Theo Kandel Releases Collaboration EP ‘Eating & Drinking & Singing With My Friends’

NYC singer-songwriter Theo Kandel revisits his 2024 debut album Eating & Drinking & Being In Love with the help of friends on his new EP, Eating & Drinking & Singing With My Friends. Featuring collaborations with Jordy Searcy, Kate Stephenson, and Katie Lynne Sharbaugh, the project brings a fresh, live reinterpretation of three beloved tracks. Listen to Eating & Drinking & Singing With My Friends here. 

“If you’re eating and drinking and in love and can’t sing about it with your friends, then what’s the point?” Theo explains. “The ‘Eating & Drinking & Singing With My Friends’ EP is a collection of three songs from the album featuring four incredible artists that I am happy to call my friends.”

Recorded in Nashville in just a few hours, Theo tapped singer/songwriter and tourmate Jordy Searcy to breathe new life into his single “The Painters,” bringing a harmonious new layer to the nostalgic track. For “Lunch,” Kate Stephenson and Goldenn bring tenderness to the Frank O’Hara-inspired song. On the closing track, “Nothing New,” Katie Lynne Sharbaugh’s poignant vocals and viola intertwine with Theo’s, capturing the beauty of growing old together.

“Features have become pretty common these days, and my big beef with them is that they often sound like karaoke versions of the original song,” Theo explains.  “I didn’t want to do that here, and that’s why I decided to do new, live versions of ‘The Painters,’ ‘Lunch,’ and ‘Nothing New.’ They’re not perfect, and that’s the point. You can hear every breath, every squeak of the strings, every slightly out of tune note. That’s what makes music great in general to me. It’s the rawness of seeing someone play live and thinking, ‘I can’t believe I’m in the same room as this person.’ I think that kind of feeling comes through in these recordings.”

Katie Lynne Sharbaugh shares, “My verse on ‘Nothing New’ offers another perspective to complement the love story that Theo tells throughout the song. “I was thrilled when he asked me to feature because its theme is so universal – that true love is even better than experiencing some things for the first time. I love when the story feels raw and genuine, and ‘Nothing New’ does a beautiful job combining anecdotal messages with gentle melodic motifs. I had so much fun with this one!”

Jordy Searcy adds, “When I first heard Theo’s music, I knew I had to have him on tour with me. On the road, we realized we were label mates and quickly became buds. Grateful to be a small part of Theo’s journey!”

Eating & Drinking & Singing With My Friends is out now on all streaming platforms.

WATCH “NOTHING NEW (FRIENDS VERSION)” WITH KATIE LYNNE SHARBAUGH
https://youtu.be/2POZ8zDyGmg

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About Theo Kandel:  

Kandel initially picked up the violin at four years old. He later found his voice through experimentation with different musical genres, blending indie, pop, and electronic music elements while preserving the folk roots evident in his current work. Following a string of “test releases,” he made his mark in 2021 with his debut EP, Spin Cycle, earning praise from publications like FLAUNT and Ones To Watch.

Theo continued to evolve his sound, culminating in his 2022 EP, What if it all works out in the end?, featuring standout tracks like “Me & All My Friends Have Got the Blues,” reminiscent of folk legends such as Jackson C. Frank and James Taylor. His journey led him to sign with Nettwerk following the release of his stripped-down EP, Somewhere Along the Trail, Vol. 1, with its lead single, “Flight to JFK,” amassing over 600k streams to date. Alongside headlining his shows, he supported acts like Evan Honer, ROSIE, Max McNown, The Script, and the iconic John Oates.