Stephen Kohler, a Chicago-area singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with over thirty years of experience across classical, jazz and rock, continues to shape a distinctive pop-rock sound marked by driving guitars, infectious grooves and anthemic choruses. After releasing his solo albums Daydream and Anthem, which featured tracks such as ‘Emergency Exit’, ‘Anthem’ and ‘Riptide’, and joining the Recording Academy as a voting member in 2025, Kohler returns with ‘Lifeguard’. The new single, a tightly constructed preview of his third studio album, balances kinetic energy with melodic intimacy. Having performed at renowned Chicago venues including Metro, Double Door and SPACE, Kohler channels both live dynamism and independent creative vision into each release.
In the following interview, Kohler discusses the creation of ‘Lifeguard’, the personal resonance of its central metaphor, and what listeners can anticipate from the next phase of his catalogue.
Hey, thanks so much for sitting down with us today – what’s been the absolute best part of your week so far, music aside?
I’m grateful that my family is healthy (that wasn’t true 12 months ago) and I’ve had a blast collaborating with some lovely humans
Which genres best describe your music?
Pop rock, indie rock, melodic rock
If someone wanted to understand the real vibe of the band beyond the music, what’s one story from your everyday life that says it all?
Life is preciously short. Take nothing for granted. Hug your loved ones. Take the trip. Start the new venture. Live your Anthem.
What’s the wildest creative risk you’ve ever taken in the studio that actually paid off in ways you never saw coming?
I built & opened my own studio this year (anthemologystudios.com). Aside from using it as a creative space for producing my own music, I use it as a mission-based non-profit to help artists record (free of charge) who have medical hardships, mental health and other struggles. There is nothing better than helping other artists bring their anthems to life.
How often do you hope to release new music?
Every 60-90 days
What is the date of your next planned single/EP/Album release?
I just released my latest single, ‘Lifeguard’ on Nov 6 of this year. My next one will be in early January.
What is your main platform for distributing and promoting your music?
Spotify & Instagram
If you could change one thing about the modern music industry overnight, what would it be?
I’d create more access for artists to create (remove gatekeepers) and I”d also put protections in around AI to support performers and songwriters
Do you see AI as a threat to musicians, a helpful collaborator, or something else? How do you plan to keep your music relevant as the industry changes rapidly because of these tools? By embracing AI, avoiding it, or taking a different approach?
I see it, naturally, as both: it represents both a helpful tool and existential risk. I mainly use it as a research tool to help plan business related aspects (strategy, launches, admin work, etc.) and am very careful to avoid for true creative work (lyrics, songwriting, composing, etc.).
What is the single biggest challenge you currently face as an independent artist/band?
Breaking through the noise & building a followership. It’s said that something like 60,000 new songs are uploaded per day…While that’s amazing and awesome, it also poses a challenge for getting heard…
What core themes were you hoping listeners would connect with in your latest track?
To find the balance between helping others while also not drowning in the process
If you could revisit one decision from your artistic journey and do it differently, what would it be?
To have started what I’m doing now earlier. I took a 20 year haitus from music (for my corporate career and family). While I wouldn’t change any of that, I would have started my re-entry to music earlier…
What’s one unexpected influence, maybe from outside music, that keeps showing up in your work?
Philosophy. I was a philosophy major in college, and you can often hear it in my lyrics and songwriting.
What’s one fun or ridiculous moment from the studio or road since this release that still makes you smile?
Our country (the U.S.) and the world is taking itself WAAAY too seriously. We need to all chill a little bit and learn to laugh again. We often forget that we are just carbon-based atoms speeding through space at 70,000 MPH and might have 80 years on this planet if we’re lucky. We need to remember to love, laugh and make every moment count.
Listen to ‘Lifeguard’:
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