In the depths of restlessness, Matthew Koma of Winnetka Bowling League is back at it again—pursuing new melodies and deciphering the craft anew. A year following the release of "Sha La La" and just days before the band's monumental debut at Lollapalooza, Koma shares insights on his creative process, his viewpoint, and explains why the joy of finishing a song is eclipsed only by the thrill of writing the next one.
"I think I’m on too high a dose of Prozac to really care what anyone on the internet says,” jokes Matthew Koma during our discussion, offering a laugh that comes from a place of deadpan wisdom stemming from experience, trials, and perhaps, a few too many online comments. Having spent nearly two decades in the music industry first as a creator of pop hits and now as the frontman of the Los Angeles-based trio, Winnetka Bowling League, Koma has mastered the art of both embracing and emotionally distancing himself from the tumult of pouring one’s heart into music, only to see unfamiliar listeners interpret it. “They’re snapshots,” he describes the band's debut album. “And they’re not meant for me.”
It’s been just over a year since "Sha La La" was released, transforming from what once felt like a long-awaited debut—Winnetka Bowling League’s first full-length project after five years of cherished singles and EPs—into a sense of new beginnings, which Koma now considers old news.
However, this doesn’t diminish the music's impact: Fueled by a blend of power-pop exuberance and existential sensitivity, "Sha La La" stands as an emotional journey, rich with soaring harmonies, compelling narratives, and poignant lines that resonate deeply (“It’s gonna take your heart and your money / It’s America in your 20s”). Along with his bandmates Kris Mazzarisi and Sam Beresford across ten tracks, Koma navigates themes of nostalgia, growth, miscommunication, and modern romance infused with wit, emotional depth, and a healthy dose of disillusionment. With a dreamy indie pop aesthetic, it captures the yearning for connection, clarity, and comfort, while grappling with the inability to maintain it.
Koma remarks, “It’s really about the process. That’s what I adore: Writing songs, recording, figuring things out, experiencing that moment of, ‘Oh wow, we’ve solved the puzzle.’ Afterwards, it’s not really yours anymore.”
* * *
Yet, Koma has already pushed forward, stating, “By the time a record is released, if you're doing it right, you’re already moving on.” The future looks promising: This weekend marks Winnetka Bowling League's debut at Lollapalooza, performing two sets in Chicago before diving straight back into the studio for the next album— which, according to Koma, is already penned. This represents a full-circle moment for a band that, as Koma confesses, spent their formative years conducting “market research” to discern what felt authentic and what did not. Now, they are more assured, connected, and clear-sighted than ever.
Looking back brings joy, especially when the songs resonate live as powerfully as they did upon first hearing. “I love performing ‘America in Your 20s.’ I love ‘Sha La La,’” Koma says. “And as a record ages, fans get more time to engage with it, which influences your experience. It turns into a feedback loop that revitalizes it for you.” The audience, in this sense, becomes an integral part of the experience—serving as a crucial reminder of the motivations behind these songs.
Then there's “This Is Life,” last year’s standalone single featuring Taylor Goldsmith from Dawes and Nick Carpenter from Medium Build—a moment of camaraderie that Koma views as both a source of creative inspiration and a glimpse into the band’s future. “It felt like, ‘Oh yes, this is the direction I want to be heading,’” he explains. The song’s simplicity belies its emotional weight—showing that sometimes, three voices in a room can convey more than any catchy hook or production wizardry could.
The essence of creative collaboration—raw, humorous, sincere—flows through the band's current phase. Koma balances his enduring “Songs You Didn’t Know I Wrote” series with witty visuals during live performances. “I feel like I’ve always existed in a state of, ‘I need to prove myself,’” he reflects. “I don’t know what I’m proving or to whom, but it keeps me motivated.”
As the band prepares for their biggest performance yet and simultaneously seeks the next creative revelation in the studio, Winnetka Bowling League is not merely acknowledging a milestone—they’re generating momentum. “Wait until you see my next trick,” Koma quips.
Read on for Atwood Magazine’s conversation with
Continuing Debby Friday’s bizarre, frenzied imagination.
Additional names have been included in the lineup for the Bristol event Simple Things. The festival is a key feature of the city's busy schedule and is set to return for its
Pretoria's latest EP, 'If We’re Pretending', signifies a new beginning for the band, which originated in Chicago and has roots in Grand Rapids. It reveals additional facets of their emotional depth as they explore themes of life, love, and identity in a new environment.
A deeply enthusiastic songwriter, Matthew Koma of Winnetka Bowling League is once again hard at work – pursuing fresh choruses and figuring things out anew. Just a year after the release of Sha La La and only days before the band's significant debut at Lollapalooza, he shares insights on his creative process, outlook, and the excitement he finds in not just completing a song, but in the act of writing the next one.