I AM THE SPIRIT MAKE CHANGE SOUND LIKE MOMENTUM

“Like I Was” gives the project a tighter, more mature shape keeping its pop-punk instincts

The new single arrives, makes its point and gets out. That economy is particularly noticeable when I place it alongside “Onward & Upward,” “Break Through,” “Breathe” and “Streamlined,” a catalog that gradually moves from straightforward pop-punk toward a broader rock identity.

“Like I Was” reveals a songwriter becoming more comfortable with brevity and immediacy. It carries a reflective quality, and I find that intriguing against the project’s historically energetic pop-punk framework. Interested in the distance between a former self and whoever is standing in its place now.

For me, that is where I Am The Spirit’s recent direction becomes interesting. Making a compact rock song with a clear emotional center.

Interview with I Am The Spirit

(•)> What was the first idea that became “Like I Was,” and how quickly did the song come together?

(•)> Why did you choose “Like I Was” as the title, and what does that phrase represent emotionally?

(•)> At 2:56, the single is remarkably concise. Did you deliberately write toward a shorter structure, or did the song simply reveal that length naturally?

(•)> How did you approach the balance between the pop-punk energy of your earlier work and the broader rock direction heard in your more recent releases?

(•)> “Onward & Upward” and “Break Through” established an energetic foundation for the project. What do you think has changed most in your songwriting since those songs?

(•)> “Breathe” and “Streamlined” moved the catalog forward in 2024. What did making those singles teach you that directly influenced “Like I Was”?

(•)> Was there a particular guitar tone, vocal treatment or production decision that became central to the identity of “Like I Was”?

(•)> Did you record the song as a live performance first, or was the arrangement built progressively in the studio?

(•)> The phrase “Like I Was” naturally suggests reflection and personal change. How much of the song is about looking backward versus recognizing who you are now?

(•)> What artists or records were in your head while you were shaping the musical direction of this single?

(•)> Do you hear “Like I Was” as a continuation of the sound you have already established, or as the beginning of another chapter?

(•)> After four years of singles, what does “Like I Was” tell you about the artist you are becoming?

(•)> That's all, Folks! Check out I Am The Spirit on the Pigeon Opinion Playlist