This weeks T.G.I.F. featured artist is Skyler, a 19 year old pop/rock singer from York, Maine. Learn more about Skyler from the Q&A below! Be sure to check his tunes out on his website.

SUR: How did the band come together?
Michael, Adam, and I were already writing songs together, so it was an easy fit for them to join the band. I met John at Berklee College of Music and became fast friends. We bonded over the fact that we were the only two guys at Berklee that really liked Taylor Swift. We started doing some shows together and he joined the band shortly after. We went through a number of drummers of until the Summer of 2010 when Mark joined the band.

SUR: How’d you come up with your name?
Skyler is my name. The name of the band is only used live, “Skyler and the Band of Thieves.” Kind of like Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band is only used at live shows.

SUR: What bands/artists are you influenced by?
The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, The Who, Green Day, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, etc.

SUR: How would you describe your music for people who have never heard it before?
A mixture of pop, rock, and country. The male response to Taylor Swift.

SUR: What makes your band different from all the other ones out there?
We bring a type of songwriting and performing that is currently underrepresented in Pop music.
LINK: http://straightuprandom.com/2011/03/26/t-g-i-f-artist-skyler/