New Diplomat is a newly transplanted band from San Francisco. They blend a club-worthy dance sound with meaningful lyrics for a uniquely cathartic experience. You can catch them live May 13 at Green Room in Minneapolis.
Please tell me about New Diplomat.
New Diplomat is a Minneapolis based indie and dark pop project blending synth driven textures with live instrumentation. Our sound sits between dance music and more melancholic songwriting, with a focus on atmosphere, rhythm, and emotional weight. The project started in San Francisco, CA and has expanded into something more dynamic since relocating to the Twin Cities.
You have recently moved to the Twin Cities from San Francisco. Have you noticed differences in the music scenes and styles between the two communities?
The biggest difference we have noticed is how supportive and connected the Twin Cities scene feels. In San Francisco things can be more fragmented, whereas here there is a real sense of community across genres. Stylistically, Minneapolis feels more open to blending electronic elements with indie and rock, which aligns closely with what we are doing. And the public seems to still be hungry to discover new music and support local artists.
I love the video for Away We Go. How closely did you work with the videographer? Was there a vision for the video when you wrote the song?
We worked very closely on the video for Away We Go with visual artist and friend Jesse “Nemo” Pruet, who is also a Bay Area transplant now based in Minneapolis. We had a clear emotional tone in mind from the beginning, something nostalgic and slightly surreal, and collaborated closely to bring that to life visually. While the full concept came after the song was written, the sense of movement and escape was always part of the song’s DNA.
Haunted Hearts and Singular are interesting songs to me. They maintain or really build the dance beat throughout the song, but the lyrics feel more serious. It’s a great paring, which I bet is cathartic on the dancefloor. When you’re working on songs, which comes first, the beat, the lyrics, the mood or theme?
It usually starts with the mood or a sonic idea rather than lyrics. That often comes from a synth line or rhythm that sets the emotional direction, and then the lyrics follow as a response to that feeling. We like the contrast between upbeat, dance driven production and more introspective or serious lyrics because it creates a tension that feels honest and, as you mentioned, cathartic.
Please tell us about your upcoming show in Minneapolis.
We are playing May 13 at Green Room in Minneapolis with Clovers Daughter and Blood Smoke Body (all local artists!). It is going to be a high energy night with a mix of styles, all rooted in strong atmosphere and performance. We are especially excited about this show because it feels like a real introduction of the project to the local scene.
We hope to see you all there!
Mostly Minnesota 