One Outta Ten has written an anthem for starry-eyed lovers who yearn with their newest single, “Distant Stars (Withstand).” Dreamy, saccharine and sticky with sincerity, “Distant Stars” evokes the larger-than-life feeling of coming-of-age romance.
Based in Los Angeles, One Outta Ten began with brothers Josh (lead vocals/guitar) and David de Leon (drums) discovering their passion for music while playing The Beatles: Rock Band as kids. The brothers’ musical journey continued as they grew older and connected with Tyler Loftus (guitar/vocals), Mark Marquex (bass) and JT Hamel (keys/vocals), cementing One Outta Ten’s raw and energetic surf rock sound. The lead single for their upcoming fourth studio album, “Distant Stars” is the next phase of the band’s musical evolution.
“Distant Stars” is a sequel to the band’s previous single “Two of Cups,” released on Valentine’s Day in 2025. A honeyed, surf-rock love ballad to Josh de Leon’s girlfriend Zoe, “Two of Cups” reflects the optimism of the beginning of a relationship and where it can take you, as long as both partners continue to choose and trust each other. Josh de Leon sings from Zoe’s perspective in a floaty falsetto over hypnotic backing vocals and clean, bright guitars. While “Two of Cups” is written from the optimistic perspective of Zoe, quelling her partner’s worries, “Distant Stars” explores those worries as their relationship evolves.
“Distant Stars” is not just an evolution of the relationship, but an evolution of One Outta Ten’s sound. The band’s previous releases have focused on acoustic guitars and anthemic, singalong choruses. In “Distant Stars,” One Outta Ten trades their clean, surf guitar for loud, fuzzy distortion and shoegaze influence. Josh de Leon’s voice is no longer floating above in falsetto, but grounded in a lower register as he reflects on the importance of his lover.
One Outta Ten’s confessional and earnest songwriting is a throughline within their discography that connects “Distant Stars” to their previous work. The verses of “Distant Stars” are declarations of love driven by the steady, pulsating heartbeat of the rhythm guitar. The lyrics paint a picture of a love so strong it can’t be traded for the whole universe. Josh de Leon confesses, “There’s a million different twinkling lights that I can see / But the only place that holds me close is in your gravity.”
There is a wistful desperation to “Distant Stars,” which One Outta Ten describes as “a prayer to get through the hard times that life throws at a relationship.” In the chorus, Josh de Leon begs the fates, “Can we withstand this universe? / Can we just withstand?” with anguish in his voice.
The song climaxes with a bright guitar solo reminiscent of the band’s surf and indie-rock roots, an echo of “Two of Cups” and the early days of the relationship, before descending into a fast and danceable bridge that leads into the intensity of the final chorus. It evokes the final scene in a coming-of-age movie where the romantic leads decide to be with each other against all odds and run headfirst into any challenges they may face.
“Distant Stars” perfectly encapsulates One Outta Ten’s ability to evolve and cross genre lines while still staying true to the vulnerability at their core. With “Distant Stars,” One Outta Ten captures the nature of a love so profound it can only be done proper justice by blaring from a boombox outside of a window– and we wouldn’t trade it for every star in the sky.
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