Premiere: TWINKIDS Share Coming Of Age Synth Pop Anthem “Eighteen”

In a few months time (November 22, to be exact), LA queer-pop duo TWINKIDS, aka Gene Fukui and Matt Young, will release their second EP, Lizard House, and with that news comes the EP’s lead single, “Eighteen”. Dripping in ’80s influences, their euphoric brand of synth pop is the perfect vehicle for this kind of coming-of-age story, giving the track an almost John Hughes edge. It couldn’t be more fitting, really, since “Eighteen” explores exactly that sort of subject matter; the naivety of youth and how important everything seems when you’re barely out of high school. Those feelings aren’t to be dismissed, though, they played a significant part in forming the person you are today, and for that reason they’re worth remembering — however much you might cringe in later life.

Speaking with Complex via email, Gene Fukui told us: “‘Eighteen’ is about young love. It’s about looking back at a romance that once felt like it was the most important thing in the world. When I was younger I had this naïve and detrimental optimism. But life kind of happened, where money and careers took precedent and the relationship fell apart. The song is about looking back at your past self and realising how much you’ve changed and how much other people have changed. I guess that’s terrifying in a way, like nothing really stays the same. Even something you once felt like you were going to devote your entire life to feels really distant, but it still left a hole in your heart.”