senses

Every song from senses is an explosion of pure unbridled energy, supplying both immediate escape and much-needed catharsis. Self-identifying as “emo-friendly, punk-curious,” the Los Angeles-based band speaks a soul-baring truth about finding your way in an infinitely chaotic world, then channels all that pain and frustration into wildly catchy anthems that invite everyone to sing along. In the last year alone, senses’ confessional songwriting and combustible sound have brought them unstoppable success, including touring the continent multiple times as support for artists like Charlotte Sands and opening for pop-punk icons Boys Like Girls—ultimately winning over a whole new legion of fans with their emotionally charged yet massively fun live show. Recently signed to Hopeless Records, lead singer/guitarist Madison Taylor and drummer Nick Sampson are now embarking on a bold new chapter further revealing the life-affirming power of their music.

With their latest accolades including gracing Idobi Radio’s list of “100 Rising Artists To Listen To In 2024,” senses formed in 2019 after Taylor and Sampson linked up on Craigslist and instantly bonded over their shared love of loud and unruly bands that live outside the limits of genre. Both lifelong musicians, each followed their own distinct path to the L.A. rock/punk scene: Taylor grew up singing with her sisters at a local dive bar in their Wisconsin hometown and started writing songs on her mom’s guitar at age 13, while Sampson taught himself to play drums as a kid in Fresno and played in a series of bands throughout high school and college. As they dreamed up a sonic aesthetic rooted in blistering guitar riffs, visceral rhythms, and Taylor’s larger-than-life voice, senses broke into the live world and triumphed through several tumultuous gigs (e.g., a show at an all-ages space where Taylor suffered countless electric shocks due to a faulty microphone, a set at The Mint where the band took the stage late into the night after a bomb threat delayed their start time).

Just when senses began building momentum, the pandemic put a stop to all live shows and threw their future into uncertainty. Fiercely committed to their belief in the band, Taylor and Sampson continued working on new material and soon came up with now-signature songs like 2021’s beautifully bittersweet “When It Rains,” one of several tracks made with producer/songwriter Blake Harnage (PVRIS, Tate McRae). “We were putting singles out but we didn’t know what to do beyond that,” Taylor recalls. “No one could play live yet and we didn’t have a team in place, so we were at a loss on how to move forward.” But after enduring the inertia of lockdown, senses hit a number of milestones that would radically alter their trajectory, such as inking a management deal and performing at the legendary Emo Nite in fall 2022. In another major turning point, the band reached out to famed producer Keith Varon (mgk, jxdn) and received a rapid response asking to discuss a potential collaboration. Within weeks, senses headed into the studio with Varon to create their debut EP, take me out of here—a September 2023 release that delivered hard-hitting singles like “sleepwalking” and quickly catapulted the band into a new level of stardom, including earning radio support from KROQ and landing on coveted Spotify playlists like The Scene and All New Punk.

Since the arrival of take me out of here, senses have turned out standout tracks like “better than this”—an early-2024 single that matched its brutally raw honesty with pop-perfect melodies, fully embodying the emotional complexity of their music. With their earliest touring experience including supporting Carlie Hanson on a 25-city North American run in 2023 and 22-city North American run with Leah Kate that same year, the band have also made their name as an electrifying live act known for their palpable love of interacting with the crowd. Soon after finishing up their dates with Boys Like Girls (including a stop at Boston’s 5,000-capacity MGM Music Hall at Fenway), senses headed back out on tour as direct support for Charlotte Sands, hitting the road as their social following spiked exponentially due to the viral success of several live videos. During their time on the 24-date trek, Taylor and Sampson found that they’d acquired a coterie of superfans, many of whom followed the band from city to city and turned up at the venues carrying self-made posters adorned with their favorite senses lyrics. “We’re at the merch booth after every show, talking to fans and taking pictures with them,” Sampson notes. “A lot of the time they’ll tell us some pretty heavy stuff about how our songs have helped them cope with mental-health problems or a breakup or whatever else they’re going through, and it’s been really cool to realize that our music might be able to help people in some way.”

Now at work on their next project, senses have discovered an entirely new sense of purpose thanks to the close-knit community they’ve created with their fans. “One of our favorite things to hear is that it feels like the crowd is a part of our show—we always try to create a space that’s very inclusive, where everyone can connect with us and hopefully with each other,” says Taylor. “I remember being younger and feeling all these emotions that I had no idea how to deal with, and the only thing that clicked for me was obsessing over my favorite bands and escaping into their music,” she adds. “If we can bring that same kind of joy and happiness to other people and make them feel like they’re a part of something, I really can’t imagine anything better.”