Currently in the wake of a new era, Los Angeles pop-punk duo Senses are excited for what lies ahead. After releasing a steady string of singles in 2024 and being signed to Hopeless Records, the “emo friendly, punk curious” band is currently gearing up to embark on their debut headlining tour this spring.
Comprised of singer Madison Taylor and drummer Nick Sampson, Senses have made a name for themselves as one of pop-punk’s most exciting rising stars since their 2019 debut. They’ve opened for artists such as Boys Like Girls and Charlotte Sands and following these runs, Senses realized they had amassed a cult following of fans from their interactive live shows.
In 2023 the group released their debut EP take me out of here, which skyrocketed their status and placed them on Spotify playlists such as “The Scene” and “All New Punk.” However, “Me against me,” the band’s most recent single, marks a change in the band’s typical high-energy sound. Both lyrically and compositionally, the song conveys Senses with a heightened vulnerability. “‘Me against me’ is such a different song for us and a lot of people are connecting to it,” Taylor says. “It’s cool because it was a chance for us to really slow down and get the feelings of that song across which is different for us. I do really like that song…and it’s cool to visibly see people listen to the lyrics and connect to it.”
With their garnered reputation for their relatable lyrics and honest artistry, Senses has formed a special relationship with their fans on and off the stage. “I’m sure every artist experiences it, but something about our fans is just so cool,” Sampson says. “They’re just always smiling and every time they see us we’re like friends that just pick up where we left off.”
“I feel like we get to really connect with fans on a level that maybe some people haven’t had in a while,” Taylor adds. “We’re kind of in the beginning stages of really being in front of people and wanting to make those connections. But honestly, in terms of how it affects our music, I think more than anything it encourages us to just keep going and keep doing what we’re doing.”
The music they’ve created has helped the duo heal, grow and understand their emotions better. “I struggled knowing how to express myself, and I had a lot of emotions when I was a preteen and teen girl,” Taylor admits. “It was almost like a necessity, not really a hobby. It was like, I need to write in this way otherwise I don’t know if I can survive. And that sounds dramatic. You’re so dramatic when you’re that age that it’s like you need it like you need air.”
Similarly, Sampson also recalls music helping him through his young adulthood. “Growing up I was a very angry teenager, and drums, to me, were therapy,” he says. “It was needed. It was like I had to…. It truly was just my therapy growing up and it’s like my best friend. It’s a weird thing to say, but I was like, ‘I need to do this every day.’”
Music has helped Taylor and Sampson, and now they aim to help others through their own songs. On top of the healing music they release, Senses also made some headway when they released a cover of Chappell Roan’s hit song “Good Luck, Babe!,” adding their signature edge to the pop supernova’s hit. While Senses typically walks the line between pop and rock, they also want to make it clear that “nothing is off limits, and no idea is a bad idea until we hear it and then we all look at each other and say ‘that was a bad idea,’” Sampson laughs.
Currently preparing for their I’m Still Breathing tour, the two admit there are heavy levels of both excitement and nerves now that they’ll be the main act — regardless of making a name for themselves as an adrenaline-heavy opener in the past. “We’re just trying to up everything [from previous tours],” Taylor says. “I think people can just expect a Senses show. Something we pride ourselves on is that we always bring a lot of energy and we’re just finding ways to to keep that up.”
When it comes to playing new songs on stage for the first time — often a nerve-wracking thing for artists to do — Sampson says that the crowd reaction is always cool to see. “Since I’m behind Madison and our guitar player, Jordan, I can just see everything unfold,” Sampson says. “I like seeing everyone’s reaction to the new stuff and spotting a couple people that already know the lyrics.” Taylor agrees, adding, “For me, there’s a little bit of nervousness, because every time you introduce a new song there’s just a lot to keep in your brain…Every time we do something new, there’s always that level of discomfort, but I love it. I thrive in it.”
When the band sees emotional reactions from the crowd or touching moments of fan interaction during a show, it’s always something that they cherish. “It’s hard not to get a little emotional in those moments,” Taylor says. “Because it’s overwhelming in the best way.”
“When you’re an opener, which we’ve been for five tours, you don’t have a lot of that same pressure,” Taylor admits. “You’re just there to hype the crowd up and you get to be in front of a new crowd every night that’s not necessarily familiar with you…When we’re the headliner, it’s a little more pressure and it’s more than twice the amount of time that we’re usually on the stage.”
Because Senses are now the headliners, they won’t be hanging out by their merch table after the show as they usually do. However, because they still want the chance for their fans to meet them, Senses decided to include a VIP package for this tour that includes a Q+A with the band, a pre-show listening party and a meet and greet with the duo. “We don’t want to take that off the table,” Taylor says. “That’s part of our favorite thing that we love [about touring]. We still want to have time to hang with the people that we’ve seen at some of these shows over and over.”
For their upcoming tour, Senses will be supported by Negative 25 and MVSSIE. Not only are both groups fellow pop-punk artists, but both have become good friends with Taylor and Sampson through Instagram and TikTok. “When it came to picking who we wanted to do this tour with us, we made friends, [so] we wanted to bring friends,” Sampson says. “We wanted to make this something about the community and we wanted to lift people up that will also want to lift each other up. We thought they were just perfect, both of them. So we’re stoked to have them.”
Not every artist is able to hold a deep connection with those who attend their shows, but Senses hopes to maintain this relationship throughout their headlining tour and beyond. “If you see us, come say hi. It makes our day and we love meeting you all.” Taylor says. “We’re honestly just really grateful to have any fans, and to see that small pool of people grow is just the coolest feeling ever. They’re truly the most important piece of this whole puzzle.”
Sampson agrees, saying, “Life is already hard. You know how a conversation, or a smile or a random compliment will make your whole day? That’s just kind of what we strive to do. Just be humans and help each other out.”
If you want to read more from our February issue, you can read the full issue online or purchase a print copy while supplies last.
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