Brooklyn-based artist Late Again has released his new EP Clearly It’s All Staged, alongside a kaleidoscopic video for the standout track “Chick’n Tenders.”
Led by shimmering guitars and wistful lyricism, “Chick’n Tenders” blends irony and intimacy, written partly as a tongue-in-cheek love song to fried chicken while doubling as a meditation on displacement and unrequited love. “It’s funny how chicken tenders taste exactly the same no matter where you are in the world,” Late Again says. “Sometimes that’s all you need to feel at home when nothing else can fill that void.”
Across its seven tracks, Clearly It’s All Staged explores longing, rejection, and belonging—whether romantic, platonic, or professional. Recorded in his Greenpoint bedroom and co-produced with Heal Mura, the project features contributions from Ella Walton, Nathan Dies, and saxophonist Jared Yee. The songs unfold with indie-pop textures, jazz flourishes, hazy guitars, and dreamlike harmonies, showcasing Late Again’s knack for weaving wit with melancholy.
Late Again is the musical moniker of Brazilian-born, Brooklyn-based Rafael Melo. A creative force across mediums, Melo grew up on Shania Twain mixtapes and Brazilian psychedelia before carving his own path through music, film, and design. Prior to reaching over a million Spotify listeners, he collaborated with Brazilian jazz legend Arthur Verocai and fronted an indie band in São Paulo. His past work spans award-winning films, viral indie games, and even Guinness World Record–breaking ad campaigns.
With Clearly It’s All Staged, Melo sharpens his eclectic sound while grounding it in personal storytelling. It’s an EP for anyone caught between places, languages, or identities—an invitation to laugh, ache, and find connection in the in-between.
