Heard It Here First

In 2025, we have all eyes on Michigan-based HIHF guest mix alum Stupid Fried, and we’re proud to premiere his newest single, “Third Chair,” featuring EVE on the exciting new label Hemi.Wav. As Stupid Fried, Evan Ruby solidified himself as one of the most proficient producers in Michigan’s scene, showcasing a vast auditory palette pulling influences from halftime, drum & bass, jazz, and more. “Third Chair” showcases everything we’ve come to love about his project, from fervent drum & bass percussion to thoughtful, lush textures.

The track begins with melancholic piano stabs before giving way to a pulsating breakbeat, somber chords, and EVE’s heartfelt guitar melody, which is still pensive while being somewhat playful to accompany the fast-paced percussion. The track’s bridge expands on this reflective nature before the track shifts to a mellow halftime beat. “Third Chair” encompasses everything good about the Stupid Fried project; boisterous textures, crisp percussion, a change from drum & bass to halftime in the same song, and outstanding musicality. The beat ends on a much more chill, uplifting note before reprising the same melancholic chords from the intro. The cherry on top of this track is the sensational work done by legendary mastering engineer Matt Davis.

“Third Chair” is a journey from start to finish, setting the tone for his upcoming album. Stupid Fried’s attention to detail is a key component of his art, often reprising themes across multiple releases with great intention and sonic cohesion.

Here’s what Stupid Fried had to say:

“‘Third Chair’ is the third song in the lineage of ‘Musical Chair’ (from the first Feed The Soul album), and is the leading single from my upcoming album, and third in the series, Ignites The Soul. Its title comes from that lineage, but also because I consider myself a third chair musician. In support of this, I have guitarist and pianist features on my album to showcase their superior musicianship and intrumentalist skills.” – Stupid Fried

The nods to musicianship set Stupid Fried’s music apart as he blends his sensational production skills with more traditional musical elements. Stupid Fried will appear at ManaFest in Detroit on March 15th, a much-anticipated event headlined by Resonant Language featuring top-tier sound and visual deployments.

Following ManaFest, he’s slotted as local support for Detroit’s all:Lo tour date with parkbreezy, pheel., and TF Marz. These bookings perfectly encompass the variety in sound we’ve come to love from the Stupid Fried project, and we cannot wait to see where his musical talents take him next.

Are you enjoying “Third Chair”? Let us know in the comments or on social media!

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