Pinkshift

A Song That Changed My Life: Pinkshift Gets Twenty One Pilots' Heavydirtysoul

A Song That Changed My Life

by Megan Perry Moore

The Band Members: Ashrita Kumar, vocals; Paul Vallejo, guitar; Myron Houngbedji, drums.

The Storyteller: Myron Houngbedji

The Song: Twenty One Pilots’ “Heavydirtysoul” pairs eclectic, quick-fire electro-rock beats with eerie soundscapes, contemplative, ciphered lyrics, and symbolic imagery—an aesthetic that sparked a massive, international fanbase known as the Skeleton Clique.

The Background: Myron Houngbedji —the dynamic drummer for the melodic, alt-punk Baltimore-based band Pinkshift —helped propel the group into the spotlight with their viral track “i’m going to tell my therapist on you.” After two full-length releases, Love Me Forever and Earthkeeper, and touring with The Gaslight Anthem and Mannequin Pussy, Myron reflects on how his drumming began with a sweet, “trying to impress a girl,” summer memory. That moment triggered something much larger: an enduring fascination with energetic rhythms, delivered alongside abstract lyrics and evocative visuals — where the drums help carry the artistic weight of a high-intensity performance.

The Story: During the summer between Myron’s junior and senior year of high school, a simple album recommendation —Twenty One Pilots’ Blurryface— sparked the unexpected. “I started listening to this song because I had a crush on a girl from Utica, NY.” He recalls, “She recommended the album to me, and of course I listened to it to impress her.”

What began as a fleeting, freckling connection turned into something deeper —especially through the track “Heavydirtysoul.” Myron explains, “I was hooked. I remember feeling so excited and surprised by the song. It was so different from the music that I was listening to at the time.”

The energy of the song immediately clicked —so much so that he picked up the sticks and learned “Heavydirtysoul.” “It was definitely an anchor for me early on, something that I always went back to whenever I sat at a drum kit. It was just that fun to play.”

Comfortable behind the kit, Myron found himself analyzing the song’s beats and sonic structure. “The way the song starts stuck with me - a swell of distorted, industrial sounds followed by a drum break that explodes alongside a very syllabic rap verse.” He continues, “I always found myself replaying parts. Alternating between 4/4 and 6/4 creates a feeling that is both powerful yet unpredictable.”

Perhaps the most fascinating element Myron embraced was the duo’s storytelling and lore —their ability to weave emblematic visuals and ciphered narratives through introspective lyrics that touch on universal themes exploring internal struggles and human resilience, particularly in grappling with religious and existential questions. These threads extend beyond individual songs into story arcs across full albums, music videos, and live performances, setting a high standard that resonated with Myron.

Experiencing Twenty One Pilots live added another layer to Myron’s understanding of their artistry. He noticed how the visual elements reinforced the music: “First the colors.” He explains, “Red and black —a strong consistent motif throughout Blurryface, and “Heavydirtysoul” gets the same treatment on stage. The band is backlit by an eerie red glow, with a glowing red mic that is hanging from the ceiling.” He continues, “Tyler Joseph raps… grabs a tambourine, and shifts to the center as drummer Josh Dun makes huge, exaggerated movements on cymbal hits, creating an ‘X’ with his drumsticks toward the crowd.” It culminates when the breakdown hits. “Tyler fully drops backward onto the floor as Josh smashes the cymbals, visually accentuating the half-time feel.”

These images became so deeply ingrained in Myron’s memory, etched into his mind’s eye as a vivid scene. “Whenever I listen to it,” he says, “I can see it. So many of their songs have such a clear live identity that fans fully expect these theatrics and mannerisms at concerts. They inspire me to do more with our own live performances.”

For Myron, the visual language and sonic cues connect directly to the song’s lyricism. The universal theme of confronting life’s pressures is embedded in both the imagery and the words themselves. He points to the line, “death inspires me like a dog, inspires a rabbit,” noting, “It’s such a creative way to describe Tyler’s fear of death and his desire and motivation to do something worthwhile in his lifetime.”

Over time, that meaning deepened. “The Christian themes in ‘Heavydirtysoul’ became more apparent as I grew older.” Myron reflects, “When I was first introduced to the song, I paid less attention to the message being conveyed. Revisiting it over the years helped me contextualize it more. As someone whose faith waned in high school, this song —along with many other Twenty One Pilots songs —hit pretty hard.”

Twenty One Pilots’ approach to artistry during their live sets also revealed something crucial about drumming. Josh is never hidden in the back — he drives the energy alongside Tyler, becoming part of the song’s performative narrative. That full-on presence —where beats are integral to the story —helped Myron realize how he wanted to approach music: delivering sonic storylines with commanding rhythmic intensity, felt both through headphones, and live onstage.

What began as a song encountered casually —to impress a crush— ultimately transformed into something much more: a catalyst that led Myron toward becoming a musician and drummer, intent on shaping music with symbolic storytelling while delivering performances that hit with awe-inspiring energy. As he puts it, Twenty One Pilots work is “a fiery call to action and an electric plea for salvation for not only Tyler himself, but also the listeners who relate to desperately wanting to vanquish their demons and think for themselves.”