Artist You Should Know: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.
For any band poised to be the next big thing in the music industry, picking a name is a serious consideration. But for Detroit-natives Joshua Epstein and Daniel Zott, the name of their electro-indie group was a funny after thought.
"We we're going to call it Counting Crows Part 2," Josh explains. "And then my friend was like, 'That is the worst name ever. You might as well call yourselves Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.,' and then it kind of stuck."
While the famous NASCAR driver will inevitably come up when you run a search for the group, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. says the name has been a blessing more than anything.
"I feel like [the name] kind of made it so we don't have as many boundaries or limits -- that we can kind of go wherever we want musically and it kind of makes sense, because we're not constrained by any genre expectation," Josh adds.
In just a few years, fans have seen the project go from basement recording to international touring group. The group has not only signed to Warner Bros. Records but made recent appearances on Conanand this summer's Sunset Sessions ROCK, a launch pad for artists like Jason Mraz and FUN., where the band was voted most likely to break in 2013.
Their EP Patterns, which includes the catchy pop singleIf You Didn't See Me (Then You Weren't On The Dancefloor), is a clear indication that these guys are not only on the fast track to indie superstardom but will have people everywhere dancing to their music.
Watch our full interview to learn more about Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. and to find out the duo's dream collaborations. Look out for their full studio album when it drops in the fall.