South Dakota might not be known for its burgeoning music scene. However, that means when we find sonic gems, they're extra special. And singer and guitarist Layne Putnam and her musical partner, drummer Alexander Rosca, are just two of those talents. Known as LAYNE, the musical duo combine rock and pop sounds with personal and honest lyrics. And they show it off on their new EP, The Black Hills. We had the chance to chat with band founder Layne and get to know the group a little bit better.

Find out more about LAYNE below.

Hometown: South Dakota

Homebase: Los Angeles, CA

Talk about the moment you decided to become a musician.

I'm not sure there really was a "moment" I decided. I've played music my whole life and since I can remember its been a huge part of my identity so maybe I'm lucky but I don't feel like I ever "decided" I just was.

What is "Good" about?

“Good" Is about being lonely and going through depression but finding someone in that darkness, and realizing we were both totally alone but alone together.

And people have really been responding to the music, especially since it's gone viral. How does that feel?

It's absolutely crazy. It's hard to understand what a number on a screen means, but when I think about even one person listening to it in their car or wherever it blows my mind, so having that many people that have heard it... it's very surreal.

Your EP, The Black Hills, is out. What's the premise behind it?

It's full of self-reflection and commentary on my generation right now. Also the frustration, sadness and hard work that goes into doing this is a common theme.

Song you can't wait to perform from the record?

We love playing "Topical," so I'm excited to take that one on the road.

You're from South Dakota — not necessarily the biggest of musical places. But how did growing up there influence your sound and songwriting?

I think nature and the environment shaped me as a person so much, which in turn shapes my music. And growing up around amazing players who threw me into jam sessions definitely helped me as a player. But I was on Myspace back in the day finding bands to love, and that's where my music taste and my sound really started to form.

What's next for LAYNE?

We leave for tour in a couple days, which we're all very excited about. This EP is coming out, We've got some home shows in Los Angeles in October and hopefully some more runs this fall. And I'm already working on the next EP so music, shows, videos, content and a lot of expansion and growth.