Hot Freaks – Soft Body
Minneapolis indie-pop collective Hot Freaks have signed to Nettwerk and will release their new album, Soft Body, on October 23, 2026.
To celebrate the announcement, the band has shared their sprightly, infectious new single, “Getting Over You,” out now.
Shifting seamlessly from a skittering introduction into a high-energy, pogo-bouncing chorus, “Getting Over You” is a defiant anthem about pushing through the sting of heartbreak.
The band adds, “‘Getting Over You’ is about hyping oneself up after a romantic defeat. Setting karaoke boundaries and exerting maximum effort while trying to pass feelings of unrequited love. Music has a calliope and carnival ride flavor.”
Hot Freaks—comprising Leo Vondracek (vocals), Sarah Alfano (bass), Cody Brown (drums), and Celeste Heule (keyboards)—captured global attention five years ago when their 2013 single “Puppy Princess” organically went viral on TikTok. While their subsequent sophomore album, Hot Freaks Forever, capitalized on that sudden whirlwind, Soft Body marks a deeper, more intentional return to their roots.
Written across state lines—with members trading tracks back and forth between Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and South Dakota—the album blends older, unreleased gems with brand-new compositions. The band gathered to record at the Minneapolis home studio of their longtime friend, frequent collaborator, and Pleasure Horse guitarist Tim Evenson. Hot Freaks later mixed and finished tracking Soft Body at Wild Sound Recording Studio with another friend, Joshua Parlanti. The result is a bold juxtaposition of melancholic, honest lyricism and bright, high-octane melodies that explore the trials of relationship expectations, romantic jealousy, and the search for connection, as evidenced on “Big Arms Boyfriend,” released earlier this year.
“When the TikTok moment happened, it was like this game show moment,” Vondracek shares. “We made a new album, but I felt like we weren’t a functioning band at that point. I do think this record feels more like our first one. It felt slower and more organic. I felt like we were kids on vacation.”
From Minneapolis indie-pop upstarts to an internet-rallied phenomenon, Hot Freaks have navigated an unconventional but deeply rewarding trajectory. Characterized by brisk tempos, soaring choruses, and deeply relatable, vulnerable lyricism, the band continues to build a sustainable, organic success story on their own terms.
Hot Freaks Fall Headline Tour:
Tue, Nov 3 – Des Moines, Iowa @ xBK
Wed, Nov 4 – Omaha, Nebraska @ Reverb
Fri, Nov 6 – Lawrence, Kansas @ Bottleneck
Sat, Nov 7 – St. Louis, Missouri @ Duck Room
Sun, Nov 8 – Nashville, Tennessee @ Row One
Tue, Nov 10 – Louisville, Kentucky @ Zanzabar
Wed, Nov 11 – Lexington, Kentucky @ The Burl
Sat, Nov 14 – Richmond, Virginia @ Richmond Music Hall
Sun, Nov 15 – Norfolk, Virginia @ The Annex
Tue, Nov 17 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania @ Thunderbird Music Hall
Wed, Nov 18 – Cleveland, Ohio @ Mahal’s
Fri, Nov 20 – Columbus, Ohio @ Ace of Cups
Sat, Nov 21 – Indianapolis, Indiana @ Turntable
Sun, Nov 22 – Milwaukee, Wisconsin @ Argo
#hotfreaksmusic