The Christmas EP (Hey Monday EP)

Did You Know?

• Cassadee Pope became the first female winner of The Voice.
• Hey Monday has been described as pop-punk, emo pop, pop rock, and power pop.
• Pope's vocals have drawn comparisons to Avril Lavigne and Hayley Williams of Paramore.

History

Hey Monday formed in March 2008 after Cassadee Pope and Mike Gentile's previous band Blake disbanded. Pope and Gentile held auditions around the local Florida music scene, quickly adding drummer Elliot James, rhythm guitarist Alex Lipshaw, and bassist Michael "Jersey" Moriarty. Pope caught the attention of A&R executives at a regional music conference, and A&R rep Jay Harren helped secure a signing with Columbia Records. Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz heard one of their demos at Crush Management and also wanted to sign them to Decaydance, resulting in a joint deal. The band recorded their debut album Hold On Tight in mid-2008, releasing it on October 7, 2008, to minor commercial success on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. They toured extensively with acts including the Academy Is..., We the Kings, the Cab, This Providence, A Rocket to the Moon, VersaEmerge, and Cash Cash. In 2009 they supported Fall Out Boy on U.S. and international tours, then headlined their own tour with This Providence, The Friday Night Boys, Stereo Skyline, and the Bigger Lights. Later that year they supported All Time Low on the Glamour Kills Tour. After a UK headlining tour, James left the band and was replaced by Patrick McKenzie. James later toured with The Scene Aesthetic, reformed his former band Easton, and eventually launched a solo career under the alias Baallet and later his own name.