VIDEO PREMIERE: Wilkes-Barre acoustic emo duo In a Perfect Sky eases into ‘Lazy for You’
Once a heart is broken, it’s natural to be wary when a new love interest comes along, though some cautious optimism goes a long way.
Similarly, after pulling on heartstrings with their debut EP last year, Wilkes-Barre-based acoustic indie/emo duo In a Perfect Sky – vocalist/guitarist Gerry Tulao and drummer/percussionist Jon Labenski – is easing into their second EP with a second single and a second music video to go along with it, both premiering today exclusively on NEPA Scene before their wide release this Friday.
“‘Lazy for You’ is a song that I’ve been eager to record and release. What’s funny is that most of my songs tend to go through lyric revisions. This one, however, the lyrics all just poured out and I was proud of it from day one,” Tulao said.
“The song is about being afraid to fall in love again. You feel like you’re catching some feelings again but you shrug them off. Last year, we released a song called ‘We’ll See,’ and that was about healing from a broken heart. ‘Lazy for You’ is kind of the sequel to that song. The title is like a play on words. Rather than being crazy for someone, you’re being lazy, afraid to take that leap again even though you know deep down you want to.”
Surrounded by the creativity of the beautiful Art Academy of Milton, the video tells another tale that also came spilling out of Tulao’s mind like paint on a blank canvas.
“I had this idea of a girl dancing to the song while wearing headphones that are not plugged in. It all started from there. Once I settled on the location and director, it became a matter of figuring out who would like to star in the video. I needed to find someone who is comfortable with dancing. When we did the release show for our previous EP, I met Ariela Grube. She loves going to raves, and when I was thinking about who to contact to be in the video, I came across an Instagram story she posted where she was at a rave and dancing her heart out while wearing a cool-looking outfit. I knew then she would be perfect for the video, and I was so glad that she agreed to be a part of it,” he recalled.
“The story of the video is about finding inspiration through music. Ariela is trying to get inspiration for a drawing she’s working on and, after putting some headphones on and letting loose to the song, she then gets inspired to finish her work. This music video is the first time we incorporated some form of storytelling, and we definitely plan on doing more of that in the future.”
In a Perfect Sky had performed at the academy twice before, which led to all of the pieces falling into place.
“The video shoot was tons of fun! We actually performed at the art academy twice before. After the second time, I really took note of how the academy looked, and I just loved the vibe and aesthetic. Nikki, the lead singer of Renovare and show promoter at the academy, told me about the owner. His name is Steve Gibson, and he also directs music videos. I contacted him and he totally got the vision I was going for,” Tulao explained.
“It was exactly what I envisioned! I love all the music videos we’ve done so far, but this one is definitely my favorite.”
The positive reception to their first collection of six songs, “This Ride Called Life,” encouraged them to continue releasing music this year, literally picking up where they left off with the single “Names on a Tree” on June 27.
“One thing about that ‘This Ride Called Life’ is that I feel it’s a good introduction to what this band has to offer. It feels good whenever I hear people say that they’re not really into acoustic music but love the songs off that EP,” Tulao beamed.
“These new songs were kind of written around the same time as the previous EP. When I first started In A Perfect Sky, I kept writing songs and then when it came time to figuring out which ones will be on the first EP, it was kind of tricky. In the end, I feel like I did a good job at sorting out which songs made the cut.
“What’s funny about [‘Names on a Tree’] is that it was one of the earliest IAPS songs I wrote. At the time, I just left [the band] Stay Loud and I still kind of had upbeat pop punk music in the brain, so what ended up happening was that the song came off more like a pop punk song. I put the song aside because I decided to go a more mellow direction on the first EP, and I knew I wanted to save ‘Names on a Tree’ for a later occasion. When it came time for new music, I knew it was a perfect time to release it, especially since the new music we’re doing is more full band-sounding.”
He and Labenski returned to Novro Studios in Swoyersville to once again work with producer Eric Novroski.
“Eric is the GOAT. I’ve been friends with him for 12 years now, and it’s so inspiring to see his studio grow. He understands the music and what we’re going for, and it’s easy for us to communicate how we want the songs to sound like. His wife, Sarah, also did the single art for the new single as well as the upcoming EP cover. They are a legit power couple!” Tulao praised.
Ready to share more stories of love, heartbreak, and hope, the results of those recording sessions will be a sophomore EP due out in December.
“For 2026, we plan on performing more. Because of the work on the new music, it kind of took away our time from performing. 2026 will definitely be a year for more shows, and we also plan on a couple one-off singles,” Tulao teased.
“Thank you to everyone that’s supported us so far! We hope you’re as excited for the future as we are!”
Watch In a Perfect Sky perform an acoustic set for Episode 3 of NEPA Scene Sessions:
Lead photo by Sarah Novroski/Novro Studios
