On the Fire Escape with Moral: A Conversation with Sean Rehak

On the Fire Escape with Moral: A Conversation with Sean Rehak

Perched on a breezy fire escape overlooking the skyline, we caught up with Sean Rehak—the creative force behind Moral—for a candid conversation about emo revival, shoegaze textures, and the emotional weight behind his rising discography. From Baltimore’s underground scene to his first headlining show at Ottobar, Sean opens up about self-sabotage, sonic nostalgia, and the thrill of chasing momentum in Los Angeles. With streaming numbers climbing and studio sessions booked, Moral is more than a solo project—it’s a growing movement of sound, sentiment, and sincerity.

First off, give me a little background on Moral and how long you’ve been together.
So, I’m actually a solo artist—I just play live with a band. I started writing music in seventh grade, around 14 or 15. I always wanted to be in a band, but I didn’t have friends who were ready to roll with that. So, I just kept going solo. I started out using instrumentals from YouTube, and in high school I recorded a lot more—literally just on my iPhone.  When I got to college, I started going to studios. But eventually I thought, “You know what, I’ll just buy the equipment and record at home.” That’s when I met a producer online named Harrison Witcher, and we’ve been co-writing songs ever since.

For readers who aren’t hearing this live, describe where we’re doing this interview.
We’re on a fire escape. We wanted a quiet spot, and it’s actually really nice. There’s a breeze, you can see the skyline—it’s pretty cool.

What’s the local music scene like in Baltimore?
Baltimore has a super cool scene. I’ve met some amazing acts that really inspire me. There’s a strong post-hardcore and grunge-gaze vibe—bands like Dosser, blisshouse, Paper Lanterns. It’s a tight-knit community. Even if it’s not huge online, people know the bands, they show up, and there’s just love in the air.

How did your recent show in Baltimore go?
It went really well—it was my first headlining show, and it was at my favorite venue, Ottobar. That’s actually where I played my first show ever, as an opener. So, it felt full circle to headline there. I was joined by some of those grunge-gaze bands I mentioned, and it was a super cool time.

Now you’re in Los Angeles. What are you most looking forward to about tonight’s show?
I know the crowd’s going to be pretty big, which is exciting. But honestly, I’m just stoked to play music and have fun with it. It’s my first time out here. We’ve got studio sessions booked this week, so I’m just living in the moment.

Tell me about your latest single, “Ghost,” and the inspiration behind it.
“Ghost” blends that classic emo sound with a newer alt-shoegaze vibe. I pulled a lot of inspiration from “Decode” by Paramore, mixed with Deftones and even The Neighbourhood—especially on the sync claps. Lyrically, it’s about self-regret. Like, you had a chance and self-sabotaged, and now you’re stuck reminiscing about what could’ve been.

Let’s talk about “Closure” with Greedi. What inspired that one?
I’ve been a fan of Greedi for a while—he makes modernized shoegaze. I hit him up and said, “Dude, I really want to do a song with you.” He hopped on it. That track blends Midwest emo with shoegaze. It was inspired by reconnecting with someone from my past—a former love. It reopened a part of my mind, like, “Oh, I remember where I was.” But now I’m out here, and I’m not getting trapped in that. It’s about saying goodbye to a former love for the sake of growth.

Tell me about “The World Will End For Us.”
Funny story—Harrison made the track and thought no one would like it. He sent it to me as a throwaway, and I was like, “I need to work with this now.” It had that Deftones feel with an emo kick, and I needed that in my life. The song’s about dark romance—yearning, obsession, that “you and me versus the world” energy. I wanted to give it some figurative language and drama to elevate the theme.

That song has 400,000 plays on Spotify, and “Let’s Go” has 300,000. What do those numbers mean to you?
It’s surreal. Sometimes I look at it and think, “This isn’t real.” I’m proud of it, but as an artist, the numbers are always on your mind. A year ago, 50,000 plays felt insane. Now I’m at 400,000, and my brain’s like, “How do we double this? How do we one-up it?” That song launched a growing fanbase and reignited my passion for music. I’ve been hungry ever since.

If you could open for any band—past or present—who would it be and why?
Panic! At the Disco. That’s the band that got me into writing. I discovered A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out in seventh grade, picked up a guitar (was terrible at first), but I wanted to learn. Their dramatic performance style struck a chord in me. That would be a dream come true.

Tell me about The Static Distortion Podcast.
It’s a passion project I started with my buddy Grimzlee—we made “Let Go” together. In our alt-shoegaze scene, not many artists talk about the behind-the-scenes stuff: industry challenges, media, song backstories. So, we created a space for that. We’ve had guests like Decaine and Nova Brute—other alt-metal shoegaze bands. It’s a way to demystify the creative process and let people share more of their story. As we grow, I hope the podcast grows too.

If the music of Moral were a donut, what kind would it be and why?
That’s such a good question. I’d say an Oreo donut—maybe with chocolate chips mixed in. It’d have to be warm. It’s a swirl of flavors, intriguing and layered.

What’s next after the show?
I’ve got studio sessions lined up—one tomorrow, then Thursday and Friday. I just want to write and record music that resonates with me, stuff I’ve been sitting on. We filmed the “Ghost” music video last week, which was super cool. My goal is to tour next year, get with a booking agent, and honestly, sign a deal. I want to keep making music people connect with. That’s my favorite part—when someone messages me saying a song helped them, or they interpreted it in a way I never expected. That’s the beauty of music.

(Interview by Ken Morton – Photos by Vivian Ortega of So Finch Photography)

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