WRAL meteorologist forecasts new material for rock band 'Dayseeker'

In late March and early April, WRAL's meteorologist Chris Michaels was part of a project with the band 'Sleep Token' in anticipation of its most recent single, "Caramel."

About two weeks later, the beat goes on. Michaels reached more than 100,000 followers on TikTok.

This gained the attention of rock band Dayseeker. The band and its label, Spinefarm Records, reached out to WRAL and Michaels to take part in the rollout of a puzzle for its fans.

This comes ahead of anticipated new material from the band.

Who is Dayseeker?

Dayseeker is a band from Orange County, California. They formed in 2012, but have risen to popularity within the last five years. Their songs are known for blending elements of pop, rock and metal/metalcore. Lyrics often strike a chord with listeners, tapping into feelings of heartbreak and grief.

The band has more than one million monthly listeners on Spotify, thanks to tracks like "Sleeptalk" and "Without Me."

The band's most recent Triangle performance came on Oct. 5, 2024, at The Ritz in Raleigh. Supporting them on the Dark Sun Tour were bands like Alpha Wolf, Catch Your Breath and Kingdom of Giants.

Michaels was in attendance for the concert, but he never thought there would be a day when he and the band would collaborate on a social media project.

In March, the band's lead singer, Rory Rodriguez, posted to X, teasing ahead to a new record that he says is "100% the darkest piece of work we’ve put together."

How did WRAL get involved?

A representative from Dayseeker reached out to Michaels and WRAL.

The project included using sound and a graphic that would be posted to Instagram and TikTok.

In the post, Michaels walks in front of the graphic you see below.

The caption reads A • D • G • F • E. In the post, there is a link directing fans of the band to a website. The website brings listeners to a puzzle that would lead them to the release of new material.

Michaels says, "You see more artists creating puzzles to interact with their listeners, breaking down the fourth wall to create a more engaging experience."

A Note From Chris Michaels

It's been fun recently to combine my love for meteorology with my love for music. Weaving a hobby with my profession is something I don't take lightly. Working with these artists, you come to realize that they are normal folks like you and I - they just happen to do something really cool for work!

Thanks to Dayseeker and Spinfarm Records for allowing WRAL and me to take part in this release. Thank you to WRAL and its management for allowing me to collaborate with a band that got me through some dark times years ago.

I never want to take away from my main job, which is to deliver as accurate a forecast as possible. That said, it's been a fun challenge to balance that with some great new music too.