Roar (stylized as ROAR) is an American solo musical project of Arizona-based musician Owen Richard Evans. He started the project in 2010 by releasing the extended play I Can't Handle Change. Evans has since released two more extended plays and four studio albums under the moniker.
History Evans was previously a member of the band Asleep in the Sea alongside Tom Filardo and Eli Kuner. Asleep in the Sea debuted in 2004 and opened for The Spinto Band in 2005, but disbanded three years later in 2007. Evans returned to the music scene in 2010, creating Roar and releasing the project's debut extended play, I Can't Handle Change. The EP was a response to Asleep in the Sea's disbandment. Roar's second extended play, Daytrotter Session, was released on February 26, 2011.
Roar's third extended play, I'm Not Here to Make Friends, was released on February 28, 2012, and was the project's only release under Really Records.
Roar's debut studio album, Impossible Animals, was released independently on March 27, 2016. During 2016, Evans joined band Andrew Jackson Jihad, which later rebranded to AJJ, as their drummer. Roar's second studio album, Pathétique Aesthétique, was released on July 5, 2018.
In 2019 and 2024, the titular song from I Can't Handle Change gained popularity on the internet, especially media-sharing app TikTok. On March 30, 2021, Roar's third studio album, Diamond Destroyer of Death, was released. Evans left AJJ during 2021.
In 2023, "Christmas Kids", a song from I Can't Handle Change, went viral on TikTok. The song's popularity led it to chart on the Irish Singles Chart and UK Singles Chart at 45 and 58, respectively; the entries marked Roar's first appearance on any international music charts. The song describes the abusive relationship between Phil Spector and his wife Ronnie.
Discography
Studio albums +TitleAlbum details Impossible Animals Released: March 27, 2016 Label: Self-released Format: LP, digital download, streaming Pathétique Aesthétique Released: July 5, 2018 Label: Self-released Format: LP, digital download, streaming Diamond Destroyer of Death Released: March 30, 2021 Label: Self-released Format: LP, digital download, streaming Knives For Aries Released: May 2, 2024 Label: Felt Forest Records Format: LP, digital download, streaming
Compilation albums +TitleAlbum details Demos and Voice Memos Released: January 12, 2019 Label: Self-released Format: Digital download, streaming
Live albums +TitleAlbum details Live in the Secret Garden Released: May 8, 2018 Label: Self-released Format: Digital download, streaming
Extended plays +TitleEP details I Can't Handle Change Released: March 14, 2010 Label: Self-released Format: Digital download, streaming Daytrotter Session Released: February 26, 2011 Label: Self-released Format: Digital download, streaming I'm Not Here to Make Friends Released: February 28, 2012 Label: Really Format: Digital download, streaming Recorded at a Record Store 2 Released: April 15, 2015 Label: SideOne Dummy Format: Digital download, streaming
Charted and certified songs +TitleYearPeak chart positionsCertificationsAlbum IRE UK "I Can't Handle Change"2010—— RIAA: PlatinumI Can't Handle Change "Christmas Kids"4558 RIAA: Gold
References