The Undercover Dream Lovers surrender to youthful nostalgia in new video for "Prom Queen"

THE UNDERCOVER DREAM LOVERS

SURRENDER TO YOUTHFUL NOSTALGIA IN

NEW VIDEO FOR “PROM QUEEN”

“Matt Koenig’s indelible slice of dream-pop has a dark edge.”

“...Matt Koenig deftly interweaves the future and past under his moniker The Undercover Dream Lovers. Featuring elements of indie rock glossed over with sleek synthpop, his music recalls the millennial anxiety of 2020 and beyond and late-night club meet-ups circa 1981.”

Today, The Undercover Dream Lovers release the official video for the new single “Prom Queen.” Los Angeles-based musician and producer Matt Koenig is stepping away from his fuzzy, dream-pop sound, opting instead for an ELO-meets-Phoenix glittering wash of synths, guitar chops and weeping strings. The song opens with the familiar whir and clicks of a VHS tape coming to life, a nostalgic portal into a specific time, both in history and in life. Sonically and visually, there is a humanness to “Prom Queen,” like memories that turn into emotional architecture — Watch the video.

Koenig shared, “A lot of the ideas came from reflecting on youth and nostalgia (late 90s / early 2000s), and pulling from nuclear family character types (kind of a Donnie Darko-ish lens). The song flips between an alt-punk kid who’d rather skip prom and hang with his friends, and a mother figure looking back on her own prom queen era. Ultimately it’s about perspective and letting go of the idea that you need to be seen or act a certain way to feel worthy or appreciated.”

Directed by Alex LaLiberté and Grant Spanier, the video was shot run-and-gun style across various LA locations like the old Teen Wolf set and at the Mustang Motel.

ABOUT THE UNDERCOVER DREAM LOVERS:

A dusty basement television hums to life, the curved screen flickering like a memory you didn’t know you still had. On his upcoming music, The Undercover Dream Lovers latch onto that totemic power. Built from tactile details and lived-in scenes, Matt Koenig creates a string of transportive worlds where listeners can become protagonists in psychedelic indie rock wonderlands.

Koenig grew up in Pittsburgh, recording in his bedroom by the age of 14—those experiments eventually leading to the launch of The Undercover Dream Lovers. The solo project quickly caught fire with fans and earned critical attention, including prominent Spotify playlist placement. After growing the project, Koenig found a permanent home in Los Angeles.

Both the golden warmth and bleary urban nights of LA are infused in Undercover Dream Lovers’ sound. And as that old CRT TV flicks back to darkness, the vibrant images of the music remain. Field recordings, sound effects, and thoughtful sonic textures don’t function as window dressing so much as emotional architecture, each detail meticulously considered yet never overworked. Koenig’s songwriting is both impeccably crafted and deeply human, resulting in a sound that invites immersion rather than nostalgia for its own sake.

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