Photo: Matthew Dillon Cohen

The Internet has made the connection between artists and fans more accessible than ever before - just ask artists like Chance the Rapper or Kota the Friend, both known for achieving success without the help of a label. With the rise of social media, a growing number of artists are venturing off the beaten path; however, Junior Varsity may be one of the only acts to keep fans waiting for years before releasing a debut single.

Junior Varsity is Greg Aram and Zach Michel, two Los Angeles-based artists who met through school in New York. The duo started building steam in 2019 with a series of free concerts that drew over a thousand people. 

What started as the LA music scene's most well-known secret has now become a social media phenomenon, as Aram and Michel slowly created their own world through a highly-curated yet elusive Instagram presence. Without dropping a single song in full, they continued sharing snippets periodically, offering just enough to keep casual music listeners and industry players alike paying close attention.

Fast forward a year-and-a-half and Junior Varsity, now signed to Warner Records, have shared their debut single "Cold Blood." Living up to years' worth of hype is no easy feat, but Junior Varsity seem to have done it with ease.

"Cold Blood" is a hazy alt-rock bolt of electricity, infused with nonchalance and casual charm. The single serves as an appropriate introduction after a long wait, giving fans a taste of what to expect: lo-fi vocals, cheeky songwriting, and gripping visuals. Although, per the band's social media snippets, Junior Varsity has got a lot more music in the vault, and it's never clear exactly what to expect from them.

Case in point, the duo were also apprehended earlier this week by LAPD for a stunt involving covering the Hollywood sign with a picture of a cow, a brazen allusion to the single's bovine cover art.

Listen to "Cold Blood" below: