SPOTLIGHT: Wishy on Friendship, New Music, and the Road Ahead
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY SHERIDAN AGUILAR ☆
INDIANAPOLIS-BASED BAND WISHY REFLECTED ON THEIR SXSW EXPERIENCE, calling it both exciting and exhausting. Members Kevin Krauter, Nina Pitchkites, and Dimitri Morris sat down with The Luna Collective to discuss their time in Austin so far. "Today was a little rough… really hot," they admitted, after playing three shows in four hours, including one in direct sunlight, which they described as "pretty punishing." Despite the challenges, they discovered some incredible bands, with YHWH Nail Gun standing out as "the sickest band I've seen in years," Hiding Places, whom they "caught at the grocery store," and local Austin band, Being Dead.
Wishy is an indie rock band formed in 2021 by singer-songwriters Kevin Krauter and Nina Pitchkites, who first connected as friends after high school. The band also includes guitarist Dimitri Morris, bassist Mitch Collins, and drummer Conner Host.
Blending elements of dream pop, grunge, and power pop, Wishy has built a distinctive sound that reflects the diverse musical backgrounds of its members. Since their formation, they have released two EPs—Mana and Paradise—in 2023, followed by their debut album, Triple Seven, in 2024, which earned critical acclaim. Their third EP, Planet Popstar, is set to release on April 25, 2025.
Their upcoming April release is a mix of B-sides and older songs, with some dating back to 2020 while others are more recent. "We've been sitting on these songs for a long time, and they're just now making it out," they explained. Some tracks were left over from past recording sessions for Paradise and Triple Seven, and rather than let them fade away, they decided to compile them into an EP. While their past projects were written mostly in isolation, their songwriting process has evolved. "This time, we're doing more fully collaborative work—every single member of the band," they shared, adding that it’s shaping up to be "way cooler than everything else we’ve put out."
When discussing their creative process, Pitchkites described a mix of remote collaboration and in-person writing sessions. "I feel like we usually work remotely, and then just send stuff back and forth," she explained. "I’ll make an instrumental demo and be like, hey, this would sound good with a melody or something. Then I'll just do that on my own at home send it back to them. Sometimes we are genuinely together."
Though Indiana isn’t a direct influence on their sound, they credit their hometown for creating a low-stakes creative environment that allowed them to develop naturally. "I think that's the best way to write music—when you're not trying to reach for something," they reflected. Initially, their biggest goal was simply to play at their favorite local venue, State Street Pub, rather than chase industry validation. Now, as they tour more widely and prepare for their next album, they remain grounded. Pitchkites admitted, "It’d be nice to quit our day jobs, but also, I’m chilling right now," while adding, "I just want to write more, score more…I’m trying to err on the side of not wanting more and more all the time."
When asked about their friendship, Pitchkites and Krauter joked, "It's gotten worse…we hate each other. Always resenting, full of contempt." But after a laugh, Pitchkites reassured, "Just kidding. We love each other. We work really well together." Their strong bond and shared sense of humor highlight the close-knit dynamic that is their friendship.
Navigating the balance between creativity and ambition, Krauter acknowledges the push and pull of making music on a larger scale. "Yeah, it's easy to get in the headspace of, like, playing shows and being on tour and having a label and a manager and the whole shebang," he shared. While the structure can sometimes feel overwhelming, they recognize its value. "It’s nice to have people sort of whip us into shape and be like, hey, try and finish these songs, record them, try and get this done," he admitted. Without that, they believe they’d likely still be playing local shows rather than expanding their reach. "Making it something bigger than that is really cool. Being able to go on tour, like in Europe and stuff is really cool, really exciting," they reflected, emphasizing how grateful they are for the opportunity to pursue music on a larger scale. "This is, like, the one thing we really want to do… so yeah, it’s sick that we have the opportunity to do that."
