Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Blanket Approval
Blanket Approval leaves you dancing, shouting, and not even a little concerned for their bassist rolling around on the floor. The four-piece indie rock band from New York City stars singer/guitarist Jack Matteucci, drummer/singer Joey Hadden, bassist Max Mena, and singer/keyboardist/guitarist Rahul Chakraborty.
Since their inception in 2022, they’ve played high-energy shows throughout their hometown, up and down the east coast, from Burlington, VT to Tampa, FL, and have cultivated an online fan base through viral shorts and Spotify’s Fresh Finds. September 2025 marked a breakthrough moment for Blanket Approval, as Twenty One Pilots released their #1 album Breach, featuring the band’s songwriting on the track “Robot Voices.” 2026 will welcome Blanket Approval’s debut album, Heartbreak City.
(All responses by Joey Hadden)
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
I remember waking up in the top bunk to my parents’ favorite albums blasting in the living room. I would trace the textured paint on the ceiling to the rhythm of the music until my brother woke up below me.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
I can’t remember a time when listening to music didn’t make me want to create my own. I was lucky enough to get my hands on many different instruments growing up, and to surround myself with other kids who wanted to make music, too. I think finding that sense of community fueled my passion to start making songs.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
Max, Jack, Rah, and I were complete strangers before Blanket Approval. Jack found Rah and I in a Facebook group for NYC musicians, and he randomly met Max at a local show. The four of us just wanted to make music and make friends. That’s exactly what we did.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
Our upcoming album, Heartbreak City, is a groovy, sing-along, nostalgic-yet-refreshing collection of 13 songs, drawing influence from bands like MGMT, Portugal. The Man, The Bee Gees, Iggy Pop, Parcels, & Queens of the Stone Age.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
Learning to sing while playing drums made me more thoughtful about how to balance rhythm and lead parts when I’m writing. I like to consider whether I want a melody to emphasize or bounce off of the beat based on how it feels when I’m playing both parts.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
I recently discovered Um, Jennifer? at a benefit show in Brooklyn hosted by Collective Scream. It was one of those sets where you just couldn’t look away. Their stage presence was so electric. I loved their punk-infused indie sound. I’ve been listening to them pretty much everyday since.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
When something brings me the kind of excitement and joy that my body has a physical reaction to, I use music to capture it like a firefly in a jar. I write songs about these experiences in hopes that I’ll get that sensational feeling over and over again with each listen.
When something really devastates me, writing music helps me cope. At my lowest, I tell myself that writing a good song will make me grateful for the pain. But in the end, what really makes me appreciate my suffering is processing my emotions along the way. Making music just motivates me to face whatever I’m dealing with and grow from it.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
I hope our music helps people get through whatever they’re going through. I like the idea that we can write a song about one thing, and someone else can get something completely different out of it. The important thing for me is that it helps somehow.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
In Blanket Approval, we write our music together. The end result is something that all four of us love. But getting to that point requires compromise. So the most important thing I’ve learned is how to keep a loose grip on my ideas when we’re creating together.
I think the making of Heartbreak City really taught me how to let go of total creative control and open up my mind to ideas I never would have thought of by myself. What I love most about this album is that it truly represents all of us, and how we relate to each other.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
Red Rocks.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
Website Spotify Apple Music Youtube Instagram TikTok
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
Our debut album, Heartbreak City, comes out in February 2026. I want a lot of people to hear it, and I want to play a lot of shows, and I want people to come out and see us.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
I hope they’ll come talk to us at our shows and find us friendly and open-hearted.
