DEHD is an indie-rock band consisting of three members Emily Kempf, Jason Balla, and Eric McGrady.
Before forming DEHD, band members Kempf and Balla performed with different indie rock bands in Chicago. Kempf was the bassist for Lala Lala, the soloist of Vail, and Balla was the guitarist and vocalist for the band Ne-Hi.
Kempf and Balla founded DEHD in 2015 and recruited Eric McGrady as the drummer. The band’s distinctive vocal style, which includes drawls, call-and-response, yelping, and a lot of counter-melody, is highlighted by reverb-heavy guitar, blunt percussion, and idiosyncratic vocals.
Balla mentioned that their music is influenced by Broadcast, Cocteau Twins, and Cate Le Bon, Kempf also added Dolly Parton, James Brown, and Roy Orbison as references to shape their music style.
The band has released five LPs Dehd, Water, Flower of Devotion, Flower of Devotion remixed, and Blue Skies.
Previously, we had discussed another Musical trio band “Pale Blue Eyes”. DEHD is also a trio popular in the rock genre.
Quick Facts About The Band
| Name | DEHD |
| Genre | Rock/ Indie |
| Formed In | 2015 |
| Origin | Chicago, IL, USA |
| Members | 3 (Emily Kempf, Jason Balla, and Eric McGrady) |
| dehdforever | |
| Net Worth | ~100 Thousand Dollars |
DEHD Band Wiki: Meet The Members
DEHD is a musical trio that includes Emily Kempf, Jason Balla, and Eric McGrady. They have created a fan following with their music and have touched many hearts in the process.
Emily Kempf
Emily Kempf is an Indie rock musician who was born in Atlanta.
Her mother was a writer turned painter. Her parents have been married for 38 years and are still in love; she had a lovely childhood with her sister and brother. The siblings played most of the time outside their house and read lots of books.
Kempf has been dealing with her alcohol problem and has been sober. She tried alcohol at the age of 15 when she was a high school freshman. From that day, she got hooked on alcohol.
She drowned herself in alcohol daily, but one day when she blacked out, things got serious, and she thought of being serious, and music helped her during her sobriety. But when she turned 30 many years back, she went through an existential crisis, leading her to quit music.
She started her career in a different field and started a job, but it didn’t last very long as she had thoughts about self-harm, which made her realize her real passion for art and music, and she decided to pursue music again even if she ended up being poor.
Kempf was in a romantic relationship with her band member Jason Balla, but they broke up and remained friends.
Jason Balla
Balla was raised in the suburbs outside Chicago. In junior high, he played bass but didn’t sound nice until his friend gave him tapes of the arty group Cap’n Jazz.
He got interested in music due to Joan of Arc; he discovered the band when his father’s acquaintance gave him a big pile of records. For Balla, words matter to him while writing lyrics, but the melody and mood of the chords add feelings to the song.
During his interview with Bazzerviews, he stated that his future plans are to write the best songs and capture the sound of his best ability.
After he broke up with Kempf, the band made an album about their breakup and staying friends. The songs in the album are emotional and personal to them.
Eric McGrady
McGrady is a Georgia native. He met his band member Balla when he was playing with his band NE-HI in a DIY scene. From there, they got to know each other. He is the drummer for the band.
He is appreciated by his band members for his sound and his support for the band and has kept their relationship strong after Kempf and Balla broke up.
DEHD’s Net Worth
DEHD has a net worth of around $100,000 as reported by Popnable.com.
However, no other primary sources has mentioned their exact earnings and the band has remained tight lipped about it.
The band is quite successful and gaining popularity day by day in their musical career. They are scheduled to play their North American tour in September and October.
They recently released the fourth studio album Blue Skies, on May 27, 2022. The album consists of 13 songs Control, Bad Love, Bop, Clear, Hold, Memories, Window, Palomino, Waterfall, Dream On, Empty in My Mind, Stars, and No Difference.
With the latest album, the band has a new sense of purpose, and the album title lives up to its name with the songs presented in it. The tracks are lighthearted with sunny anthems and charming rhythms.