Nine years after the release of Echosmith’s indie-pop megahit “Cool Kids,” the band has come back to reclaim it. Adding a fresh new bridge and a more mature sound, the 2022 “Cool Kids (our version)” invites fans and listeners to revel in the unity of the song. And, according to Echosmith singer Sydney Sierota, that feeling of communal joy is just as intended. 

“We have group vocals on every chorus for that exact reason: this isn’t just Echosmith’s song anymore, this is all of our song,” she shares with V. “I can’t imagine ever singing this song alone and I’m so excited to play this new version on tour. We were kids when it came out so we’re all adults now and musically it feels like we were really able to capture who Echosmith is in 2022.”

The remade anthem comes just months after a sped-up version of the original hit went viral on TikTok, with celebrities and independent creators alike using the song to reminisce upon their childhood. Everyone from Demi Lovato to Drew Barrymore was using Echosmith’s hit, bringing it right back into the limelight. Unlike the quick-paced, pop-sheened song found in those TikToks, the new “Cool Kids (our version)” embraces the band’s more alternative impulses. 

https://www.tiktok.com/@drewbarrymore/video/7117674070526709038?enter_from=h5_t&is_from_webapp=v1&item_id=7117674070526709038

“Coming full circle and rerecording the song that completely defined our career was such a special moment. We spontaneously wrote the new bridge in about 30 minutes and as I recorded the vocal with tears in my eyes, that was the moment I knew we had to release this,” Sierota stated. “Even though I’m really proud of the personal growth and work I’ve been able to do since we wrote ‘Cool Kids,’ I still find myself sometimes wishing I could be like someone else. So even though this song is still my song, seeing it come back this year has confirmed that it really is still speaking to so many people.”

With the release of “Cool Kids (our version),” Echosmith enters a new era of full self-empowerment and authenticity. Gone are the days of the ultra-shiny, radio-centered Echosmith. Here lies a new group, ready to embrace their true sound and creative impulses. We should all be so lucky to hear it.