When Apple’s new ad for the latest iPhone 11 Pro hit the internet on Monday (Sept. 10), the tech giant continued its long tradition of scoring the video with a song by the next up-and-coming musical act everyone will be talking about six months from now.
This year’s cinematic clip introduced the world to Refs, the rising electronic pop duo comprised of producer Zach Lipkins and vocalist Rich Saunders.
Here are five things to know about Refs.
1. Singer Rich Saunders used to be in Thirdstory
If Saunders’ swoon-worthy croon sounds familiar, it might be because the openly gay singer made up one-third of vocal pop group Thirdstory alongside pals Elliott Skinner and and Ben Lusher. The trio first gained notoriety in 2014 through their cover videos of songs by everyone from Sam Smith to Ariana Grande and a viral collaboration with fellow YouTube sensation-turned-bonafide pop star Tori Kelly. The band announced they were going on hiatus last February after releasing just one studio album of original music, 2018’s Cold Heart, leaving fans of the boys’ chill-inducing harmonies clamoring for more soulful tunes.
2. The latest iPhone ad uses not one, but two of their songs
“Apple got in touch about our track ‘Normal Too,’” explained Lipkins in a statement, “which has this gritty, industrial bassline and all-around sinister presence. Once I peeled my jaw off the ground, I went to work, riffing on the intensity and ultimately finding this textured, low-end dominant intro. Then we added in ‘Bones’ and the whole thing became a rallying point for picture.”
3. Their debut EP, Now, is out…now
Refs followed up debut mixtape Stories — which featured the duo’s first breakout track “Pain Goes Away” — with four-track EP Now, released Wednesday (Sept. 12). The new project delivers more of their expertly-crafted indie pop sound, including a melancholy take on St. Vincent’s 2017 hit “New York.”
4. They’re based in New York City
Speaking of the Big Apple, the bandmates holed up in Brooklyn in the winter of 2017 to start writing songs together. The sessions resulted in the aforementioned Now, which the band says was inspired by “hopeful situations that quickly went sour” and “helped [them] separate the gloom from the glow.”
5. There’s a Chance the Rapper connection
Saunders was first discovered by Chance the Rapper when his musical director Peter Cottontail saw a video of Thirdstory performing with singer Eryn Allen Kane. Cottontail was so impressed that he invited the trio to perform with the rapper on Saturday Night Live, which ultimately led to Thirdstory opening for Chance’s 2017 Be Encouraged Tour. Saunders still regularly does backing vocals for the rapper, including as recently as his Smino-assisted performance on The Ellen Degeneres Show on Tuesday (Sept. 11).