Waves was one of the first songs written for Waking Up in Wonderland. We had this concept for a song about a toxic relationship, but it was definitely not autobiographical. We’ve always appreciated songs with juxtaposition – a happy sounding song with depressing lyrics like Outkast’s “Hey Ya“, Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks“, or Third-Eye Blind’s “Semi-Charmed Life“. So we set out to write a fun summer jam with a deeper meaning behind it.

Together we decided it would be interesting to imagine a couple who were madly in love but not at all good for each other and they go to a hotel room and completely destroy it, like their love is destroying themselves. The title Waves references both the up-and-down nature of the relationship and also the up-and-down melody in the chorus.