VICTORIA/VERNON, BC-BASED COLD FAME’S “JAWBREAKER” HITS LIKE A SUCKER PUNCH—SWEET, DANGEROUS, AND IMPOSSIBLE TO RESIST
There’s a moment in every great rock song where recklessness meets precision—a tension between control and abandon. Cold Fame’s latest single “Jawbreaker” captures that electrifying push and pull, threading alt-rock grit with cinematic intensity. The British Columbia-based duo made up of Jodi Pederson and Damian Anthony, are crafting soundtracks for the beautifully unhinged moments in life.
“Jawbreaker” is a full-throttle collision between desire, danger, and defiance. “He’s not my usual type / In fact, he’s pretty far from it,” Pederson sings in the opening line, her voice cutting through the track’s pulsing beat like neon against a midnight skyline. But this isn’t a story about caution. This is about temptation and the thrill of throwing yourself into something you know might ruin you. “Like a sugar rush in my head / Candy rush on my tongue / I could taste you all night long”—it’s a fever dream set to a stadium-sized chorus, dripping with the kind of reckless energy that feels like a car racing toward the edge of a cliff.
Produced by Kevin Maher (Carly Rae Jepsen, Fake Shark) and Mike Noble (Hotel Mira), “Jawbreaker” explodes with high-octane guitar work, thunderous drums, and a sneaky, serpentine saxophone solo from co-writer Grant Zubritsky (Dua Lipa, Tegan & Sara). The track is the first single from Cold Fame’s upcoming EP, Love, Lust & Violence, a project that promises to dive headfirst into the themes that have always fueled rock’s most dangerous and exhilarating moments.
Pederson describes the song as a personal rebellion, a moment of surrender to the part of herself she’s spent years suppressing.
“For as long as I can remember, I’ve chased this idea of being the ‘perfect girl,’” she says. “That led me to suppress so much of my wild, authentic nature. ‘Jawbreaker’ is my release from that.” That tension—between self-restraint and unapologetic indulgence—drives the track forward with an urgency that never lets up.”
The song came together in a blur of inspiration. Damian Anthony, a producer and multi-instrumentalist, laid down the first sparks of “Jawbreaker“ while stuck on a ferry between Vancouver Island and the mainland.
“I had an hour and a half, a laptop, and a need to get something out,” he says. “By the time I made it to the studio, the foundation was there, and we just ran with it.”
That raw, kinetic energy is felt in every second of the track, an anthem for anyone who’s ever craved a little chaos in their life.
Cold Fame is no stranger to turning heads in the alt-pop/rock world. Their breakout hit “Hello Reaper” held strong on Canadian alternative radio for nine weeks, peaking at #29, while their 2024 debut album, RED ROOM, saw them playing sold-out shows and earning festival spots alongside acts like Gwen Stefani, Fleet Foxes, and The Blue Stones. They’ve built a reputation for their ferocious live energy, seamlessly blending rock and pop’s edge with the emotional punch of cinematic pop.
With “Jawbreaker“, Cold Fame cements their place as one of Canada’s most compelling alt-pop/rock acts, setting the stage for their upcoming EP, Love, Lust & Violence, arriving later in 2025. As they continue their sonic evolution, one thing is clear: this band isn’t just here to play along—they’re here to take over.
Hi Cold Famers! Good to meet you! Care to introduce yourselves to the readers?
Hey! We are Damian and Jodi, two buds who met online through a producer/mutual friend during the pandemic and created Cold Fame. Since then we have released our debut album RED ROOM, peaked at #29 in the Top 30 Alternative Canadian charts with our song “Hello Reaper” and performed at festivals and shows alongside some top talent including Gwen Stefani, Peach Pit, Fleet Foxes, and Hotel Mira. We put on a fun, high-energy show and love goofing around on stage.
“Jawbreaker” is a song that thrives on tension—between control and abandon. How did you approach capturing that dynamic both lyrically and sonically?
Since we started writing music as Cold Fame, we’ve teetered between pop and rock songs. With Jawbreaker the idea was to write a very pop-sounding song but with a big rock chorus. This leaned well to the contrasting themes of the track.
Jodi, you described “Jawbreaker” as a personal rebellion against the idea of being the “perfect girl.” Can you elaborate on what that journey has looked like for you?
Maybe it’s a mix of societal pressures and a deep-seated fear of disappointing my family (because I love and appreciate them so much), but I’ve always felt this relentless need to be perfect. For years, I was trapped by an impossible standard—one that I reinforced with my own perfectionism. It put me in a box, held me back, and made me a late bloomer in many ways. But ironically, being in this band has unlocked parts of me I never even knew existed. I’m still on the journey of self-discovery, but with each day, I feel more like the person I’m meant to be. And that’s a really exciting feeling. Music has always been my outlet, a way to process emotions and search for answers. It’s been a guiding force through all of this, helping me break free from the pressure and truly find myself.
Damian, the song started on a ferry ride with just a laptop—how did that moment of spontaneity influence the final track?
I find, most of the time, I’m a very spontaneous songwriter. I come up with better results when it’s from spur-of-the-moment inspiration. With Jawbreaker, I was on my way to our writing session and I wanted to make sure I had plenty to contribute. So I pulled out my laptop and headphones and actually came up with three different song starters to show the team. Jawbreaker was one of those three
“Jawbreaker” feels like an anthem for those who crave a little chaos—what do you hope listeners take away from it?
Honestly, we just want people to have fun with this song. Life is hard, times are serious, so we hope people can escape and just have a good time listening to “Jawbreaker” and maybe dance out their anxiety and stress. As a naturally shy and timid girl, I wanted to write lyrics that could inspire others to step out of their comfort zones and truly embrace life – maybe take a risk now and then 😉