In the heart of Los Angeles, In Her Own Words have been quietly building something real. The duo — vocalist Joey Fleming and guitarist Andretti Almalel — aren’t chasing trends or trying to fit into any one box. Instead, they’re focused on creating songs that mean something, blending pop punk, alt-rock, and emo into their own honest, heartfelt sound.
Following the release of their latest EP Left In The Dark and new single Cherry Red via Thriller Records, the band are stepping into a new chapter — one that feels more intentional than ever. We caught up with Joey and Andretti to talk about how their approach to songwriting has evolved, what they’ve learned on the road, and the moments that remind them why they do this in the first place.
Your partnership as a band—Joey and Andretti especially—has been described as really natural and genuine. What does your writing process look like when the two of you are building a song from scratch?
It usually starts with a guitar riff and a melody, which eventually turns into a hook or chorus. But we always try to think of the “payoff” line before we even start writing the rest. We like the song to have a meaning first, otherwise it just ends up being melodies and words that don’t mean much.
In the past, it was easy to just keep writing until we “figure it out,” but we’ve learned it’s much more meaningful when it’s already figured out before the song is even written.
You’ve mentioned that this “new era” feels like finally finding your place as songwriters. Looking back on your earlier releases, what do you think shifted to make this moment click?
Pretty much the same thing — the process has become about portraying a message rather than just writing something that sounds good. If we can do both, that’s when we know we’ve struck gold.
Beg For More and Left In The Dark both showed a lot of growth for you musically. How do you see Cherry Red fitting into that evolution?
We’re doing a solid job of pushing that envelope. Writing Left In The Dark was a lot of fun, but it was also a challenge. We weren’t writing for an album — just for the sake of making meaningful music. I think that mindset is going to transition well into the journey of a full-length record.
Your music often blends pop punk, alt-rock, and emo without trying to fit neatly into one box. How intentional is that mix — do you set out to defy genre, or does it just happen naturally?
Nothing’s really intentional. We just like to do something different with every song — whether that means trying a new instrument, switching up the lyrics, or playing with different vocal inflections.
With the next album, we want to really hone in on a sound that feels fresh and new while still staying true to our influences.
You’ve toured with bands like Capstan, Set It Off, and Scene Queen, and also done your own headline runs. Has playing such different kinds of lineups shaped the way you approach your live shows?
Definitely. We’re always learning and trying to progress our live sound, and a lot of that comes from observation. We’ve mostly been a support or opener band, so it’s been great to take notes from what we’ve seen and feed that into how we’ll approach future headline tours.
Connection with fans seems to be a big part of your identity as a band. Do you remember a specific fan interaction that reminded you why you’re making music?
For me (Joey), I get a lot of people who come up after shows and tell me how much Steady Glow means to them because they’ve lost someone close to them in a similar way to what the song’s about. Even after all these years, my reaction is still the same as the first time someone opened up to me about that.
In Her Own Words have always made music with purpose — songs that dig deep but still hit hard. With Left In The Dark showing their growth and Cherry Red hinting at what’s next, it’s clear they’re not just refining their sound — they’re redefining what honesty in this scene sounds like!
