EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: IT’S TIME TO GET TO KNOW COMFORT CLUB
For those in need of a roll-your-windows-down summertime classic, Comfort Club has just the song. Released on July 17, “If You Got To Know Her” features a vibrant 2000s indie rock sound, transporting listeners back in time to their first love and heartbreak.
Los Angeles native Colin Tracey is an indie-rock musician best known for his candid, introspective lyrics and infectious melodies under the stage name Comfort Club that he picked up in 2019. He kicked off 2025 with the release of three singles: “I Think I Love You,” “Talk To You” and “Next Birthday”, all of which explore the complexities of falling in love again. Juxtaposing his 2024 debut album “Fear of Moving On”, Tracey is leaning into more soft rock elements, reminiscent of the early 2000’s.
He continues this shift with his fourth single, “If You Got To Know Her”, released July 18th, 2025. The track opens with a guitar-heavy chorus, steady drums and velvety vocals, hooking the listener from the start. Lyrically, the song follows a toxic relationship, Tracey’s idealization of said relationship and ultimately, the aftermath of rejection. Although he doesn’t completely stray from his indie nature, the track itself has a surprising edge to it that sets this single apart from the others.
INTERVIEW
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INTERVIEW ☆
In a Crave-exclusive interview, Comfort Club revealed his inspiration and songwriting process behind “If You Got To Know Her.”
CRAVE: Can you explain what the creative process was like for If You Got To Know Her? Did it differ from your typical process?
COMFORT CLUB: This song started in my head which is pretty in-line with my standard creative process, but it doesn’t usually materialize as colorful as this song did. I normally have a little guitar idea or a lyrical hook and then I work really hard to try to channel the rest of the song. But this song came to me with the big drums, the guitar parts, and the melody. At that point, all I had to do was try to figure out what my subconscious wanted to say lyrically. It was a fun process!
CRAVE: Is the song inspired by personal experiences? If so, is songwriting typically cathartic for you?
COMFORT CLUB: The song is definitely inspired by personal experiences. I often borrow details from specific people in my life but it’s pretty rare that all the details that make up the romantic interest in my songs are from one person. It’s usually an amalgamation of personalities or emotions that multiple people make me feel and that all gets rolled into one character for the song. It’s super cathartic to write about personal experiences because I think it allows me to look at myself from the 3rd person and oftentimes take accountability for the parts of the story that I’m responsible for. It’s a lot easier to recognize your faults when you’re writing them in a song.
CRAVE: The track feels very reminiscent of the early 2000’s indie scene. Who are your biggest inspirations musically?
COMFORT CLUB: My musical inspirations have really started to become refined as I keep figuring out my sound and voice as an artist. I always come back to The 1975, Pinegrove, Valley, and John Mayer as my sort of Mt. Rushmore of influences. They all contribute a really valuable element to my artistry and their catalogs are so expansive that I feel like I’ve never gotten close to reaching the ends of inspiration I can draw from them.
CRAVE: What lyric or verse in this song are you most proud of and why?
COMFORT CLUB: For me, the pinnacle of being a songwriter is being able to create as much imagery in as few words as possible. If you can fill the entire canvas with a few brush strokes, you’re making your words count. I was thrilled with the lines: “did you know she’s Harvard-educated? God, she’s so sophisticated! She taught me everything I know. And all her books are annotated “Vonnegut is overrated.” She said she’ll never let it go.” If I asked you to draw the person you imagined based on those lyrics, I think we would both have the exact same drawing of who she is.
CRAVE: What’s next for you?
COMFORT CLUB: I’ve got a few more songs ready to go after this one that I’m really excited about. It feels good to be releasing so many songs I’m proud of so I’m definitely going to enjoy those emotions. I’m also doing a 5-date co-headline tour with Pretoria across the Southwest. Super excited to take these songs I love and play them in front of some new folks! Life doesn’t get much better than that!
Stylistically, “If You Got To Know Her” has proven to be Comfort Club’s most hard-hitting single to date. Tracey is sonically and lyrically evolving alongside the indie genre while remaining as vulnerable and honest as ever.
Keep up with Comfort Club:
Website / Instagram / YouTube / Spotify / Apple Music
