ON THE RISE
The Reckless, made up of Fritz Fayman, Michael Kennedy, Riku Myllykoski, and John Kelly, amalgamate various rock genres, eras, styles, and talents to bring you mood-improving reckless music. But first, an origin story, with frontman Fritz Fayman.
Fritz shares that during the pandemic, like many battling with the uncertainty of life, he decided to start recording music to keep himself preoccupied. Fritz’s dad was a musician, so he grew up surrounded by music, learning guitar at 14 and developing a deep respect for its power. However, he didn’t consider himself a songwriter at the time. It wasn’t until 2019-2020, when facing one of the world’s biggest shutdowns, that he realized the true force behind music and that, maybe after all, he was meant to pursue it. He recalls that this adventure started out as a personal project, riff writing and lyricising, until the release of the self-titled album, “The Reckless.”
Jumping timelines, Fritz lands a job with the School of Rock, teaching music to youth of all ages, backgrounds, and interests. With continued exposure to various musical styles and the environment of collaboration, he was inspired to begin assembling his own band mates. Fritz admits it took a few trials to identify the right musicians who were in sync both musically and with the vision.
In order of alignment, Fritz first finds Michael Kennedy, who’s responsible for both the melodic and slap bass contributions you'll hear throughout the works. Next, they bring in Riku Myllykoski, a dynamic drummer who has an unexpected love for singing and a knack for helping with lyrical melodies. Finally, there's John Kelly, whose 'lightning-fast guitar licks' and 'shred-tastic' elements, as Fritz likes to say, brings powerful energy to complete the quartet. From different corners of San Diego, in an era of isolation, the band locked in their chemistry and off they went. Where? Down a creative, reckless rabbit hole. Fritz shares that his favorite thing about this band is the open-source nature of songwriting. Everyone has their own contributions, skills, and creative ideas that make the process truly collaborative, fun as shit, and crazy at times. Fritz loves that it not only helps them build and evolve their songs but also helps them grow as musicians.
Over the last few years, between releases like “Get Loud,” “Remember Me,” and a sick recreation of Justin Timberlake's "SexyBack," the band’s fan base grew rapidly. Naturally, with traction comes the stage of weeding out fans vs. non-fans. Fritz jokes in the interview that when you finally get haters, that's when you know you're making it. Ironically, after a negative interaction with some faceless internet troll, it inspired the song "Who Are You," the EP's title track. To make light of the situation, "Who Are You" channels a hype energy similar to an MLB walk-up song or the cinematic portrayal of a hero about to defy odds and face immense pressure. Experimenting with drop D tuning, heavy riffs, and driving rhythms, the track builds momentum and pushes you to face any challenge ahead. Through the resilient and confident energy of “Who Are You” it emerges as the centerpiece of the EP. Thematically each song is a mirror into our own decisions, actions, and mindsets that make up who we are.
Next on the EP is “Do It For Free,” a rock and roll anthem about passion and purpose. The song speaks to the idea that the reward lies in the output itself—the energy, the expression, and the impact—rather than material gain. If you genuinely love what you’re doing, you’d rather do it for free than not do it at all.
Then we get “Home,” an upbeat pop-punk banger that blends arena rock choruses, '80s new wave vibes, and themes of self-discovery. It’s an ode to the rich history of rock’s evolution and the players who continue to drive its power and legacy forward. Subjectively speaking, the guitar parts in this track are stellar.
“GO ON,” the 4th track on the EP, is a reimagining of a past alt-rock song Fritz wrote during a time of discouragement and frustration with the political climate during 2020. Timely once again, it resurfaces in the midst of a still polarized and disconnected society. Fritz appreciated how each bandmate brought their own interpretation, ideas, and energy to revamp it. The song reminds us to persevere and push onward.
Fritz notes that at this stage of the EP, the dynamics have shifted from the ascension in both message and instrumentation, to a sense of resolve.
The EP concludes with "Remember Me," a song that invites introspection. Fritz explains that it’s a reflection on the duality of our desire and struggle to leave our mark on the world, in order to not be forgotten. It’s part of the human experience to feel lost or aimless at times, but once you can “break through” that and chart your impact, you won’t fade away.
From building you up, helping you overcome adversity to pursuing your passion and leaving a legacy, The Reckless create music that helps fans feel better and come out stronger on the other side.
Fritz shares a parting sentiment with readers and fans: “[Starting your path, whether it's a band or a project, can be challenging, and you'll face moments of doubt and tough decisions. Recognize the importance of chemistry, humility, and talent, and it will lead to greater confidence and happiness for everyone involved. Stay respectful, understanding, and seize those moments of connection to build something meaningful.]”
Listen to EP “Who Are You” here
Stay tuned on social media for upcoming shows in the San Diego and Bay Area, and keep an eye out for more music coming soon!
ON THE RISE
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NETHERLANDS — August 26, 2026 — Brook Lynn is stepping into a new chapter with “Love Your Enemy,” an atmospheric alternative pop song that turns an intensely personal battle with anxiety into a message of self-acceptance. Written after her America’s Got Talent auditions, the song captures the internal conflict of facing the person who can be hardest to silence: yourself.
Built around cinematic production and emotionally restrained vocals, “Love Your Enemy” explores the disconnect between appearing fine in public and confronting difficult thoughts in private. The song’s central message is reflected in its chorus, where Brook Lynn sings about being “my own worst company” before arriving at its most hopeful realization: “They say, ‘Love your enemy,’ / So I’m learning how to love me.”
For Brook Lynn, that “enemy” is anxiety. Rather than presenting it as something that simply disappears, the song examines what it means to live with those thoughts while refusing to let them dictate what comes next.
“I always want to give a hopeful message in every song,” Brook Lynn explains. “I always first want to explain what is happening in your head and what you feel, and then, at the end, give a message that you can get out of this, and that anxiety doesn’t have to hold you back from all the things you want to achieve in your life.”
That message became especially significant when Brook Lynn made the decision to perform “Love Your Enemy” on America’s Got Talent. Known by many viewers for her stripped-back cover performances, she recognized that performing an original song on one of television’s biggest stages carried a different kind of risk. But she also knew she could not continue forward without showing audiences the artist behind the covers.
“I just thought it was really important to also show the world that I’m not just a cover singer,” she says. “I do want people to know that I write songs and I want to be an artist and put that out there.”
Brook Lynn performed “Love Your Enemy” during the America’s Got Talent quarterfinals, bringing the song’s story of anxiety and self-doubt directly to a massive live audience. Her journey on the show ended there, but the response made one thing clear: listeners wanted to hear more. Fans connected not only with her voice, but with the honesty behind the performance and the willingness to speak openly about emotions many people struggle to acknowledge themselves.
“I do want to be that person with my music as well for other people,” Brook Lynn says, describing her desire to write about real experiences and feelings. “I always want to be really real with everyone, like talk about deeper stuff, not surface level.”
“Love Your Enemy” arrives as Brook Lynn looks ahead to Tales From The Woods, an upcoming EP intended to introduce listeners to a broader picture of who she is as an artist. With only two original songs currently released, she says she is excited to share more music and continue developing the sound and emotional world introduced through “Love Your Enemy.”
The song is not a conclusion to Brook Lynn’s story. It is the beginning of a more open one—one where anxiety can be acknowledged without being allowed to take control, and where the feelings people are often afraid to say out loud can finally have a voice.
Listen to “Love Your Enemy,” which received promotional support from Starlight PR.
Brook Lynn creates music that feels intimate yet powerful, cinematic yet emotionally exposed. Blending atmospheric alternative pop with minimalist visual storytelling, her work explores vulnerability, isolation, emotional tension and human connection through a distinctly modern lens.
Raised in Wilp, a small town in the Netherlands, Brook Lynn grew up surrounded by silence, nature and isolation. Music became a private emotional outlet and a way to process feelings that were difficult to explain out loud. What began through stripped-back online performances evolved into a growing global audience drawn to her honesty and emotional depth.
For Brook Lynn, music is never just about being heard. It is about being understood.
thisisbrooklynn.com
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