We're Twenty One Pilots and So Are You

Ten years ago, two kids played a concert for eleven people in a small venue in Columbus, Ohio.

Those two kids are now two men with a Grammy, several music awards, multiple world tours, and five albums under their belts. These men are Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun, the lead singer and the drummer of the band Twenty One Pilots. Josh boasts epic trumpet skills, while Tyler also plays bass, ukulele, and piano. Now I know what you’re thinking: there are millions of musicians in the world. What sets these guys apart?

Tyler and Josh accepting their
Grammy in their underwear based
on a deal they made years ago

They first caught my attention in 2015, when they performed on late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live. Tyler was running all around stage, jumping on things, climbing equipment, and even taking a giant leap off his piano. The performance struck me. I thought the band just seemed different. Fresh. Spunky. I decided to look into them a little further. Three years later, I found myself a die-hard Twenty One Pilots fan.

The band got their name when Tyler studied the play All My Sons by Arthur Miller, which is about a man who knowingly sells faulty airplane parts during a war, causing the death of twenty one pilots. This name resonated with the band because it evoked the moral dilemma of choosing between right and wrong. This reason behind the name “Twenty One Pilots” gives a picture of why Tyler and Josh are different. What draws many people to the band is the issues they address with their music. Their lyrics discuss things like faith and lack thereof, mental health and depression, self-harm, and even suicide. Their openness in speaking about these issues, which have been considered taboo in the past, have set them apart from other artists who shy away from these real-world problems. It has also garnered them a large and devoted fan base, who call themselves “The Clique.” In an interview with Alternative Press, Tyler and Josh talked about what inspired them to create music that addresses these important concepts. Tyler has struggled with depression since he was a teenager. He needed an outlet to express his emotional pain, and he found that outlet in music. He used his internal struggle to create something beautiful. When Josh moved to sunny Los Angeles, Tyler stayed behind in Columbus because the long and cold winters cause “seasonal depression,” which inspires his lyrics. Depression and his battle with it has always motivated Tyler to think and reflect on his life. He will write lyrics about struggling with mental health problems, battling suicidal ideations, and dealing with insecurities. Many people afflicted with these have not heard others talk about them, let alone heard them manifested through music. What draws many fans, dubbed “clique members,” to the band is that the music and lyrics of Twenty One Pilots makes them feel less alone. The lyrics describe feelings that have always made them feel isolated. Knowing that others, including Tyler, are feeling the same pain brings fans closer to the band as well as one another, and that’s what the band members live for. Josh claims that “through music … we want to get people to think. We want to get people to go to that place in their minds that’s a little bit scary sometimes, and at least start to think about or find purpose in some way, for life.”

Tyler Joseph during a performance of the song "Guns for Hands"

Twenty One Pilots also stand out as creative because of their unconventional way of approaching the music itself. Though they are usually classified as alternative, they don’t really have a genre. Their music fluctuates between pop, rock, electronic, indie, and folk, sometimes all in the same song. When talking about their music in an interview, Tyler has said “I would describe our music as a burrito that has all the things you want in it, even chocolate. Which some people don’t like.” Elements from all different genres are present in their songs, which creates an odd sound that can sometimes rub people the wrong way. “It’s an acquired taste,” as Tyler puts it. He can go from a folksy ukulele melody to rapid-fire rapping in a matter of seconds. While other musicians have stuck to a genre or two, Twenty One Pilots isn’t afraid to go against social norms. I believe this is a result of their openness to experience. In his article “Openness to Experience: The Gates of the Mind,” Luke Smillie says those who are open to experiences are usually “intellectually curious, creative and imaginative.” This definitely applies to Tyler Joseph and Twenty One Pilots. They aren’t afraid to try something new, and they are open to anything that feels right, even if it is previously unexplored. Tyler’s lyrics continuously

Tyler in his hamster ball during a show

uncover new territories. Tyler and Josh don’t fear that their music won’t top the charts because to them, that’s not the point. The point is to find purpose in creating, and to share that with others. And if you’ve ever seen them perform live, you can tell they are imaginative. With only two members, they have a lot of stage to take up. But what Twenty One Pilots lacks in members, they make up for in spunk, energy, and creativity. In past shows, Tyler has climbed up into the rafters, crowd surfed while singing, and even rolled around on top of the crowd inside a giant inflatable hamster ball. Every concert, Josh also brings a drum set attached to a platform out into the crowd, and they hold up the platform with their hands while he sits on it and plays. The band’s signature closing performance is their song “Trees,” which they have played at every concert for years. It features Tyler and Josh being held up on two platforms by the crowd, beating two large drums in unison, while exorbitant amounts of confetti blast from the stage. It’s a sight one has to see to believe.

While there are plenty of musicians in the world, Twenty One Pilots set themselves apart with their crazy, empathetic, genre-breaking, poetic screamo rap. They’re not only here to entertain: they’re here to show everyone that there’s a purpose for being on this earth. They want their shows to be more about others than about themselves. And no matter who you and what you’re going through, Tyler and Josh serve as a constant reminder: stay strong, live on, and power to the local dreamer.

Twenty One Pilots performing "Trees"

Sources:

https://www.altpress.com/aptv/twenty_one_pilots_talk_joshs_move_to_los_angeles_seasonal_depression

https://web.archive.org/web/20150709040552/http://xxivmagazine.com.au/interview-twenty-one-pilots/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX29sWAdi4o

"Openness to Experience: The Gates of the Mind" by Luke Smillie