Inhailer IN.SITE: Motherfolk on Meaning, Melancholy, and the Making of 'Eternal Joy'

Inhailer IN.SITE host Michael Byrd interviews Motherfolk mastermind Nate Dickerson ahead of the band's Eternal Joy release celebration at Woodward Theater on June 13th.

What can I say about Motherfolk that hasn’t already been said? They’ve earned their place as Cincinnati royalty, of course. Amazing songs? Absolutely. Even better people behind the music? Without a doubt.

So what I will say, loud and clear, is that Motherfolk’s new album, Eternal Joy, is a powerful step forward. The full-length project doesn’t disappoint. It leans heavily into a shoegaze-inspired soundscape, full of melancholic lyrics wrapped in a haze of hope and personal growth. Imagine the emotional immediacy of Saintseneca colliding with the atmospheric scope of My Morning Jacket. Eternal Joy offers something completely new: a sound soaked in feeling, and a band fully stepping into their next chapter.

Recently, I had the chance to see a different side of that chapter unfold. Inhailer filmed and recorded a special stripped-down performance and interview with Motherfolk on site at the Woodward Theater—where the band will be celebrating the release of Eternal Joy tomorrow Friday, June 13.

In my conversation with Motherfolk mastermind Nate Dickerson, we dig into the emotional layers of Eternal Joy: from the meaning behind the title, to the vulnerability it took to produce this record, to Nate’s thoughts on how music, this thing we all love, might just be getting watered down by technology. This interview was definitely one of my favorite conversations I’ve had with an artist, and a truly special installment of our IN.SITE series.

Watch the full interview below and stay tuned for the live performance, coming soon.

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Eternal Joy is out now on all streaming platforms – Listen here.

Watch the hypnotizing and beautiful music video for “Go Blind” – Watch now. See Motherfolk live with Moonbeau at their album release show this Friday, June 13 at the Woodward Theater – Get tickets here or catch the band on tour through the rest of 2025.