The debut album from Los Angeles rock band wilt, when no one’s watching, is the culmination of several years of releasing music, nonstop touring and engaging with a quickly growing audience via their booming social media presence. The four piece band – Chelsea Rifkin (vocals), Aaron Liebman (guitar), Andy Vance (guitar) and Dan Bermudez (drums) – has taken their time to define their sound and voice and, with the guidance of Grammy-winning producer Carlos de la Garza (Paramore, The Linda Lindas, Charly Bliss), have crafted an album that pairs soul-searching lyrics with upbeat music driven by loud-quiet-loud dynamics, inventive guitar riffs and Rifkin’s keening vocals—drawing, at various times, from grunge, shoegaze, punk, and melodic hardcore.
when no one’s watching was a total collaboration, with the band writing almost all of the songs together in one room—a process that gave them a chance to feed off each other’s creativity in real time. “We were really able to build this record from the ground up, all together, which felt great,” Bermudez says. This approach was a change from the past, when wilt’s instrumentalists would work up song ideas, hand over demos so Rifkin could write lyrics separately, and then self-produce the results.
From a musical standpoint, an in-person songwriting approach helped the songs feel more cohesive and less beholden to wilt’s past work. “Being in the room and playing as a band together brought up the grunge and heavier side of our influences,” notes Bermudez. “We always say that our three biggest influences are Nirvana, Weezer, and Radiohead,” adds Rifkin. “But along the way, we lost that first inspiration a little bit. Now we are wearing our influences on our sleeve, and it’s true to what we listen to.”
wilt spent three months doing pre-production with de la Garza – who they immediately connected with – before recording the album over three days at NRG Recording Studios. de la Garza encouraged them to track their songs live and was a patient sounding board for any questions that came up. That intense preparation and recording schedule explains why the songs possess such airtight arrangements and dynamics. “We really focused on every single instrument, every single tone, every single part, every single lyric, every single melody,” Rifkin says. “Collaborating with someone else—someone whose vision we completely trust—definitely gave us the confidence to have these well-structured songs.”
The album’s title, when no one’s watching, has a poignant meaning for the members of wilt. “For all of us, and especially Chelsea, it’s what it feels like when no one’s watching and you’re still struggling mentally and emotionally with everything,” Vance says. “Even as our career has continued to grow and go in a great direction, that’s where the title comes from. It’s that contrast: ‘Stuff is great, but how do I feel when I’m alone?’” He compares it to imposter syndrome: “‘When will I feel like I really belong? When will I feel like I deserve this success?’”
“Many songs on the album talk about great things happening, but yet you’re still finding every reason to be upset or sad,” Rifkin says. “‘Why can’t I ever be happy? I’m living my dream. This is everything I’ve ever wanted and worked towards, but I still feel off and just as bad as before.’ And then there’s the theme from a relationship standpoint, of knowing that something’s not good for you but you’re continuing to go back for more—or knowing that nothing’s wrong once again, and you’re the problem.”
A few of the album highlights include the grungy “closure” – the “guitar nerd” song that fans are excited about thanks to a dreamy, circuitous riff from Vance, and that describes needing something bad to happen to feel okay about a relationship ending; the propulsive pop-rock highlight “trigger,” described as “classic wilt” – between Rifkin’s soaring lead vocal, dueling guitar pummeling from Vance and Liebman, and self-deprecating lyrics about self-sabotage; the pogoing “suffocate,” – the last tune wilt wrote for the record and the most collaborative song they’ve written – boasts spring-loaded Dan Bermudez drums, influences from bands Turnstile and Militarie Gun, and a melody inspired by Paramore; the classic ’90s alt-rock-style anthem “bundy,” which is finally appearing on the album after being a long-time fan favorite; and the effervescent pop-punk single “nothing good to cry about,” a refreshing throwback to the 2000s heyday of the Warped Tour which embodies the album’s overarching theme.
Luckily, wilt have positioned themselves for success by building their career on their own terms, at their own pace. Liebman initially met Rifkin in a roundabout way while he was working at Guitar Center. He then started producing bedroom-pop music Rifkin was making, before she headed to Chicago to attend art school. She struggled adjusting to college life while navigating difficult personal challenges; most notably, her dad was very ill and passed away during the winter break of her freshman year. Rifkin ended up dropping out of school and moving home—but in hindsight sees how formative this period was for her. “When I got to Chicago, I reconnected with ’90s grunge, riot grrrl and punk, and all the stuff that my dad had shown me,” she says. “I’ve always loved rock music and this period really solidified it for me.”
Much of when no one’s watching is dedicated to Rifkin’s dad, who had an enormous influence on her musical tastes. “You can hear so much of my dad in this album,” she says. “He was the biggest music nerd you could possibly know. He and my mom owned a record store while I was growing up, and when he was younger, he was really into the punk scene in L.A. and wrote for zines. My parents were always surrounding me with rock music and really helped me find what I was really into.”
Things took off quickly: The first video the band posted on TikTok earned them over three million views. A flurry of songs and live shows followed, culminating in a 2024 self-titled EP that found wilt transitioning into their current heavier sound. Several years into their career now, wilt has come into their own with the release of when no one’s watching.
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