The Interrogation |

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – September 19, 2025

Vancouver’s THE INTERROGATION Returns with “Wicked Happy” – A High-Energy Anthem of Awkwardness, Hope, and Defiance

L-R – Joel French (Lead Vocals, Bass), Thomas Turner (Lead Guitar, Backup Vocals), Sebastian Valdivia (Drums), Erik Nguyen (Rhythm Guitar, Backup Vocals)

Photo Credit – Shimon Karmel

After five years of silence, Canadian pop punk outfit The Interrogation roars back with their electrifying new single “Wicked Happy”, marking the band’s first release since their 2020 debut EP “Posters On My Wall.” Accompanied by a dynamic music video, the track is a bold declaration of phase two for the band, now a full lineup, playing live across British Columbia and gearing up for a wider Western Canadian tour.

“Wicked Happy is the first song we’ve released since the band turned from my solo project into a full band. It’s a springboard into everything we’ve become, high-energy, uplifting, and unapologetically real,” says frontman Thom Turner (ex-Freya, ex-Hawthorne Heights touring guitarist).

Originally conceived in the wake of personal tragedy, The Interrogation began as Turner’s solo project following the loss of his mother in 2018. What started as a cathartic songwriting outlet evolved into a full band with a mission: to turn awkwardness, grief, and isolation into connection, community, and catharsis.

“Wicked Happy” delivers exactly that. With punchy guitar riffs, call-and-response vocals between Turner and bassist Joel French (Vultures At Dawn), and a chorus built for gang vocals and mosh pits, the track channels the raw energy of the band’s live shows. Lyrically, it’s a rallying cry for anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t fit, a message of defiance and self-discovery wrapped in a melodic, riff-driven package.

Turner explains further:

“It’s about never quite fitting in. About reaching beyond what others expect and growing into something stronger than anyone said you could be.”

The single also marks French’s debut as a lead vocalist, a role he’s held since 2022. The accompanying music video captures the band’s signature live intensity, no backing tracks, no polish, just pure pop punk sincerity.

The artwork, created by drummer Sebastian Valdivia, sets the tone: a sun just out of focus, daring you to squint, stretch, and reach for the sky.

Fans of New Found Glory, Four Year Strong, Coheed and Cambria, and A Day To Remember will find plenty to love in The Interrogation’s sound, described as energetic, catchy, heavy riffs, guitar-driven, and even more in their story. With members hailing from New York, Saskatchewan, Vancouver, and Colombia, the band brings a rich tapestry of backgrounds and influences to their music.

With more singles planned for early 2026, “Wicked Happy” is just the beginning. For The Interrogation, the message is clear: awkwardness is power, and punk is for everyone.

Watch and listen to the music video for “Wicked Happy” at https://youtu.be/jzvj_FmVhBk

Add to your Spotify playlist – https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/theinterrogation/wicked-happy

Single Credits:
Performed by The Interrogation
Written by Thomas Turner
Produced by The Interrogation
Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Matt Roach at Rain City Recorders
Song Artwork by: Sebastian Valdivia
Member of BMI
MAPL – Canadian Content Artist and Performance

Single Band Lineup:
Joel French – Lead Vocals, Bass
Thomas Turner – Lead Guitar, Backup Vocals
Travis Howie – Rhythm Guitar
Nik Eason – Drums

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/theinterrogationband

https://www.instagram.com/theinterrogation/

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“Posters On My Wall, a solid EP that combines solid musicianship and stellar songwriting, giving us something positive to latch onto during the pandemic when so many of us sorely needed it. With influences that range from New Found Glory and Story of the Year to Coheed and Cambria, The Interrogation has a sound that is a unique blend of pop-punk with a dash of hardcore and a smidge of old school punk riffage. The band shines on every track whether it’s the harder-hitting “Final Mystery” that touches on feelings of alienation or the summer, feel-good song “Shine” that has the band reminiscing of summers gone by.” – Shutter 16 (2021 – Interview)

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EPK – The Interrogation – Wicked Happy (single) (2025)

Publicist – Jon Asher – jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com

“Fans who know the catchy melodies from the Posters on My Wall EP will experience a more raw, in-your-face energy with Wicked Happy that screams togetherness and positive energy. As the band’s first release in five years and its first since it began playing live shows, it will inspire fans to be part of the energy of our live performance. We’re aiming to send the energy of our live show through the listener’s speakers with this single. In an era where so many pop punk recordings are full of production, Wicked Happy brings the same experience in the recording as it does live. The gang vocals in the chorus aim to make everyone a part of the performance.” – The Interrogation

For fans of A Day to Remember, New Found Glory, The Story So Far, Four Year Strong, Bayside

Facebook.com/theinterrogationband | Youtube.com/@theinterrogation437 | Instagram.com/theinterrogation

Theinterrogation.bandcamp.com | Spotify | Apple Music

[Download Single Cover | Download Single Lyrics]

Band: The Interrogation
Single Title: Wicked Happy
Single Length: 3:38
Release Date: September 19, 2025
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: Distrokid
Single Credits:
Performed by The Interrogation
Written by Thomas Turner
Produced by The Interrogation
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Matt Roach at Rain City Recorders
Song Artwork by: Sebastian Valdivia
Member of BMI
MAPL – Canadian Content Artist and PerformanceSingle Band Lineup:
Joel French – Lead Vocals, Bass
Thomas Turner – Lead Guitar, Backup Vocals
Travis Howie – Rhythm Guitar
Nik Eason – Drums

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About The Single Album Artwork

Done by Sebastian Valdivia, our drummer and newest addition, it sets the mood. The sun is shining, but just out of focus. Making you squint and strive to reach for the sky.

About The Single (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):

Wicked Happy starts with a punchy, high-energy guitar riff that instantly gets a crowd moving. The call and response vocals between Joel and Thom in the verses propel the song forward and build the song’s momentum for the half-time chorus, with its “reach for the sky” gang vocals earworm. The driving outro that begins by asking “so what’s stopping you?” is the landing for this song of hope and inspiration, with the mosh pit feel flowing right through to the final chord.

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FUN FACTS – STORY ANGLES:

1. The Interrogation is a band based on the story of Daren and his family. Through struggle, loss, and isolation, they find their way to unity through love and positivity. Spanning multiple lives, time periods and states of being the truth of their destinies is sewn.

2. Our 2020 EP Posters on My Wall was recorded by Kevin Billingslea, who has produced several Lamb of God albums. All instruments on the EP were played by Thomas Turner, with the exception of drums.

3. Thomas Turner is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music and once served as a touring guitarist for Hawthorne Heights.

4. We come from a wide variety of backgrounds, with Thomas born and raised in upstate New York (now a permanent resident in Canada), Joel born and raised in Saskatchewan, Erik born and raised in Vancouver with a Vietnamese family background, and Sebastian born in Peru and raised in Colombia (now a Canadian citizen).

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L-R – Joel French (Lead Vocals, Bass), Thomas Turner (Lead Guitar, Backup Vocals), Sebastian Valdivia (Drums), Erik Nguyen (Rhythm Guitar, Backup Vocals)

Photo Credit – Shimon Karmel

Born from grief and forged in resilience, The Interrogation is a high-energy pop punk band from the Pacific Northwest that blends raw emotion with infectious hooks and heavy riffs. Founded in 2018 by Thom Turner (Freya, touring guitarist for Hawthorne Heights) as a solo project following the loss of his mother, the band began as a personal outlet, a way to wrestle with pain through songwriting. What started as four deeply personal demos became the 2020 debut EP “Posters On My Wall”, released with the help of longtime friend and producer Kevin Billingslea.

Originally never intended for the stage, The Interrogation evolved into a full band through the support of close friends and fellow musicians. Their live debut came in 2023, and with it, a new chapter of connection, catharsis, and crowd-surfing chaos. Their sound, described in five words as energetic, catchy, heavy riffs, guitar-driven, channels the spirit of bands like New Found Glory, Four Year Strong, Coheed and Cambria, and A Day To Remember, while carving out a voice that’s distinctly their own.

Their latest release, the single “Wicked Happy,” marks the band’s first new music in five years and captures the raw, unfiltered energy of their live shows. With gang vocals, anthemic choruses, and lyrics that speak to the outsider in all of us, the track is a rallying cry for self-expression and emotional honesty. It’s a celebration of awkwardness, defiance, and the power of reaching beyond what others expect.

At the heart of The Interrogation is Thom’s songwriting, a process that begins with a hook and builds outward from the emotional impact of a single phrase. While Thom writes the core of each song, the band collaborates to refine and elevate the material, adding their own flavor and fire to every track. Bassist Joel French, also of Vultures at Dawn, brings fiery vocals and a stage presence that amplifies the band’s dynamic sound.

Live, The Interrogation delivers authenticity and intensity. No backing tracks. No pretense. Just tight harmonies, driving guitars, and a connection that lingers long after the final chord. With more singles planned for release in 2026, the band continues to grow — not just in sound, but in spirit.

For fans who crave catchy melodies, honest lyrics, and a reason to scream along, The Interrogation is more than a band. It’s a movement. One that invites you to reach for the sky — and never settle for less.

Shared Stage with: Chief State, Rong, Halfway Atlantic, Danger Box

Tours and Festivals:
2024 – Vancouver Island mini tour with Danger Box, Red Lenses

Category: The Interrogation

0 Vancouver’s THE INTERROGATION Returns with “Wicked Happy” – A High-Energy Anthem of Awkwardness, Hope, and Defiance

0 EPK – The Interrogation – Wicked Happy (single) (2025)