Hailing from South Florida, XtahZ (pronounced Ex tuh Zee) is a rather unconventional musical endeavour, at least when it comes to its line-up. You see, the group sees Gen X father, Josh Tiktin, and its Gen Z son, Yehuda Tiktin, teaming up on an intergenerational project, an endearing family outfit that also includes fellow musicians Nico on guitar and Leo on drums.
XtahZ have debuted in September with ‘How Low’, followed up by October’s ‘Born and Raised’, and they are gearing up for a brand new offering, ‘Less than Nothing’, expected on November 1st. Their sound is rather immediate and electrifying, blending nostalgic and contemporary influences in true intergenerational fashion. Lyrics are sharp and witty, and we are quite keen on their playful, rebellious allure.
Intrigued by the project, we caught up with XtahZ to learn more about their artistry and future goals… Interview below!
Hey XtahZ, thanks for chatting with us! The reader will already be aware of the concept behind the band and the generational gap between Josh and Yehuda. So let’s dive right into your latest single, ‘Born and Raised’. Is there a specific theme behind the song? I appreciate its catchy and gritty outlook; it’s quite eclectic.
I’m glad you appreciate the catchiness and grittiness of the song; thank you for that! The song is a call to question whether we are adhering to the original big vision the founders had for this country. Although they were far from reaching it themselves, we have come a long way, but it feels like nowadays that loving outlook may be slipping through the cracks. This song is a wake-up call to recall the specialness of equality, unity, and our freedoms.
Take us into your creative process: what’s your usual workflow when writing and recording?
My dad wrote the lyrics and created the structures of our current album. I wrote several of the musical parts. We began recording in December 2025 with the idea of having something decent to show local musicians in order to acquire a drummer and guitarist. I recorded the bass, guitar, and backup vocals as my dad chopped and organised the drum loops and lead vocals. Our plan worked, and an amazing Brazilian drummer, Leo, and my good friend and talented guitarist Nico joined and completed the band.
After months of rehearsing and gigging at local events and festivals, we recorded our album in 2 days. My dad, Josh, mixed the album and each single within it is mastered by Grammy winner Ted Jensen, who did Green Day’s American Idiot and has worked with the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and many other super groups.
This is a question for Josh: how did you convince your son to join a band? 🙂 Usually it’s considered uncool to make music with one’s parents! I am now exaggerating for dramatic effect, but I would love to know how XtahZ came together in the first place.
Great question. When I was young, I wouldn’t have been caught dead in a band with my dad lol. Back in the day, the popular groups were all in their late teens and twenties. Perhaps this is what the major labels wanted, as it made it easier for them to control the narrative. Now, that whole industry has practically collapsed, while the minds of today’s youth have broadly expanded.
The audiences don’t care if you’re gay, straight, big, skinny, young, old, hot, not, or what your gender or sexual preferences are. They just want to have fun and be inspired. Because I come from those old ancient times, I thought it might be a weird thing for my son to be in a band with his dad, but to my pleasant surprise, everybody is really drawn to it and thinks it is super cool.
On top of that, there is definitely a huge, post-COVID renaissance happening now artistically, and there are tons of great new bands out there revitalising rock’n’roll and all of its sub-genres. So many of these are players around my age who are giving the middle finger to old age and death by saying, “I’m not done yet!”… It’s an important second wind coming from the last generation that grew up before the internet, where DIY was just a way of life. That is what XtahZ is all about… “X to Z”, passing down that energy and essential way of living!
In terms of influence and listening habits, is there an artist or band that you both listen to? I suspect both Josh and Yehuda (as well as Nico and Leo) each bring something different to the table…
We both love the timeless classics, of course! Can’t get enough of the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Sublime, RHCP, Nirvana, Collective Soul, etc. But for our individual influences, my father decided he wanted to be a vocalist/performer when the Beastie Boys came out, when he was in the 8th grade. He started writing rap songs in the late 80s. I am a big fan of some diverse stuff, from Incubus and Title Fight to Daft Punk and Jamiroquai.
I would say Nico has an even more diverse taste in music than I, but a lot of his influence in style comes from Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and some Tame Impala. Leo, however, is a big fan of 90s pop-punk and adjacent genres, one of his favourites being Foo Fighters and Yellowcard.
Your release strategy has been playfully named ‘Relentless Release Schedule’. Is there a specific goal behind that? I guess being consistent is really important, and perhaps, from an algorithmic point of view, it will pay off in the end…
Absolutely. Back in the day, it was all about albums. You would buy the vinyl, CD, or cassette, open up the lyrics, gaze at the photos and/or art, lie on your bed and spend the next 30-45 minutes connected to the people who inspire you. You would get to know them (and yourself) further. That doesn’t really happen anymore, as everything is happening so fast and you’re lucky to get 3.5 seconds of someone’s attention.
So we learned that singles are the way to go, and we post like 2 videos a day with different clips of the next single we release. We jam it down the internet’s throat in hopes that somehow our hooks can get embedded in people’s brains, and by the first of the month, when our next single gets released, listeners all excitedly peep the whole song for the first time on their platform of choice. So the strategy is that from the first of every month from September to May we release a new single, and then in June we release the whole album simultaneously with the last, “bonus” track. We will be releasing the album on vinyl, CD and cassette, as well as digitally.
As you might have already mentioned, XtahZ is gearing up for a future album, set to be released in June 2027. What can we expect from it? Will most of its tracks be released beforehand?
Yes, many of the tracks will be released beforehand. You can expect high energy, grit, realness, catchy hooks and conceptual themes that range from internal spiritual battles to motivating wake-up calls. Songs about the aches, pains, and gains of love also could not be left out.
Being a cross-generational outfit, I would love to think that each one of you excels at different tasks. Yehuda is probably very comfortable with the online world, and Josh is perhaps better at speaking with venues’ owners and dealing with the real world. Perhaps I am generalising, but here’s my question: is there a division of labour in the band?
Of course! I handle a lot of the online stuff, such as the website and outreach for gigs. My dad handles social media and event organisation, as well as the creation of videos, fliers, and merchandise.
How has your experience in the music industry been so far? Do you feel a certain generational tension when it comes to goals and expectations?
The experience has been great. Since we started, it’s been all about finding our footing and learning what it truly is that we want to add to the world. Also, there is a large, talented and friendly music community in South Florida, through which we have enjoyed growing our social and business network.
The music industry nowadays is a hard nut to crack, as it is flooded with a gazillion indies trying to get a half second of your attention, which is nearly impossible because of disconnected algorithms. I hate to say it, but without extreme luck or putting in serious financial investment, I don’t think there is much of a chance.
Lastly, let’s plug your next single, ‘Less Than Nothing’, out on November 1st. Are you guys hyped for that? 🙂
Heck yes! This song has a great, catchy, sing-along hook, hard rap-rock verses and a break with electronic and vinyl-scratching soundscapes. It is not your ordinary song! 🙂