2020 has been one hell of a year for Jake Bundrick.

Best known as the powerhouse drummer and vocalist in famed pop rock band Mayday Parade, Bundrick has become somewhat of a household name amongst the alternative community, best known for helping create some of the most iconic emo songs of our generation.

And while he has spent the last 15 years writing, recording, and showcasing his talents with Mayday as his main source of expression, this summer Bundrick has stepped out on his own with the creation of his new solo project, Via Fiori.

Originally debuting in April with the release of their first single “Call to Arms,” Via Fiori quickly found themselves making their way into the daily playlists of several Mayday and alternative rock fans alike- amassing nearly 7,000 monthly Spotify listeners in their short five month existence.

With five more new songs following “Call to Arms” over the course of the past few months, along with a cover of Lauv’s “Lonely Eyes,” Via Fiori stayed on a steady release schedule before finally rounding out the month of August with the completion of their debut EP “In Good We Trust.”

A mix of both pop-punk and angsty rock inspired instrumentals, with honest and emotion packed lyrics, “In Good We Trust” perfectly set the tone to let fans know just what the new project is all about.

It’s not Mayday Parade. It’s not B-Side tracks. It is Jake Bundrick in his most honest, and vulnerable form. It is Via Fiori.

We had the opportunity to chat with Bundrick about his new project, how it came to be, and what the biggest hurdles of going it alone have been so far.

You can read our full interview below, and be sure to stream Via Fiori’s debut EP, “In Good We Trust,” out now.


Second Society Report: First off, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us. I know this year has been wild, so I wanted to take a second to check in and see how you and your family have been doing this summer?

Jake Bundrick: Awww of course! Things have been good. It’s the longest I’ve been home since Mayday started back in 2005 so it’s been really nice. The music industry’s taking a massive hit but hopefully we’ll come through stronger once this pandemic starts to take a turn for the better. We just gotta keep wearing our masks and being smart about things.

SSR: Now earlier this year you announced that you would be starting your side project Via Fiori, which you shared means “by way of flowers.” Why/how did you choose that name for the project?

JB: I was fortunate to attend a beautiful wedding last fall and I stumbled across a street sign near the venue that said Via Fiori and it just stuck with me. I was encapsulated by so much love and friendship that weekend that it just stood out amongst the other band names I had been writing down.

SSR: How long had Via Fiori been in the works before it’s public debut? Why was now the time to release solo material?

JB: I had actually been writing songs since 2016 for the project but that was back before I knew it was gonna be what it was. I was just writing music and having a good time creating. I just felt like this pandemic was making everyone feel down in the dumps and I just felt people needed music now more than ever so I fully committed to making Via a thing. I also just needed something to do because I now had all this extra time at home.

SSR: You’ve just officially put out your debut EP “In Good We Trust,” this past Friday, but prior to it’s full debut you had released five of the songs as singles. Why did you choose to release the EP this way instead of as one collection together?

JB: Well, the music industry now is a lot different than it used to be. I notice more and more that when you release a lot of music all at once, it can quickly be forgotten about. Now, music is basically free with a monthly subscription to a streaming service and since there’s a ton music releasing constantly it just felt like the move for Via. I wanted it to be something people looked forward to ya know…especially since it’s completely new and of course…the pandemic.

SSR: What are your main sources of inspiration when writing music? Either lyrical subject wise or music/genre wise.

JB: I just try to write from the heart. I don’t want there to be any rules with Via. I draw a lot of inspiration from all types of music from Green Day, Blink, Foo Fighters, Jimmy Eat World to newer artists like Lauv, LANY and Julia Michaels. I love pop music so I try to embrace that side of my writing but I also love pop/punk and just rock music too.

SSR: Somewhat of a follow up- do you find it’s easier to write songs based on your real life experiences, or do you prefer to write about fictional scenarios?

JB: Although it’s tough sometimes, I’d personally enjoy writing songs about my life because I feel it comes across more genuine. Some of these Via songs were extra tough for me but it’s almost therapeutic in a way.

SSR: When writing new music how do you differentiate between what will be part of Via Fiori vs what would turn into songs for Mayday Parade?

JB: Well, that’s definitely the tough part. I tend to write so much music that there isn’t a way to physically release it all in one place so that’s why I wanted to start a solo project. 

SSR: What has been the most difficult part of going solo so far?

JB: I think self-releasing it without a label has been the hardest part. Usually a label will fund everything for you but all the money spent is coming out of my pocket during a pandemic where the entire industry is completely dead. So it’s a bit of a risk. The other side is how much money goes into things like marketing and public relation stuff to get the word out about the project. I don’t have that type of money to invest so I’m really relying on word of mouth and the internet to help spread the word.

Other than those things, it’s all been a blast. I self produced it all and played everything on all of the tracks minus the guitar solo in “It’s So Hard To Let Go (I Miss You)” which was utterly destroyed in the best way possible by Alex Garcia of Mayday Parade. He’s such an incredible talent and I’m glad he helped me make that moment what it is.

SSR: How has the transition been from releasing tracks as part of such a well known band to releasing music as a solo artist? What have you noticed are the biggest differences?

JB: It’s always a little weird. I would’ve hoped that more Mayday fans would take the time to listen to this project but I know everyone has their own lives and will eventually at some point. I also know it’s a grind so it’ll all come in time. I think it’s fantastic and that’s all I really care about. 

SSR: I know the EP JUST came out, but do you have plans for more new music over the next year? Maybe a full album?

JB: For now, maybe not. I’ll need to accumulate some more material so in time. Maybe a cover, but we’ll see.

SSR: Do you have plans (once it’s allowed again) to tour as Via Fiori? Or do you plan on just sticking to digital releases?

JB: I’d love to make that a thing. I’ll have to assemble a band first. If the demand is there then I’d love to try and pursue it.

SSR: Is there anything you want fans to know about Via Fiori that we haven’t asked?

JB: Any help retweeting or reposting things would help the band out a ton! A little goes a long way 🖤

SSR: Thank you again for taking the time to answer our questions. We look forward to hearing more from Via Fiori in the future!

JB: Anytime! 

You can stream Via Fiori’s debut EP “In Good We Trust,” out now, and be sure to connect with both Jake and Via Fiori now, via the following links:

Instagram (band) / Instagram (Jake)  / Twitter (band) / Twitter (Jake) / Spotify / Facebook / YouTube