For Andrew Loper, songwriting is an instinctive way to process the world around them. When writing the upcoming EP “Bag” for their R&B-pop project Rubber, they were working through one-sided love.
“The story is about me falling in love with a ‘straight’ man — and you can put straight in quotes,” said Loper, a 2018 economics alum. “It’s about self-worth and self-discovery through that process of falling in love with someone who doesn’t love you back but will continue to string you along for any host of reasons.”
Rubber, Loper’s stage name, has released four singles from their EP, including title track “Bag,” steeped in the influences of artists ranging from SZA to Amy Winehouse. Other singles include the piano-backed “My Stomach,” synth-poppy “Mosaic” and “Options,” a dance-pop track.
“Bag,” which will be released on Oct. 6, features production from John Della Franco, a 2020 media studies and production alumnus.
Ahead of the album’s release, Rubber is touring four cities, and they started with their Sept. 20 show in Philadelphia, where the project originally started. The show, hosted at MilkBoy, a live music venue at 11th and Chestnut Street, also featured performances from local R&B-pop artists, Matte and Béya.
At the intimate show Wednesday night, family, friends and fans decked in Rubber merchandise packed to the front. A hush fell over the venue once Loper’s powerful vocals filled the room.
Rubber opened their set with singles from “Bag,” with Loper explaining the inspiration, motivation and thoughts behind each track. The crowd sang and danced along to Rubber’s hour-long set, excited to hear their favorite songs.
“They just got a sound that’s so unique and obviously identifiable when you hear them,” said Eoin Halpin, 25, a long-time fan of Rubber who attended the show. “Their lyrics are incredible, everything behind it is such a vibe. I blast in the car all the time.”
Loper began writing music in high school, influenced by a love for storytelling and pop music. While at Temple, they met Della Franco, and the pair hit it off and began making music together.
“We got to writing very quickly,” Loper said. “John’s super creative when it comes to chords, and I’m pretty quick when it comes to lyrics and melodies.”
They started performing in Philadelphia coffee shops and DIY venues for fun, never expecting their project to turn into a music career.
However, during one of their coffee shop sets, a student working in the artist and repertoire department at Bell Tower Music, Temple’s record label, noticed their set and pitched Rubber as a potential artist.
When Jack Klotz, a media studies and production professor who advises Bell Tower Music, heard Rubber’s demo, he was struck by Loper’s powerful vocals, Della Franco’s unique production and the lyrical storytelling.
Loper’s lyrics were the first sign of a distinct attitude among Gen Z songwriters, a kind of “therapy rock” that parallels the styles of artists like Joni Mitchell and James Taylor, Klotz said.
“I’ve noticed a bunch of artists since, but Rubber really was the first one I noticed — being an old fart, I’m not tuned into the fresh new things — where there was this very interesting perspective on the age in which we live and mental health,” Klotz said.
The pair soon signed a deal at Bell Tower Music and released two EPs. Their first single, “Control,” put their genre-blending sound on full display, attracting the attention of WXPN, a Philadelphia radio station.
“It was sick,” Della Franco said. “Through a connection, our first single ended up on the desk of someone that worked at WXPN and ended up getting played on the radio.”
Last year, Loper moved to Los Angeles alongside Della Franco and Drew Taffe, Loper’s manager and a 2018 media studies and production alumnus, to cultivate stronger ties to the music industry.
Despite developing connections with other artists and music industry professionals since moving to L.A., Loper still faces challenges as a small artist. Their love of the job and support from their team keep them motivated to continue to pursue a career in music, Loper said.
“This is plan A, B, C and D,” Loper said. “And it’s because I love it. It’s because I love to write songs, I love to perform. Even if I’m a waiter at a restaurant, even if I’m delivering weed, even if I am working some silly day job, I will always be making music and I will always be sharing it and performing it.”
Molly Fiske contributed reporting.
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