct visual style. So we're like, okay, let's just look around at a bunch of different stuff. And I had already been getting into some abstract art,” Dewitt explains.
“So Drew [Pretoria’s manager and close friend] was just sending me all these abstract paintings, and I just went through all of them without knowing who did what, and I picked my five favorites. They just all happened to be that artist.”
Coincidentally, Woelffer was originally from Chicago. Though he was mostly based in Los Angeles, the use of his art to support the band’s own artistic journey feels very full circle. The song itself brings the listener to a place of nostalgic bliss, offering them a chance to appreciate art in a new perspective. When asked about this specific artist, they speak on how his art shares the same thematic ties to navigating through change and seizing the unknown.
“His style of painting was sort of like, don't really pre-plan it, and just kind of go where the feeling takes you and add things on as you're going. And I think that really mirrors the themes of the album in moving to a new city, trying to make this music thing work, and really just sort of making it up as you go along,” Burdick describes.
In the process of making the album, the group found ways to build their sounds through places, like a writing retreat back in their home state of Michigan, where each member played a part in songwriting to create a very synergetic EP. One particular song, “My New Room,” written by DeWitt, was created during another time of change with moving to a new house, fitting for the album’s style.
“The day after I moved in, there was this huge snowstorm. And we were all snowed in, and I just held up in my room. I set up my drum set and all my microphones in my room, and I wrote and recorded the first demo of that song just on that day. So that song always will be special to me, because it was a neat experience.”
Something that a new listener can also expect within Pretoria’s sound is the feeling of inclusion. They want to stray away from the traditional-gendered language of the classic boy meets girl narrative that has become the default for relationship stories. DeWitt wanted to focus on creating this comfortable atmosphere within his songwriting, as part of the LGBTQIA+ community himself.
“It's just my way of very subtly contributing to a culture that I want to exist,” he says. “And so I figured it'd be nice for a lot of people to be able to listen to music that [makes them] feel like they aren't excluded in their identity.”
Pretoria’s music will wrap you in a warm embrace, and no matter if you’re in your 20s or just in search of understanding and navigating change, these guys will be here for you.
After enjoying a call with these kind, warm-hearted guys, I asked them to give me a few words to describe their music for people interested in getting to know them better.
Matt D: Nostalgic, for sure.
Rob G: Maybe vulnerable at times. Not always, but I think on this EP, there's a lot of vulnerability in some of the songs.
Ben D: This is maybe a boring sounding one, but calculated.
Pleaser: No, it's unique. I like that.
Ben D: Everything is pretty thought out, and everything is pretty purposeful, like we really go through and nitpick everything. I feel like we're notorious for having a ridiculous amount of mix revisions whenever we're mixing.
Rob G: Mix engineers hate us.
Trevor, what do you got?
Trevor S: The first one that came to mind was saucy.
Pretoria’s If We’re Pretending Tour to honor the EP will start on July 9 and travel around the US. They also will be performing at Pugfest III in Ferndale, MI on June 28.
