New Music Coming Later This Year
Orlando-based rock outfit FELICITY has shared a new cover and music video for “Watermelon Sugar.” Originally performed by Harry Styles, the band has transformed the summery pop hit into an alt-rock anthem that deserves to be blasting through your speakers at full volume. Fans can watch the music video, complete with enough sunshine and good vibes to make us wish it was summer, here, and stream the song here.
The band shares: “We honestly don’t know what took us so long to record a cover, but we knew we wouldn’t be taken seriously as a rock band unless we covered a pop song. When we heard ‘Watermelon Sugar’, we knew we had to be the first band to record a rock cover of it since no one had covered it on Spotify at the time, but we failed miserably (Thank you, The Maine).Fortunately, we had A LOT of free time this past year so at least our music video is original. But all jokes aside, we really do love our interpretation of the song, and had an absolute blast recording the final version with Andrew Wade (The Audio Compound). We feel like our cover does the original song justice while keeping ours unique in its own way.”
From their earliest days, FELICITY have seen success up close.
Just months after forming in 2013, the Orlando-based alt-rock newcomers were invited to perform at their hometown’s stop on the 2014 Vans Warped Tour – their fourth show ever. Shortly thereafter, a slot at The Big Orlando Festival alongside Fall Out Boy and Weezer, as well as songs placed everywhere from Fox Sports to MTV’s The Challenge, cemented that they were onto something big.
“It’s a blessing and a curse,” says vocalist Damien Fagiolino of the band’s early success. “It’s impossible to think everything’s going to be that easy forever, but it helps you in the moments of struggle to know that good things are just around the corner.”
FELICITY began, like many acts in the internet age, as a Craigslist connection, with Fagiolino and guitarist Andrew Rapier bonding over their love of post-hardcore firestarters Finch. For years, Fagiolino had been a staple in the Orlando cover band scene, paying tribute to acts from the ’90s and early 2000s, but deep down the singer had a strong pull for something more.
“I felt like I was always singing someone else’s song,” Fagiolino says. “I needed to find my own voice.”
Together with his bandmates (Rapier, guitarist Cory Nicholas, bassist Michael Alosa and drummer Tyler Dennett), FELICITY are well on their way to carving out their own world. Their deliriously dextrous sound spans genres – often in the same song – as the group shapeshift from hard-charged, detuned metal to ebullient pop-punk.
While the ongoing pandemic has prevented these road dogs from crisscrossing the country like normal, they’re using their time in lockdown to find new ways to reach their audience. From a newly created TikTok account with more than 21,000 followers to dabbling in Twitch streaming, FELICITY are connecting with listeners in all the ways 2021 demands.
“We’re trying to learn to be more than just a band,” Nicholas says. “This quarantine has helped us a lot in realizing that music and touring are only a small portion of the business, so we’re learning how to capitalize on other avenues by becoming entertainers and content creators next to being musicians.”
Adds Rapier: “We’ll be all the more grateful once we’re able to do this again. We’ve learned we never want to take what we do for granted.”
As FELICITY continues to work on new music, they’re excited to share their new cover of “Watermelon Sugar.” Fans can expect to hear more later this year.
FELICITY Is:
Andrew Rapier – Guitar
Cory Nicholas – Guitar
Damien Fagiolino – Vocals
Mike Alosa – Bass
Tyler Dennett – Drums
Follow FELICITY:
https://www.instagram.com/wearefelicity
