Julian Casablancas favorite philosopher, whose work, Casablancas claims, held truth as an important standard value. He recognizes Paul Robeson as someone who used his musical platform to help further his serious political intrigue and as someone who, therefore, serves as a role model for politically engaged musicians. Casablancas has been a guest on the Russian sponsored program "Redacted Tonight", as well as included its host, Lee Camp, as an opener for a Voidz show in Houston, Texas in October 2018. Casablancas, along with the Strokes, provided vocals on a cover of Marvin Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" with Joshua Homme on
Julian Casablancas synthesizer), Alex Carapetis on drums and percussion, and Jeff Kite on keyboard. Wanting to earn a greater sense of respect as a band, rather than be perceived as a “side-project” of Julian's, the band officially changed their name from "Julian Casablancas + The Voidz" to simply "The Voidz" during an 'initiation' video on the band's YouTube page on December 8, 2017. Julian performed with Carapetis and Kite throughout the tour for his solo album, "Phrazes for the Young". Through Carapetis, Casablancas met Gritter and Bercovici. Bercovici, having played music with Yaghmai for several of years, then connected him to Casablancas,