Best Ex is the stage moniker of American songwriter Mariel Loveland. Loveland previously fronted the

pop punk Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other pu ...

band

Candy Hearts ''Candy Hearts'' is an American pop rock band from New Jersey and New York, formed in 2009. Background The band was formed by singer/guitarist Mariel Loveland and guitarist Kris Hayes in 2009. As the band’s primary songwriter, Loveland was the ...

before launching her solo project in 2017. Best Ex was named one of NJ.com's 32 artists to watch in 2022. The following year, she released her debut studio album, With A Smile.

History

With Loveland at the helm, Best Ex initially began as an offshoot of

. In 2017, the band hired Alex Fitts as a producer, announced the project, and released their debut EP, ''Ice Cream Anti-Social'', on Alcopop Records. During the release, they embarked on a co-headlining tour of the U.S. with Shane Henderson of

Valencia Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, Valencia and the Municipalities of Spain, third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is ...

, adding touring member Matthew Florio. ''Ice Cream Anti-Social'' received coverage from publications like

DIY (magazine) ''DIY'' is a United Kingdom-based music publication, in print and online. Its free print edition is released monthly with a physical circulation of 40,000 in UK venues, clubs and shops. DIY Magazine ''DIY'' was launched in 2002 by then-editor ...

and

Alternative Press (magazine) ''Alternative Press'' is an American entertainment magazine primarily focused on music and culture, now based in Los Angeles, CA. It generally provides readers with band interviews, photos, and relevant news. It was founded in 1985 by Mike Shea ...

, who called the band's poppier sound "Loveland’s perfect fit." The summer after the release, Best Ex performed on the final run of

Warped Tour The Warped Tour was a traveling rock tour that toured the United States plus three or four stops in Canada annually each summer from 1995 until 2019. It was the largest traveling music festival in the United States and the longest-running touring ...

, where Mariel opened up to

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

about experiencing abuse within the music industry. She said, "Instead of my team and the people who worked for me being like 'We’ll do what we can to make you feel safe' ... it was 'Why did you open your mouth?'" When Loveland returned home, she struggled to adjust to life off the road, penning an essay in Billboard about her experience. She ultimately enlisted Andy Tongren of

Young Rising Sons Young Rising Sons are an American indie pop band consisting of Andy Tongren (lead singer/guitar), Julian Dimagiba (bass), Max Iantorno (guitar) and Steve Patrick (drums) formed in 2010. With the release of their debut single "High", Young Rising ...

as a producer and recorded what would become ''Good At Feeling Bad'' in his kitchen. Loveland later explained her decision to distance herself from the pop punk genre, relaunching Best Ex with heavy electronic and pop influences and signing to

No Sleep Records No Sleep Records is an American independent record label in Huntington Beach, California. They were founded by Chris Hansen in 2006 and have released records by artists including Balance and Composure, La Dispute (band), La Dispute, and The Wonde ...

. In May 2020, amidst on-and-off coronavirus lockdowns, Best Ex released ''Good At Feeling Bad.''

Earmilk ''EARMILK'', sometimes stylized in all caps, is a North American online music publication. Launched in the late 2000s by Montrey Whittaker, Blake Edwards and Eric DeFazio, ''Earmilk'' publishes on a variety of music genres, often covering hip h ...

described the single as a "gorgeous contrast of melancholic lyrics against a pounding club beat." Loveland promoted the release in a virtual concert tribute to

Joey Ramone Jeffrey Ross Hyman (May 19, 1951 – April 15, 2001), known professionally as Joey Ramone, was an American musician, best known as the lead singer and a founding member of the punk rock band Ramones. His image, voice, and his tenure with the R ...

with

We Are Scientists We Are Scientists is a New York City-based rock band that formed in Berkeley, California, in 1999. It consists primarily of guitarist and vocalist Keith Murray and bass guitarist Chris Cain, with drummer Keith Carne joining the band in the studi ...

and

The Futureheads The Futureheads are an English post-punk band from Sunderland, formed in 2000. The band consists of Ross Millard (vocals and guitar), David "Jaff" Craig (vocals and bass guitar) and brothers Barry Hyde (vocals and guitar) and Dave Hyde (drums). ...

. In 2022, it was announced on social media that Best Ex had signed to

Iodine Recordings Iodine Recordings is an independent record label based in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Iodine Recordings releases punk, hardcore, and indie rock music. It was once home to bands such as Brand New, Orange Island, Smoke or Fire (Jericho ...

and planned to release an LP in 2023.

The Fest The Fest is an annual music festival in Gainesville, Florida, United States, organized by Tony Weinbender, formerly of No Idea Records. It is a predominantly punk rock and pop-punk festival, though there are also a good number of indie rock, h ...

also announced that Best Ex were on the official lineup for Fest 20.

Discography

EPs

*''Ice Cream Anti-Social'' (2017) *''Good At Feeling Bad'' (2020)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Best Ex Indie pop groups from New Jersey Singer-songwriters from New Jersey American indie rock groups Alcopop! Records artists