Pomplamoose: The DIY Indie Pop Innovators

Pomplamoose is an American indie pop and jazz-influenced duo known for their inventive, self-produced music videos and unique cover song arrangements. Hailing from California, the group has built a substantial independent career through viral YouTube success and a prolific catalog of original music.

Early Career

Pomplamoose was formed in 2008 by multi-instrumentalists and vocalists Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn. The duo's name, derived from the French word for grapefruit, reflected their fresh and slightly quirky approach to music-making. They gained initial attention by uploading "video songs" to YouTube, a format they pioneered where the recording process is visually deconstructed, showing each instrumental and vocal layer being performed and recorded in real-time.

Breakthrough

The duo's organic, YouTube-centric strategy led to a significant breakthrough, with their inventive covers of popular songs like "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" and "Mister Sandman" accumulating millions of views in the late 2000s and early 2010s. This online virality established a direct-to-fan business model, allowing Pomplamoose to fund their original projects through platforms like Patreon, bypassing traditional record labels. Their independent releases have consistently charted on iTunes, and they have performed on notable stages including the Bonnaroo Music Festival.

Key Tracks

Bust Your Knee Caps - An original song that became a viral hit for its darkly playful lyrics and catchy, vaudevillian style, showcasing their songwriting beyond covers.

Mister Sandman - Their intricate, layered cover of The Chordettes' classic perfectly demonstrated the "video song" format and their harmonic sophistication.

Expiration Date - A popular original track from their 2012 album "Tribute to Famous People" that highlights their signature blend of indie pop and jazz chords.

Twice - A later original single that exemplifies their matured production style and Nataly Dawn's evocative songwriting and vocal delivery.

Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) - Their quirky, vocally-driven cover of the Beyoncé hit was one of their earliest viral successes, introducing their sound to a wide online audience.

Pomplamoose has maintained a consistently independent path, releasing numerous albums and EPs including "Season 1," "Hey It's Pomplamoose," and holiday collections. Jack Conte's co-founding of the membership platform Patreon has further solidified the duo's role as pioneers in the creator economy, funding their music directly from their fanbase. Their work extends to commercial syncs and collaborations, contributing to campaigns for major brands and composing for other projects, all while retaining full creative control.

Fans of Pomplamoose's harmonically rich, DIY indie pop may also enjoy the clever songwriting of AJR, who also blend electronic production with organic instrumentation. The intricate vocal arrangements of The Lennon Sisters echo Pomplamoose's close harmonies. The playful, genre-blending spirit of OK Go is similar in their emphasis on innovative music video concepts. Furthermore, the jazz-inflected pop sensibility of Lake Street Dive shares common ground with Pomplamoose's musical approach.

Pomplamoose's distinctive catalog of indie pop and jazz-influenced original songs and covers continues to be featured across a variety of independent music and modern adult contemporary radio stations. Their music is regularly included in rotations on online radio streams that champion artist-driven and creatively independent content, reaching listeners who appreciate meticulous craftsmanship and melodic invention.

The music of Pomplamoose is available to hear on radio stations featured on our website. Listeners can discover the duo's unique sound through the curated indie and pop stations available on onairium.com.