Icon For Hire has released three full length albums: Scripted, Icon For Hire and YOU CAN'T KILL US.
Released in 2011, their first album Scripted shattered first-week sales becoming the highest new artist debut in Tooth & Nail Records history. The record debuted on the Billboard Top 200, at No. 4, on the iTunes Rock chart, and No. 19 on the iTunes overall albums chart.
Icon For Hire released their second full length self-titled album Icon For Hire in October 2013 on the Tooth and Nail label. Producer Mike Green (All Time Low, The Wanted, Pierce The Veil) was at the mixer to follow up their debut album, Scripted.
After spending a remarkable 18 months touring around the world, the group returned to their hometown of Decatur, IL to write their new record. Icon For Hire is set to push the boundaries of music and fashion far beyond their debut. According to the guitarist, Shawn Jump, “We wrote and dreamed about this record away from everything. We needed a safe place where we could all get to “spirit,” and maximize our different influences.” Added drummer, Adam Kronshagen, “There’s been undeniable friction in the songwriting process. We love knowing that you will definitely hear the element of conflict inside of every song we wrote.
The band's video, “Off With Her Head,” received 200k views its first week. Frontwoman and fashion designer, Ariel, worked with the team for weeks to create an avant-garde interpretation of the hit song. The group spent two days in Compton, CA (South Los Angeles) filming the video with a variety of the hottest underground artists.
Icon For Hire moved towards a new chapter of the band in 2016. Adam Kronshagen left the band to spend more time with his family coupled with a split with their record label Tooth & Nail the band decided to go it alone, or so it seemed. The band put together a plan for a kick starter project backed by their own fans. The kick starter reached its target in a matter of days. The album YOU CAN'T KILL US was released in stages throughout the year to those who have backed the kick starter project and there were physical copies on sale in December 2016 when it was completed.
On October 23, 2018, the band uploaded a video to their YouTube channel titled "Supposed To Be Acoustic Sessions Video Teaser", announcing their first video session to come soon, as well as that the Still Can't Kill Us: The Acoustic Sessions album would be released on December 7. The band released their "Supposed to Be" Acoustic Video on October 26, their "Get Well II" Acoustic Video on November 8, and "Demons" Acoustic Video on November 23. The tracks were also uploaded to Spotify as singles. A new album The Reckoning was released in September 2022.
Ariel Bloomer - Vocals,
Shawn Jump - Guitar,
Adam Kronshagen - Drums,
Josh Kincheloe - Bass.
Sugar & Spice
Icon for Hire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't want your sugar and spice, sugar and spice
Whoa oh oh, whoa oh oh, whoa oh oh, whoa oh oh, whoa oh oh, whoa oh oh
Sometimes I say really dumb things 'cause it's hard to talk and at the same
Time think
At the same time, I feel like I should have that down, I should have
Figured out the conversation by now
Sure I have
The list of what's wrong runs way too long and I had no idea 'til you came
Along
Over and over
Track on repeat (track on repeat)
There's something wrong with me
There's something wrong with me
Got me, they got me, they got me hooked so good
High fructose Hollywood
I don't want you sugar and spice, sugar and spice
Sugar and spice and everything nice I poured down the drain of my life last
Night
I don't want you sugar and spice, sugar and spice
Sugar and spice and everything nice I poured down the drain of my life last
Night
I'm not stressing, obsessing over who I'm not impressing
I know perfection's infectious or is it more like infection
It gets under your skin because you know I'm ignoring you
Wouldn't you rather be broken than boring too?
Over and over
Track on repeat (track on repeat)
There's something wrong with me
There's something wrong with me
They got me, they got me, they got me hooked so good
High fructose Hollywood
I don't want you sugar and spice, sugar and spice
Sugar and spice and everything nice I poured down the drain of my life last
Night
I don't want you sugar and spice, sugar and spice
Sugar and spice and everything nice I poured down the drain of my life last
Night
Whoa oh oh, whoa oh oh, whoa oh oh, whoa oh oh, whoa oh oh, whoa oh oh
Over and over
Track on repeat
There's something wrong with me
There's something wrong with me
Whoa oh oh
I don't want you sugar and spice, sugar and spice
Sugar and spice and everything nice I poured down the drain of my life last
Night
I don't want you sugar and spice, sugar and spice
Sugar and spice and everything nice I poured down the drain of my life last
Night
Whoa oh oh, whoa oh oh, whoa oh oh, whoa oh oh, whoa oh oh, whoa oh oh
Over and over
Track on repeat
There's something wrong with me
There's something wrong with me
Over and over (over and over)
Track on repeat (track on repeat)
There's something wrong with me (there's something wrong with me)
There's something wrong with me (there's something wrong with me)
Over and over
Track on repeat (track on repeat)
There's something wrong with me
There's something wrong with me (there's something wrong)
In "Sugar & Spice," Icon for Hire expresses a resistance towards societal expectations and the desire to resist conforming to them. The song seems to echo a personal struggle of realizing that the singer has a hard time communicating with others and feels the weight of personal shortcomings. They lament the wasted time hating their own behavior, as they are becoming more aware of the long list of flaws they possess. At the same time, the singer argues that they do not want to be consumed by the sugar-coated and artificial world of "high fructose Hollywood." In an attempt to break free from the facade, they fiercely refuse the "sugar and spice" that they poured down the drain of their life last night. The song captures the frustration and pushback one can feel when society tries to alter and influence their behavior, all the while, holding onto the belief that they are flawed and deeply human.
Overall, the song highlights the tension between social expectations and internal struggles, ultimately questioning whether it is better to rebel against the status quo or conform to it. It serves as a reflection of flawed and genuine humanity that many people can relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want your sugar and spice, sugar and spice
I don't want the superficial things you have to offer
Sometimes I say really dumb things 'cause it's hard to talk and at the same
Time think
I struggle with social skills and expressing myself in conversation
At the same time, I feel like I should have that down, I should have
Figured out the conversation by now
I feel pressure to have mastered social skills by now and get frustrated with myself when I don't
There's a lot of time wasted hating the way I act, social skills I'm not
Sure I have
I often criticize my own social behavior and doubt my ability to navigate social situations
The list of what's wrong runs way too long and I had no idea 'til you came
Along
I become more aware of my flaws when someone else points them out to me
Got me, they got me, they got me hooked so good
High fructose Hollywood
The glamor of Hollywood and its unrealistic standards have me hooked despite the negative effects on my self-esteem
I don't want you sugar and spice, sugar and spice
Sugar and spice and everything nice I poured down the drain of my life last
Night
I don't want to continue seeking validation and perfection through superficial means
I'm not stressing, obsessing over who I'm not impressing
I know perfection's infectious or is it more like infection
I'm trying to let go of the need to impress others and recognize the negative effects of striving for perfection
It gets under your skin because you know I'm ignoring you
Wouldn't you rather be broken than boring too?
I reject societal pressures to conform and prioritize authenticity over being perceived as 'perfect' or 'normal'
Over and over
Track on repeat (track on repeat)
There's something wrong with me
There's something wrong with me
I can't escape my self-doubts and negative self-talk
Lyrics © MUSIC SERVICES, INC.
Written by: ADAM MICHAEL KRONSHAGEN, AMY V ARIEL JUMP, SHAWN MICHAEL JUMP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind