Q&A: August Royals’ Newest Single “Skintight Crazy” and the Soft Chaos of Letting Go
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY SHEVON GREENE ☆
AUGUST ROYALS ISN’T JUST WRITING SONGS — he’s rewriting what modern pop can sound like. The Georgia-born artist made quite the entrance with his debut EP Inhaler. But after stepping away from the major label scene and spending a year offline, August has returned with a clear vision and sharper sense of self. His latest single, “Skintight Crazy,” produced by Jon Class (Medium Build, Michigander), is the second single from his new independent chapter—and it’s his most vulnerable and infectious yet. Gritty guitars, glitchy textures, and pop instincts perfectly collide in a track that’s as emotionally raw as it is impossible not to dance to. It captures the grey space between love and letting go—messy, magnetic, and deeply human.
Blending humor and heartbreak, August delves into the contrast both sonically and visually, from crying in glossy editorial portraits to crafting rom-com-worthy breakup anthems. We got the chance to chat with August about songwriting through uncertainty, channeling chaos into beauty, and why “Skintight Crazy” might belong on a Sydney Sweeney movie soundtrack. Read below for more.
LUNA: I’m super excited to hear more about “Skintight Crazy,” so let’s get started.
ROYALS: The song came to life last fall. I was in a relationship for two years—lots of back and forth. We weren’t really together, but we weren’t really broken up either. I was talking about moving, and there were a lot of moving parts. I needed to let go, and she said it was over, but our actions didn’t match that. We still treated each other like a couple.
That built resentment. It became confusing—like, do you want to be with me or not? We were both upset with each other. I kept wondering if it was really over or if I should wait it out. “Skintight Crazy” came from that feeling—arguing a lot, not officially together, but still emotionally intertwined. We went to each other for everything, yet pushed each other away. I wanted the song to capture that confusion, but also be fun. I always joke with friends—you can be sad watching a movie, or you can dance it off. I chose the latter in the studio.
LUNA: I love that. The lyrics clearly tell a story, but the production gives it a lightness. It’s heavy lyrically, but still something you can dance to. That contrast is always really interesting.
ROYALS: Exactly. I wanted it to be something you can play and still have a good day. Role Model inspired me—his heartbreak was public, but he made it playful. He’s aware of his emotions, but doesn’t let them burn everything down. I didn’t have bad intentions toward this person. We just grew apart. I saw how Role Model handled his experience with grace, and I wanted to do the same. No one ruined the relationship. We both had our faults, but I’m grateful for what it was.
LUNA: Yeah, totally. Role Model has that perfect balance of humor and vulnerability. Speaking of lyrics, you mention being called a narcissist and feeling targeted. How do those lines reflect the emotional weight of the relationship?
ROYALS: That line came from a moment that really caught me off guard. It made me reflect a lot on how misunderstandings can build up in a relationship when communication breaks down. I started second-guessing myself and turning inward—asking questions about who I was and how I was showing up. I even talked to friends and a therapist about it. At the time, it felt like no matter what I did, it wasn’t landing right. So in the song, I tried to take that moment and write through it—not from a place of bitterness, but from curiosity and self-reflection.
LUNA: Yeah, and that word—“narcissist”—was such a buzzword for a while. It sounds like it was said in the heat of the moment, but still stuck.
ROYALS: Definitely. It was one of those things that lingered. But I’ve got no bad feelings—sometimes things just get messy when people are hurting. That experience reminded me how important it is to be in relationships where there’s room for grace and understanding.
LUNA: Let’s talk sound. “Skintight Crazy” features gritty guitars and distorted beats. What inspired that sonic direction, and how does it differ from your past work?
ROYALS: I’ve always loved distorting vocals and experimenting with pitch. The track opens with a sample saying “Wake up to me”—kind of a plea to go back to how things started. Then it jumps into reality: “I can’t tell half of you what the difference is.” The sound reflects that duality. I didn’t want it to feel whiny or mournful. I wanted it to be energetic. Like, yeah, this hurts—but let’s dance anyway. A song you can blast in the car and still feel good.
LUNA: Totally. That mix of upbeat production with heavy lyrics reminds me of some of Role Model’s earlier tracks. It really works.
ROYALS: I’ll take that any day. Thank you.
LUNA: You worked with Jon Class, who’s known for work with Medium Build and Michigander. How did he shape the track?
ROYALS: He’s one of the coolest people I’ve met—super welcoming, funny, and open to experimenting. I told him I wanted something weird, not just a basic acoustic song. He was all in. We built the track together, and he kept the vibe light and creative. I definitely want to work with him on more music.
LUNA: Love that. The music video is really cinematic—what was the vision behind it?
ROYALS: I worked with Will Freeark in New York. I wanted a loose concept of a couple in emotional push-pull—no physical intimacy, just tension. In some scenes I’m distant, in others she is. It reflects that dynamic of “you like me today, you don’t tomorrow.” We captured those flickers of connection and disconnection—the momentary sparks of what we were, but not what we are now.
LUNA: Yeah, you can really feel that in the video. It’s raw but beautifully done. How important are visuals—music videos, cover art—in your process?
ROYALS: Super important. I’ve done editorial modeling and love fashion and visual art. After leaving RCA and taking a year off, I wanted everything to feel intentional. I’m tapping into cinematic visuals, strong portraits, and art magazine aesthetics. My last single’s cover is just me crying, smoking a cigarette—vulnerable but striking. I think good visuals elevate a good song. Bad visuals can weaken it.
LUNA: Absolutely. You can really tell you’re blending your love of fashion and storytelling. After your debut EP Inhaler, you took time for self-discovery. How did that shape your new direction?
ROYALS: Everything happened fast—major label, publishing, nonstop studio time. I burned out. I started dating seriously for the first time and felt like I had someone in my corner. I stepped back from music to just live. But the emotions built up, and I had to write again. I realized I just needed better balance. Living more helped me make better music.
LUNA: That makes a lot of sense. You’ve worked with artists like Kevin Abstract and been in studio rooms with Dominic Fike. What did you learn from them?
ROYALS: They trust their gut. It’s never about “is this a hit?” It’s “do I love this?” That inspired me to let go of rules and focus on what feels good. They add weird elements, unexpected choices. I try to do that too—push pop into something less predictable, with more grit and noise.
LUNA: Love that mindset. Okay, fun one—if “Skintight Crazy” were part of a movie soundtrack, what kind of film would it be? Who would play the leads?
ROYALS: Definitely a rom-com. I’m thinking Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell. Something cheesy in the best way. She gets ghosted, he comes back, she’s over it, then he’s into her again—a back-and-forth until they figure it out. That’s the energy of the song: playful, unsure, maybe they’ll get back together.
LUNA: Perfect casting. Last question—what’s a surprising fact about you that influences your music?
ROYALS: I listen to a lot of classical and instrumental music, especially at night. I get sensory overload, so that helps me decompress. I love emotional songs without lyrics—just melody.
