The group behind 'My Body' and 'Cough Syrup' spent the summer touring with Kings of Leon.
Young the Giant rocks the house wherever they go, but it's all about going back to basics with the band's In the Open series.
Performing their songs acoustically (and in beautiful settings from coast to coast, no less) has not only provided a fun, creative outlet for Young the Giant, but has strengthened their skills. On Tuesday, the group unveiled a brand new In the Open video for "Anagram" off their latest album, Mind Over Matter.
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"The In the Open sessions hearken back to what the songwriting is for us," lead singer Sameer Gadhia tells ETonline's Sophie Schillaci in a backstage interview at the Hollywood Bowl. "We have a great time doing them. It started out as an accident, we were on tour several years back and we were right by the salt flats in Utah and we figured we'd just set up and perform, and it's become a tradition for us and we enjoy it. I think it makes us a stronger band every time we do it."
Young the Giant, whose hit singles "My Body" and "Cough Syrup" have become staples on talent shows like American Idol and The Voice, spent their summer touring with Kings of Leon and recording unplugged versions their songs. They will continue to roll out videos until each and every Mind Over Matter track has been covered.
And while performing In the Open has been an opportunity to grow, YTG has also picked up priceless lessons from Kings of Leon. Coincidentally, Gadhia says that one of the first shows they performed outside of California was with KOL back in 2008, just before "Sex on Fire" became the band’s breakout hit.
"I think what we've learned is just sticking to it," Gadhia said. "Just seeing the guys go through their things every night, it's just a testament to how intense it can be and how tough it can be, and we look up to them so much."
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Also intense? Five guys living under the same roof, writing and recording an album (as these guys did with Mind Over Matter). To say the members of Young the Giant know each other well would be an understatement, so we went deep to find out who is the group's resident texting addict, who once made eggs that resembled "molecular gastronomy" and who is most likely to hit the snooze button (repeatedly). Watch the video above for the answers to these and other burning questions.
Follow Sophie on Twitter: @SophieSchillaci