Brandon Flowers says competition with his peers still plays a role in how he approaches music, according to Stereogum. The Killers frontman discussed that mindset in a new interview with Anthony Mason as he prepares to release his third solo album, Thrasher.
Flowers said the Strokes’ early success had a major impact on him when The Killers were starting out. He recalled feeling discouraged at first, saying the shift in standards made it seem like everything had changed for him.
He also revisited comments he made in 2020 about Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig. Flowers said he is always aware when Vampire Weekend are releasing something, and described his interest in Koenig in friendly terms, adding that he loves him and once played tennis with him in Australia.
Flowers noted that he and Koenig share producer Ariel Rechtshaid, who has worked on Vampire Weekend’s last three records and is producing the next Killers album. He also appeared in a video message during Vampire Weekend’s 2024 show at Madison Square Garden, where he asked for a cover of “Mr. Brightside.”
