SPOTLIGHT: Sleigh Bells Are Best Friends Forever on Bunky Becky Birthday Boy

MusicQ&A

Apr 7

INTERVIEW

THERE IS JUST SOMETHING ABOUT A SOLID FRIENDSHIP – that meaningful relationship crowned with the honored label: “best friends.” For the noise-pop duo Sleigh Bells, it is simple, that is precisely what they are.

In their 17-year tenure, the iconic pair have left their stamp on the industry. Treats, their explosive 2010 debut, unveiled an innovative take on production that mixed an exhilarating concoction of contradicting styles: heavy guitar and drums, finished with a sugary pop vocal.

Now, six albums in, Sleigh Bells is back with Bunky Becky Birthday Boy. A project that not only looks at their time in the game, but most notably, their unbreakable bond.

“I can't remember the last time I finished a piece of music that I was really excited about and wasn't dying to hear Alexis' voice on it,” guitarist and producer Derek Miller recalls.

They both mention the constant thread of text messages fueled by frequent thoughts they are eager to show each other. “When we share ideas back and forth, it never feels like a chore; it feels like something that is genuinely exciting,” vocalist Alexis Krauss adds.

Four years have passed since the release of their previous record, Texis, and there has been a constant rhythm of writing for the newest addition. While doing so, life did not stop. Most notably, Krauss became a mother, and at the same time, her beloved dog and band companion Riz passed away. These major moments the pair experienced, while not the first, became reflective that their band was the anchor through it all.

“There's nothing more dynamic than life and death,” Miller describes when unpacking the new album’s themes. The title is a perfect homage to these subjects. Bunky Becky, the nickname once held by Riz, and The Birthday Boy – Krauss’ son, Wilder.

“There's that juxtaposition between hope and pain; also a lot of moments of joy and ecstasy on this album,” Miller shares when asked about Bunky Becky Birthday Boy.

In February, Sleigh Bells released, “Bunky Pop,” one of the three singles that would bring listeners into this new world they have assembled. A place made of hypnotizing hues; imagine Looney Tunes and Nickelodeon. Their visuals ooze the nostalgia you would see floating in a bowl of your favorite sweet, baked O’s.

“Everything's exaggerated to the point of being slightly cartoonish, but still very human,” Miller explains. Even through a shimmering intro and chanty lyrics, you’re still struck by those shameless guitar thrashes. “It’s fun, playful; there's weight, and then the ending is a real curveball, there's a lot of faith in that ending,” Miller says. “It can be a little bit of an emotional roller coaster for the listener.”

While creating the song, it began morphing into what they describe as their take on an autobiography. They took on their alter egos, Bunky Becky and Roxette Ric. Those fictional characters move through the album as a spunky duo that appears in lyrics and song-titles. It is their unique take on their story—while fun, it still hones in on the cycle of beginnings and ends.

A constant within their discography is space for hard-hitting sentiments. It shows up in those rage-filled moments on Reign of Terror, and significantly in their doom and gloomy response to 2017 on their EP, Kid Kruschev. “Our band has always been about extremes,” Miller explains. “There's a lot of friction, tension, and aggression in the music, but Alexis's presence balances that out.”

Over the years, their chemistry has allowed this unique musical experience, one that heightened the strengths of one another. “Derek has continued to grow as a producer,” Krauss adds. “When he sends me things, I feel this tremendous responsibility. I'm going to step up and send him something that I think is worthy of what he’s created.”

They note the healthy competition they have made. In a lasting friendship, you would hope for this type of motivation they have cherished. “There’s no obligation to do it other than the fact that when we do, we both feel it in our bones in terms of the excitement,” Krauss shares. “That eagerness and excitement to create something that we haven't done before – probably better than the things that we've created in the past.”

Bunky Becky Birthday Boy proves this by exuding a fresh take on their sound, while never forgetting the core of who Sleigh Bells is. Recording in Miller's home studio in New Jersey, they enlisted Steve Evetts and Chris Hornbrook to help bring live drum tracking to the project. An element that heightens that hardcore thrill as it is intertwined with major ‘80s influences such as The Cars, Beastie Boys, Cyndi Lauper, and The Go-Go’s. Tracks like “This Summer” knock you off your feet, but the outro cushions the fall with twinkling synths and soft vocal hums.

But it is “Wanna Start A Band?” that goes back to where it began. The simple question that changed everything. “It is strange to reflect on who we were,” Krauss admits when asked about the band’s history. They mention their manager pulling up the archives—videos and photos of their first show. The footage they would end up sharing on Instagram in support of the single. “I remember feeling we had put a lot of work into it. We practiced, we rehearsed, and we were prepared, but just feeling like we had no idea what we were doing,” she says about that memory.

Now, it is fair to say, they knew what they were doing.

Krauss mentions them starting as a “blog band,” a time when music discoverers found their latest obsession through a plethora of online platforms. In 2010, you could not hop on Tumblr without seeing “Infinity Guitar” reblogged onto your feed. Fast forward to 2025, they are not too shy to recognize how the industry has changed, and most importantly, how they can keep going. “To think that we can do this for a living–there’s nothing jaded about Derek and me when it comes to that,” she expresses. “I do not take anything for granted, especially when it comes to longevity and music. The idea of fans sticking with us for decades now at this point, is such an honor.”

The band’s durability can coincide with their ongoing appreciation for their craft and for each other, which proves itself through their resolute listeners. Krauss identifies the growth of their fanbase, those OGs who have stuck by their side, to young listeners discovering their music for the first time. It would not be this way without their admiration for the music. “It’s about being kind of madly in love with whatever you're working on while you’re working on it, I think that's the key,” Miller answers when asked about how they keep going.

Bunky Becky Birthday Boy is the next chapter in the story of their musical legacy, but most notably their lifelong bond.

Living in this world, it has its unavoidable twists and turns, yet, experiencing that with the support of each other is a gift. Their discography has always been genuine. However, this lasting partnership adds a humanizing layer.

“The best records are very life-affirming, and I'm not saying we're pulling that off, but I'm happy to try,” Miller says. “It's not just like a cheap mood boost; it's something real that lasts with me.”

They hope the album creates an escape, full of delight and catharsis, just as it has done for them. Krauss makes a final note, “Maybe for them, that's turning their brain off, listening to the music loud in their car as a way to completely exist in an alternative reality, just momentarily.”

Sleigh Bells is preparing to support Bunky Becky Birthday Boy on a North American Tour starting in May. A wave of excitement takes over as they think about fans reacting to the music in person where it is meant to be heard – with each other and in the loudest way possible.