What happens when you don’t wait for anyone
We came in ready to talk about the pop-punk revival, and Darrian Gerard promptly set us straight from the first question. This isn’t a comeback—it never left. A new generation is owning it now, reshaping the sound with grit, emotion, and zero apologies. There’s a deep love for the classics, but this isn’t about imitation—it’s about flipping what we grew up on into something that hits differently today. Darrian’s version is loud, vulnerable, and entirely hers—and that’s exactly the point.
Pop-punk has seen waves of resurgence over the years. What do you think makes it so timeless, and why is now the right time for it to return?
In my world, pop-punk has never really died. It just comes back when people need it. It’s raw, emotional, and full of energy, and there’s always a new wave of kids who connect with that. pop-punk is messy in the best way and right now, people are craving real, unapologetic music again. New artists are putting a fresh spin on the genre and it just feels like the perfect time for it to take over.
Blink-182 clearly played a role in inspiring this track, but how do you balance nostalgia with carving out something that feels new?
I love pulling from that classic blink-182 sound. The punchy drums, the fast guitars and catchy melodies, but I never want it to feel like a copy. My song Two Tickets feels like the perfect mix of nostalgia blended with new-age pop-punk to me. I mix in modern production, synths, risers, different influences, and my perspective to keep it fresh. Nostalgia is fun, but the goal is to make something that feels like me, not just a throwback. It’s about taking what I grew up loving and flipping it into something new.
Your lyrics in "Two Tickets" tap into the personal, but also the universal feeling of being let down. Do you think vulnerability is what gives pop-punk its emotional weight?
One hundred per cent! Pop-punk has always had the assertive, in-your-face lyricism. I love blending that with the “show, don’t tell” way of storytelling so that my listeners can relate to the song in a different way than I probably do. Two Tickets is about that gut-punch feeling when someone you thought would show up for you doesn’t. It’s something almost everyone can relate to, I just told it through the lens of saving two tickets for someone who didn’t show.
DIY culture has always been at the heart of pop-punk. As an independent artist who writes and produces your music, do you see yourself carrying on that ethos in a new way?
Pop-punk has always been about doing things your own way, and that’s exactly how I approach my music. I write, record, and produce everything myself, which gives me full creative control and keeps it real. There’s also such a rewarding feeling once you get something just how you want it, and I don’t think I’d ever want to get rid of that feeling. The DIY mindset isn’t just about making music, it’s about building something from the ground up, connecting directly with listeners, and finding new ways to get my music out there.
Follow Darrian GerrardCover photo by Lexis Lane